I became fascinated with the romance novel industry this spring.
It all began when a friend recommended that I check out a romance novel with a autistic hero, The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie. For multiple reasons, I found this book pretty horrifying. In order to purge my mind of this book, I decided that I had to read a different book pronto. Based on recommendations by Amazon readers, I downloaded In Bed with a Highlander and two other books, by Maya Banks, while sitting poolside on vacation in Puerto Rico.
I blogged about these books in a rather disdainful manner and was promptly smacked down by my readers, many of whom are highly educated women. They told me that I was unfair.
More here.
Apt. 11d 
They might be reading them in the privacy of their e-readers, but they are surely reading them.
You know, I thought one of the benefits of an e-reader was that I could read a book “privately,” and nobody would see the blaring titles on the bus, if I happened to want to buy a title like “In Bed With a Highlander” or “101 Ways to Spice Up Your Sex Life.”
But, it turns out, since the whole family has the same “Account,” that any book purchased on one Nook automatically pops up on every other e-reader associated with my e-mail account (we have 3 currently). So, I can keep strangers (who I don’t care about) from knowing what I’m reading on my Nook, but there’s no hiding it from the Raggirls.
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Download an ebook titled “How to ensure your children never know which one you like best.” That will start a conversation that reöccurs for at irregular intervals for the next 60 years.
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I don’t know how this works exactly (my husband is my tech guy), but I have a separate Kindle account than my 9-year-old. If/when we got our youngest a Kindle, he’ll probably share an account with his sister, though, as their reading lists will probably be compatible.
Dear Wendy has just started her 50 Shades book club. This from a commenter is the funniest thing I’ve read about the book today:
“And the fact that she can have tons of orgasms from Christian merely caressing her nipples??? Odd. Imagine what happens to her if she were to ride the city bus! Embarrassing.”
http://dearwendy.com/book-club-10-things-i-loved-about-fifty-shades-of-grey/#comments
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You never said precisely what you found so awful about the Madness of Lord Ian McKenzie. I’m curious.
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Following Wendy’s question…
Were you aiming at avoiding criticism/polemic (after all everyone is reading these & “educating” you on the genre) or didn’t you simply have the energy to voice your criticisms? (that’s what it felt like to me when you wrote your 50 shades post a while back).
just curious
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Since the romance novel discussion, I’ve had occasion to read a Wally Lamb book, She’s Come Undone. This was an Oprah’s Book Club selection. Everyone* loves it, thinks it’s a good book.
*Exaggeration, but it was a best seller.
I hated She’s Come Undone and thought it was trash. Misery porn.
I am not sure why people elevate books like that and look down on romance novels. It’s actually developing into a research interest of mine; after years of teaching “great”–and depressing–literature to my students, I’ve started to wonder why we teach the miserable stuff with unhappy endings all the time.
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I really liked Christine Feehan’s book “Water Bound” for her amazing depiction of an autistic (possible Asperger’s) heroine. Feehan writes paranormals and this one too is paranormal, but the depiction of the heroine was so vivid that I think Feehan must have done some intense research. I had wondered how autistics experience the world and this book really resonated with me. I’ve reread this book too many times because the romance elements combined with the autism are so amazing.
I tend to gravitate to romances with a strong female lead often with an element of humor – ex. Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniels, Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changeling and her Hunter Guild series. Oh! And Shelly Laurenston/G.A Aiken is always good for a laugh and cans of whup ass!
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