Recently I learned the value of not reading romance.

Wait! Don’t throw stones at me! I’m not advocating you put aside your romance novels and go out in search of other books here. =)

You see, recently I just haven’t had time to read.

To be honest, it’s been such a long time (before this) since I haven’t had one book or another going that to hear somebody say they don’t have time to read just makes me roll my eyes. I usually sacrifice sleep (something all you other moms know we treasure dearly) just so I can get my “me time” in by reading. But, alas, I didn’t have time to read because of various crazy things going on in life and actually *needing* any few minutes of extra sleep I could get.

So I didn’t read. For an entire month, possibly. (I honestly can’t believe it, either.)

But this past weekend, I finally settled down and gave myself a break. I picked up my Kindle, turned it on, scrolled through my alarmingly huge list of To Be Read books (and, I admit, this always makes me a little giddy), and finally selected Lecia Cornwall’s debut from last year, SECRETS OF A PROPER COUNTESS. (I had read her second book and loved it, so was pretty certain this one would be just as great.) And guess what?

Reading again was one of the best feelings in the world. It was like…chicken noodle soup…for my soul. Wait–I think that’s a nonfiction inspirational book series, isn’t it? Well, it’s true. It felt like I was with an old friend, like I was wrapped up in a cozy afghan in front of a roaring fire (let’s use our imaginations and imagine it wasn’t 90 degrees outside…), and that there was a knight in my kitchen making double chocolate brownies just for me.

I think you get the picture. =)

Reading romances again…after not reading for so long…made me realize again just how much I love reading them. In fact, I enjoyed myself (and the book) so much that I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up past my own bedtime to finish it, and of course then I had to go on to Goodreads and find the next book the author was writing. Reading after this hiatus made me remember why I became a writer, too: to be able to put my own words together and create my own hero and heroine and their own sigh-worthy love story? Amazing.

So, dear friend, consider this my tribute to reading romance novels. There is no need for you to put aside your books and take your own month-long hiatus; in fact, I don’t recommend it. That’s just masochism! But, like me, if you ever come to a point in your life where you simply aren’t able to take any time at all to read and you have to give up romance for a while, know that when you come back, it will be as if you never stopped reading at all. Your heart will race when the hero and heroine first meet, your cheeks will blush when they have their first wicked encounter, your chest will ache when all seems impossible, and you will sigh with happiness when you reach their happily-ever-after.

And all will be well with the world again. =)

What about you? How do you feel when you come back to reading romances after it’s been a while (or even if it’s just when you open up a new book)? Chicken noodle soup for your soul? Cozy afghan in front of roaring fire? Handsome knight making brownies? Or is that just me? =)

I recently wrote an article about how I fell in love with romance novels. Namely, how romance made me feel: the breathlessness at the beginning of the attraction, the physical ache in your chest when it seems the hero and heroine won’t end up together, and the near heart-bursting joy at the end of the book when they do. I was thinking about this, about all three of the feelings that–in my opinion–are requisite for a wonderful romance novel, and I realized something.

A lot of romance novels I’ve been reading over the past few years simply don’t meet all three requirements. And–also sadly–I have to admit that even my books to date have focused on one or two of these rather than all three.

Digging further, instead of “romance novel”, a lot of books that I’ve read in the past few years could be described as “lust-sex-heartbreak-HEA” novels. To me, they’re not the same at all. Part of it, I think, is that we as a society have become more skeptical and cynical in this first decade of the 21st century. It’s easier to believe in the heartache of a romance novel than in the actual romance (and please understand that I’m not talking about the HEA, but the journey of the couple to that HEA). I recently read my first book from a bestselling contemporary author, and I loved it. It didn’t need an intricate plot or anything extraordinary, because what made me fall in love with the characters and the book itself was how romantic it was. Imagine that. Yes, there was sex in it as well, and well-written sex, but the main focus of either character was not how to get into bed with the other; the focus was on their relationship and their growing love. It seems lately that I’ve read too many romance novels (and I’m not talking about erotic romances) where more attention is paid to physical desire than emotional development (i.e., turning the reader on instead of creating those warm, gushy feelings that made me fall in love with romance in the first place). I, like most readers, enjoy great sex scenes in the romance novels that I read–I believe they’re an integral part of the love story–but I want to see more from the relationship, to be honest.

This perspective has already changed my view toward my own writing. Recently I was plotting out a novella that, for some reason I couldn’t quite put my finger on, didn’t feel right. There was something missing. I knew there would be angst (lots of it!) and sex (of course), but something felt as if it were lacking. I would like to say that this was a momentary obtuseness on my part, but the truth is that until I wrote the above-mentioned article about why I fell in love with romance novels, I didn’t realize that the plot was focused more on heartache and lust than romance. And I’m a romance writer!

I truly felt as if a lightbulb had gone on in my head. When did the genre start moving away from the romantic side of romance? I’m certainly not saying there aren’t any books out there that are focused on romance (other JQ authors have wonderfully romantic books!), and I’m not even saying that this is prevalent among the genre–but it is something I’ve seen increasing lately. And it’s something that I’m committed to correcting in my own writing from now on.

Perhaps this is an epiphany only for me, but I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject, as either a reader or a writer. Have you noticed a declining trend in the romance in romance novels? What are your requirements for a satisfactory “romance novel” that truly fits the term? Thank you for your comments!

This month the Jaunty Quills are posting our favorite blogs from the past. I’ve been a member of the JQs since October, so I don’t have *too* many posts to pick from, but this one is definitely my favorite. If you remember seeing it recently, don’t mind me–just enjoy the eye candy.

I have a confession to make: I, Elise Rome, am in love with Great Britain. And I am not ashamed.

When I first learned that Katherine Garbera lives in England, I was beyond jealous.

Confession: I still am.

It’s not that I don’t enjoy living in America.

It’s just that, well… British people have British accents. I know some people like French accents, some Arabic, some Australian, some Latin and so on, but I for one tend to get weak-kneed when I hear a man with a British accent.

Confession: After I graduated high school I was working as a cashier in a supermarket. One day, a man (early 20s, perhaps, modestly attractive) came through my line. I was not affected in the least–he was just another customer in my mind. But then he spoke in a British accent, and you should have seen how red my face turned. I’m sure I stammered, too. Suddenly this mortal man turned to a god in my eyes, simply because of the way he spoke.

I blame this man for making my insides turn to goo whenever I hear a British accent:

(If you have not seen Eliot Cowan play Darcy in Lost in Austen, I beg thee– Go. Watch. Now.)

And this one:

(Likewise, if you have not seen Richard Armitage in the BBC miniseries North and South, do so immediately. You will understand everything when you hear the voice.)

Sadly, although Mr. Rome earnestly tries to imitate a British accent, it never works. It somehow always comes out as something closer to an Australian accent.

Confession: I think Hugh Jackman is a lovely man. Chris Hemsworth, too. They both have lovely, broad-as-the-sky shoulders. And yet, because they both have Australian accents rather than British ones, neither affects me as much as this man:

It’s true. (And Hugh Grant cheated on Elizabeth Hurley with a hooker! Who does that?)

Fortunately, Mr. Rome still loves me even though he knows how much I go ga-ga over British men. I know he loves me because he’s agreed to going to England for a future anniversary rather than Italy, which was his first choice. (I have not, as of yet, convinced him to actually move to England… “Think of the castles! The history! The…sheep?”)

By itself, you might think that my love for British accents would be an innocent thing. Not so.

It’s convinced me that all British humor is witty, it would be culturally superior of me to drive on the left side of the road rather than the right, there’s nothing wrong with eating a dessert called “spotted dick”, and that British television shows and movies are generally better than the ones produced in America (Downton Abbey, Sherlock, anyone?).

There may be one saving grace for me despite this obsession, however… Ireland is right next door, and I also love Irish accents. I guess I’ll just have to divide my time between the two.

Thanks to everyone who commented on the FOK post! The two random winners of the Forks Over Knives book are Connie Fischer and catslady–congratulations! Please check your inboxes. =)

Since the beginning of 2012, when I watched the food documentary Forks Over Knives, my beliefs about food have changed. I have become almost as passionate about whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables as I am about romance novels. (I can’t believe it, either!) If you haven’t seen it yet, Forks Over Knives is a documentary based upon the science of why a whole foods, plant-based diet is best for you, and how the typical American diet is killing us (or, if you eat a diet similar to the typical American diet, which includes lots of meat and dairy and processed foods). (Note: Did you know that the acronym for the standard American diet is SAD?) Anyway, I digress.

I was born and raised in East Texas, where meat is the center of every meal, and a meal without meat just doesn’t seem right. It’s not normal. In fact, after watching Forks Over Knives in February, when I told my dad that I was becoming a vegan, he laughed. Not in a mean way, just in a that’s-such-a-ludicrous-idea-that-anyone-would-want-to-give-up-meat-and-dairy way. =) He also said something to the effect that “he meant to enjoy his life”; i.e. a life without meat and dairy would be no life at all.

I never met one vegan or vegetarian in East Texas. There may have been some out there, but if they were, it’s possible they were keeping it a secret from all the rest of us. Again, such a lifestyle just isn’t considered sane. It’s not about people wanting to hurt animals by eating them. It’s just an entirely different culture.

So as I sat down to watch Forks Over Knives with my husband in February, I never thought that I would come out on the other side with the intention of becoming a vegan. I’d already seen Food, Inc. (also recommended; a documentary about modern farming/food industry practices) when it came out, and although I hated what I saw, there didn’t seem to be enough of a personal application to make me motivated to do anything. I definitely can’t say the same thing about Forks Over Knives (henceforth FOK).

I’m not going to quote the documentary or book itself (I’m giving away a couple of copies of the book today so you can read it for yourself, or you can visit the website here), but some of the things that stuck out to me were:

1) The protein in cow’s milk promotes cancer cells (we’ve switched to Silk Soy Milk since April 1st and haven’t gone back)

2) The standard American consumes too much protein through a meat diet; the excess protein leaches calcium from our bones, which can cause osteoporosis (so much for milk’s preventative qualities)

3) Consuming dairy and meat products can lead to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer (among other diseases), whereas eating a whole foods, plant-based diet can reverse these (yes, sometimes even cancer!)

These are just a few of the reasons why I decided to become a vegan after watching this film. Now for my journey.

For two months I ate no meat, although I did continue drinking milk. Then I went back to eating meat because, since my husband cooks most of the meals in our household (I know, how lucky am I??), I was basically eating “sides” the entire time. I felt a little discouraged, but I was on a schedule where it made more sense for him to cook at the time. (Note: Although my husband was affected by the film, it hasn’t meant as much to him as it did to me.) Then we cut out milk entirely for our household, and only drink soy milk now. I still believe in the reasons why I made this decision to begin with, though, so I’ve been collecting some amazing vegan cookbooks and recipes from the Internet. My husband has agreed to let me be the cook for an entire month (in September), and I’m excited to discover together how delicious vegan foods can be. (I plan on keeping a record of my recommendations.) In the meantime, I’ve been focusing on eating more plants, whole grains, and beans, and reducing my consumption of cheese (still haven’t given that up) and meats.

As you can see, my conversion from a meat-eater hasn’t happened overnight, and I’m okay with this. After all, I’ve been eating one way for all of my life, and I don’t want to set myself up for failure. My goal right now is to be completely vegan by the beginning of 2013. The most important thing to me–while I can appreciate the environmental impacts of certain lifestyles–is how eating this way vs. the Standard American Diet will affect my health, my daughters’ health, and hopefully my husband’s health. “Diet” has become synonymous in our culture with something you go on for a few days, weeks, or months in order to lose weight. While it would be nice to lose weight–I’m not going to lie–that’s not the purpose of this. Unlike my dad, I want to enjoy life AND be healthy. There are too many people in my family who “live to eat”; I want to be the first one who “eats to live.”

Here’s the thing, though. I know that what I say isn’t going to make one heck of a difference to you without you seeing the documentary or reading the book and coming to your own conclusions. I’m not trying to get on any pedestal, social or political, but I’m passionate enough about this to want to share it with you, just as I’d want to share any fantastic romance novel. Just as I know that not every reader will enjoy the same book, I know that not every viewer/reader of FOK will get the same from it (but I’m hoping you’ll at least find the knowledge useful). I’m giving away two copies of the FOK book today (winners to be announced on Sunday), either digital or paperback (winner’s choice), and the giveaway is open to international readers.

And if you have Netflix, FOK the documentary is streaming right now. Believe me, it’s worth the watch.

Have you seen the Forks Over Knives documentary or read the book? What did you think? If you haven’t seen or read FOK, does the culture where you’re from think that not eating meat or dairy is crazy, too?

Okay, wait. I know it’s Friday and everyone’s not thinking clearly. I also know that most of you have probably gone to see the movie Magic Mike in the last couple of weeks.

Just to be clear!

That’s not what I mean when I say “doing it for me”.

I’m talking about *writing*, people. (And you’re welcome for the eye candy on your right. =D )

Specifically, I’m talking about listening to specific music or watching specific movies that inspire my writing brain.

I’m not one of those writers who can multitask. I can’t watch TV or listen to music while I write. I have to have complete silence. But this doesn’t mean I can’t be inspired by music and movies all the same.

In terms of music, I love finding new bands or artists who tell stories in their music. I don’t know any other way to explain it other than that. I don’t have to have a specific genre of music, but I need to hear a story in their lyrics (or, in the case of classical music, the composing). It does, of course, help if the story is romantic in any way.

Examples of my music favorites:

Sara Bareilles (so many of her songs have inspired future story ideas while listening)

Foo Fighters

Damien Rice

Taylor Swift

Better than Ezra

Kelly Clarkson

Beethoven

Jason Mraz

And the Love Actually soundtrack, because it makes me think of the complex relationships in that movie

I’ve found that music gives me lots of ideas for stories, but it can’t really create the passion I love to feel when I go to write from my characters’ POV. If I’m feeling really disconnected from my writing (romance is pretty far from my mind after I’ve said “do you need to go potty?” 100 times that day), I turn to movies. And yes, these definitely have to have some kind of romantic element to put that passion back in me. As an added bonus, I’ve also found some great visual inspiration for characters in these movies, too. =)

A few movies that come to mind that have helped me get that lovin’ feeling again…

Ever After (a must see Cinderella retelling for any romance lover)

August Rush (true, it’s really the story of the kid, but I love the romance between the parents; amazing movie overall, and a must see if for no other reason than hearing/seeing Jonathan Rhys Meyers as a rockstar)

Lost in Austen (the kiss at the end. I would watch this miniseries a thousand times for the kiss at the end. Elliot Cowan IS my perfect imagining of Mr. Darcy, and I will fight for him against any other Darcy impostor out there–that includes you, Mr. Firth!)

Shakespeare in Love (I have to be honest, I didn’t *love* this movie, but yes I did love the passion of Joseph Fiennes in this movie…and, yes, Joseph Fiennes himself =)

Now I’m not going to say whether it’s the actors involved or the movies themselves, but 99 times out of 100 when I watch these movies (and any movies like these I come across!), it gets my romance novel writing mojo back on track.

Do you have any particular music artists or movies that fill you with the same passion you get when you read a truly terrific romance novel? If you’re a writer, do you use movies and music the same way? Or do you have any more great suggestions for me that I need to check out? =)

I’ve always found the process of creating cover art fascinating. Last year, Elizabeth Hoyt’s publisher offered readers a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the cover for SCANDALOUS DESIRES, and I loved watching the video and seeing the models dressed up and posing for the gorgeous final cover and stepback.

Now that I’m going the indie route, I’m in charge of everything for my books, including cover art. If you’re like me (and I’m pretty sure most of you are), a beautiful cover that is evocative of the story inside is important to the total package–at least, in drawing you to the book in the first place. The difference between most indie books and traditionally published books, however, is that traditional publishers usually commission an exclusive photo shoot and cover for each book (such as Elizabeth Hoyt’s SCANDALOUS DESIRES). Many times, especially for historical covers, the photo taken is rendered as a painting by the individual artist who was commissioned. Because indie authors operate on a much smaller scale, the avenue which is much more reasonable for us is to find an image we can work with from a stock photo or to pay a photographer for exclusive rights to one of their photos. Sometimes we can request that a photographer shoot a certain type of photo (which I’ll get to later on), but many times we just pick through what is already available. The trick, you see, comes in the design afterward.

When the decision was made that THE SINNING HOUR, the first story in my new Victorian Unmasked series, should become a full-length novel, I knew I had to change the cover art to fit with the other covers I had planned. This meant the cover needed to be changed from a picture of a mask to a picture of a woman. I thought you might be interested in seeing the original photo we worked with and learning about the process we (designer Carrie of Seductive Designs is amazingly talented) went through to get to the finished cover.

Here is the original photo, taken by another amazingly talented woman, Jenn LeBlanc of Illustrated Romance. This was a photo I commissioned from Jenn, which means I told her I wanted this sort of pose (back to the camera) and that I wanted pearls. From just those two qualifications, she came up with this:

Now here’s the process of how we went from this photo to the final cover (below):

1) Decided on color of dress. I had played with colors for this photo before using PhotoShop and happened upon a gold-orange simply by experimenting. As soon as I saw it, though, and how it looked with the pearls in the picture, I knew that was it.

2) Decided on background. Honestly, I think backgrounds are the hardest to choose for indie-pubbed books, because again, you usually just have to work with what you can find. I had already worked with Carrie in designing the second cover for the series, COVET MY HEART, and was inspired by the textured background of Loretta Chase’s upcoming book, SCANDAL WEARS SATIN. Thus, because this book is part of a series and Carrie advised that the covers should look similar in theme (again, love her), we knew the background for THE SINNING HOUR would be textured. I just had to decide on which texture to use. And because I’d already had Carrie design COVET MY HEART with a monochromatic design of red and pink, she advised that the background for THE SINNING HOUR should also be similar to the color I’d chosen for the dress. After I decided on the particular texture and color, I asked Carrie to experiment with shading at the edges to convey more of the darker, emotional tone of my books. (Note: the shading of the background also affects the light on the model.) This may sound simple, but I am a perfectionist–which is another way to say I’m sure I drove Carrie nuts, because we went back and forth on everything until I was satisfied. A designer who is willing to do this, in my opinion, is worth their weight in gold. =)

3) I asked Carrie to edit the original photo to remove the seams in the gloves, the seams on the shoulder straps, make the dress fuller and in more of the shape of a gown worn during my specific part of the Victorian era, and to smooth the glove on the right hand where it’s bunched at the wrist. I also asked for hair down the back to add better balance to the photo and to cover the shoulder blades.

4) Once the actual image and background were finished, Carrie added the text for my name and the title. (I scrolled through hundreds of fonts for both and she helped me narrow them down by showing how my favorites would look on the actual cover.) We spent several days discussing and passing back and forth options for text color. Although I really liked the idea of a blue or purple (because to me these were more appropriate for the title, THE SINNING HOUR), I couldn’t deny that the white/ivory was the easiest to read.

5) Carrie added the “An UNMASKED novel” and the quote from one of my absolute favorite authors, Julie Anne Long. We actually had to change the shading to the cover’s left corner so the quote would be visible.

6) A stripe had been added to the right earlier on because she knew I wanted one, but this is the point when we finalized the stripe’s color.

7) Finally, Carrie worked magic with her software program to soften the cover with a “painted” effect.

And the final result? A cover I love. I hope you do, too! =) (Here’s the original again for comparison.)

Now you know how the cover for THE SINNING HOUR was designed. I hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes peek! =) Are you a cover fanatic? What type of romance covers (landscape or people, facing forward or away, couple or alone, etc.) do you like the best? Any particular colors? Have any recent covers stood out to you as especially eye-catching?

I love being part of the online romance community for a number of reasons. I get to talk about books (love), I get to chat with awesome readers like you (!!), and I get to interact with my favorite authors like a cool, calm professional when internally I’m one big squeeing fangirl. =) To put it simply, I can be both an author and a reader. As a blogger, I also get to talk a lot about myself (which, most of the time, means talking about my kids). But today I want to find out about you!

1. What are the last three books you read that knocked your socks off?

2. Where were you born and where do you currently live?

3. What’s your favorite place to read?

4. What’s your biggest passion/hobby outside of reading?

5. Do you have any other dreams/aspirations?

6. What are three of your favorite hero names?

7. What are three of your favorite heroine names?

8. What are the top three places in the world you wish you could visit?

9. Do you have any special summer plans?

I’ll start! =)

1. A GENTLEMAN UNDONE by Cecilia Grant, SOMEBODY TO LOVE by Kristan Higgins, MARIANA by Susanna Kearsley

2. Born in East Texas; live in Denver, CO

3. The bathtub (my retreat from the kids =)

4. It used to be studying languages; right now it’s taking care of my kids; when they get older I’d like to invest in more volunteer work

5. To be a runner and one day run a marathon

6. Leo, Simon, Frederick (these are actually names I’m using/planning to use for future books)

7. Vivian, Millie, Juliet (same as above)

8. England, Italy, China (this one was the toughest question for me–only three??)

9. Getting SuperGirl and WonderGirl potty trained! (Oh, the glamorous life… )

Now it’s your turn!

I have a confession to make: I, Elise Rome, am in love with Great Britain. And I am not ashamed.

When I first learned that Katherine Garbera lives in England, I was beyond jealous.

Confession: I still am.

It’s not that I don’t enjoy living in America.

It’s just that, well… British people have British accents. I know some people like French accents, some Arabic, some Australian, some Latin and so on, but I for one tend to get weak-kneed when I hear a man with a British accent.

Confession: After I graduated high school I was working as a cashier in a supermarket. One day, a man (early 20s, perhaps, modestly attractive) came through my line. I was not affected in the least–he was just another customer in my mind. But then he spoke in a British accent, and you should have seen how red my face turned. I’m sure I stammered, too. Suddenly this mortal man turned to a god in my eyes, simply because of the way he spoke.

I blame this man for making my insides turn to goo whenever I hear a British accent:

(If you have not seen Eliot Cowan play Darcy in Lost in Austen, I beg thee– Go. Watch. Now.)

And this one:

(Likewise, if you have not seen Richard Armitage in the BBC miniseries North and South, do so immediately. You will understand everything when you hear the voice.)

Sadly, although Mr. Rome earnestly tries to imitate a British accent, it never works. It somehow always comes out as something closer to an Australian accent.

Confession: I think Hugh Jackman is a lovely man. Chris Hemsworth, too. They both have lovely, broad-as-the-sky shoulders. And yet, because they both have Australian accents rather than British ones, neither affects me as much as this man:

It’s true. (And Hugh Grant cheated on Elizabeth Hurley with a hooker! Who does that?)

Fortunately, Mr. Rome still loves me even though he knows how much I go ga-ga over British men. I know he loves me because he’s agreed to going to England for a future anniversary rather than Italy, which was his first choice. (I have not, as of yet, convinced him to actually move to England… “Think of the castles! The history! The…sheep?”)

By itself, you might think that my love for British accents would be an innocent thing. Not so.

It’s convinced me that all British humor is witty, it would be culturally superior of me to drive on the left side of the road rather than the right, there’s nothing wrong with eating a dessert called “spotted dick”, and that British television shows and movies are generally better than the ones produced in America (Downton Abbey, Sherlock, anyone?).

There may be one saving grace for me despite this obsession, however… Ireland is right next door, and I also love Irish accents. I guess I’ll just have to divide my time between the two.

What about you? Do you love a specific accent…or rather, men who speak with a specific accent? (And am I the only one who always has to turn those darn subtitles on?)

CrystalGB!  Congratulations!  Please check your email for a note from me regarding your prize.   Thanks to everyone who visited with the JQs and Jennifer Bernard on Friday!