…from financial worries? If so, how, specifically, do they achieve that?

This was the opening question posed to us by a reporter for the Akron Beacon Journal recently. Our response? You’re damn right they do! Well, okay, maybe we didn’t phrase it exactly that way. ;D But we did go on to say that reading romance novels is always a good idea. And in trying economic times that can prove doubly true. Not only are they an affordable form of entertainment, they celebrate and reinforce what is truly important in life: love and sharing and human connection.

For a few hours a reader can escape into an alternate reality. Make friends with characters not all that different from her, characters that are going through many of the same struggles she is, even as they overcome problems both large and small on the often times bumpy road not just to love, but that once-in-a-lifetime love. Far from the pauper-to-princess fairy tales you might have read as a child, Harlequin romance novels are escapism in its purest form that also provide a measure of levity.

And for a few precious weeks, we as the writers also live that journey through the eyes of our characters. And if we’re doing it right, we come away with the same feeling of epiphany.

Since we’re plugged into social media (okay, I’m completely addicted to Facebook and Twitter and Myspace – look for us under Tori Carrington!), I floated this question to our FB friends. These are just a few of the touching and compelling responses we received from the other side of the book:

"I’d say not just financial worries, but all worries in life can be escaped when reading a good book." Jacquelyn R. Ward, Columbus, Ohio – Paralegal who specializes in bankruptcy and other federal court cases. She adds, "I see people at their worst times in life and while trying to help them with their finances we get to talking about the things we enjoy in life… [T]he number one way [for me]to escape reality is a good book."

"I love reading a new romance novel and just escaping life as I know it for a few hours!" Kristal Gorman, Blasdell, NY – single mother, a full-time employee and a full-time nursing student

"I don’t know if I’ll have cable or Internet access next month, and I know I won’t have this house in two (moving in with in-laws), but whether it’s from my stash, the library, or one of my daughters brings it home, I know I’ll have a book to read with characters that work through their problems and end up together at the end.”Debbie Mekler, Silicon Valley, CA

"I love to read a good book. It helps me relax and who wants to watch the news when it’s all bad. Books help you when you’re low and out of sorts, if that means money problems then yes!! Books are the answer, because you always get a good ending and a ‘free’ trip."Amy Gray Cornelius, Corinth, MS – Preschool teacher

"A good romance novel can put you totally into a separate world far away from the issues that stem from today’s economy. A good romance is a stress reliever and a good story with a happy ending can put you in a really good frame of mind." Livia Holton, http://theromancereadersconnection.com/

We were astounded and humbled by the number of responses we received. And were thankful for the reminder that while reading Harlequin romance novels won’t help pay the bills, or erase the worry of an impending foreclosure, or even cure an illness, they do allow precious escape from those staggering realities…and ultimately leave you refreshed and refocused and more psychologically able to deal with them.

And, as Tony points out, a Harlequin romance novel is a vacation in a book…without the sunburn! (However, when it comes to Blaze, you may want to be careful of contact burns. ;D)

Should you be in the market for primo escapism, our two latest titles, UNBRIDLED and BRANDED, are available now.

This weekend, help us celebrate all things romantic by attending the special 60th Harlequin Anniversary Celebration hosted by Don’s Books in Kokomo, Indiana. All day Friday and Saturday, August 7th & 8th, Don’s will feature Harlequin authors Vicki Lewis Thompson, Dana Corbit, Janet Dean, Lori Foster, Blythe Gifford, Jade Lee, Loralee Lillibridge, Denise Lynn, Ramona Richards, Patricia Thayer, and, of course, us.

We’ll be there on Friday from 2:30-5:00 p.m. and 6:30-8:00 p.m. with plenty of Tony’s Famous Baklava on hand! With a little help, I might be able to convince Tony into staying over for some of Saturday’s events…

Check out the tentative schedule by going to http://www.hazeltineandgraham.com/news/harlequin_event.html

Here’s wishing you and yours a hot and meaningful August. Oh, and don’t forget to enter our monthly drawing at www.toricarrington.net. Up for grabs in August is a yummy Vanilla Milk Bath Set!

We want to hear your thoughts: Do romance novels offer you escape from financial worries? If so, how, specifically, do they achieve that?