Freedom means a lot of different things to me, depending on my mood and the context.
In general, it means the freedom to make choices -- whether that's how to vote; where to go to church or if I go to church at all; what to watch on television; what to eat; what to read; and of course, what to write.
I was once asked about my choice to write romance. The exact question wasn't put so nicely and I remember that moment well. It was asked, not with curiosity so much as with judgmental derision. She might as well have asked me: "What are you thinking?"
Yes, most of us know that romance -- in any form or sub-genre -- has a bad rap. Honestly, if I hear/read one more reference to romance novels as being "mommy porn", I might throttle someone.
I. HATE. That. It angers and frustrates me to no end.
But back to my brief confrontation: I smiled; bit back a mixture of hurt and anger, and replied: "Because I'm a romantic at heart."
Which is the truth. I believe in love and romance -- although I admit 'romance' often takes a backseat in everyday life.
I crave the happy ending that isn't always guaranteed in other literature or in life itself. Steven King is a master storyteller, but you can bet most of his characters will not live happily-ever-after. I'll still read his stories because, well, he's amazing. But I can only take so much before I turn back to romance.
It's my choice what I read and what I write. Freedom is a wonderful concept.
Meg Allison
Indulge your senses...
http://www.megallisonauthor.com
Step Into The Mists with our adventurous band of award-winning authors to otherworlds of paranormal, SF, fantasy and speculative romance. Nervous? Don't be. The creatures that live here are friendly. Most of the time... This blog is for age 18 and over only.
2 comments:
Great post.
I like reading romance because I do have the guarantee that characters I've spent my precious time getting to know and have fallen in love with won't be killed off in the end. I hate when that happens!
I like writing romance for the same reason. I'm invested in my characters and I want to give my readers hope and love. We should all be allowed to write what we love.
It's really strange how some folks try to limit other people's choices in so many areas. It's sad and frustrating. Good on you for keeping an outward calm, Meg.
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