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Sunday, December 31, 2006:
To you all: Have a wonderful and fun New Year's! Stay safe, enjoy, and celebrate however you wish! Thank you for stopping by and visiting my little place on earth - it has been a wonderful experience meeting so many online friends and I've enjoyed every minute of it. Here's to more books, more blogging, more friends, more contests, and more laughs in 2007! Any resolutions for the new Year? Any suggestions on what you'd like to see here? Labels: 2007, Happy New Year
posted by Stacy~ at 12/31/2006 12:04:00 PM
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Saturday, December 30, 2006:
Erin McCarthy's vampire fixation
I heart Erin McCarthy. I feel no shame in saying that. She writes amazing, sexy stories that can also make you laugh out loud, and for a reader, that can be a rare thing of beauty, but Erin manages to do it with ease. I have every book she ever wrote (that I know of, anyway) and look forward to each new story more than the last. Now Erin is venturing more into the world of vampires, and while it seems like every single romance writer on the planet is creating their own take on Dracula, Erin is joining forces with fellow author Kathy Love and taking her world one step further with her vampire band, " The Impalers". The first release will be in late 2007. They even have a blog, and the "band" is playing some real dates over New Year's. So if you're in the Big Easy, check 'em out. Labels: Erin McCarthy, Impalers, vampires
posted by Stacy~ at 12/30/2006 08:14:00 PM
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Thursday, December 28, 2006:
You know, I've been racking my brain for the last few days, trying to think of interesting blog topics, and as I was thinking, I began to focus on the people around me. I came to the conclusion that I'm totally surrounded by some really smart and talented people, online and in real life. Some of them are good with numbers; others can take amazing pictures; some people are amazing writers; a couple of them have a clever way with conversation. I have friends and family members who are masters in the kitchen, throwing together random ingredients to create mouth-watering dishes. Some of them speak 2 or 3 foreign languages. Still others know how to drive stick shift, are good in archery, understand and enjoy playing the stockmarket, knit, run marathons, fly airplanes, renovate houses, comprehend HMTL code (!), play an instrument of some kind, or know sign language. Me? I don't do or know any of these things I've mentioned. It's enough to make a person feel a little inadequate LOL. So I thought I'd try to put a positive spin and maybe list a few good qualities that I do have or "talents" I think I possess. Here are a few things I think I contribute to society *g*: I'm great at bringing people together. I have a tendency to keep in touch with those who've lost touch with each other, and find ways to reunite them. Sometimes that means I might get ignored LOL, but there really is a great feeling from being involved like that. It's all about this quality I have called "connectedness", which I'll blog about at a future date. I'm dependable. Yeah, I sound like a faithful pet, but I am always on time (or early) and if I say I'm going to do something, I do it. I can be counted on to be the person others go to when they need help or if we're short-staffed at work, to fill in. I have no problem being flexible. (Note: this may sound rather boring, but I am well compensated for the work I do, plus I have found ways to "work around the system" that benefit me. Nothing illegal or unethical or against company policy, but I sometimes get extra time off or receive monetary rewards from my bosses, so really, it's all good). I remember people and things that are happening in their life about grandchildren, hobbies, new house/car. Very important when dealing with the public like I do in my job, and it's something my mom taught me when I was young. Plus it's something I truly enjoy - learning about other people and what makes them tick. I know it's one of the reasons I was able to go back to my old office: "brought back by popular demand". People actually missed me and my customer service abilities and were requesting that I come back, and believe me, there is no greater feeling than being wanted. And equally as great is working with people you care about. I LOVE my job and the people I see everyday. Donating time or money when I can. There are several causes that I am passionate about, and I do what I can to support them as best I can. I truly believe that what goes around comes around, and I feel like I am feeding my soul by doing something meaningful, no matter how small. It's what's in your heart that truly counts. I'm not afraid to try new things, even if I end up doing them by myself. 2 years ago I went on my first vacation by myself: I went on a 5-day cruise. I was a bit nervous, but I really wanted to go, and though originally I had planned to go with one of my closest girlfriends, but because of a medical problem with her husband, she couldn't make it. I decided to go anyway, and I am sure glad I did. Sometimes you just have to let go of your fear if you really want to do something. I'm not afraid to be alone (an extension of the previous quality). I would rather be single forever than have one (or several) loser boyfriends just so that I can say I'm with someone. Would I like to get married? Sure, of course. Kids? Maybe. Self-respect? Definitely. I have a girlfriend who is in her third dead-end relationship because she's afraid to try life on her own. I had a co-worker who stayed in an abusive marriage for almost 30 years. I wouldn't trade places with either one of them just to have a man. Being single definitely has its perks, and my money and time are my own. (And have you ever noticed that the most fervent and aggressive matchmakers are the ones in bad relationships? At least that's been my experience. And their blind date selections leave much to be desired, I might add.) I send cards! Simple, really, but boy can it really make someone's day. I can't tell you how amazing it feels when someone tells me that they were having a bad day and then they got my card, and it really came at the perfect time. It's a small gesture, but one that can have an incredible impact on me and the person I sent it to. And last but not least, I'm so freakin' modest! Okay, just kidding.
I know it sounds like I'm bragging, and maybe I am a tad bit, but hey, come on, we're always putting ourselves down and wishing we could be prettier, smarter, quicker, taller, richer, thinner...or is that just me? Believe me, I have plenty of bad qualities too, but that's for another time...or blog post. Anyway, none of these things are going to change the world, but as Garth Brooks would say, "I do this so, this world will know, that it will not chaaaange me". So maybe I'll never be able to sing like an angel, or climb Mt. Everest, or own my own restaurant. I can live with that. And isn't that the whole point? I'm just trying to make my own little (happy) place here on earth, and so far I think I'm doing okay with that. So share, people: what are YOU good at? Feel free to brag: it really is about YOU! Labels: gold star, talents, you
posted by Stacy~ at 12/28/2006 07:41:00 PM
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Wednesday, December 27, 2006:
I'm easily bored, yet not very savvy when it comes to updating stuff. I actually had Lucy Monroe teaching me template code stuff way back when I first got my blog. (She's so sweet). Now it's been almost a year, and I think it's time to update, at least somewhat, but I don't know this stuff, and as much as I would love to ask (beg!) someone to help, maybe I should do it myself (????) So I'm looking for advice on places I can find a 3-column template. I've seen some really cool ones ( Ames and Holly for starters). 2007 is just around the corner and I am ready to start fresh, if at all possible - lots of fun stuff is planned in the new year. Any suggestions you can offer would be most appreciated. Muchos gracias. Labels: blogs, new look, templates
posted by Stacy~ at 12/27/2006 08:58:00 PM
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Tuesday, December 26, 2006:
Win books at Sanctuary's Finest!
The cool chicks over @ Sanctuary's Finest are having a really cool contest and the prize(s) involves free books! What more could any booklover ask for? Just head on over to their blog and check out the fun stuff they have going on: Happy New Year! Labels: contests, Sanctuary's Finest
posted by Stacy~ at 12/26/2006 05:54:00 PM
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Monday, December 25, 2006:
All the preparation and anticipation can never quite prepare me for the end of Christmas, especially when I have to be at work the next day. I always feel a little depressed afterwards - do you? It's not as bad as when I was a kid, and missed Santa Claus, but there's a bittersweet feeling that it's over, and won't be back for another year. I don't even feel this way on my birthday LOL. There's just something about this time of year....and the long, gloomy, dark and bitterly cold winter months ahead. Yep, I'm now depressed. My Christmas was rather low-key this year, and I bought the gifts that are my favorite ones- my ipod and a new red Razr cellphone. I also got some bath & body sets, one was a cute little "Angel" purse with perfume and lotion from Victoria's Secret; holidays candles; a flavored coffee set; some books; gift cards to Starbucks and the bookstores; some holiday ornaments; a tiny purse; Fannie May chocolates; and a lovely bracelet. All in all, I'm pretty happy with my stash of goodies. So, how'd you make out? What kind of cool stuff did you get? In other news, I've been read "The Slightest Provocation" by Pam Rosenthal, and I must concede with defeat that I am just not an intellectual reader. It's an okay read, but I feel like I should have been able to get more out of it. Something lacking on my part? I don't know. I read a bunch of glowing reviews, and I just decided that it didn't float my boat, so why worry about what other people thought? It's not going to make a bit of difference. I'll probably try and re-read it at some point, just because I believe a book like that is great for mature, lively discussion, but for now I just don't feel up to the task. Let me wallow in my superficiality for a bit longer. Now I have to gear up my strength to go back to work tomorrow and let it be business as usual. No, I will not be going shopping tomorrow...maybe. But Tuesday I might hit a few stores. At least there's one more long weekend to look forward to! Labels: gifts, post-holiday blues
posted by Stacy~ at 12/25/2006 10:09:00 PM
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Sunday, December 24, 2006:
Happy holidays to you all :)
I haven't been around much with all the festivities, but I did want to wish everyone a very happy holiday season. I hope it's filled with family, friends, and many special memories. This is my favorite time of year but it's also bittersweet because it goes by soooo fast. I don't know about you, but I have to work the next day. It should be quiet though. I just hate to see it end. I know for some people it's been a difficult time, and my thoughts and prayers are with you. Sometimes the holidays are not the happiest of times, and my heart goes out to anyone suffering right now. Please don't forget that you do have friends and people who care very much. You are not alone. I hope knowing that eases your heart in some way. So this reminds me that I want to thank everyone who's stopped by my blog over the last year, whether to lurk or post or whatever. It's nice to have friends from all over the world who share common interests, and I hope you'll continue to stop by in the new year, where I promise I will continue to have contests and interviews and maybe one or two interesting things to say. I'm leaving you with a little something that I know you've always wanted to know - what your Elf name is. Well the wait is over! Find out here: ~HAPPY HOLIDAYS~
posted by Stacy~ at 12/24/2006 12:00:00 AM
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Tuesday, December 19, 2006:
Reading, shopping, and what-not
Gosh, it feels like I've been gone forever, or at least a very, very long time. The holiday parties are in full swing, with flowing wine and gifts, gifts, gifts. I told myself I was going to be so good this year and cut back on all the gift-giving...ha! I walked into the mall last night and ended up buying gifts for 11 more people! I hit 8 stores in 3 hours, severely depleted my checking account, and I have to blame it on the rumballs. My lovely and awesome pal Diana made me a batch (threw in extra rum by request) and I was under the influence of those wicked little zingers without even realizing it. I have been seduced by commericalism, and really cute gifts at Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works. They saw me coming and rolled out the red carpet. Of course no shopping excursion would be complete without at least buying one thing for myself, so I did just that, getting the collection of Victoria's fragrances - Desire, Rapture, Seduction...I sense a theme here. I usually don't wear perfume, with the exception of Belara, because most scents don't smell the same on me. I turn them into poison. But it's the holidays, so I'm in denial. I also picked up some books this week, and I got one that a lot of people have been raving about...."Lord of Scoundrels". I started it and have gotten to the part where Jessica and Dain first meet, and wow, I am blown away by how quickly this story pulled me in and held my attention. If I didn't need my job to pay for my book habit, I would have stayed home today and reveled in this gem. Thank you, dear readers, for being so vocal about a fabulous story. When I saw that it was published in '94, it made me feel a little nostalgic for the good, old days. Where have all the good stories gone? Previous to this I was re-reading JR Ward's "Lover Awakened". I've forgiven her (some) for how close in comparison it is to Zarek's story by Sherrilyn Kenyon because I just love it so dang much. That kiss! Oh, now that was a scene. It was so sensual, so simple and perfect. I get butterflies just thinking about it. So I'm going to leave you now and go back to reading. No questions, no profound statements, no contests today. Be safe, be happy, be inspired. Labels: Lord of Scoundrels, Lover Awakened, ramblings
posted by Stacy~ at 12/19/2006 07:45:00 PM
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Sunday, December 17, 2006:
Better late than never: the winner is....
I am so sorry this is like a day late; the holidays have taken over and completely exhausted me! Between the last week, I've been to three parties, shopped for about 15 gifts that I wasn't planning on getting, stopping at the post office to mail off packages, and still going go work for a full day Monday - Friday. I just am not cut out for this stuff LOL. Anyways, without further ado, the winner of Judith McNaught's classic novel "Whitney, My Love" is.... JULIE IN OHIO! Also, I have not heard from JANA, winner of the wishlist "book of choice" contest. Jana, you can also send your info to my email address. If I do not get a response by Friday, December 22nd, I will draw another name. So Jana, come out, come out, wherever you are.....
posted by Stacy~ at 12/17/2006 08:31:00 AM
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Tuesday, December 12, 2006:
Michelle's Old Flame: Whitney, My Love could be yours
In honor of Michelle's interview (cuz she was just so dang nice to let me interrogate her!) I decided to have another contest, 'tis the season and all that. In deciding which book I should offer up as a prize, I asked Michelle for one of her faves. Several came to mind, but this was the one she decided to go with. " Whitney, My Love" is a classic, released more than 20 years ago by an author that has had a huge impact on the romance industry. I don't know about you, but I know I never looked at historicals the same again, and it's still one of those books that I can re-read and be drawn back into the story with very little effort. So in order to to be entered in the contest, just answer the following questions: ~ Winner will be randomly selected noon CST on Saturday, December 16th ~ Good luck!
Description
One of today's best-loved authors, Judith McNaught launched her stellar career with this dazzling bestseller. Now in a special edition that features a brand-new, enhanced ending and endows familiar characters with new depth, "Whitney, My Love" lives on as "the ultimate love story, one you can dream about forever" (Romantic Times).
Under the dark, languorous eyes of Clayton Westmoreland, the Duke of Claymore, Whitney Stone grew from a saucy hoyden into a ravishingly sensual woman. Fresh from her triumphs in Paris society, she returned to England to win the heart of Paul, her childhood love...only to be bargained away by her bankrupt father to the handsome, arrogant Duke. Outraged, she defies her new lord. But even as his smoldering passion seduces her into a gathering storm of desire, Whitney cannot -- will not -- relinquish her dream of perfect love.
Rich with emotion, brimming with laughter and tears, "Whitney, My Love" confirms once more why "Judith McNaught is truly one of the spellbinding storytellers of our times" (Affaire de Coeur). Find out more: Read an excerptProduct Details Pocket, June 2000 Mass Market Paperback, 736 pagesISBN-10: 0-671-77609-6ISBN-13: 978-0-671-77609-1 Labels: contests, Judith McNaught, My Love, Whitney
posted by Stacy~ at 12/12/2006 07:13:00 PM
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Monday, December 11, 2006:
Queen Bella plays with, er, chats about cover models, etc [Part 2]
Previously at Stacy's Place, romance columnist and Queen Bella Michelle Buonfiglio talked about the writing business, her take on romance novels and the benefits of reading them, as well as some of the authors that have inspired and supported her in her journey to spread the word on why love makes the world go 'round. Now, in part 2, we see another side of her job....where she really gets her hands um, dirty......
All right Michelle, time to get serious now. Romance book covers: love them or hate them, they generate a lot of debate. What are your favorite type(s) of covers, and what is your take on the great cover debate?
Cover cheese. I rate it cause I think readers who care might want to know what they’re in for at the counter. But I’m not rating the artist’s work, nor the inexplicable reasoning that went into deciding women would be attracted to a particular style.
I know writers are very tuned-in to them because whether readers are drawn to their covers can add or detract to sales. But readers are smart girls. They turn the book over, read the blurbs and the synopses, do flip-throughs.
I actually like some of the newer clinch covers, but that could be cause I’m getting older and beautiful young bodies appeal to me. But sometimes an artist does something that speaks to me. I’m thinking of a recent Kresley Cole flat which shows the heroine from the back, the hero behind her, facing her, with his head lowered toward her face or neck. He’s got his hand fisted in her long, blond hair, and the other is holding the flesh of her shoulder , exerting just enough pressure so his fingers depress her skin. It looked very sensual to me. Is this what you mean?
But I’m not digging the naked guy torso covers too much. And I don’t tend to be reactionary, so I think the covers are ok as is, and some will be dogs and some will look great. What I don’t like is dressing up romance to look like chick-lit or women’s fiction. That’s plain unfair to readers shelling out bucks.
Speaking of the cover models, Fabio is probably the one responsible for a lot of the popularity of male models we see today. Have you ever met him and what are your impressions? You seem to have a lot of respect for what he's done with his 15 minutes of fame.
I was thinking of him in your Barbara Walters questions, whether it would be fun to interview him. I’ll admit that I’d thought a lot about it when I first started Romance: B(u)y the Book, then it kinda fell to the wayside as things grew busier. Yeah, it’d be great to do a feature on him, but to find some really cool angle.
The original Fabio....
I’ve not met him, but I like that he seems – at least in the way he spins his pr – to take his past fame in stride. I like that he is self-deprecating, kind of like David Hasselhoff but with less money. I can’t remember if there’s ever been a Sponge Bob episode with a Fabio character – like Hasselhoff in the Sponge Bob Movie – but, bless my starfishes, there should be.
"No, no, you've mistaken me for the real Fabio..." Another Fabio that Michelle is a fan of....Cannavaro Doesn't he look like he belongs on one of the covers?
You knew this was coming - Nathan Kamp. You won my eternal admiration with your interview - insightful and revealing about someone who makes his living with his looks. What were you most surprised to learn about him?
I expected there was going to be something special about him because of his being Christian, and I say that meaning his discipline of practicing a religion and not implying that Christianity rocks uber alles. That’s part of the reason I pushed to get the interview; I knew in my heart he wasn’t gonna be some shallow narcissist who’d waste my time and disappoint me with an unusable interview. Some guy named Nathan Kamp
I guess I didn’t expect him to be as forthright about his parents being his heroes because they’ve handled tough times in their marriage in ways he admired. I find the ability to admit flaws, to bare pain without fear, to be incredibly heroic.
He’s also and incredibly classy guy for reasons I can’t even share with you (You are killing me here). He’s just a good man.
Do you have a greater admiration for cover models after your experiences?
I have greater admiration for Nathan Kamp. I’ve always known nothing is as easy as it looks, talented people just make it look easy.
The biggest shocker I had in life came when I realized that good-looking and smart could go hand in hand -- but I realized that a long time ago. Doesn’t mean I don’t resent and wanna trip those brainy, pretty people, just means I understand it. Speaking of hotties, you've highlighted a few, including the snaxy one Nathan Kamp, your boy Canna, and Beckham (bless you!) There should be no guilt involved in this because you are doing a service to the Bellas. What is it about a particular man attracts you?
Bend it like Beckham
Brains. Gesu, brains kill me, especially when surrounded by big, strapping, and lean.
Course, when I was young, to get my notice a guy had to a) be a smart-ass, b) treat me like crap, c) be non-communicative, except when making sure I understood he was treating me like crap.
Then I met my husband, and things got much better. Did I ever mention I met him when he interviewed me a couple weeks before I went to Miss America? (How romantic! Just like one of those sexy books!)
Anyway, purely for the Bellas, and now that I realize it’s OK for married women to have crushes (I know, pathetic late-bloomer here), I guess it’s the eyes first, but they have to belong to a guy with a totally whipcord body. Athletic, but no poofy steroid muscles, just tall, lean, and strappin’. I like a guy who doesn’t deny he looks hot, but loves women too much to spend time obsessing about his own appearance.
Clearly, the European thing, especially dark hair and eyes, does it for me and has since I was a kid. The Italian thing.
Flavio Montrucchio
And, ok, if we’re talking fantasy, I likes em tall and big in all ways. And strong. Strong enough to take a, oh, I don’t know, a 5 foot 3 romance columnist up against the wall. More TMI? ('s okay, QB - we live for this stuff).
Guilty pleasures. God bless 'em. Which ones will you admit to?
If I could, I would eat absolutely every meal out, diner or fine dining, don’t care. Room service. Finding hot guy pics to post on RBtheBlog while pretending it’s research. Flying first class. Pedi/manicures. Spending an entire weekend reading romances that aren’t for "work." (I just read " The Windflower" this weekend at the suggestion of a Romance: By the Blog Bella. It was Old School nirvana! Pirates, arrrrgh.) Favorite romantic movies.
" French Kiss," " Far and Away," which I know is incredibly cheesy and has that goofball in it, but there you have it. A & E " P & P," " A Room with a View." God, I’m so bad at these "favorite" questions, aren’t I? (Nope - I love all those movies, too.)
Music - what gets your groove on?
I actually feel guilty that I don’t listen to more music. I have a tendency toward obsessive compulsion. So I buy a cd and listen to it forever, I kid you not. My poor kids call the first 3 months we moved to MN my " Dave Matthews Band period."
I tend to listen to the radio. But I love going anywhere there’s live music like jazz or just a piano. I adore medieval and renaissance stuff. Oddly enough, when I’m really stressed, I drive around alone listening to metal w/ the volume up. It’s very soothing. But generally, I crave silence.
What one beauty item can you not live without?
Really great face cream. And lipstick. Can I have two items, please?
Michelle, do you have any bad habits? So? What are they?
Procrastination. Insidious self-doubt. Ingenuous trust in the goodness of others. Taking every flippin thing way too seriously, like this question, for instance. Not unpacking my suitcase immediately when I get home from a trip.
What do you enjoy most about your job? The least?
I love interacting with people who love romance: authors, publicists, and especially readers. I get totally jazzed when I put together something I know readers like, a GuestBlog or, maybe an interview with really big icon authors.
And I have an ego, too. So when someone gets what I’m trying to do – to entertain readers, promote authors, talk about romance "like it matters" – well, I glow.
The worst part? I hate conflict of any kind, so if my editor or a fact checker or someone changes something big, it drives me nutty. Truly, I’m not in love with my writing. I write short and sweet, and incise a ton, so what is left in the final draft is pretty spare. And I work hard on research so there shouldn’t be questions on sources, etc. But it’s the nature of the beast – the editor gets the final say, and that’s that.
Of course, I made a mistake once in defending a link to an author’s site. My editor said it was pornographic. I wrote back a treatise defending a woman’s right to read intensely sensual lit, etc. Turns out, the author had links to porn on her site which I thought were PayPal or Verisign icons. My bad. (Please understand, I’m a First Amendment freak, but in this case, the company couldn’t promote that within their "wrapper." I agreed with the decision, because their viewers expect not to view that type of content.)
Does your family have any influence on what types of books you read/review?
No, not influence, but my 9 year-old son always asks me what I’m writing about each week. It’s really fun telling him about the stories in a way that keeps it all appropriate. He’s looking forward to reading JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood novels when he’s old enough since I told him Eve Silver’s son wrote an 8th grade book report on " Dark Lover." I also intend to introduce him to romance at some point in his teens, if he’s interested. I think just the right selections may help him make good choices about dealing with women, as well as clear up some of the mysteries about our gender.
You know, he helps me with the surveys for my column sometimes – or tries to. He came up with "Who’s the hottest (my word, not his) Star Wars hero?" It was the most-answered survey ever. Totally freaky, but Yoda came in second, just behind Han Solo!
Have they inspired you to do what you do? What have they taught you?
Throughout this, my kids have taught me that there’s a lot of guilt two little beings can lay on a work-at-home mom that they never lay on my husband who travels a couple days almost every week. But I know they think it’s kinda cool, too. My 7 year-old daughter sometimes sits next to me reading Dr. Seuss or something and says, "look, I’m working, too."
When I first started writing RBtheBook, I think my husband kinda thought it was a little hobby, you know, read a book a week and write about it. But I always had goals for the column – what it could do for my career and for the romance genre – and I hope I’ll be able to achieve those. My husband is on track with what it means to me now, but it’s been a learning experience for us that’s brought us closer at a time in our lives when we we’ve been so busy, we didn’t have time to really see each other clearly.
I think a lot of writers experience this issue of folks around them discounting how much their projects mean to them. Sometimes getting paid to write doesn’t change that the way we’d hope, so it’s really important to hang in there and pound out the daily goals for our own spirit’s sake.
Name your five favorite books of all time.
I don’t worship at the altar of Bennifer, Branjolina, Tom and -- what’s his little sister’s name again?, and other celebs. I look at real-life couples in terms of how well they’re weathering the stuff that makes relationships strong, the stuff M. Scott Peck says we go through after we fall out of infatuation, and begin grow toward mature love. Now, if you asked my husband, Dave, his choice would be John and Abigail Adams… Which author's books are you currently addicted to?
Part of the problem of my job is I read so many new authors – and authors who are just new to me – that I have to resist binge reading. Before RBtheBook, if I found a new author, I’d just read everything she ever wrote. Total gorge read. Now, I feel obligated to read newbies, and experienced authors in as many sub-genres as possible, which is a rare treat. I guess I give up some things in doing what I do, and freedom to get addicted to just one author is one of them.
But here’s an example of what usually happens. I just finished a novel called " Dirty," by Megan Hart, which I found striking. The writing is sharp, and the subject matter is dealt with in a way I’ve never read. The novel is erotic, but the hypersexuality of the heroine actually is given context. The emotional road this character travels throughout the novel is harsh and raw. And while the erotic imagery is titillating, the highly effective sensuality is secondary to the heft of what’s going on with the folks in the erotic scenes.
Now, I’m looking forward to reading more of Hart’s work.
What is your favorite type of storyline? Give some examples.
In my "off-time," reading, I generally like plots with smart virgin heroines who attract overbearing alphas. The guys save the women in some way, emotionally, physically, or both. It’s great if the chick saves him, too, but absolutely not requisite for me. I love the Old School heroes who were total bastards – I mean real jerks -- but who were brought to their knees in the end. A writer who still unapologetically creates these jerks is Brenda Joyce, and I adore her for that. I like beefy historical plots with lots of backstory, and pray that someone will write a big, fat Medieval in the near future. I like older woman/ younger man stories.
Frankly, I just love romance. The most enjoyable for me are ones in any sub-genre, and in which the author’s set up a heart-wrenching plan to rip apart the h/hn, one which makes me crazed to know how she’s gonna get them back together.
It’s all about the storytelling for me, even more so than the writing. And there are so many I haven’t read I’m positively giddy over all the storylines I haven’t yet discovered.
How do you relax and unwind? Share with us a day in the life of Queen Bella.
Em, what is this "relax and unwind" of which you speak? I don’t know how to stop thinking or stressing, unless I’m reading.
I get up, get my children together and off to school, answer email and hang on the blog a little. Make calls, set up stuff. Try to get some reading done. Get the kids off the bus. Do homework or appointments or activities. I try to keep my kids’ outside stuff to a minimum, cause we like to spend some family time just hangin, you know? Dave gets home, dinner. Kids to bed, write and set the next day’s blog. Bed. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
I miss that in the last couple months things have gotten too hectic and I haven’t gotten to spend much time with my girlfriends, which is kind of the best part of life. And I don’t get to hang on the blog as much, either, which really kinda sucks, too.
Writing? It’s become secondary to all the other stuff, but since I love the organizing, I guess that’s ok. But the stress and time contstraint can be a pain, and weekly writer’s block is often a product of those.
You are a strong advocate of being an organ donor, having had a kidney transplant yourself. What do you want the public to know about organ donation and why is it so important?
Well, there are just so many people waiting for organs that can save their lives, and signing a card to donate is such an easy thing to do. I mean, you sign the card and let your family know you want to donate your organs and tissue when you die.
UNOS, the United Network for Organ Sharing, makes sure that "donated organs are placed in the most equitable way possible." I’ve done work with them and their regional orgs in the past, and I encourage you to check them out at UNOS.org
None of us is getting out of this thing alive, so it’s kind of nice to know we can keep someone else alive, give them their own joyride, when ours is over.
What drives you?
Fear. Plain and simple, once I’ve achieved one thing, I hate the idea of going backward from there. And it’s not just "spotlight" success. If I’ve promised a publicist or writer or reader something, I want to see it through.
I’ve been successful, and I’ve lost success, and have learned a great deal from each. And I do believe things fall into place for a reason I’ll figure out at some point. But I really enjoy knowing I’m getting it right.
The other thing that drives me is an innate need to laugh.
And I think the best way to do that is to make other people laugh, too. But I love most that I get to deal with people who are mostly happy about what they do, so there’s a lot of joking and funny communication going on.
It’s also why I love Romance: By the Blog. I can’t get over that people just show up and say this remarkably humorous stuff every day. How cool is that? (Tres cool. The Bellas constantly crack me up - they are some funny smart cookies).
You had seriously been writing your own book awhile back - can you share with us what that's been like and what you've learned about writing in the process?
Actually, I’m not writing it any longer. I pushed it to the back burner when I started writing RBtheBook, and realized I like this way better. And, I’m not sure I was particularly good at fiction writing.
I’d much rather communicate and educate about romance. But I think the attempt at novel writing makes me better at what I do. It gives me insight into what authors go through, which I never forget. It’s why I treat every novel I receive with respect, and I think that makes authors trust me more.
However, I would like to compile and edit an anthology of author essays about writing erotic romance. Similar to Krentz’s " Dangerous Men, et. cetera." Stealing a page out of your book, what is the one question you wish an interviewer would ask, and what would the answer be?
Answer: Kirk Herbstreit, the Jaguar XK series, and an icy-cold Coca-Cola.
Question: Name three things you’ve fantasized about within the last hour.
Any parting words?
Just, thank you for inviting me to do this. It’s really, really hard, and gives me even more respect for the authors who interview for RBtheBook every week. I have enough trouble imagining that folks care what I have to say about romance novels, let alone what I have to say about anything else. But I managed to give saga-like answers anyway, no? (And thank God for that - love the detailed responses.)
I will, however, take one more opportunity to let any Bellas and RBtheBook viewers know how really amazed I am that I get to do what I do, and that you all share so much of your lives and selves with me every day. And I can’t thank you enough for all you teach me.
Oh, and thanks again, Stace, for turning me on to your boy, Nathan Kamp. Suh-NAX-y. [My pleasure ;) ]
Michelle, thank you again for taking precious time out of your schedule to grant me access into your busy work and home life. It's been a wonderful experience, once I truly appreciate. And stayed tuned tomorrow, Tuesday, December 12th for a contest giving away a book of Michelle's choice! Labels: Buonfiglio, cover models, interview
posted by Stacy~ at 12/11/2006 05:37:00 AM
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Sunday, December 10, 2006:
Devonna tagged me, so I said I'd do it. Here goes: Six Weird Things About Me 1. Sometimes if I really want something (coffee, book, haircut) I get so obsessive that I can't wait a week or even a day to get it. If I have a taste for coffee at 2 am, I will go to Dunkin Donuts. If I want a book, I will be at the store when it first opens. And I've been known to cut my own hair...bad idea. It's this mild case of obsessive-compulsiveness I've got. 2. When I find an author or series I love, I will completely glom it, no matter how many books. I think 12 books is my record. I can't help it - it's that o.c. thing kicking in. 3. I can easily have a crush on many, many guys at one time. I work in customer service so I see people all day long, and yeah, I develop a crush probably at least once a week. They're harmless cuz I'm not a flirt or anything like that, but I feel like such a kid acting this way. I guess I should just shut up and enjoy it. 4. I hate pineapple, but I love pineapple upside-down cake. 5. This is a huge one: if I'm going somewhere (work, party, dinner), I HAVE to take a shower. Not only does it make me feel all nice and clean, it also wakes me up, better than coffee. Plus, a lot of people don't realize it, but I can tell when someone hasn't showered - they smell, and it's not pretty. So yeah, if you wake up in the morning and get dressed without showering, people can tell. 6. I hate driving. I live super-close to work, and I love it. Before I moved back to my office, I worked 4 miles from home. Just 4 miles, and I still had road rage. I know a lot of people who drive 30 or more miles one way - I'd die. I can't stand being in a car that long. Five Favorite Christmas Songs 1. What Child Is This? 2. Silent Night by Garth Brooks mostly, but I like a lot of versions 3. All I Want for Christmas - Mariah Carey version 4. Baby Please Come Home for Christmas - U2 5. Blue Christmas - Elvis I'm gonna tag Kelley, Michele, Kate, Laurie, Lori, and Kris Labels: Christmas, fun, quiz
posted by Stacy~ at 12/10/2006 04:38:00 PM
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Saturday, December 09, 2006:
Winners, Christmas cards and quizes
Sorry this is so late - you know how life has a tendency to take over. Anywayz, I have the winner of the contest (just a quick note: as per my contest post, any books over a certain amount were excluded from the drawing): JANA! Congratulations! I hope to pick up your selection: "Camelot's Destiny" by Cynthia Breeding, sometime this week. Please send your snail mail addy to: trelainastarblazer@yahoo.com Don't forget, I'll be doing another contest later in the week for a book of Michelle Buonfiglio's choosing. Part 2 of her interview will be posted on Monday, December 11th.
************* CHRISTMAS CARDS TO THE TROOPS I got this info from Lori Foster:
Send A Little Holiday CheerThis holiday season:
Tthere are many soldiers who are recovering at WalterReed Medical Center. You can spread a little holiday cheer by sending acard (or two or three) to the following address: A Recovering American Soldier c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Ctr 6900 Georgia Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20307-5001 If we all send 3, think of all the cards the solidiers will get! Hugs,Lori www.lorifoster. com Sept - MURPHY'S LAW, Kensington Zebra Oct - A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS, Kensington antho Oct -THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, Kensington reissue Nov - SANTA BABY, St. Martin's anthology ************** Also, got this little poll off of Sylvia Day's blog: Do you like to keep your books nearby?Yes, the closer the better. I have them on the nightstand, and all of them are in my bedroom. I love to re-read, and have them nearby. Do you collect them?Series that I love, yes. Or from a favorite author like Brockmann or Kleypas. Pile, stack, shelve, hoard them?All of the above. Eventually a book lover will run out of room. Or do you get rid of them, send them back to the library, give them away, once you've read them?Sadly I've given very few of them away, hence the lack of space. I can't help it, I'm very possessive of them. Labels: Christmas cards, contests, troops
posted by Stacy~ at 12/09/2006 08:13:00 PM
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Thursday, December 07, 2006:
We readers are a passionate bunch, not just having favorite authors and books but also characters from those books. I certainly have my own, the ones that resonate with me, that I remember for whatever reason. They hold a special place in my heart, and always will. Dylan over at Sanctuary's Finest posted her hero of the week, and he is none other than my all-time favorite hero, Sam Starrett, from Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooter series. Sam's a Navy SEAL, and one macho hombre, but dang, he is so freakin' hot that I will top Dylan's claim and say that I love him enough for 50 women. But regardless of who loves him more (me!), the fact is, he is adored by many.  And hated by a few. Yep, Sam is many things to many people, and you will either love him or hate him, and some do actually dare to hate him. I knew the man was trouble from his first appearance in "Unsung Hero", where he pretty much pissed everyone off, especially his future wife, Alyssa Locke, but I was okay with that. I'm not even going to try to defend him because, yeah, he was a jerk, and he did cry, and he did has this thing where he threw up after certain highly emotional and stressful situations. He also loved Alyssa more than she's ever been loved in her life, and he not only respects her abilities as a sharpshooter, he doesn't try to stop her from being who she is. To him, she is not "the little woman" who stays behind at home in the kitchen. No, he knows her place is right in the action, and he doesn't even try to stop her, no matter how dangerous it gets. He knows that this is the woman he loves, and he wants the real deal. Sam might not be perfect, but he's real, and he can be a mess, and he can break your heart, but one way or another, he'll make you feel.  So yeah, Sam rocks. A memorable hero that tugs at the heartstrings. Just not everyone's heartstrings. And maybe there are other famous heroes out there that irritate the hell out of you: Could the almighty Roarke be a pox on society in your eyes? Do you want Joe to beat Ranger to a bloody pulp just to keep him away from Stephanie Plum? Is Derek Craven a lost cause? Which hero do you just not get?
posted by Stacy~ at 12/07/2006 07:34:00 PM
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Wednesday, December 06, 2006:
December and Christmas are all about giving, so I am running a couple of contests this month. Yeah, I can be nice every once in awhile. One will be as a "thank you" to the wonderful people who stop in here, read my blog and post (or not). I've decided that I would have a random drawing based on your wish list, and it will run through til 7pm CST Friday, December 8th. All you have to do to be entered is select a book from your wishlist. I will draw a name and if I pick your name, I will send you that particular book. The only restrictions are that it must be a release in stores (no "hard to find" gem) and not over $15 (sorry, no hardcovers). Otherwise, you all are eligible to participate, regardless of where you live. There will be another contest on Monday for Part 2 of Michelle Buonfiglio's interview, based on her selection, so don't forget to stop by next week! Stay warm.....
posted by Stacy~ at 12/06/2006 06:09:00 AM
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Sunday, December 03, 2006:
Queen Bella Michelle Buonfiglio on work...and play ;) [Part 1]
It all started with Clive Owen, I believe, way back in February 2006. I was surfing the 'net, and came across this really cool blog that not only shared my appreciation for my hottie du jour at the time, but also my life-long love of romance novels. It was a pretty-in-pink site hosted by this blonde chick who kept trying to teach me Italian, and I've been hooked ever since. It's a place to talk about books, movies, friends and hotties: what's not to love?????
SA: Michelle, thank you for allowing yourself to be interrogated by moi, one of your biggest fans. (Bet you had no idea what you were in for, did you?) I truly, truly appreciate the time you took to answer my numerous questions. You are quite a gracious lady. Please, take a moment to explain what it is you do in your position as romance columnist for www.wnbc.com. (Michelle: My column is syndicated on the 70+ TV websites supported by Internet Broadcasting, Inc., including www.WNBC.com/romance )
I like to say I get paid to read romance novels, which is pretty much the case. In actuality, I write Romance: B(u)y the Book, feature opinion columns about great romances, weekly AuthorView interviews, in-depth ExtraView interviews, and a bunch of small features. I also maintain www.RomanceByTheBlog.blogspot.com
The heart of Romance: B(u)y the Book is about making connections with the smart women who read and write romance, about earning and keeping their respect and loyalty by writing about romance in a literary way that defines it, rather than defends it. I try to speak in a, hopefully, entertaining voice, and also in one that piques the interest of folks who may be merely curious about the genre.
Out of the hundreds of novels I receive monthly, I choose four per month which I think are the best so I only have to write good things. Chicken? Don’t much care whether anyone thinks so cause it’s my column. But I do like the idea of encouraging a standard for discourse about romance on the Inet.
And, it’s really important to understand that I’m trying to provide a specific service to the romance reader searching the Inet in her limited free time. That woman wants to know what to buy, and doesn’t care whether I can write snarky and precious.
One thing I try to make clear: I give my opinion about the best books across all sub-genres of romance fiction, novels which I think a variety of readers might enjoy if they choose to buy them
Your interest in romance started when you took a course in college that analyzed 17th - 20th Century English novels. Which specific book was the turning point and started you on the road to your current career, and how long have you been reading romance?
I loved that English novel survey, and can remember it as the one in which I began to learn how to analyze novels in the same way I’d done music when I started music school just out of high school. Suddenly, all these comparisons could be made between authors and periods, art forms and mediums. And then there was this idea of extricating from the characters across periods and movements similarities in human nature and struggle.
And I also remember the heroine in " The French Lieutenant’s Woman" being horribly disappointed when she finally took her lover. I remember commenting in class, "all that angst, and then he wasn’t even good?" (He would have benefited from RBtheB, me thinks.) See, that was great literarily; Hardy so would have been on Oprah. But in romance, we know that either the hero’s gonna straighten up and fly right, as it were, or she’s gonna hook up with a hero who’s gonna give her a HEA with that "emotional justice." And if she’s really lucky, he’s gonna be a big man in all ways. But you asked about the turning point novel, which was VLT’s " The Nerd Who Loved Me." I bought it a out three years ago on vacation in FL, put it on the counter face-down cause I was embarrassed to be reading romance. After that, I couldn’t get enough, and decided I wanted to write a romance, so I started analyzing the genre, tearing apart the books, looking for similarities, etc.
I think my attempts at writing that romance were not too good, no matter what my writing group might say. I think I’ve found my calling in what I do, or at least, my bliss. It’s really cool that I learn so much about romance every day from my readers and e-friends.
What are some of the major changes you've noticed during that time?
The rise of the importance of the Inet and the blog to romance have to be the most important changes, writers and the industry understanding how readers get their info about romance now. And that’s not just because I write for the medium, although I feel pretty honored to be part of the wave.
Also, readers seem to be more empowered, less fearful of the "outside" world’s shaming them about their reading choice. I think the sense of community the Inet creates for romance readers helps with this.
For me, it’s been learning not to feel shame in reading the books. Getting paid to read them went a long way toward that. But in truth, I can only feel bad about it if I choose to react that way. You know, none of us escapes condescension, I get it professionally, we get it for reading romance.
I don’t know, I know lots of writers get miffed when men keep asking them how they do their research. I feel kinda seductive when I know some guy thinks my husband and I have great sex because I read romance. I encourage all readers and writers, hell, editors and booksellers, too, to embrace that attitude if they haven’t already. I know an awful lot of women whose partners are damn happy their chicks read romance.
Why are you so passionate about romance? What elements do you connect to the most?
I like the way my body feels when I read it. That’s about the size of it. My brain gets punched by some terrific, learned writing or turn of phrase; a passage of dialogue makes me wish I’d known a guy who spoke like that; I get that marvelous heart-pinch when someone hurts someone else before I’ve figured out how the writer’s gonna bring them back together.
I need the Happy Ending, cause after 9/11 and with concern about our troops and general feeling of turmoil world-wide, I want escape. It’s like a really good epidural, that feeling of picking up a great new romance and realizing a chapter in that it’s gonna be one I don’t want to end. Well, if you’ve ever had iv anesthesia and liked it, you know what I mean. TMI? (Um, maybe just a tad...though I will try to keep this in the RBtheB vein and say there's no such thing...right?)
But I like the sex the best. Hot, erotic, innocent, I just love the way I feel when I read well-written examples in which humane emotion drives the sensuality. It’s freed me in many ways, helped me reclaim sexuality after being brought up stringently Catholic, as well as having been sexually abused.
Why am I passionate about it? Romance fiction is powerful, and changes lives in large and small ways. I hear it every day. But people, men and women who fear powerful emotion, especially riding on a wave of sexual imagery and language, find it easier to shame romance readers than to open themselves to the actualization one experiences when delving seriously into romance.
So I like speaking to those folks about romance in a way that may bring them some understanding. Mostly, I’ve got this "defend the misunderstood" thing.
But it’s more than that. Romance a vibrant genre written by intelligent, accomplished authors who deserve respect. I dig using my forum to talk about romance, our authors, and readers out loud and unapologetically.
Name some of the books/authors that have changed your life, and what it was about them or their books that had an impact.
Well, Elizabeth George Speare’s " The Witch of Blackbird Pond" has been a fave since third grade. I was obsessed with New England and the Witch trials, so I thought it was about those. I ended up falling in love with the idea of a misunderstood young woman helping a child and being strong in a society that didn’t encourage women to be strong emotionally. Did I realize it was so romantic? Not that I’d have admitted. But I’ll say now that I had many an adolescent fantasy about Nate, the captain’s son. Nabokov’s " Lolita" and " Ada," Kosinski’s " Painted Bird," because they were so explicitly disjoint and horribly brilliant in their depiction of shades of evil and, especially, what children do to survive at the hands and whims of adults. Again, books that I didn’t realize spoke to me for markedly personal reasons til years later, when I’d discovered more about myself.
I have to include reading "The Nerd Who Loved Me," cause it was the first I read after years of Lit and Oprah books that was fun and funny and had a happy ending. It set me on this course that brought me to you and Nathan Kamp, Stacy. (More on Nathan at a later time).
 At your blog, you discuss a wide array of topics, from women and empowerment to sexual fantasy, to hotties. Some are serious, some are just plain fun. What type of message, if any, do you want readers and writers to get from what you do?
I created the blog so I could talk with readers about romance the way I do with my girlfriends, raw, brainy, emotionally, intimately. I couldn’t do that from the message board attached to the national sites because everything there goes through monitors. Plus, everything on the Internet Broadcasting system has to play in Peoria. Without the national sites, I wouldn’t get to talk about all kinds of romance and erotica the way I want.
Now on the blog, I struggle with how far to go. I’ve just been discussing whether I really should use ** and $$, etc., when writing off=color language. I want to push to the limit, yet I understand pretty well who my viewers are and I aim not to offend. I think that’s why we can talk about digital penetration and Inspy romance in almost the same breath.
Message? It’s more that I hope they respect what I’m trying to do for them and romance, hooking up readers and writers, establishing a safe community for romance readers and women to open their hearts and minds w/out anyone getting mean.
I surely don’t expect anyone to be thankful. I feel really, really lucky to be doing this, and to be learning what I do daily from everyone. And I am extraordinarily grateful every single time a reader returns, a Bella comments, or a new blogger climbs on board.
Michelle, you are an intelligent, beautiful woman, a top Ten Miss American finalist and summa cum laude graduate from St. Francis University, PA. In addition you have a wicked and smart sense of humor and you are a wife, a mother, and a loyal friend, and the Queen Bella. (So not sucking up right now but will not turn down any free books *ahem*). What are your feelings when you hear people describe romance novels as trashy stories suitable only for lonely, uneducated women and how do you think this perception can be changed?
Funny, I don’t hear it too much any more, although I certainly know it’s out there. If I do experience it, I gauge how much I care whether the person/s learn a lesson, or how much fun it will be making them feel bad about lumping me and my peeps in that pejorative way.
But here’s the thing: so what if romance were read only by lonely, uneducated women? Don’t they get to enjoy reading, too? Any reading done by anybody is great, but, unfortunately a snob is a snob is a snob, and that’ll never change.
So I don’t think we should waste time trying to change minds of folks who’ve decided against the genre already, rather, we should entice those women who, as Eloisa James has said, "wish they were reading romance, but feel too ashamed to do so." What is a typical work day for you? Are you able to be based mainly at your home?
I work from home and send my columns electronically, which was difficult at first, cause I wasn’t used to communicating about soft stuff like editing by email. It seemed really impersonal, and I think causes lots of errors in communication, which is something we discuss often at RBtheBlog, right? (We sure do.)
There’s a tremendous amount of administrative work involved in what I do, much more than I originally expected. But I find I really love that part, hooking up with publicists and authors, setting schedules, coming up with themes, working with authors whose books I’ll feature, or not, as it happens.
Even then, it’s about establishing relationships. I especially love hearing from reader/viewers.
So I get up, get the kids off to school, sit down and try to check in at the blog, work on some email. I read at night, and definitely not as much as I need to and used to. I catch up on some weekends. I generally work on the column and features the day before and early the morning of, because, well, I’ve got kids and a family, and a no account cat, etc. You live in Minnesota (I grew up on the Iron Range, way up north). Seems like there's quite a writing community up there - Connie Brockway and Neil Gaiman to name a few. Do you get the opportunity to hang out with authors and chat about the business?
Yeah. My local RWA chapter is packed with published romance novelists, and, as a group, those published authors have been very supportive and helpful. Kathleen Eagle has been tremendously supportive and very helpful in helping me understand the industry. Connie Brockway and her Squawkers have been great. Then there are the authors who show up at RBtheBlog, Michele Hauf, Emma Holly, Lois Grieman, as well as Nita Abrams, Susan Kay Law, sheesh, so many, I was bowled over when I first moved here. It’s a very rich creative community.  author Kathleen Eagle & Michelle
Who do you think is under-appreciated in the (romance) industry?
Publicists. They work like animals to get the word out about romance novels in a world that doesn’t care all that much. They tend to shift publishing houses a lot, which can be frustrating, but is more disappointing when one finds a kind of friend. My favorite right now is a guy named Buzzy who works for HarperCollins/ Avon. He’s very funny, and always good for a snappy line. In the vein of Barbara Walters, Diane Sawyer and Oprah, what would be the ultimate interviewing experience for you, the one that would be the true icing on the cake? Just because I love her historicals and I don’t think she’s writing anymore, I’d say Marsha Canham would be very cool. If we’re talking interview that would "rock the industry," or maybe get the outside to stand up and take notice, I have to think on that.
Romance writers are notoriously accessible, which is one of the things that made me create Romance: B(u)y the Book. I knew readers loved to hear from authors, and I wanted to give them a way to do that. And I’ve been lucky that I’ve not yet been turned down for an interview which says more about writers’ willingness to connect with reader/fans than my capabilities I think.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how fun it’d be to do for Sirius Radio what we do on Romance: By the Blog, you know, women talking romance novels and everything that grows out of that. Interviews, call-ins, sexuality and other experts, industry folks, stars who read romance, etc. While it's not a new concept, over the last several years, romances have becoming much more sexually explicit, ranging from erotic romance (with the HEA) to erotica where a happy ending is not a guarantee. Do you believe this is a positive or negative change, why or why not?
Positive, absolutely. First, if women didn’t want to feel turned on by sexual imagery in romances, they wouldn’t buy the novels. And the market bears out what’s being purchased, right? So, women figure out they can and should take responsibility for their sexual satisfaction , and have the money to buy novels that turn them on and fuel their fantasies, and, well, the industry is gonna listen.
As women become more sophisticated in describing what they want, their comfort level with more explicit sexual language and situations often changes.
I don’t use the term "erotic," because I don’t think describing sex within a romance makes it erotic. It’s the imagery created and the language that gives voice to the sensuality that conveys eroticism, and certainly not whether the publisher prints the term "erotic romance," or the author calls herself an author of "erotic romance."
I look at erotica as an entirely different genre, but drawing a line between it and erotic romance – and at times, erotica and pornography – is terribly difficult. Good erotica is exceptionally exciting, and fascinating to read even clinically. Yet, it’s often given more credence than romance because facile endings aren’t requisite, and driving emotions aren’t always based in love of another.
Anything that gets people thinking about romance is great for the genre as a whole. My big frustration comes from confusion caused by all the new "erotica" and "erotic romance" imprints. E.g., Readers shell out good money for erotica and end up with a kitten in lion’s fur.
Yet we need to give the publishers a little time to get with it; I think they’ll figure it out before long.
Women and their fantasies - it's a topic you've brought up several times at your blog. Don't you think it's about time?
Youbetcha, Stace! You know, I read this study that said 50% of women aged 40+ fantasize during sex. 50%! I was, like, sheesh, what have I been missing out on?
The point was that, not only does a women have a responsibility to herself to see she finds fulfillment during sex (guys make sure of it, right?) she can get to that fulfillment by any means necessary. I would add, it’d be nice not to hurt your guy’s feelings by yelling out, "Si, Canna! Yes! Yes!" (Also, more on Canna at a later time.)
Can you share some examples on how romances have positively influenced a woman's view on sexuality and her own personal fantasies?
Of course, we’ve all heard the "men whose wives read romance have more and better sex" saw. Apparently there’s a study, but I haven’t found it, so I can only refer to it as anecdotal. Apologies.
I can refer to my reader/viewers who tell stories about how romance has enhanced their sex lives, made them more excited about the "same-old same-old;" made them appreciate more the sex they do have in their relationships.
But I think reading romance is a jumping-off point for women to explore their fantasies, whether it’s just using the heroine in a novel as placeholder, or daring to explore a romance sexier than the one she last read. From there, the offerings are myriad, from varying styles of erotic romance, to erotica and so on.
The one piece of info I love to share, which was seminal for me in terms of fantasy, is the "I’m OK, You’re OK Maxim of Women’s Fantasy": Just because a woman fantasizes about it, doesn’t mean she wants it to happen to her. And what she fantasizes about t’ain’t nobody’s business but her own.
Of course, this takes a little getting used to for a lot of women, the idea that their rape fantasy, or same-sex fantasy, or, I don’t know, 5-Regency-gentlemen-and-a-romance-columnist-in-a-carriage fantasy is okey-dokey. (But Michelle, is there really enough room in one of those carriages???)
To become accustomed to the idea of embracing your sexual fantasies, I recommend plenty of practice.
Do you believe men can write effective and beautiful romances that would appeal to a female audience?
Beautiful? I don’t know, cause I haven’t read an elegant type of romance by a guy. I know everyone kvetches about Nick Sparks, who said, "I don’t write romance novels any more than Tom Clancy writes a thriller, but what I do would not be accepted by romance publishers, since the romance genre has numerous requirements and I don’t satisfy any of them. I write love stories, a completely different genre." I looked that up that quote especially for you, Stacy, cause I think it’s so God damned entertaining. (Appreciate it, Michelle.) I’ve not read his stuff cause I found the movie, " Message in a Bottle," maudlin – and I don’t read books after the movies anyway. Hmmm, I also don’t usually see the movies after the books, but I make a big, fat exception for Colin Firth in a wet linen shirt. (Um, who wouldn't????)
Anyway, there’s a difference between what makes 15 year-old girls cry and what is romantic to me.
But Bob Mayer comes to mind in light of your questions, as well as some of the m/f teams doing well in the genre. Mayer really added "guyness" to his and Jennifer Crusie’s first which, to me, made the thing pretty sexy.
I can’t reject men as romance writers out of hand. It reminds me of a theory I have about pro baseball and basketball teams. I think there are women who have to be more talented athletes than the least-talented male players, but who won’t get the chance to prove themselves because of gender bias and rules that ain’t gonna change soon. It’s got to be the same with men as romance writers, because men can be pretty damn romantic.
And I refuse to be sexist, cause I appreciate when men aren’t that way with us. (Amen, sister!)
Which authors do you think have had the greatest impact on the romance industry? Why do you think that is?
Ack. I always feel so not qualified to answer this. Also, I tend to think more in terms of what type of brand or marketing gets readers into bookstores buying books, rather than what gets writers to start writing more disabled characters or vampires or kick-ass heroines.
So I think of Vicki Lewis Thompson’s and Carly Phillips’ appearances on " Reading with Ripa" as something that got more women interested in reading romance, or back to reading romance. And one can’t say enough about what Nora Roberts’ preternatural success does for all of romance fiction, because her novels are considered by the "outside world" to have a gravitas generally not afforded other romance. As a student of the genre, I’d have to talk about Kathleen E. Woodiwiss tapping into something fantastic that spoke to women, because I constantly hear from women that " Flame/Flower" or " Wolf/Dove" are all-time faves. And, love or hate it, " Whitney, My Love" also moved a legion of readers. Today, Susan Elizabeth Phillips seems to be the author I hear most mentioned by reader and writer alike as having impacted their enjoyment and/or work. You have the Bellas at Romance By The Blog - how did this community come about and what has it meant to you on a day-to-day basis?
Oh, I love me my Bellas!
Plus, as I wrote earlier, I’d wanted to offer romance readers a little safe-haven where they could dish about romance the way I do with my girlfriends, you know, get kinda naughty and all. The Squawk Radio opportunity made me get on the ball and put together the blog I’d "been meaning to get to."
My husband, who’s kind of an Inet guy said, "If you blog it, they will come." And amazingly, that’s what happened, although I do work hard at "viral" marketing, and making new connections with other reviewers and blog owners, cause I want romance lovers to know what’s out there. And I don’t think of other romance blogs as competition. We’re all providing a service, right?
Although I absolutely never go to someone else’s blog and leave a self-serving comment trying to get their viewers to click back to mine. I figure if I comment and someone is curious, they’ll click on my profile and check out my blog. It’s just good blogging etiquette (Ahem. I am writing this down - I suck at etiquette.) But I always love guest blogging somewhere else.
I’m pretty astounded by how much the Bellas have come to mean to me, and I’m almost embarrassed sometimes by the desire I have to go to them to have my spirits lifted. It’s a little unnerving, these intimate discussions the core group of us have in front of the lurkers. But that’s the beauty of the anonymous nature of the Inet. I’m glad we use our power for good, not mean-spiritedness. (Sniff.)
Michelle with fellow Bella, author Monica Burns
I also think I’ve started to take for granted the fact that we can just talk romance "like it matters." But I think that’s a good thing. Why preach to the choir when there are so many good romances and silly topics to discuss?
Oh, and I like when a Bella pops in with, "So, what’s everybody reading?" I’m so immersed in romance all day that I get excited to talk other stuff and forget that folks come to RBtheBlog to talk romance. But I think we go with the flow; I let the Bellas lead me.
[....to be continued....] And we love you too, Michelle!
Stay tuned for Part 2 of my interview with Michelle Buonfiglio, scheduled for Monday, December 11th! Labels: Buonfiglio, interview, Romance by the Blog
posted by Stacy~ at 12/03/2006 11:31:00 PM
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