In the movie As Good as It Gets, the Jack Nicholson character, Melvin Udall, is a misanthropic compulsive individual who. oddly, makes his living writing best-selling romance novels. At one point he meets a receptionist who is a fan.
Melvin Udall: “I think of a man. And I take away reason and accountability.”
Okay, that's pretty rude - but then he is a rude character.
I thought of that character this past weekend when Father announced one of our parishioners is an award-winning Christian romance novelist, and that she was giving away some free copies of her books. The author, Ruth Logan Herne, was there to chat with people and sign books.
She seemed to be a friendly, positive individual - decidedly not rude like Melvin!
The free part appealed to me, so I grabbed a couple of the books, as did my wife.
I'd been slogging my way through Don Quixote, so I decided to take a break and read one of her books, Small-Town Hearts.
I found the book not to my taste. But that's on me.
There's nothing wrong with it as a romance: It had a decent plot and interesting characters. But the womanly view in it did not resonate with me. The main character kept obsessing about her doubts and fears - she had been burned in romance, after all. As a guy, my way of dealing with getting burned is deal with it and move on. And at one point I even found myself wondering, "Is that the way women really talk to each other?"
Again, not a criticism of the book or the author, per se. She is quite successful at what she does, the book is clean with a genuine Christian point of view, and it certainly would appeal to a female romance audience.
I'm just not that audience.
This is not my first brush with romance fiction. Years ago when some folks suggested I consider trying my hand at writing such books - there is a big market after all - I read a few contemporary romances.
I did not like them. I could not see myself writing them. Unlike Melvin, I can't pretend and write from a female point of view. And unlike him, I like people and women!
There are a few older Gothic romances I do like - Jane Eyre and Rebecca come to mind. But that's not what contemporary marketable romance fiction is like.
There are some contemporary Christian mystery writers I might try. I'm more of a mystery and science fiction/fantasy fan, after all.
As for romance, my wife considers me romantic, and that's good enough for me.
Pax et bonum
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