Wacky Wednesday Fun! Let's Talk Eyes!

It’s been a while since I did a true Wacky Wednesday and so I thought I’d pose a question to you all that came to mind the other day after I posted a picture of a dreamy guy on Facebook with exceptionally blue eyes. Someone mentioned that she wasn’t really into blue eyes but preferred dark-eyed men instead. So what’s your preference?

Do you prefer your men with blue eyes?

Or do you prefer green eyes?

Or do you prefer brown eyes?

Or perhaps you love a silver-eyed devil?

Now with that asked, do you prefer a particular shade of blue, green, brown or gray? 

Or is eye color not particularly a factor when you conjure up your pretend boyfriend?

When you're reading your favorite romance novels, does the color of the hero's eyes play a role in whether or not you fall in love with him?

If you’ve got anyone in particular that you prefer, please feel free to let us know … we love to share and drool over your offerings as well as our own.

Happy Reading Everyone and enjoy, but try not to drool on the screen too much … it makes viewing difficult.   *WINK*

Wacky Wednesday: Eavesdropping on Romance Heroes Anonymous

Last week, I asked you what your favorite Romance Hero type said about you and one of my readers, Mary Ann Landers said this: 

"My dream men tend to be heroes who are truly heroic, who go above and beyond for love; or ordinary guys looking for love amidst the problems and complications of life. I also dig mystical types, but they're pretty rare.

I know I'm weird, but there's one common aspect of romance heroes I don't care for one bit. I don't want to read about a man who needs to be redeemed. I don't see how men like this can give love or be worthy to receive it."  Thank you, Mary Ann.

This intriguing comment got me to thinking about Romance Heroes. About whether or not they think they're truly in need of redemption despite how they led their lives before meeting their true loves or were they merely seeking the same things as the heroines? I decided to figure out a way to discover what Romance Heroes were really thinking about when it came to their romantic escapades, and lo and behold, I found Romance Heroes Anonymous!

***There is no Romance Heroes Anonymous, all characters are fictional and do not resemble any others except generically. Everything said here is fiction and not meant to represent the thoughts or actions of any or all fictional heroes except for entertainment purposes.  ; )

This was what was overheard at one of those meetings which I managed to eavesdrop on :

Bad Boy:  Hey fellas, how's it hangin'? (tall, gorgeous man enters wearing a black leather motorcycle jacket, muscle hugging blue jeans, scuffed boots and carrying a twelve-pack of beer)

Good Man:  BB, you know we're not supposed to be drinking alcohol on the premises. It's kind enough of the proprietor to allow us to use the backroom without insulting the poor man.  (seated at the table is a tall, gorgeous man wearing a pale blue shirt, sleeves rolled to the elbows, black jeans and running shoes)

Bad Boy:  GM, you gotta loosen up a bit, old man! (setting the beer pack on the table surrounded by chairs) We're always having to play by those crazy author rules but we don't have to on our time.  (pulls out a cold can and tosses it to Good Man who promptly catches it and grins)

Good Man:  I suppose you're right, BB - occasionally. (snapping open the can and takes a drink)

Bad Boy:  Where is everybody? (glancing around)

Free Spirit: Right here ... well, except NQH but then you know he'll probably make a grand entrance eventually. (a tall, gorgeous man enters the room wearing a cowboy hat, red flannel shirt, dirty blue jeans and cowboy boots that looked like they'd seen better days. He removes the hat and tosses it on the table)

Free Spirit is followed by another tall, gorgeous man wearing a suit and tie, polished shoes with only a small scuff on one of the toes. He shrugs off the jacket and drapes it over a chair while tugging his tie loose)

Knight in Shining Armor:  Brought beer, I see, BB ... are they cold?

Bad Boy:  Cold enough.  (tosses a beer to Knight and then slides one across the table to Free Spirit, who nods his thanks)

Free Spirit:  Ever tried finding a place to park your horse in this city? Geesh! Every time I found a tree to tie him up, a cop came along and told me to move along.

Knight:  Good thing I came along when I did. Told the cop that was about to write poor old FS here a ticket that this cowboy was with me and the horse was evidence in a case. Schmuck actually believed me.  (laughing as he tugged his tie off and draped it over his jacket)

All four men laughed happily.

Not Quite Human:  Sounds like you're all in a good mood tonight. 

All four men turned to look at the tall, gorgeous man standing in the doorway wearing a long black coat beneath which black leather pants peeked out over the toes of black boots.

Bad Boy:  What? No fancy shimmer or smoke prelude to your entrance tonight, NQH?

Not Quite Human:  Naw, just not in the mood. (walks forward shrugging out of his black coat only to reveal a black silk shirt beneath with full sleeves and opened wide at the neck)  Got another of those cold ones?

Bad Boy:  Sure. (tossing NQH a beer after he watches the dark figure drape his coat over the back of the chair and take a seat) What's up? Or rather what's got you down, NQH?

Not Quite Human:  I'm so tired of always being portrayed as the hero who needs a woman to redeem his ass, in order for him to appreciate the love she's bringing to the relationship.  Sometimes, it's just damn lonely being a supernatural being wandering through existence alone and without someone to tell my troubles to - you guys are the exception, of course.

Four voices chime together:  Of course.

Not Quite Human:  I'm not heartless, you know? Even if I'm portrayed as soulless, I'm not heartless - well, maybe at times I'm a bit heartless in my dealings with some but I try to limit that to the bad guys.

Bad Boy:  Hey!

Good Man:  He said bad GUYS, BB, not Bad Boys.

Bad Boy:  Oh, right, sorry NQH - go on.

Not Quite Human:  No, you've just hit on the thing that bugs me the most. People automatically label me as evil. Someone who needs to be changed. Redeemed, ... I had parents once upon a time. I may even have had family. Sometimes, I've even been in love before and got my heart broken. We all have, right?

Four voices chime together:  Right!

Not Quite Human:  So why do the authors always make us out to be some horrible no-good who needs the love of a good woman to redeem us?

Free Spirit:  I know what you mean, NQH, how many times haven't I been portayed as some guy who needs a woman's influence to become responsible, to grow up even. Hey, what's wrong with enjoying life and having a good time? Besides, I am responsible. I always take care of my horse.

Bad Boy: Exactly. I know I'm sometimes guilty of bad behavior but that doesn't mean that I don't care about folks, even if I don't always treat 'em the way they want to be treated. I'd never deliberately harm anyone - well, unless they deserve it.

Knight:  That's so true, BB. Sometimes, in order to do the right thing, you have to do some bad things. It's our nature as heroes, isn't it? To protect those who can't protect themselves and those that we care about?

Good Man:  I think I understand what you're all saying. If we're to be the heroes we are asked to be then we have to act on our instincts. And if our instincts take us along a certain path, then why do we need to be changed in order to love someone?

Four voices chime together:  Exactly!

Not Quite Human:  Not that you've probably ever had to be redeemed, GM.

Good Man:  Oh, I've had my moments, NQH. I'm not that good!  (chuckling)

Everyone gets his joke and laughs along with him.

                 *                   *                  *                   *                  *                   *

So readers, what do you think? Do Romance Heroes have to be redeemable for the heroines (and us) to love them?

What about Heroines, who are less than innocent, should we think of them as needing to be redeemed?

Giveaway:

Prize:  One Print Copy of SIZE 12 AND READY TO ROCK by Meg Cabot

Blurb for SIZE 12 AND READY TO ROCK:

Summer break . . . and the livin' ain't easy!
Just because the students at New York College have flown the coop doesn't mean assistant residence hall director Heather Wells can relax. Fischer Hall is busier than ever, filled with squealing thirteen- and fourteen-year-old girls attending the first ever Tania Trace Teen Rock Camp, hosted by pop sensation Tania Trace herself--who just happens to be newly married to Heather's ex-boyfriend, heartthrob Jordan Cartwright. But the real headache begins when the producer of a reality TV show starring Tania winds up dead . . . and it's clear that the star was the intended victim.

Grant Cartwright, head of Cartwright Records, wants to keep his daughter-in-law (and his highest-earning performer) alive. So he hires his oldest son, black sheep of the family and private investigator Cooper Cartwright--who just happens to be Heather's "new" fiancE. Heather should leave the detecting to Cooper. But with a dorm full of hysterical mini-divas-in-training, she can't help but get involved. And after Tania shares a really shocking secret with her, "this" reality suddenly becomes more dangerously real than anyone ever anticipated.

A bit of mystery keeps this contemporary romance moving along. Anyone want a copy?

Giveaway rules:   THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! Thanks for playing.

One lucky commenter will be randomly chosen to win a print copy of SIZE 12 AND READY TO ROCK by Meg Cabot.

This Giveaway is OPEN to US RESIDENTS ONLY (void where prohibited)

You must leave a comment with a valid email address to qualify to be entered in this Giveaway.

COMMENT + EMAIL ADDRESS = ENTRY

 

Giveaway will run till 11:30PM Friday, October 26, 2012 at which time one lucky commenter will be chosen at random and notified by email as well as announced in a special post on Saturday. Good Luck!

 

Happy Reading Everyone!

 

SIZE 12 AND READY TO ROCK, a Heather Wells Mystery novel, by Meg Cabot, William Morrow paperbacks, available in print, ebook, and audio formats.

 

                                                       

Wacky Wednesday: Romance Heroes - What's Your TYPE Say About You?



Rhett Butler was a gambler, a womanizer,
a gentleman, and a man in love.
My kind of hero!

Everyone has a TYPE of Romance Hero they are seemingly drawn to, whether it's in the movies or their favorite Romance Novels. But what does your favorite Romance Hero TYPE say about you as the reader?

Some believe the animus (according to Carl Jung - an inner masculine part of the female personality) projects those hidden male traits that a woman has buried deep inside her onto any male archetypes she encounters. These traits that she is normally unable to exercise or even acknowledge because of societal, familial, or peer pressure constraints draw her to a certain archetype of hero. The most common of these male archetypes tend to be imaginary lovers, characters in books and movies, and most dangerously, on real men - but we're not going to go that far here.  Instead, let's think about the book heroes we gravitate towards and which ones we choose to indulge in or rather the one our animus chooses for us - or is it that he chooses us - based on those masculine characteristics that are so much a part of each of us.  

Let's take a look at the different character types of Romance Heroes:

The Knight in Shining Armor:  A woman who chooses this man is seeking something better, more pure, something with a higher standard. This woman sets high standards for herself and seeks someone who can prove himself worthy of her. This woman often in her real life must be strong for those around her and protect others. She dreams of having someone in her life that's courageous, mighty, and bold. Someone who will be her champion and protector. She finds her Knight in every character who is larger than life, pure of heart, good in nature, talented and heroic. Typically, this character is more often than not an Athlete, a Policeman/Fireman, a Doctor, or Military Man - someone like Runner Gabriel Huntford in Anna Randol's SINS OF A VIRGIN.

The Free Spirit:  What kind of woman is seeking this hero type? Usually one who wants to play at love. She wants a charming, funny, and teasing kind of man who will chase her until she finally captures his heart. This hero type tends to be a free-spirit whose life seems like a never-ending party. Perhaps this woman has many responsibilities on her plate and so by escaping with this wandering minstrel type of hero, she gains a sense of freedom. An escape from having to always be the grown-up and always having to make the decisions. Typically, this character is a Regency Duke, an Adventurer, a Cowboy, a Rock Star or Playboy Millionaire - someone like Brady Talmadge in Lori Wilde's THE COWBOY AND THE PRINCESS.

The Bad Boy:  A lot of women are hot for the Bad Boy, are you one? This hero is the one that you know is trouble from the moment you meet him. You know that whatever he gets involves with is most likely dangerous but you can't resist him and your imagination goes wild with a frenzy to be part of his life. Perhaps it's because you're always counted on to do the right thing, don't dare to be selfish and always put everyone else before yourself. The idea of taking off with this Bad Boy hero type is something you'd love to do or would like to be in real life but know it can never be. So why not escape with him into your imagination instead? Typically, this character is most likely to be a Rake, a Pirate, a Womanizer, Biker or even a Prisoner - wrongly convicted, of course -  or someone like Rio Santana in Joan Swan's INTIMATE ENEMIES.

The Good Man:  This is a hero who is mysterious, powerful, gentle and caring. The woman who seeks this hero longs for guidance, enlightenment and in part - saving. She may find her own life too routine or mundane.  She may be the one who guides and often lends her strength to others. So, she seeks someone greater than herself to lead her to a fulfillment beyond her reach. Her imagination is open to new and imaginative things. Typically this character is a Vicar, a Teacher, or a Magical Man with extraordinary powers - someone like Vicar Adam Sylvaine in Julie Ann Long's upcoming new release, A NOTORIOUS COUNTESS CONFESSES (Oct 30th)


The Not Quite Human:  This hero tends to be, by nature of its inhumanity, amoral, lustful, dark in personality and being, but sensually appealing to a woman seeking love in surrender. She seeks to give in to indulgences that reward her with bliss and satisfaction. She sees the good in this character even when he denies it himself. By seeking this dark, lust-driven man, she satisfies the need to indulge in her own need for lust without compunction and surrendering herself to her darker nature. She imagines giving herself to someone who is more powerful and more uninhibited than herself. Typically this character is a Vampire, Shapeshifter, Demon, or other paranormal hero - someone like Logan Winters in Juliana Stones' upcoming new novella release, TO HELL AND BACK (Oct 30th).

So, now that you've met the usual archetype heroes that fill our Romance Novels, which one calls to you most often?

I think I have a penchant for a cross between a Knight in Shining Armor, a Bad Boy and a Not Quite Human type Romance Hero - I do love my men in uniform but there's nothing like a bad boy to make your heart race and then those paranormal heroes - ooooh, be still my heart. I have to admit that I'm one of those always taking care of others, counted on to do the right thing, kind of person but I also recognize my dark side and totally admit that I'd love nothing better than to be a Sex Demon.  *wink*  

How 'bout you? What's your Romance Hero Type and what does it say about you?

Happy Reading Everyone!

            

Unwrapping: Quiz Results and Rant Against a Romance Hater

Well, the results of the Quiz to find out which Romance Hero is your best match are in and the Swashbuckler has taken the lead with 50% of those who took the quiz being matched with him!

He's a man of honour yet wildly adventurous who enjoys a bawdy time with an easy woman as much as a sword fight. But once his heart is stolen, he will defend your honour with sword in hand as quickly as his own. Loyalty is his best quality. 

The next Hero to steal 25% of the hearts of my friends is the Gentleman Lord who is a man of good breeding, manners and speech. He's easily bored and so is always in search of something to take up his time and is not above seeking out any woman with whom he can while away his time. If you're patient and willing to keep him stimulated in thoughts and in activities, you will find this man most willing to stay happily at home and while away his time with you.

The Spy/Agent was the next man to steal away 17% of your hearts and I'm sure he's pleased about that - he doesn't really have time for more of you. He's a man of secrets, living for the thrill of the next mission that may or may not bring him safely back to your arms. He's a man who keeps his truest feelings close to the vest so as not to lose his edge. If you're willing to be patient and not ask too many questions, he might even share a few of his secrets. Once you capture his heart, his loyalty will encircle you with the greatest feeling of safety.

For the rest of you, it was the man who fights the darkness to keep us safe, the Paranormal Hero. He's so deeply immersed in the world of darkness and danger that he probably doesn't have more time to share with a woman. He only matched up to a mere 8% of you. Perhaps he's lonely as he has hones his skills to battle evil and keep the innocent safe. Still, if any of you are willing to venture into his world and are not too afraid of the things that go bump in the night, he might teach you some of his skills so that together you can battle the forces of evil. His love is true and your safety will always be his first priority.

Sadly, no quiz takers matched to the Western Cowboy Hero! Does this mean that we aren't that interested in that tall, lanky man who would rather spend his day with a horse than with his woman or that we are all seeking more danger in our Heroes than what a man of the open range can provide?

Thanks to everyone who took the quiz. I hope you had fun and found out a little bit more about yourself and what kind of Romance reading you might enjoy if you aren't already reading it.

Now, on to my rant against a Romance Hater, Cale McCaskey. I will try to keep this short and not too angry. Wednesday, I read a blog written by this man.  I don't want to give him any more recognition than I have to so if you wish to read his blog - Google him. But I do wish to express my opinion of the trash he spouted in this post since he was hard at work deleting comments that he didn't like so I was unable to express my opinion directly to him. 

He began by insinuating that it doesn't take much more than a child's reading level to read romance novels and that:
"What the modern reader needs to understand is that romance novels by their very nature are meant to be inferior."  Really?

He went on to remark that:
"I think it's safe to say that no Ivy League school will ever teach out of romance novels as part of the curriculum."  Then perhaps you should check with Cornell because I found it in their Doctoral Program.

His next brilliant observation was in regards to JANE EYRE:
"No one would call Jane Eyre a "romance novel." It would instead be referred to as a "classic love story." The very thing that separates classic love stories from romance novels is that romance novels must by default be bad, tacky even, or they'll no longer be classified as romance novels and will get placed in a higher category." 
A Romance Novel is defined by its ending - a Happily Every After - and since Jane and Rochester do live happily ever after considering the hardships they faced after the destruction of Thornfield and Rochester's injuries, I've always considered it a Gothic romance.

His final remark in his original post was the real kicker:
"I find it difficult to respect something that is purposely meant to be a lessor work. One should always strive to do great work. If an author classifies their own story as romance, that tells me that even they don't think much of it. That being the case, neither should we."

I can only ask Mr. McCaskey if he's ever read a Romance Novel and if so, which one? There are many varieties within the genre, and even more sub-genres within the genre, therefore many different kinds of writing styles. To judge all writers by one standard is not only ludicrous but a generalization by someone who has not sampled a large variety of writing styles.

Finally, I read through some of the comments that he did leave available on his post and after an intelligent, most likely, well-read woman asked him if his 'thesis' also applied to all other trashy forms of entertainment not found in an Ivy League curriculum such as listening to pop music instead of classical music, he responded with a statement that would have Bach, Beethoven and Brahms spinning in their graves.
"Classical music, by the way, is nothing but jazz being played incorrectly."

I'm not even going to touch that one except to say as someone who greatly appreciates Classical music and believes that Jazz is played by wannabe musicians who don't read music ... each to their own.

Mr. McCaskey, if you do read mainstream fiction by authors of a so-called 'higher standing' then you would know that many incorporate scenes of romance and sex into their stories. And many times, more often than not I might say, those same characters are still together at the end of said story, even if it's in death. Perhaps it's something you've yet to experience, and very possibly never will carrying around such a hatred for romance, but most of us already know that sometimes love does survive when all else is gone.

To my dear followers and friends, thank you for listening and keep on reading. We know the truth that the Romance genre is one of talent, entertainment, escape and pride. I've always believed that those in the world who feel the need to denegrate others usually do it out of envy and a feeling of self-importance.

Happy Romance Reading Everyone and hope you have dreams of which ever Romance Hero you were matched to and if you haven't taken the Quiz yet, click here to give it a try!!

Unwrapping: Oh My, How Historical Romance Novels Have Changed!

Franz Eybl, Girl Reading, 1850 

When I first started reading Historical Romance Novels in the mid- 1970's, they were quite different from the novels in the genre today. Perhaps it was the times, perhaps it was the introduction of the sensual romance, or perhaps it was the feminist movement - whatever it was, things had changed. Sex had been introduced into the storyline in way it had never been written before, and Romance Novels would never be just those sweet romances ending with a chaste kiss ever again. The new Romance Novel was breaking ground and traveling a much different path that the Romances of today's genres.

Romance Novels in the '70's took heavy criticism but even television trended toward the same storylines. If you remember on the soap, GENERAL HOSPITAL, Luke Spencer raped Laura Weber and later they became the love story of the decade. Why were woman suddenly attracted to love stories that were built from an act of violence? Was it possible that along with all the freedoms that came with feminist liberation came a need for an escape into a fantasy that actually made the heroine a victim of a man's lust rather than a participant? With a newfound access to birth control, abortion and free wheeling sex, why then would women turn to a form of entertainment that placed the heroine back under the control of a man? Strangely enough, after the onslaught of AIDS with sex actually becoming something that could kill you, Romance Novels actually became tamer in comparison. Is there a correlation? If so, what does it say about out society now in regards to women and their sexual proclivities? I find the Romance Novels written today to be even more daring and the heroines independant and strong. Our heroines today make it clear they have a choice and in many of the books I read, the heroine is actually more sexually aggressive than the hero.  Nothing wrong with that now, is there? [wink, wink]

What do the young women of the 21st Century think of the first sexy bodice rippers? Well, after reading some of their reviews, I get the impression they don't like them very much. Now, that's a terrible shame.  I've read several reviews that called the Romance Novels of the '70's, disgusting and misogynistic. Not quite understanding the latter since most Romances are written by women - so are the writers really the ones who are misogynistic? One review even referred to one of the most read Romance Novels from this time as not being politically correct ... I believe she said that the author had sugar-coated the way slaves were treated.  HUH? Are we really looking for political correctness in our Romance Novels?

I fell in love with Historical Romances immediately upon reading my first, which was Kathleen E. Woodiwiss' THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER. I suppose, I could have read any of the many that inhabited the selling shelves but this one was my first and it was love at first read. I fell in love with Historical Romance for the settings, the eras, the history and the dangers that usually followed the heroine. These were stories written and published before most of the young women reading and reviewing books today were even born. I understand that the young woman reading romance today were raised in a society that expresses a greater respect for women in general and openly discusses its distaste for violence toward women. I agree that violence, in any form, against women, children, or men is completely uncivilized and should be abhorred for what it is - violence! So it should be, in the real world but not necessarily in our fiction! Fiction isn't real life, remember?!

By modern standards, I suppose the books of the 1970's were very violent toward women. Nearly every story had the heroine being raped by the man who would eventually fall in love with her and protect her with his own life if the need arose. Then again it's very possible that many older women who loved those books perhaps now find Romances featuring Vampires, Werewolves, Shape Shifters and Demons bordering on bestiality and anti-Christian. Not me, of course, I love them.

What has to be remembered is that Romance Novels reflect the social morality barometer in which they are written and Historical Romances are written, if written properly, to reflect the morality of the era in which the story is set. So, what may be socially acceptable in one era is not necessarily what may be socially acceptable to another era including our own.

For example, if the Romance is set in Regency England and the Hero is a member of ton society, he's probably less likely to forcibly seduce some young girl but then again, he might do just that if the opportunity presented itself or if the man was an evil S.O.B.  

Lydia and her Mr. Wickham -
he had no real intention of marrying her.

Even Jane Austen created characters whose intentions were less than honorable. Take Mr. Wickham of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE - he was most certainly not beyond taking advantage of a young girl's innocence to satisfy his lustful desires. Nor was Mr. Willoughby of SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, a man with good standing in society and a large income, in other words - a great catch. I suppose we forgave these indiscretions because neither of our favorite heroines, Elizabeth Bennet and Marianne Dashwood, fell completely under the spell of these dastardly dudes - of course, poor Lydia did fall prey to Wickham but I guess he was forgiven because he, himself, was seduced into marrying the silly girl by Darcy's offer to pay off his debts and buy him a commission. Had he refused, poor Lydia's fate would have been far worse than she knew. The point being that in a proper, genteel Regency Romance, you won't generally find our hero forceably seducing our heroine as it was often called during this era of 'bodice-rippers' but what about other historical eras? How genteel was a man from medievel times, the Scottish highlands, or the Russian Steppe many years before the influence of British Society?

As I've mentioned many times, I am a huge fan of Kathleen E. Woodiwiss - the Queen of Romance. Her first novel, THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER, published in 1972, was a turning point for the Romance genre. It was a Historical Romance built around research, a real story, and what really happens between a man and a woman - sex.  Unfortunately, by the standards of some of the young women who read Romance today, many consider it horrible and their reviews reflect their distaste.

When we first meet our heroine, Heather Simmons, she is fleeing one man's attempt to rape her only to find herself in the hands of a handsome sea captain, Brandon Birmingham, who is too deep in his cups (drunk). He mistakes her for one of the prostitutes that frequent the London docks and when she resists, he forces himself on her. I know, this perpetuates the idea that because a gal resists a little she's really not saying no, but yes, yes! In our society, this is a major wrong but in 1799??  The next morning, Brandon discovers the truth of what he's done. In an attempt to make amends, he offers to make her his mistress (at least he tried) but she promptly declines his offer. Later, when she discovers she's pregnant, he's forced to marry her. Consequently, neither are happy about it and so the real story begins. Forced seduction + forced marriage -- something not too uncommon in those days yet strangely enough, not too common today. What does that say about our society's morals?

Speaking of THOSE DAYS - many things were much more common in THOSE DAYS as compared to today especially when we look back into history. Life could be brutal, men could be brutal and it was accepted in THOSE DAYS because that's the way it was.

One of my favorite Historical Romance novels is WHITEFIRE by Fern Michaels, first published in 1978. I was already in love with anything to do with pre-revolutionary Russia after reading DR. ZHIVAGO and seeing the movie so I was immediately drawn to this one.

It is set in 16th Century Russia during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. Men from this time in history were brutal and violent. Banyon Amur is a Mongol Prince who was accustomed to having things his way and only his way. He takes what he wants without remorse so when he brutally rapes a young girl who he believes a peasant, he and everyone around him see nothing wrong.

It's the way it was back then, folks! It was NOT uncommon for women to be treated as possessions, objects of lust, used by men for their own satisfactions and then discarded. Had Banyon acted like a society gentleman and asked Katerina "Kat" Vaschenko, a young Cossack who was well aware of how women were looked down upon, out on a date or to a ball, the story would have been totally unbelievable. Life in the Ural Mountains in the 16th C. was hard and if you weren't tough, you died.  And it certainly wasn't politically correct!

I wonder if these storylines were a way of reminding us that a woman's first sexual experience is not always a fairy tale that sometimes it's violent in nature even when consentual. It's not always an experience that without love is something a woman wants to repeat but with a man who cares and is willing to be patient, the experience can be wonderful. Romance Novels do more than entertain us - sometimes they assist us in recognizing what's right and what's wrong. Perhaps a lesson about date rape before it became a recognized crime.

I love both of these books and highly recommend them not only because they are good reads but because if you've never read anything from this then newly emerging era of Romance, they are both fine examples of what was on the shelves back then. True, today's heroines are tough, strong-minded, and not so willing to take any crap off their men but then so are women of the 21st C.  Just as the past is much different from our modern world so goes the Romance genre, in particular, the Historical Romance sub-genre. Times were different in the 1970's, women were just beginning to really understand their freedom to live their lives as strong independant women with opinions, abilities and the freedom to say "no" to a man. I'm glad of these changes but just as we are proud of the generations that came before us and paved the way for our, in comparison, blessed lives so should we be proud of the generations of Romance Novels that led the way to the broad expanse of sub-genres that now grace our shelves, our reading tables and ereaders. So to Fern Michaels and the other wonderful authors who paved the way, and in memory of Ms. Woodiwiss, I say "thank you" and "hear, hear!" to the 70's Bodice Rippers!

I'm curious - when you're reading a Historical Romance Novel, do you want it to reflect the era realistically or just be a nice love story set once upon a time, a long time ago?

Happy Reading Everyone!
                                                              

Unwrapping: Heroes

     The greatest Hero I know is my Father and today is his birthday. He is celebrating being 91 years young. My Father has lived quite a life and seen many things, some good and some not so good. He was a child of the Great Depression, and one of the first ever paratroopers in World War II. He was a proud member of the Red Devils (the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division) and jumped into Normandy on that eventful day in June of 1944. He met, married my Mother, and started his family that would later expand before being sent to participate in the Korean War. He has met Presidents, worked for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and after he retired from the military as a LtColonel, he worked in the private sector doing things we weren't supposed to ask about - those, 'if I tell you, I have to kill you' kind of things. He retired again, this time for real, and has concentrated on writing and living an easier life. He penned a compilation of personal accounts from his fellow WWII Red Devils in WE SERVED PROUDLY - THE MEN OF HQ1 and is currently working on an autobiography.

     Tom Brokaw called my parents' generation the Greatest Generation and so we should.  My Father was a hero as we think of heroes but my Mother was one, too.  She like many other women of the time, stayed home and waited, waited for husbands, brothers, fathers and friends to return from a war that cut them off completely from their loved ones. She held down the homefront while my Father was away serving his country and doing his duty to keep us free. They are among the unsung heroes among us that never asked for recognition yet deserve to receive it. 

    
     Heroes in Romance Novels come from all times and all places.  There are historical figures, Regency figures, contemporary heroes some featuring military men, service men such as policemen and firemen, and paranormal heroes. We love them all and enjoy the places they take us in our imaginations. 

     

     We love Romance Novels because of the strong heroes and heroines they provide us with that pull us into a life which we would otherwise not be acquainted but if we look around us, we might surprise ourselves. There are real heroes living heroic lives who are just fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, and best friends. We know the heroes from September 11 and pay them tribute, I hope, each day. But there's also the hero masquerading as your neighbor who gets your stranded cat off the roof or mows your lawn because your husband suddenly died. Or the hero stranger that stops along the road to help with a flat tire or gives up his place in line because you have more items than he does. There are the loved ones that care for us and are there when we need them.  

     My husband is my everyday hero.  He goes to work every day, working long hard hours and comes home tired.  Every so often, for no reason other than he wants to, he brings me flowers or picks up something at the store that he especially thinks I'll like. When he's around the house, he does chores and is there to reach those things up high that I can't reach.  For all of the things he does and because he loves me, he's my everyday hero and always will be. 

     I try to do something nice for someone whenever I can ... hold a door open for someone even if they don't have their hands full, comfort someone when they need it or just say 'hi' and give a smile when someone is looking a little down.  We can all be heroes if we try.

     How about yourself? Do you have a Hero in your life? Perhaps you've been a hero to someone else ... have you ever reached out and done something for someone else without being asked and without asking anything in return?

     Happy Reading Everyone and Happy Birthday Dad!

My Mom and Dad - how about this for Romance - they've been married for 63 1/2 years.