I have finished my first Regency romance novel!!!
This is a huge accomplishment for me. I haven’t sold it yet; I’m working on the query letter and research about agents and such. But the novel is complete. Alpha and Beta readers have had their say. The editor is at work.
I just want to go back two paragraphs now. Me write a Regency romance novel? Yes, yes I have. The truth is I was raised on a steady diet (provided by my mom) of romance novels. Back in the day (unnamed years ago), most romance novels were what we, today, call Clean or Sweet. Read that as the writers didn’t include sex scenes. And my mom, my sister, and I read them voraciously.
Now, some people in some circles might look down on the humble romance novel (even though it is one of the highest selling genres). I have a degree in English and I’ve spent quite a bit of time in those circles. I even love those circles and a good discussion about the literature favored in those circles. But I also love a good romance. I love the “Love Conquers All” theme. I love the search for connection, for belonging, for intimacy (since we’re talking “sweet” here, I’m talking emotional intimacy in this post). I love the struggle and bumps along the way. I just love romance.
One of my favorite things to ask people that I’m just getting to know is, “how did you meet?” Everyone’s process of meeting and falling in love seems a miracle to me. I love to hear about people’s romances.
Even though I have written a fantasy novel, which is in need of a complete rewrite, it is as much a romance as a fantasy. I have also written three children’s books–not romances, and after seven children, I like that too. But I have found a real comfort and familiarity while writing my romance novel. And the second one in the series, which is half-way written feels the same. Finding “my voice” just didn’t seem as difficult.
Exploring trust and vulnerability, trying to capture the growth of a protagonist as she opens her heart to love, following two people who struggle, and make mistakes, and compromise is exilerating.
So for the next little while I will probably be writing about my writing–my romance writing–and about the value of a good romance novel.
So tell me, how did you meet your love?
Oh don’t apologize or explain. Yes, romance gets hit with some genre snobbery. But you show those snobs you care and you validate them too much when you act apologetic like this.
You are a romance writer! Own it! It’s not a lesser genre. It seems misogynistic the way genre snobbery is thrown at this female-dominated genre.
So much time has passed, but thank you for this comment. I have grown from total surprise to pure joy as I’ve found my voice in these regency romances. I just posted on my instagram the photo for the front cover of the first novel, which will release sometime in the next week or so–announced to my friends and family that I write regency romance. Since writing this post, I’ve written a second novel, a novella, and I am beginning the third novel in what has become a series. I write regency romance romance novels! And I’m proud of it.