True Confessions of a Blaze Babe
Posted by Joanne Rock in Joanne Rock, tags: Blaze Authors, Joanne Rock, romance novel covers, sexy romance, writing life
It’s a lot of work being a Blaze Babe. I mean, all writers have to work hard at their craft and possess the persistence and determination of an NFL lineman to sell their books. But beyond that core commitment to writing, the Blaze authors face some unique challenges.
1) We can never say “Not tonight honey, I have a headache.”
There comes a time in every romance writer’s life when she doesn’t feel like writing a love scene. Maybe her kids are ill and writing a love scene is the last thing on her mind. Or maybe she just had a fight with her significant other and there’s a bit of anger projected onto her fictional hero. But when you’re a Blaze author, writing a fade-to-black love scene simply isn’t an option. You’ve got to be ready to sizzle at all times.
2) We’re the resident sex experts.
Now at first, this is kind of fun. When you become a Blaze author, your friends and family all try to hide their surprise that you write “those books”—the ones with the sexy-as-hell covers your mother doesn’t admit she’s ever read. But eventually, being the local sexpert will land you in embarrassing situations. Your newspaper boy winks at you even though he’s barely reached puberty. Your neighbor reveals an acrobatic event in her bedroom the night before and offers more details in case you’d like some ideas for your next book. Men older than your father will guffaw with lecherous glee to learn what you write and ask if you want any pointers. Umm… no.
3) We’re the bad girls.
While the men in a Blaze author’s life are busy suggesting they’d be happy to supply inspiration for future projects, there is another population of friends and family who can be less enthusiastic. Non-romance reading buds steer their impressionable children away from our bookcases full of splashy covers. Quasi-helpful siblings read our books while hiding them behind copies of National Geographic. A few utterly non-helpful friends hide our autographed labors of love all together, unwilling to admit they like racy romance.
Still, I wouldn’t trade being a Blaze author for the world. A Psychology Today study assures us that readers of romance make love with their partners 74% more often than non-romance readers. So I’d like to think I’ve had a hand in making the world a happier place through my stories. And maybe I’m deluding myself, but I hope even those friends who are hiding my book covers are kicking their love lives up a notch the night after a sexy Blaze read.
So razz me all you want. Any way you look at it… you’re welcome. (L)
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Whether you’re a reader or a writer of hot romance, I’ll bet there are people in your life who give you a hard time about liking “those books.” What’s your response?
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As a reader, I’ve been getting flack for reading romances for so long that I don’t even notice anymore. And if I do, it tends to lower my estimation of the people who’re giving me flack, especially when they’re usually not readers themselves.
Yes, I admit it, I’m a reading snob. Reading = good. People who don’t take time to read = bad.
As a writer, I say unapologetically that I write romances, and when someone is interested in reading my work, I tell them no, unless they’re a romance reader. Why? Because I would rather be slashed, critiqued, loved or lamented by someone who knows what I’m writing about, than pacified and placated by someone who has no idea how hard it is to write a good romance.
Woo-hoo! You tell them.;-) I found a lot of fun defenses of romance while researching the blog. Jennifer Crusie has a great one:
http://www.jennycrusie.com/essays/defeatingthecritics.php
Oh, Venus, I’m so close to going there. Too many times, I’ve had acquaintances get all excited when they hear I write. I explain the books are racy and rather explicit. They give me the big thumbs up and tell me they’re running home to Amazon to go buy up a copy. Two weeks later, you can tell by their expression they hadn’t expected it to be…uh…exactly what I said it was?
Lori,
the good thing in that is you can take heart in the knowledge that they really, truly, didn’t “get it.”
I have a friend whom I love dearly. When I told her I was writing romances she was SO PROUD of me, promised she’d buy a dozen copies and and also said with a laugh that she wouldn’t read them.
I loved that comment because I knew that she wouldn’t read them with an open mind, and so did she. But she’d pimp me all over the place to anyone who would listen, just like a proud mom.
Hi Joanne!
Great post! I love the Psychology Today statistic, and I enjoy throwing it out there when I get the ol’ raised eyebrow about what I read and write. That usually shuts them up right away…especially the men
!
Devon
What is there about a statistic that speaks so quickly to men? My dh is all about numbers. It’s one of many communication flaws that he speaks in numbers and is an audio learner. I speak in images– relating ideas– and am a visual learner. I’d love to know how much of our messages we really get across to one another in a day. Shockingly little?? :-O
Hear hear, Joanne! It’s fun to be a Blaze Babe!
Isn’t it? Even on the days I’m most stressed out about writing, I’m always proud to claim this job as my own. I remember well how tough it was to win the chance to tell my stories for real live readers!!!
Oh gawd, my 83 year old dad called a couple months ago to tell me he was reading my 2nd Blaze. His response, “Wow…that scene on page…page…” (waiting while he thumbs through the book) “Page 192! Oh boy….”
And I’m torn between how sweet it is that he’s trying to be suportive and reading it and my desire to deadpan, “Yeah? So…what did you think of the FIRST 191 pages?”
Since I sold, I’ve been really surprised by who’s ended up being loyal readers and who is uncomfortable with them. Guessing beforehand, I’d ended up getting about 80% of it wrong. Two of my three sisters “can’t” read my books because they’re uncomfortable with the explicit sex and their knowledge that their “baby sister” wrote it. And they’re the boomer generation who were teens right smack in the middle of the summer of love, bra-burning, “I am woman” era. Never in a zillion years would I have expected that reaction. But it’s not exactly a subject that comes up at the dinner table. LOL You don’t know until you throw a book out there.
Agreed!!! It is surprising to see who thinks what you do is cool and who thinks you’re entirely shameless! I think it’s great that your dad is reading your books. I mean, I can empathize on how you had to have cringed a bit on that phone call. He’s your DAD, after all . But how awesomely supportive. Cheers to Dad (D)
It’s a little hard to get over the embarrassment of letting friends read the spicy stuff, but I’ve gotten past that. My critique group is always giving me a hard time (in a kidding way), but our last meeting one of them said. ‘I wish I could write fun, sexy scenes like you.’ I love what I write. (Y)
I still have moments where I hate to show what I’ve written… not just love scenes, but most anything. I guess I’m most tentative when I’ve taken the biggest risks, because I worry it won’t be well done or well received. But I think that little bit of fear is a great thing… it means we’re reaching outside the comfort zone.
The other day a family member asked how I got into writing “porn”. I laughed so hard, he shut up.
Sometimes a sense of humour helps!
And I love what I do, write, think about. And the readers who take the time to send me a note would have answered his question with: “Who cares why? How? We’re grateful she does!”
I’ve had lots of “here’s my problem with women” questions, too. I mean, yuck…I don’t want to know about your shortcomings, buddy. Seriously. Stop talking now. (was going to put in a shocked emoticon, but the mouth’s wide open…can’t go there) :-$
Off to write! Is the heat on in here?
Argh! What an awful question. Glad you could laugh it off. Humor is good. I occasionally ask naysayers what they have against sex. This has worked well too.
I love the Blaze series and the hotter the better. People like to razz me and say you like to read “those” kind of books. YES. I. DO! And I will keep reading “those” kind of books as long as the Blaze Babes keep writing them!
Thank you, Carol!!! Selling lots of books is plenty of comfort for the negative comments! (L)
Good post, Joanne. I’ll officially feel like a Blaze Babe in June (*)
Can’t wait to read UNDRESSED, Heather!! I’m crazy about Encounters…
LOL. I never realized we were such wonderful public servants. Helping people make love more often, now that’s about as good as it gets. BTW, the cover Gods must absolutely love you. Those are stunning!
Candy
Public servants… yes, that’s it exactly! And I chose some of my favs on the covers here. I think we’ve all had our ups and downs . But the guy painting the toenails has ben a long time favorite.
Hi there, Joanne! Great question! When asked something uncomfortable about writing romance novels, I usually respond one of two ways. Sometimes I just stay completely silent and tip my head to the side. Usually they’ll babble on a bit after that and realize they were inappropriate. They apologize and I then smile nicely and let them know they weren’t the first to ask. Conversation moves on smoothly from there. If the person is realllllly obnoxious I ask with widely-innocent eyes – what romance novel it was that they read that gave them that impression. Inevitably they haven’t read a romance novel.
Cool blog, Joanne! I enjoyed it much!
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Right! Because what’s not to love about romance?? I do keep extras of books around here to give to people I think I can convert.
If I’m in a serious mood, I usually say something like, romances are stories of people falling in love and living happily ever after, and physical intimacy is a natural part of that process, right? Then they’re left with nothing much to snicker about, and I go on to give them a quick lesson on genre fiction–its various forms, its reinforcement of traditional values and societal norms, its fulfillment of male or female fantasies. Then people are much less likely to snicker next time they encouter it–they understand what it is and why it’s popular.
But Jamie, what we were dying to know is what you’d say in a non-serious mood . However, I like this approach. Good for folks who are open-minded. I think romance endures for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that it deals with relationships and hurdles in those relationships. And no matter what else women accomplish in their lives career-wise or personally, I think we really need/thrive on creating and sustaining strong relationships. And not just the romantic ones– how many books have we read with relationship issues between friends/sisters/kids/parents? Romance reflects our interest in those social dynamics while affirming that relationships are worth fighting for.
Love the post!! I think we need to get tee-shirts made that say “I’m a Blaze Babe, I help make the world a happier place.” Or hornier… hmmm… :-S
I have to laugh about Lori’s comment. My dad is one of the first ones to read my books – even though he lives in a different state, for some reason or another he’s usually been here visiting when my author copies arrive and he grabs the first book out of the box. It wierded me out the first time – I mean, thats my DAD laying on my couch reading my book!! Ack. But he is my biggest fan and talks them up like crazy, so its a good thing.
I’m in for a t-shirt…. I think red would be nice!
I just say’to each his own.’
You ladies write them and I’ll read them.
Succinct, and yet it says it just right!
You know, it’s strange. I’ve had pretty positive experiences when it comes to the romance novel – both reading and writing. Most of my friends love to read romance, so we exchange books a lot, and those that don’t like them and dismiss them as “bodice rippers” or “trash” (or my favorite “I only read literary fiction”), I constantly point out that many of the classics are romances, from Jane Eyre to Emma to Romeo and Juliet. Are they trash? Everybody in the world wants love. They want to find that other half of themselves and know they’ll be accepted for who they are and find someone who appreciates that. How is that trash?
From a writing standpoint, I get a lot of support from people who read my work. The hotter the better for them and they’re not shy about it, which I really appreciate… especially when I can surprise them by doing something different and they respond positively to it. I really appreciate that.
Julie
Sounds like you’ve surrounded yourself with the right folks, Julie!
I love the Blazes, & have read them from their initial release. I NEVER cover up what I read: most people haven’t ever read a Romance anyway, yet still feel compelled to make certain you know they are offended. What’s wrong with reading about a man & woman’s journey to each other, falling in love & overcoming obstacles, on the road to their HEA? Isn’t that what we all want? Even if we don’t have it now, we can remember when we had it, or that it’s possible to have in the future.
Patricia, I’ve been reading Blaze from the beginning too… it hurt to clear out my shelves recently. So many fun reading memories along the way!!! Great point, BTW…
I just say “so what are you reading?” It seems that often the ones that bug me about what I’m reading can’t be bothered to read themselves.
Can you imagine?? There really are people who just don’t read books. To me, that would be like going through life without listening to music. Ouch.
Lori, LOL at your dad…!
Great topic, Joanne. I tend to assume people who have a problem with hot romance must have really boring sex lives.
When someone pops off with a “you write porn” comment, I usually wonder aloud what’s going on during the 200 pages where the characters *aren’t* in bed. I suppose it would be easier on writers if those pages were left blank instead of filled with all that plot and conflict stuff!
One reason I really respect romance is that it teaches young women what love *should* be like and what kind of love– and hero– is worth fighting for. We spend those other two hundred pages showing the kind of love that’s worth the time, trouble and heartache that *every* couple experiences sooner or later. And for those of who have that kind of love… yeah, it’s good to remember why we fought hard for it in the first place and why it’s worth fighting for again and again.
I’m always surprised when people ask stupid quesions like that.
“you read that trash?” “NO, i read romance.”
“It’s just porn you know?” “Uh, no it’s romance with steamy sex scenes where the couple end up happily in love.”
And of course if all else fails and they keep giving you grief, theres the old stand by and my personal favorite.
“Bite Me!”
cool post
jody :-P
Thank you, Jodi! Whatever works, right?
love blaze babe
great job joanne
bit e it sounds good
Thank you! I had fun thinking about what to write for my first blog at the new digs… we’re gonna have a great time here!
My family will jokingly say you’re reading that kind of stuff, but I haven’t had anyone mean it. My family thinks it’s great I read because I used to hate it with a passion. Now you don’t hardly see me without a book.
When did you take it up, Nicole? I think that’s neat that you did a turn around on reading!
I got into reading my senior year of high school so I’ve been reading nonstop for 5 years now. I even can’t believe I hated reading. My grandpa says I found something I enjoy reading that’s why I love it so much now. Which I completely agree with.
I have read thousands of ‘those books’ locked in my bed room, my camper, sitting in the car waiting for the kids to get out of school, etc. But there is one thing I have noticed, my husband never complains when I try out something new on him that I read in one of ‘those books’. He has never teased me thank heaven but no matterv it wouldn’t have stopped me.