3/19/2013

Romance Readers Expect....


What Do Romance Readers Expect From A Story? A Raven's eye view.

"Simple," you think. "Well duh it's love. And romance," I hear you say, along with rolling eyes and, "huh she say's she's a romance author."
But what is romance?
 All things to all people.
That old well used expression of one persons terrorist is the next person's freedom fighter comes to mind here. (Or horses for courses.) If you ask ten people (like I did) what romance is to them, and what they expect from a story, you'll get twenty answers, most of them differing in some sway. Reaches for wine.
To some people it's all hearts and flowers. They want a story from meet to wedding, and everything in between. Others like it short hot and steamy. Some half way from one to the other. The one thing everyone I quizzed said was, that it wasn't a romance unless there was a connection between those involved. A wham bam thank you sir or ma'am isn't romance. In its place it can be an enjoyable read, but it's not what a romance reader expect from a story—except when…Argh, read on. Wipes brow—opens wine.
How detailed a story is depends on the author and their voice. What sort of romance a person reads depends on their taste. But the one thing that shouts out is connection. Something more than an itch. A deep seated need.
Now that in itself can cause arguments. Define what is a connection. Oh-oh, now were going down the road of hard stares and gritted teeth. Remember the freedom fighter and terrorist? Yeah, yet again its different things for different people.
What seems like a simple straightforward question is a mine-field. Pours the wine. I wondered if I was going to need a referee at times. Luckily this wasn't areal face-to-face meeting. Truly the internet is a wondrous thing.
And at the end of an hour full of giggles, shouts, sighs, drools (and some shall we say 'inspiring' pictures) had I come to a definitive conclusion?
Sadly no. Drinks the wine to cool down after some of those photos. What I decide was that every romance reader expects something different. Something personal to them.
That can only be good news for authors. We all write with our own voice, which suits some but not others. However as everyone expects something different, somewhere, our something is perfect for someone.
'Phew'. Finishes wine.
Did that help? Probably not, but the wine did.

As I said recently, Raven books at the moment are like London buses. Now for a while then lots at once.
March 19th Will You Dance Miss Laurence, a short Romance on the Go, contempory BDSM themed story from Evernight Publishing.

Dancing lessons were supposed to be fun, but who ever heard of attending them without your knickers on?
Shibari Master Ryan is intrigued by Ava, so when his cousin asks a favor, he is only too happy to help Ava out of the rut she says she is in.
Will her past allow her to enjoy his bondage, or will true submission prove a step too much?

And…
March 22nd A Rose Between The Thornes, A Regency menage from Breathless Press.
Propriety is a lonely bedfellow, until twin delights show this lady her true desires.

At three and forty Rose Sophia, Lady Symonds has resigned herself to life passing her by. Overhearing her protégée in the throes of passion with not one but two lovers, leaves her wanting and wishing.
That is until she is accosted at a ball by Jasper and Nathaniel Thorne. Newly back in the county the eccentric and much younger twins, have set their sights on Rose, and they are determined to have her, even it means cheating at cards.
Will accepting their wager free Rose and lead her to the heights of passion she craves? Or will their desired drive her away?

Find me here…
https://www.facebook.com/ravenmcallan       (author page)

Happy Reading,
Love R x

1 comment:

  1. Great post Raven! I love a good romance story :D

    I have Miss Laurence on my kindle at the ready, and looking forward to the new anthology too!

    Dee

    ReplyDelete

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