#1 - I was programmed that way.
I grew up
reading fairy tales, and not just the Disney versions. If ever characters had
to achieve true love by overcoming all obstacles, those stories are the ones to
tell the tale. Those with good hearts, who are kind and generous, eventually
win—however modestly—and those who are selfish and greedy lose—often spectacularly—just
like in romances. Fairy tales are cultural behavior lessons, meant to teach us
how to conduct ourselves in the world. I like to think some of the lessons
stick.
#2 - The horse and dog stories I loved as a youth—they’re
really about relationships.
A boy and his dog, a girl and her horse—when you
think about it, they’re about building solid relationships based on mutual
respect and loyalty. So are romances. The main characters have to learn to
respect and trust each other for the couple bond to form and the romance to
last. Commitment—that’s what I love about romances.
#3 – I’ve got a thing about justice.
My
romance reading bent runs strongly toward romantic suspense and mystery. I’m a
huge fan of mysteries in general, always have been since I found Agatha
Christie’s A MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES. What draws me to both genres is the
sense of justice (See #1) in both. No matter how many challenges and near death
experiences the hero and heroine have to overcome, they ultimately win. Justice
prevails. This may be a fantasy, but it’s a fantasy that I find myself
returning to book after book.
#4 – I like happy endings.
Day to day life is
full of unhappy situations, and I’d get awfully depressed if I didn’t have
romances to remind me that love is better than war, partnership is better than
conflict, truth is better than deception, and true happiness comes from sharing
with others.
So, yeah, that’s why I read—and love—romances.
If you’re not
celebrating Read-A-Romance Month, you should be. There’s half a month left to
check out what 100 romance authors have to say about romance at these two sites:
I'm guest blogging this week on fellow Wild Rose Press author Brenda Whiteside's Muse Monday: http://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/
Stop by and see how travel translates to story.
Hi there, Helen!
ReplyDeleteI think I agree with you on all points, especially the idea of reading to get away from the unpleasant every day. It's nice to get away from the horror on the news and read a story where things work out okay. As humans, I think we're programmed to want to see things resolved in a positive manner (at least, I am!) and so are drawn to those types of scenarios.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing, Lynne!
ReplyDeleteMore people should read romances. It might make us happier, kinder people. Can't hurt, anyway!