Catching up Again

I've been neglecting this blog again, but it's really not my fault. Now, that the pc troubles have eased, I've had a house full of the most demanding builders to contend with. Luckily, their work is done and after spending almost a week cleaning up the mess they left me with, I can relax and more importantly read! It's taken me a week to get through a particular book when usually I read three to four books in that same space.

I've been visiting blog land and romance message board in the meantime and a scandal brewed because of a particular book which asked that age old question - Is it rape or forced seduction?

The book in question is Anna Campbell's Claiming the Courtesan and even though I've not read I'm intrigued as it seems that opinions on this particular novel are divided - some people hate it whilst others love it.

Now, as I said, I've not read it so I can't comment on the content, but what I will say is that it's great that a writer and a publishing house took a chance and run a risk. Secondly, whenever I visit a messageboard, it seems that readers are moaning that the historical romance has grown stagnant and that every single book features the same characters in the same situations which we've read a million times before, so surely even if we don't like something, we should at least applaud someone who's tried to do something different?

Pointing the Finger

I've neglected this blog this past week what with another computer meltdown as well as with the traditional preparations for Easter. It's traditional here in Malta to bake traditional Easter pastries which I cover with chocolate to be eaten on Easter sunday so I've been knee deep in flour these past few days. I've still managed to find time for reading and have read some wonderful category romances including my first Blaze, Coming Undone by Stephanie Tyler which I really enjoyed it; a wonderful Harlequin Romance by Trish Wylie, Rescued: Mother to Be and a Harlequin Historical by the wonderful Anne Herries, Forbidden Lady. I'm finishing off an excellent Medical by Kate Hardy and have a Barbara Dunlop Desire awaiting me so I've lots of great books to enjoy.

I've been following a very interesting debate over on Anne Weale's blog about the romanticizing of certain situations such as one night stands and resulting pregnancies with particular reference to Julie Cohen's fabulous Modern Extra, Married in A Rush. Now, I have a huge admiration for Anne Weale's books. She was one of my favourite romance writers back in the day when she wrote regularly for M&B and her long novels for Worldwide were wonderful. However, I disagree with her stance that Julie was being irresponsible when she wrote this book and the point she made that her editor should have expressed misgivings as teenagers might read these books. For one thing, M&Bs are aimed at adults and thus feature adult characters interacting with one another in an adult world. I think teenagers are intelligent enough to realise that novels are in fact fictional and thus have no bearing on the real world any more than a show like The OC or Buffy, for example.

If we adopt Ms. Weale's reasoning, then we'll ban our teens from reading Pride and Prejudice because Lydia elopes with Wickham and stop them from reading Great Expectations because Pip helps out the criminal and so forth.

In my opinion, the only responsibility a romantic novelist has is to deliver an entertaining story which her readers will not want to put down. It's up to the parents and to the teachers to educate children about sex and to show them right from wrong.

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter and a great weekend!