It never offended me, but it used to surprise me that people had a condescending and often derogatory attitude about romance books. Then when I started writing them myself I opened my eyes more and it began to occur to me. the people with negative attitudes about romance or the people that write them tend to be the people who have never read one. They seem to not know what goes into a romance, and worse they seem to not care because to them it isn't a shining example of great literary fiction.

My own husband, though he completely supports my desire to write and be published, was a lighter version of one such person. I actually hid the fact that I was writing from him for about 6 months before I fessed up. When I finally told him, he shocked me with his support and pride in what I'd done. He didn't make fun of me like I was sure he would. Over the coming months and years he came to see how much work and effort went into writing romance and grew to respect what I was doing, but he still didn't get the appeal of the stories.

Then last year, he picked up and anthology that a friend of mine was in. My husband, who reads how to books only, breezed through one of the stories in the antho. Better yet, he enjoyed it and remembered what it was about. When we talked about it, he said he finally understood why people choose to read romance. It takes them away from whatever may be going on in their life. It gives them an outlet to help release some stress or worry, and the results last longer than plugging into the TV.

Those exact reasons are part of what drives me to write story after story after story, and to continue pursuing publication after years of rejections. Some day I will sell the stories I write and someone will find a temporary release from the stresses in their life. I also tend to take it a step farther by always giving one of my characters something tough or traumatic to overcome, because for all I know one of the readers looking for an escape may have been effected by similar events. To me, a difficult background and overcoming tough odds makes the characters more real. More relateable.

What do you think? Why do you choose to read romance?

I look forward to your opinions.
Naughty Nikki (currently reading The Tycoon's Pregnant Mistress by Maya Banks)