You know, whenever someone asks me: “So, what do you do for a living?”
I just want to answer: “I do my best, Todd. I do my best. That’s what I do.”
Because the alternative is to tell them I’m an author.
Which inevitably leads them to ask me what kind of books I write.
At which point I have to take a minute (or five) to get my story straight.
Because saying “I’m a sex-positive, polyamorous, pansexual feminist who writes very spicy kissing books with aliens in them” gets the same reaction as saying I eat frog sushi for breakfast.
Some people can’t handle the heat. Some can’t handle the gay. And some can’t take the non-monogamy (someone alert the church elders already!).
Some even start arguing that someone who writes romance books can’t possibly be a feminist. Don’t they, Todd?
Which you totally can, btw. And should be!
Because what’s more feminist than writing stories where people are not ashamed of pleasure and enthusiastically seize it?
Being shamed for who and how you are is something we deal with in everyday life.
The whole point of reading is escapism, getting away from the humdrum and going to a place where things are different, more interesting.
And here, we check shame and judgement at the door.
In romance, consent is the foundational pillar on which everything else is built.
Active, ongoing consent.
Whatever happens inside the borders of consent, respect and empathy are between the participants.
The romance book has always had one basic pact with its reader: I’m going to take you on a wild, emotional ride and at the end of it, they’re going to live happily ever after.
In a lot of older literature, the heroine often died after having sex, as some kind of punishment for a woman daring to enjoy herself so freely.
The patriarchy has ever been afraid of women feeling things strongly and seizing power for themselves.
The most dangerous thing is a woman with agency, knowledge and unapologetic self-awareness.
That’s why romance novels are the perfect avenue for feminism.
Not only because it’s one of the largest selling genres in literature.
But because in romance novels, the characters set out to have a great time, learning more about themselves and their desires in the process, before riding their pleasure into the sunset.
And because of this, romance readers are voracious.
They also wield considerable power as consumers.
Did you know?
- 46% of romance consumers read at least one book per week. The average American reads five books a year.
- 29% of romance readers usually carry a romance novel with them.
- Romance book sales exceed $1 billion every year, selling more than many other genres combined.
- Romance readers are loyal: 35%of romance readers have been fans for 20 years or more.
- Most of your favourite romantic movies were romance novels first.
- Romance readers are not crazy cat ladies: most romance books (44%) are purchased by readers between the ages of 18 and 44. Romance readers are also more likely than the general population to be currently married or living with a partner.
Romance novels also helped spur the ebook boom.
In 2020 191 million ebooks were sold in the US (though print books still outsell ebooks 4-to-1).
Considering how many ebooks are sold, it’s hard to believe that digital books are relatively new.
All I can say is; you’re in good hands.
Because romance has something for everyone.
Whatever your tastes are, romance has something to offer.
Whether you like sweet, chaste romances or erotic books with open-door intimate scenes, romance delivers.
My favourite thing about writing romance is that the emotional arc of the characters isn’t cut short because the author is afraid of following them into the bedroom.
