Greetings my Pretties!!!!!
I had several debates on “happily-ever-after” (HEA) at Gay Rom
Lit. One might tag me as a troublemaker… Okay, fine you might be right but I
was rather shocked and confused that the main characters in a romance novel
walking off hand in hand into the sunset was even open for debate. Right there on
my badge ‘romance’ is front and center in the title.
Romance has a specific definition. To quote the Romance
Writers of America: “Two basic elements
comprise every romance novel: a central love story and an emotionally-satisfying
and optimistic ending.” (http://www.rwa.org/p/cm/Id/fid=578)
That’s only one definition but it is rather specific.
1+1 = awww (or 1+1+1= awww) Romance is a specific genre with
expectations. To paraphrase ZA Maxfield & Ethan Day during their session in
the writer’s track, romance is a warm bath. You just ease into it and you know
you’re going to feel better when it’s done.
You can imagine my surprise when another author said he
didn’t do HEA or even HFN (happy for now). It tapped right into my primitive
brain and I denied the possibility. He was a lovely man but I thought this
conversation had to be a fluke. How could a romance author not write HEA or
HFN? But when the second and third discussion occurred my heart hurt.
What was happening? Had the world tilted and dropped me off
in hell? No, no I was still at GRL (& the Heaven & Hell costume party
wasn’t until Saturday night).
My reader self rebelled when one author said he wanted to educate
the reader giving them a ‘richer more educated read’. I tried to explain as a
reader I am drawn to romance for the unfolding of love and as a writer that’s
what I want to provide my readers with a bit of happy brain candy that has the
potential to make their world brighter.
After a number of discussions, I figured out these lovely
authors were writing Gay Fiction, which is a different animal than romance. Gay
fiction is fine and a wonderful genre but I’m not your reader base so don’t try
to convert me to ‘meaningful’ non-HEA endings cause it’s only going to annoy
all of us.
For the record, I don’t want anyone casting shadows over
what we write or read by implying romance is ‘less’ intelligence, important, or
meaningful because we have happily ever after’s. These romances help turn ‘ew’
into ‘aw’ with every single page. When a mommy/daddy finds out their child is
gay, bi-sexual, transgender, intersex, questioning, queer, or differently
oriented, the parent who has exposure to this genre would further along in the
acceptance process then had they not.
And just to clarify I don’t fetishize about gay men (You
truly are NOT my fantasy… I respect and wish you well… just putting that out
there). I identify with gay men as a category more then I would with ‘straight’
females but that has nothing to do with ‘you’. Something not discussed much is gay
romance is helping to re-associate some Q women back to their own sexuality. It
is experienced differently than what is found in HET romance. So turn off your
judgment off… cause we deserve better.
As for my characters and stories: I worship the edges and I
write in the Yaoi style. I don’t expect gay men of a certain age to enjoy my
work but to be honest I’m not writing for anyone but me. It’s my sanity, my
air, and my world. If you enjoy it come play with me (Currently, I can serve
you up hot dirty rockers and sexy zombies who need male essence to survive)… if
not let me hug you on Facebook but don’t try to convince me to read non-HEAs.
Soooooo my Pretties tell me what you think?
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