Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Talking Romance with Yvonne Eve Walus


What is Romance?

When it comes to books, what qualifies as a romance? All the usual medical, historical and romantic suspense aside, would you say that “Gone with the Wind” is a romance book? How about the Stephanie Plum series with the sexy Morelli and the even sexier Ranger? And am I the only one who thinks the literary “We need to talk about Kevin” Orange Prize winner is not a book about parenting as much as it is a love story between the narrator and her husband?

OK. Perhaps I’m exaggerating with the latter. Well, I don’t think so, but it’s all right if you do. My point is this: we are so used to alpha heroes and the search for Mr. Only, that we sometimes tend to overlook the romance in other places.

As a writer who’s been married for - ahem - significantly more than a decade, I’m perhaps a little biased when looking for romance outside of speed dating and all the singles’ bars. I believe that true romance can be found within an established long-term relationship.

You know, it’s easy for the alpha hero to say to the woman he’s just bedded: “I want you to have my baby”. But when the novelty wears off and the sleepless nights kick in, I believe it takes a true hero and the trues of love to utter the following most romantic words a woman can hear: “You carry on sleeping, darling, I’ll get up to the baby”.

Romance is more than red roses and a candlelit bath for two. Sometimes romance is a clean nappy and the opportunity to have a long, warm, silent bath for one while your wonderful hero is keeping the baby occupied.

If you think a murder mystery series has no scope for romance, I challenge you to try my “Murder @ ...” series published by Echelon Press. Although the amateur detective, Dr. Christine Chamberlain, doesn’t have children (yet), the whirlwind romance that landed her married lasted precisely five minutes.

Three years later, she’s beginning to discover her husband is not only the level-headed easy-going artist she knows and loves.... When it comes to your loved ones, is it possible to know too much? Find out in “Murder @ Play” Echelon Press, 2009).
 
 Find Yvonne at her website, Echelon Press and writing as Eve Summers at Red Rose Publishing

4 comments:

DawnsReadingNook said...

Hi Yvonne and thanks for coming by my blog. I loved your article on romance. It is so true that for me, sleeping in while DH takes care of kids and whatnot is a lot better than roses some days. :)Though I am not going to say no to roses either. LOL

Dawn R.

Viki Lyn said...

I agree that romance really isn't about candlelight dinners and roses! I think it shows more in the comforting of a loved one, a simple gesture of a hand on the shoulder, shared laughter and fun...

As a romance writer, sure, I write the fantasy romance -great sex from the get-go, LOL that kind of stuff - but also it's nice to show a more gentler side of the relationship, two people really connecting on more than the physical level.

Great blog!

Viki Lyn

Unknown said...

My romantic moments:
Seeing my wedding band for the first time as my husband put it on my finger at the church. I'd 'felt' it earlier when he tried it on my finger, but wasn't allowed to look.

2. Waking up the morning after i arrived back from Russia with our 2 newly adopted daughters to find a ring on my pillow with 4 sapphires, one for each of us he said.

3 Now, this week is my birthday (shush) and i've been married 27 years, yesterday my not really romantic hubby said... don't look in the garage there's your birthday present. My unromantic response... i hope it's not a car, we've got 5 of the darn things (vintage) already, mind u, if it was a Mustang, I might change my mind.

Happy romance
Jane

Yvonne Eve Walus said...

Thank you for hosting me, Dawn.
Jane, your "unromantic" husband is heaps more romantic than most!!!!

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