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!
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Hi Julie
I remember Easter in Malta - I spent a wonderful 2 weeks on your beautiful island - too long ago. I enjoyed the Good Friday processions and the specail Easter pastries. I hope you had a wonderful time.
And I totally agree with you about the comments on Anne Weale's blog. As you say M&Bs are aimed at adults and so often deal with adult themes. I don't really believe that any 'romanticising' in the books happens around the situations - like a one night stand or an unplanned pregnancy. It's the resolution - the fact that the couple end with a happy ever after - that is the 'romantic' bit. Dealing with the one night stand and the prenancy etc are part of the 'conflict' - the problems the H&h have to face - and they need to work these through in an adult way to arrive at the happy ever after ending. It isn' just that their 'irresponsible' behaviour automatically leads to happiness.
Besides, I should think that anyone reading any of the books that deal with this theme would be intelligent and mature enough to accept that it's
a.Fiction and
b.A story where this one pair of people - the hero and the heroine - are individuals and the way their story plays out works for them and only for them in the fictious setting the author has created.
I hope you had a wonderful Easter
Kate
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