I write froth. Fluff. Brain candy. You name it. And I'm proud of it. OK, my critique partners say that my books have definite depth and emotion and that I get into some heavy areas, but, you know, my taste in reading leans absolutely to works that make me chuckle (I like my movies that way too) or are uplifting (Think SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION or SECOND HAND LIONS).
Now I honestly believe that everyone has different tones that are their favorites, but personally I HATE books where the characters have so much baggage that they need porters to help them move from scene to scene. I will fight for your right to read and enjoy such books, but don't force them on me.
If I'm reading a romance, I don't want heaviness. That doesn't mean no villains--I love a good villain--that doesn't mean no suspense--I love a good suspense--but it does mean that I get turned off by a hero who comes from an abused childhood who has beaten an adult drug addiction , who pairs off with a heroine who's been raped by her foster parent and then spent the rest of her childhood in and out of institutions. Not that such histories don't have a lot to be admired, but that's not the reason I read romance. I read for total escapism. Too much reality ruins it for me.
I have accepted that my books will probably never reach the status of "great" American literature because of my tastes, but they're MY tastes and I don't have to justify them to anyone. Doesn't mean that I don't have themes in my novels--I do. My last novel's theme was "all gifts have a price" (along the lines of "all decisions have a consequence") and I've often written the theme that "home is not a place, it's a person". Themes are the great universal truths that I (again this is about me) believe in.
Anyway, I write the books I would like to read. If you're looking for angst; deep, soul-wrenching pain; or people overcoming insurmountable (which I never believe the characters can overcome--why do you think they're called "insurmountable"?) problems, find another author.
--Gabi
Books I'm reading now:
RITA books are finished
Tall Tales and Wedding Veils by Jane Graves
About Me
- Gabi Stevens
- A mild-mannered (hah!) romance writer with a taste for adventure and humor. And a wicked addiction to books.
1 comment:
Gabi,
I love your books. There is certainly a place on the shelves for your type of writing, but at the moment it seems that the major publishing houses are doing darker, deeper, and dramatic.
So much success as a writer is in producing a good product, but also the timing in the market. I hope that the market swings your way again, soon.
Molly
What I'm reading now? Nothing, because I misplaced the book I intended to read, Crossfire, by JoAnn Ross. Darnit!
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