Howdy, Peeps!
I write humorous type stories. The kind that makes you laugh and are good for a few hours of fun escape. If it’s go for the joke or go for the hankie...I always do joke. That’s what I write and that’s what I read.
But what about the non-humorous side of writing and I don’t mean the editors and agents part. How much reality do you really want in your romance books?
I’ve done cops and cowboys and lawyers and doctors and even did a wounded soldier coming home. But where’s the line?
I got this from RT and wanted to know your views. Would you read about people dealing with the aftermath of 9/11 or a family picking up the pieces after Hurricane Katrina? What about a story about a POW soldier who returns home from Iraq? Of the heroine who feels guilty because a fellow soldier she was serving with died in battle?
Are these too heavy or are they interesting? Too much like reading the front page of the newspaper or timely and current?
Would you buy the book?
Dianne
9 comments:
I would not totally reject a book with a reality premise, but they are not my favorite thing. Perfect example: The current Nicholas Sparks novel "Dear John" concerns a soldier and the love of his life, post-9/11. He is a favorite author, so I bought and read the book, but I did not especially enjoy it. No HEA there. The whole time I was reading it, I kept thinking about the really dumb choices these people were making. It was well written, but just plain sad!
When I read, I don't mind a few happy tears, but I don't want to be depressed by what I'm reading. I much prefer your type of story, Dianne. I love the humor. I want to close the book with a happy sigh and a smile on my face.
I would buy the book if the author was already an auto-buy, but I probably would pass if I didn't know the author. I definitely would still want a HEA, even with the knowledge that there would be problems along the way.
I agree with Lisa. I would check out the story if it were by an author that I usually buy books from, but generally those are not my favorite types of books to read. My reading preferences lean more towards humorous stories, and I like my books to have a happily ever after.
Dianne - I steer away from books with heavy storylines... just my personal preference. I read for entertainment (guess that makes me shallow!) and I see that other stuff on the news, because I am a news junky. But having said that... if it was an author I already liked, I might give it a chance.
I pitched a mildy serious element in something recently, and my editor said it wasn't "my voice", so I deleted it. It had to do with war and children.
Janice
Definitely I'd read it. I love variety - sometimes I want a light-hearted story, but other times I love reading something that will make me cry. That sounds weird, I know, but to me, I think it's important to mix it up and read something that is going to make me think, or react, or go and do something productive with my life. Does that make sense?
I know a lot of readers only want to escape "real life", but I don't believe that I can do that, or even want to. Real life makes me appreciate what I have instead of dreading the bad stuff. Sometimes I need the heavier stuff to feed my soul.
If it was written by an Author I would normally read I would give it a look, but for the most part I shy away from books like that.
I read for my enjoyment, I don't mind some sad things in books, but I am not one to read really heavy subject matter, even though it is out there, I guess I like to use the books as an escape.
I would read them and have read them. Karen Kingsbury wrote a couple of post-9/11 books that I loved. But, I do have to be in the right mood to read the "more emotional" books.
No HEA ending would depress the heck out of me too!
I love the fun reads...and writes. :-)
Thanks for the support on the humor!:-)
The idea of hope is so important. These are tough issues. Variety is good. We don't want to read and write the same things.
The only way I can deal with these issues is a story of going on and hoping for better times ahead.
I get so depressed just reading MSN or the papers. Sometimes I just don't do it. Chicken way out.
Those are not my favorite types of books to read either so I would not buy them.
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