Just for the record, I DO NOT EVER READ ROMANCE NOVELS. No exceptions. No "just once." No, "but you'll like..." NO NO NO. I hate romances and erotica. I consider them an insult to rational thinking women. They defy the laws of reason and common sense. I have zero interest in the genre, and there is no amount of whining, pleading, complaining, or faux hurt that will force me to read one.
Why am I saying this? Anyone who has been on Gather more than a week probably already knows why. The Gather First Chapters contest is in full swing, and I keep getting spam and requests to read people's romance entries.
People, do not send me e-mails asking me to read your chapter. I won't. I have no interest in your chapter. Don't tell me it's different. I don't care. In fact, if you send me a request to read your chapter, I will not only not read it, but I will rate it a 1 on general principle because you are annoying me after I told you "no."
Now if Gather ever gets around to a First Chapters: horror contest...then things will be different.
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Comments: 40
Don't ever say no to any genre. There is talent in all of them - even though most genre writing is pure potboiler crap. Some of it is even well written fun potboiler crap!
It's sad you'll drive by and zap an entry with a 1....and I'm sure youve given me more than one since I probably *spammed* you....but only did so because you looked like a nice person and I thought you'd enjoy the read. My mistake...sorry. However, it's a good thing Gather has decided to count only the 10's each entry is given so as not to give credence to those drive bys.
And, there are some great romances out there, guess you just haven't found them yet.
best regards,
Terri
Just an opinion :-).
But you don't think that Horror "defies the laws of reason and common sense"?
Laura: there is a concept in literature called "suspension of belief." What it means is that, if the writer has done his job, you can present non-realistic phenomena in such a manner that the reader is willing to "suspend belief" long enough to become involved in the story. I suppose you can say I have never even read a romance novel BLURB that could make be suspend belief long enough to want to read the whole book. Every blurb I have read for a romance novel can be boiled down to three plots: , weak-willed woman who is rescued/kidnapped/enslaved by roguishly handsome man and they have sex, Headstrong woman rescued/kidnapped/enslaved by roguishly handsome villain and they decide to have sex or roguishly handsome man who is rescued/kidnapped/enslaved by stereotypically "strong" female character and they have sex. In all three, the woman is only validated through the sex act with the man.
"However, it's a good thing Gather has decided to count only the 10's each entry is given so as not to give credence to those drive bys. "
If that is true, then this contest is completely useless and serves no literary purpose other than to feel people's egos. Statistically it is impossible for there to be that many "10" writers. Unless 10 no longer means perfect and instead only means "good enough."
True, some people like to have their egos felt...they like them fed also. =) I don't presume to know the real reason for counting only the ten's since I'm new to Gather and wasn't around for the fiasco of the last chapter contest. However, this is also a learning experience for the writers who entered because a large majority are new writers and are looking for constructive feedback that will help them become better writers. Then, there are some using it as a marketing tool for when their book sells (because if the excerpt is read and draws a lot of interest it generates buzz for the book in the future.)
Your definition of what the romances are about is fairly accurate...although rougish is usually saved for the historicals. If you want proof of a good romance, read anything by Lisa Gardner, Lisa Jackson, Allison Brennan. They don't make the big bucks for nothing.
Btw, thanks for the 1...at least it upped my vote count. ;-)
Terri
Dark Obsession
Read my novel out in paperback - HOLLYWOOD SINNERS. It's definitely NOT a romance. Not at all! Check out the reviews at http://stonegarden.net/
yay!
Or is it just the most common style of dreadfully written romance novels that we both hate?
vjw
And if I shamelessly plug my novel, here, you get points! Yay!!!
(I always try to justify all my bad behavior on Gather with points)
If the blurb interests me, I'll read the novel/short story no matter what the "genre" claims to be.
As for the spamming emails- I wish I could disable my inbox all together. I end up deleting 95% of everything I get.
thank u for bringing this up..i wish gather would have a non fiction writing contest instead
Victoria: Some publishers label anything with a romantic interest as a "romance." I've seen some of those mislabelled books you speak of. Some publicists consider horror and sci-fi "male" genres, and so to reach female readers (who statistically buy more books) they try to label them as a "female" genre.
Although I'm not a follower of romances, I don't necessarily disqualify it from my list of readings if it catches me on the first few pages. After a few more pages, I put the book on notice and record the author's name, then continue reading. I hate not finishing a book, so I'll get through it no matter how painful it is (I know, I could just stop, but I don't). If the story is terrible, I'm officially authorized to openly hate the author and wish ill upon him/her.
Is The Notebook a romance? I liked that novel. Know what else I like? Watermelon.
"the main plot of a romance novel must revolve around the two people as they develop romantic love for each other and work to build a relationship together. Both the conflict and the climax of the novel should be directly related to that core theme of developing a romantic relationship, although the novel can also contain subplots that do not specifically relate to the main characters' romantic love. " Romance Writers of America
And therein is the problem, because the development of that romantic relationship generally starts with an emotionally unhealthy and sexist idea of what women should want. They reinforce unhealthy notions that abusive men (i.e. the ones that kidnap, imprison, etc the heroine) can be changed "if you love them enough." These books are never about a woman who meets a nice guy who is responsible and kind and wants to settle down and raise a family. They are predominately about a woman who falls for a "bad man" who changes through her love.
It seems to me that there is enough 'horror' in the world as it is. After all, today's September 11 anniversary should be a reminder of that. The more that we put 'out there' that is loving, giving and grateful, the more of the same comes back to us. A modern-day romance novel aims to be a fun escape where people fall in love and -always- live happily ever after (it's a requirement of the genre), so where is the harm? Far better than the negativity present in so many other genres. Surround yourself with the things that exemplify how you want your life to be (people, media, hobbies), and you will attract more and more of that joy back to yourself.
Sounds like someone needs a hug.
-E
Jerrica:
Publisher blurb for Romance bestseller "Silver Master":
Fleeing a lurid scandal, matchmaker Celinda Ingram arrived in Cadence City desperate for a new start. Known for her strong para-resonator abilities, she is able to match up clients by reading their psi waves. It's this talent that sets her body tingling when security specialist Davis Oakes shows up at her office.
A formidable psychic himself, Davis is trying to track down a powerful relic that Celinda supposedly bought as a toy for her pet dust bunny. Trying to wrest the ruby red object from the suspicious duo nearly drains Davis of the energy he'll need to keep his growing desire for Celinda in check – and to keep her safe from those who will do anything to possess the relic…
===============
Blurb from romance bestseller "Never Decieve a Duke"
They call her the porcelain princess...
With her fragile beauty and regal bearing, the Duchess of Warneham knows how to keep her admirers at a distance. Twice wed and twice widowed, Antonia has vowed never again to marry; never again to surrender her freedom. But when her husband's death is deemed suspicious, and his long-lost heir returns to seize control of the dukedom, she finds that fate has placed her future in yet another man's hands -- but not just any man.
They call him a cold-hearted bastard...
Deep in London's docklands, Gareth Lloyd runs Neville Shipping with an iron fist. Unrecognizable as the starving orphan who was abandoned by his family and sent an ocean away from home, Gareth has put his troubled past behind him. That is, until the Duke of Warneham is murdered, and Gareth turns out to be the dynasty's last living heir. Wrenched from his solitude, Gareth neither wants nor needs the honors and obligations of nobility -- especially the Duke's all-too-tempting widow.... Or does he?
=============
Mine Til Midnight Blurb
When an unexpected inheritance elevates her family to the ranks of the aristocracy, Amelia Hathaway discovers that tending to her younger sisters and wayward brother was easy compared to navigating the intricacies of the ton. Even more challenging: the attraction she feels for the tall, dark, and dangerously handsome Cam Rohan.
Wealthy beyond most men's dreams, Cam has tired of society's petty restrictions and longs to return to his "uncivilized" Gypsy roots. When the delectable Amelia appeals to him for help, he intends to offer only friendship—but intentions are no match for the desire that blindsides them both. But can a man who spurns tradition be tempted into that most time-honored arrangement: marriage? Life in London society is about to get a whole lot hotter….
I don't think my summary of the genre is that dated, considering these recent releases!
Look, my whole original point is that the rampant spamming and begging for ratings is a drain. Just because someone has a gather account does not mean they are obligated to read and rate your work, particularly when most of the spammers don't want real ratings, only 10s. Just like I would never spam people asking them to read my latest vampire story, because I know not everyone reads horror, others should respect the fact that they shouldn't spam and assume everyone wants to read romances.
But all the blurbs did was negate this statement you made earlier on:
"Every blurb I have read for a romance novel can be boiled down to three plots: , weak-willed woman who is rescued/kidnapped/enslaved by roguishly handsome man and they have sex, Headstrong woman rescued/kidnapped/enslaved by roguishly handsome villain and they decide to have sex or roguishly handsome man who is rescued/kidnapped/enslaved by stereotypically "strong" female character and they have sex. In all three, the woman is only validated through the sex act with the man."
In none of those blurbs does it talk about anyone being rescued, kidnapped or enslaved...I guess I just don't get your logic. People meet and fall in love every day and they have for centuries...common themes may emerge, but by no means is every story the same. And NEVER has the sex been used to "validate" anything other than the couple's love for one another...at least in the stuff I read. By the way, do horror novels differ that much from book to book?
My other issue is, is it so hard to hit delete? Why do you let something so petty get you so angry? If you're a writer, you should understand the need for people to promote their work and get their names out there. You're intitled to your opinion, but you don't have to be so mean about it...
Bear Country, my entry in First Chapters Romance has an alternate history element. Basically a 100 square mile sphere of our world switches places with a similar sphere of an alternate dimension that has been nicknamed 'Bear Country'. The background is crucial to the story, but so is the romantic element. Most people like it, but a few people want to force it into one category or another. "Ditch the science fiction and punch up the romance" , or "Ditch the romance and market this as science fiction." I think that blending the two genres makes it a very strong story, much stronger than it would be with only one of the elements.
dale c. - author of Bear Country, a science fiction/suspense romance
I'm not just a writer. I'm also an editor and publisher of speculative fiction. This spamming behavior IS a growing problem. It's not just a gather issue. It's an overall mentality of a lot of writers. It's the "throw enough crap against the wall and hope something will stick" approach to trying to get published. Every day I open my inbox (business, not gather) and find queries and submissions that are completely innappropriate for our company. On an average week I get ten to twenty submissions that have zero to do with what we publish, just because someone thinks I'll make an exception. Now keep in mind we are a tiny press, and publish only three or four print titles a year. Now imagine what big publishers have to sift through? I've spoken with other small press owners. They have the same issues. Writers begging for a chance by sending out blanket queries without even bothering to find out whether or not the market is appropriate for their work "Just trying to get their name out there."
If writers are serious about their craft, they should ensure that they are reaching out to those who are actually interested in what they do, as opposed to spamming everyone they can find. Like I said, when we release something new, I don't spam everyone at gather. I post the article and people chose to read it. Because I know that not everyone reads speculative fiction, and I am not going to risk alientating potential customers or freelancers by spamming them.
And the ones that really bother me are the ones that obviously DID visit the website and have read that we don't read romances, but still ask for a rating anyway. I get requests that begin, "I know you said on your site you hate romances, but..." The vast number of THOSE posts are what set me off, because they know I don't read the genre, and acknowledge that...but they do it anyway. I consider this insulting, as what the writer is implying is that their desire for a 10 is more important than my preferences in reading material.
Terri
Dark Obsession