The Secret Recipe for Creating a Romance Book

[Penforhire]

Ha ha. Not bad. But I think you neglected the huge supernatural romance genre. And boy am I tired of stumbling into those, expecting more ghost and less thrust!

[Latinandgreek]

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

Greater collective good? I read law books all day long. You mean I have to read them for 12 hours a day, and on my short commute home, I have to make better use of my time? Frankly, the older I get, the more interest I have in pleasing myself, and not worrying about what other people think.

I used to watch soap operas in between my classes at Harvard Law School, also.

Kudos. I read Greek and Latin all day (on a good day ) and sometimes just feel like watching the Trailer Park Boys when I get home, or reading children's fiction, or something that others would consider trashy. That IS, actually, one of the many benefits of e-readers, you can read what you want without having to have other commuters stare at what you are reading.

[Latinandgreek]

While we are talking about "recipes" for a genre, have a look at Diana Wynne Jones' "The Tough Guide to Fantasyland", a hilarious look at common fantasy tropes, written by someone to primarily writes books that fit into that particular genre.

[AnemicOak]

LOL, I remember reading a while back that Harlequin/Mills & Boon do actually have a handbook/guidelines of things that must be included/not included and how certain 'things' can and cannot be described in their lines like Harlequin Presents (which some folks here seem to think are the only kind of romance out there).

[Terisa de morgan]

About the romance generator, it's funny, and I've found some of them at "Beyond heaving bosoms: The smart bitches' guide to romance novels", by Sarah Wendell and Amy Tan. About the other opinions, they don't deserve any comment. In my country we say: "las opiniones son como los culos, todo el mundo tiene uno", and they don't affect me. I don't think the common good depends on me reading romance novels or heavy essays, I think it's a very narrow point of view, but that is MY opinion

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by Latinandgreek

While we are talking about "recipes" for a genre, have a look at Diana Wynne Jones' "The Tough Guide to Fantasyland", a hilarious look at common fantasy tropes, written by someone to primarily writes books that fit into that particular genre.

Can I find it in e-book? I've reading a book about "recipes" for romance genre and this could be funny.

[Latinandgreek]

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

Can I find it in e-book? I've reading a book about "recipes" for romance genre and this could be funny.

I'm sorry, I haven't been able to find it as an e-book

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

Greater collective good? I read law books all day long. You mean I have to read them for 12 hours a day, and on my short commute home, I have to make better use of my time? Frankly, the older I get, the more interest I have in pleasing myself, and not worrying about what other people think.

I used to watch soap operas in between my classes at Harvard Law School, also.

Good for you. Not every book I read is edifying, either. Some of it is pure candy. I have no problem with that. I spend plenty of my time working for the greater good and exercising my little gray cells. Sometimes it's nice to give them an escapist treat. Romance isn't my thing, but I've read plenty of sci fi & fantasy that was in no way any more substantial. Besides, even if you weren't spending so much time on weightier matters, and every book you read was total fluff, I still wouldn't think it fair to generalize about your worthiness from that single point.

[Sydney's Mom]

The embarrasing thing is I have to look up words sometimes in these cheap romances. You know, something you can figure out from the context, but have never actually learned the definition. That is what I really LOVE about the k2 - the k1 interface for looking up words was clunky.

My husband used to say I was dumbing myself down by watching soap operas. I don't anymore, but he is not the reason I quit. If someone had said something like that to me when I was in my twenties or thirties, I would have been devastated. By the time I reached my fourties, I was finally able to accept myself as I am. But I still didn't like reserving romance novels at the library. I was afraid the librarian was looking down at me, when she probably was just glad I used the library! Anyway, I love the kindle, because I could be reading Too Big to Fail (a wonderful book, by the way) or His Defiant Reluctant Obstinent Sarcastic Virgin Bride.

[Sydney's Mom]

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

In my country we say: "las opiniones son como los culos, todo el mundo tiene uno", and they don't affect me.

We have that saying here, too, but it sure sounds nicer in Spanish!

[ardeegee]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

LOL, I remember reading a while back that Harlequin/Mills & Boon do actually have a handbook/guidelines of things that must be included/not included and how certain 'things' can and cannot be described in their lines like Harlequin Presents (which some folks here seem to think are the only kind of romance out there).

Via Google:

http://www.wewriteromance.com/guidel..._presents.html

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

The embarrasing thing is I have to look up words sometimes in these cheap romances.

You should read the latest Terry Pratchett Discworld novel, Unseen Academicals. A main character is a reader of cheap romances.

Quote:

People who didn’t know long words tended to be edgy around people who did. That’s why her male neighbours, like Mr Stollop and his mates, distrusted nearly everybody. Their wives, on the other hand, shared a much larger if somewhat specialized vocabulary owing to the cheap romantic novels that passed like contraband from scullery to washhouse, in every street. That’s why Glenda knew ‘elocution’, ‘torrid’, ‘boudoir’ and ‘reticule’, although she wasn’t too certain about ‘reticule’ and ‘boudoir’, and avoided using them, which in the general scheme of things was not hard. She was deeply suspicious about what a lady’s boudoir might be, and certainly wasn’t going to ask anybody, even in the Library, just in case they laughed.

[Sydney's Mom]

Glenda just needed a Kindle 2!!!

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

About the romance generator, it's funny, and I've found some of them at "Beyond heaving bosoms: The smart bitches' guide to romance novels", by Sarah Wendell and Amy Tan. About the other opinions, they don't deserve any comment. In my country we say: "las opiniones son como los culos, todo el mundo tiene uno", and they don't affect me. I don't think the common good depends on me reading romance novels or heavy essays, I think it's a very narrow point of view, but that is MY opinion

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

We have that saying here, too, but it sure sounds nicer in Spanish!

Does "los culos" mean what I think it does?
I don't recall that term from the Spanish classes I took in college.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Does "los culos" mean what I think it does?
I don't recall that term from the Spanish classes I took in college.

"Ass" doesn't sound the same (And I didn't learn at the school either )

[K-Thom]

If you've only got two minutes left for your daily romance, this plot generator is a perfect companion for anyone interested in 18th century love affairs.

http://www.ugoi.net/nonsense/plot.html

*sigh, those were them days ...*