A Loving Tradition

Hi, Edith here!

There are four times of the year when editors from all media in the world, universe, multiverse and outlying dimensions, take a rest and go for the easy way. They assign stories to their most eager new reporters, sit back and let tradition roll on.

One of these times is coming up.

Scene: Newspaper/Magazine/TV/Internet/ Assignment Desk anywhere in the universe, multiverse and adjacent dimensions.

Editor (looks around blearily) “How’s the Holland kid doing?”
Underling: “Fine. Ready and set to go. Got an assignment for him?”
Editor: “Look at the calendar. He’s got two weeks. Tell him to dig up a local Romance writer and do an interview. Send a photographer with him.”
Underling: “What Romance Writer? We live here (in the desert, under the sea, in the lost continent of Atlantis, two miles south of the Bermuda Triangle, in Outer Space.)”
Editor (smiles) “There’s Always a Romance Writer nearby. You know, like they say that you’re only six feet from a spider at any time in your life? There are more romance writers than that. Have the kid dig one up. Get a new angle on it, maybe.”
Underling: “A new angle on a Romance Writer and Valentine’s Day?”
Editor (wearily): “Just tell him to get the interview, OK?”

So the eager reporter calls a local Romance Writer. After the LRW swoons, she/he picks him/herself up and goes into a tizzy! An interview, in the newspaper, magazine, TV Nightly News! This could be the Big Break!
Of course, it never occurs to said Romance Writer that:
1) It will only matter in sales if her/his book is coming out the same day
2) She/he may be made to look like an idiot
3) She/he, if in paper media, will definitely be lining a birdcage the day after the interview.

The Romance Writer dithers for days about what to wear. Then days more about what to say. How to explain that love is never trashy, that love is what makes the world go around, and how Romance is necessary for the beautification of the human soul?
This is, of course, a waste of time. There will be only two questions, with endless variations, asked.
1) How do you/your family feel about you writing such hot books?
2) How do you/your famiy feel about you writing about all that sex?

And of course, there is never a good answer, even if the LRW writes erotic Romance, because the reporter already has most of the piece written in his/her head.***

Do I sound cynical? Do I sound as if I have sometime in my past been ill used by media? Have I been made to look silly, and had my message misconstrued? This is entirely possible. And yet, and still, when the phone rings in a few days and someone asks me if I will consent to be interviewed for the local paper, I will go into a tizzy, wondering about what to wear, and worrying abut what to say. Because it may be the start of Something Big.

By the way – the three other occasions upon which locals are always called upon by editors are:
Local witches, for Halloween interviews, in which they dress in silly clothes and/or are made to look silly by the interview.
Poor local children, lost local puppies and local reunions for a nice, sob-worthy Christmas feature.
Local women who have had in excess of thirteen children, for a Mother’s Day interview.

****Maybe I am wrong about this. Maybe there is an intelligent sure-fire answer explaining Love and Romance. Can you think of an intelligent line for a LRW to use in an interview, one that can’t be misconstrued? An impartial judge will choose one respondent to receive a signed copy of my aptly named: THE CHOICE.

Comments

[Kathy Kremer]

Of course, any answer can be misconstrued, especially if the "journalist" already has the story written and only needs the LRW for a picture.

How about this response for the eternal question:
"Love and romance are part of the fabric of life. The fabric can be crafted into many different styles for the enjoyment of the wearer. Some people like very modest clothing, others not so much. There is something for every taste in romance literature. I am happy with the stories I have written and so is my family.
The purpose of romance is finding the one right person for the development of a lifelong relationship. It would be extremely rare for a lifelong marriage to be happy without sexual intimacy. Sexual encounters within this understanding are good and beautiful. The details are part of the special relationship. It's not just the mechanics of the act; it's the joining of minds, hearts and souls as well."

I hope you get an intelligent interviewer who will listen to what you say instead of rehashing the same-old, same-old.

[NinaP]

Hilarious post, Edith! Loved the "underling." You had me spewing my hot chocolate.

As for being ill used in the press... the good news is, not only will the article be lining the birdcage the following day, but will be twice forgotten by the reader.

When I worked as a journalist, I did everything I could to keep my story fair and interesting. It's a real challenge because the editor's understandable goal is to sell newspapers. And truth doesn’t always sell.

In that light, this is how I would answer the questions

1) How do you/your family feel about you writing such hot books?
I’m a big fan of my work. But how I feel about it isn't what counts. What counts is how others feel. According to the Romance Writers of America’s website, more than a quarter of all books sold are romances and those romances read by 51 million people a year. Obviously, we -- the romance writing community-- are doing something right. (smile really big)

2) How do you/your family feel about you writing about all that sex?
Again, it's not how I feel that counts. But since you asked… writing hot sex isn’t about describing the mechanics. I think we’ve got a pretty good handle on how it works. What makes sex hot is the budding relationship between the characters. Those 51 million people who read romances… with every vote of their pocketbooks, they’re telling us they want their characters to enjoy long lasting, safe, emotionally secure relationships. In order to have that… we’ve got to have sex. Really good sex. Hot sex, even. It is after all, fiction.

Hope this helps, a little.
Nina

[Jane O]

Okay, having spent more than 30 years as a reporter and editor, I have to protest. I once did an interview with a witch for Halloween, but it was about distiguishing between Wicca, leftover Druids and devil worship rather than mockery. (I must admit, however, that 30 years later I am still laughing about the site of the interview. It was at the headquarters of The Vampire Association of America, a newish ranch house in a development in a living room with white carpeting and pale blue upholstered couches with plastic covers.)
Never wrote — or assigned — any of the other stories, however, and NEVER set out to make anyone look stupid — not even the local politicians.
Of course there are lazy, dumb journalists out there, just as there are lazy, dumb romance writers out there, but please go easy with the broad brush. Do you feel fairly treated when Cassie Edwards is presented as typical?

[Edith]

Oh, Jan O. I never meant to insult!
Just having a bit of fun.
I was a journalist too. Of course, as you mght imagine, I was very bad with the facts, so I guess that's why I went into Opinion, and then Feature, and then all out fiction writing.
Oh, and Jane O, my dear son-in-law is a journalist too!

[Lynda Tisdell]

True heroism keeps trying to tell the truth in the face of teeth-grinding opposition, and I admire any romance writer who attempts to change the media's (and the public's) view of romance novels. However, it took over 250 years for the slaves to be freed, and roughly 140 years for women to get the right to vote. So, I figure, it'll take about that long for the truth to get out about romance novels. People express contempt for these novels because:
it's fashionable, and it makes the speaker sound so oh, so smart--or so he/she thinks. IMO, the contempt for the romance novel is based in sexism, pure and simple.

So, to answer your question, when faced with someone who has an interest in running with the pack and may also delight in malice, there is no way to protect oneself.
But fighting the good fight is the definition of honor and courage. Go to it.

[Maureen]

Why don't we imagine a world where there is never another word written that involves love and romance?

[KeiraSoleore]

Before I could write a coherent sentence, I had to stop my uproarious laughter. Great tongue-in-cheek funny post.

The answer to both questions is that since the begining of mankind, romantic love has always had an important place in our culture, our society, and in our literature. Writing about love and romance means that I have the privilege of exploring the essence of what makes us human.

[Pam Rosenthal]

I don't know if it's "good for romance," but if I were called I'd have to answer honestly about the hot sex I write. About my husband, anyway. Which is that he can't believe his luck.

And whether or not it's "good for romance," I'd lay off on how hot sex is only a part of the big human story. If they don't know it by now they never will. And if they think that effective sex writing is easy, there's really no hope for them.

It's probably best that no one out there is asking me. But sometimes I wonder if even among ourselves we believe that erotic writing can be a worthwhile thing in itself.

[Maggie Robinson]

Everyone deserves a happy ending. Except those that don't. :)

[RevMelinda]

Hi Edith,

I adored your post! As someone who has occasionally been interviewed for various media, it IS nervewracking, isn't it? And then so little of what one says is actually used. . .

As far as answering the "hot book" question, I'll quote my own deathless prose (from my sermon):

"I have come to see that romance novels, like so much other human art and expression, deal with eternal and essential questions like “What is love? Do you love me? Do you know me? Am I worthy? Am I lovable? And how can I best reveal and express my love?”

They say, however, that over 90% of communication is non-verbal ("People won't remember what you say, but they will remember how you made them feel.")--SO--regardless of what you say, how about a mysterious smile, a purring voice, a touch of the hand, and the presentation of an autographed book?

Yours, Melinda

[Jane O]

Sorry if I sounded snippy, but I too get tired of being blamed for the idiocy (intentional or not) of others. If you do end up with a condescending reporter, try something like, "Tell you what. Tell me what the last novel you read is, and I'll explain how it differs from (or is similar to) romance."
Either you will have an opportunity to actually explain something, or the reporter who hasn't read a novel since whatever was assigned in senior year of high school will be sufficiently cowed to allow you to direct the interview.

[Jane George]

Thanks for the smiles, Edith! Definitely welcome today. And have some fun if you do get interviewed. Edith = cat, interviewer = cat toy.

So, to court the local media I should be a local romance writing witch with thirteen cats and a lost kid?

I've got two out of four, so far...I'll keep working on it. :-)

Jane O. - I'm still trying to figure out the domestic vampire logic of plastic couch covers and white carpets. See, if the blood gets on the couch, but not on the rug, then all is well. But if it's the other way around then I hope you saw lots of club soda, too.

I'm eating conversation hearts as I write this. I think I'm suffering from an overdose of corn syrup and plain old corn. Ack. Need milk.

[Gretchen F]

How about, "Well, Mr.Olsen/Ms. Lane, at least the people who are reading my books are not watching Miami Ink..."