Here’s one for readers (and writers who love to read too).
I’m an avid reader. I am talking 5 books a week on average, when I have the books to read. (Did I mention that I am also a very fast reader?) Me having a book in my hand is a common sight, at home, school, and at work.
So the question of “what are you reading?” is fairly common. Yet I never really know how to answer it.
“Oh, this great new novel by so and so about a ______ who kicks some serious butt while falling in love with her enemy, a ______.”
That’s how I want to answer, but at the same time, I know many of my-coworkers think that reading is for dorks, let alone reading something like a romance novel. So often I find myself saying things like, “oh you know, just a romance. Something I can read during break and then put down to go back to work. Which is not really how I feel, but something I feel like I need to say.
I did get frustrated once. A co-worker asked me every day for quite a while what I was reading, then gave me “the look” when I told her a romance novel. I’m sure you know the look by now ““ a combination of “oh THAT kind of book’ mixed with a little bit of “why are you wasting you time reading’. So I purposefully took the most erotic romance I had to work with me, with a cover of naked people. LOL The book I am referring to is Undressing Mercy by Deanne Lee. (Totally HOT book BTW) And when she glanced at the cover and asked me in a shocked voice “what are you reading?” I told her an erotic romance with an interracial couple having pre-marital hot kinky sex.
Considering I lived in the bible belt at that time the raised eyebrows over interracial anything was a hot button for me. Almost as bad as the one over same sex couples. Love is LOVE.
Back to what I was saying though “¦ The look on her face ““ I about died from withholding my laughter. I had to stay straight faced with a “what?’ look when she started huffing and puffing. Sadly, my boss caught up to me later and told me to stop picking on my co-workers. Some of them couldn’t take my brand of humor.
So how about you all? Any funny stories? Do people ask you what you’re reading then get all huffy when you answer “a romance novel’? What have you been wanting to say, but have managed to bite your tongue to hold back? Share “¦
3 COMMENTS
Desirée Lee
17 years agoThe worst critics have been my parents. I’m still trying to convince them that romance does not equal porn.
Carpe Noctem,
Des
Desirée Lee
Putting the Romance Back in Necromancy
http://www.desireelee.com
des@desireelee.com
Danielle
17 years agoI am a proud book reader. Have been since I was twelve (see previous comment about when started reading, lol) and will continue until my death. My mother’s family is heavily catholic and they believe that what I read is wrong. Now I don’t shove my books down their uptight butts. At the same time I am proud of who I am and what I love. My license plate is personalized with bookworm and my softball jersey is personalized with bookworm as well. I read between 1 and 5 books a DAY, plus the reviews I do here. The funny thing for me is that I have turned my mother-in-law into a book worm as well. Then when i started reading erotica, she had to read it as well. When I picked up the Harry Potter books, she was next. Now it is the Stephenie Meyers books. I don’t really have any funny stories other than I get total strangers who will come up to me when i get out of my car and say they love my license plate and they are a proud book reader as well! 😀
MichelleHouston
17 years ago AUTHORDes – I can certainly understand that. So many people see romance and erotic romance as porn. Nothing wrong with porn, it has its place, but it is frustracting to try and explain the difference to people who don’t care to see the distinction.
Danielle – I LOVE it! LOL I have wanted to get a T-shirt that says something along the lines of “romance writer” but either I would be worried about wearing it or I’d have to get multiples cause I’d want to wear it every day. LOL
Michelle