This assembly of letters is about Facebook, which has very little to do with romance novels. In fact, my feelings about Facebook are kind of the opposite of a romance novel. My feelings about Facebook would probably be best summed up in a completely different book: Jodyne Speyer's Dump 'Em. (I did a book event years ago with Jodyne, and the two of us, with me talking about happy ever after and her talking about … Continue reading So, Facebook
It's time! Hide your wallet and your giftcards, because it's the most excellent comment thread wherein I ask what you're reading, and we start giving recommendations and mini reviews and then BAM. The most expensive book order happens. Or the librarian is all, “No, you cannot borrow the hand truck to wheel in your Inter Library Loan request list.” Right now, I'm reading some contemporary. I read Carolina Home by Virginia Kantra on vacation ( A … Continue reading Whatcha Reading? March Madness Edition
I did not learn about sex from romance novels, thank God, but I know a lot of women who (at least partially) did. I was fortunate enough to have a mother who treated sex in a completely matter of fact way–it was part of being an adult and there was no shame involved in discussing it. As a result, even at the tender age of fifteen I approached romance novel sex with some skepticism. When … Continue reading 10 Things I Hate About Sex (Scenes)
Time for the most expensive comment thread of the month! What are you reading right now? How do you like it? Me, well, last month I said I was about the start the Tessa Dare that comes out in a week or so… and I haven't started it yet. That's my weekend treat. I found myself reading a lot of contemporary/erotic, especially the Delphine Dryden series, which I re-read after . What about you? What … Continue reading Hey, Whatcha Reading?
Back in the mid-to-late nineties I picked ordered an Anita Blake omnibus from the Sci-Fi Book Club, and my teenage heart became hooked on paranormal romance. I hope you're gleaning two things from that sentence: 1. my approximate age and 2. the fact that as a teenager I belonged to the Sci-Fi Book Club. I was beating those boys off with a stick, I was. Anyway, Anita Blake represented this whole new genre I hadn't … Continue reading Why I Broke Up With Paranormals
Time for our monthly open thread wherein I ask about what you're reading, and then you tell me, and then I buy 45,866 books. And put a few more on hold at the library. Like you do. This month, if you're celebrating with family, that usually comes with travel time, or maybe time to hide from said family in a closet so you can read a book in peace (not that I've ever done that ahem). … Continue reading Whatcha Reading?
I have read several contemporary romances in a row with the conflict resting in part on the idea that it's not acceptable to date the sibling of one's best friend. If, for example, the heroine's got it bad for her brother's BFF, said BFF is off limits to her, and more importantly, said sister is waaaay off limits to the BFF. On one hand, I understand that conflicts in contemporary romance are tricky because, really, … Continue reading The Sibling Code: Love a Little Sideways and In the Clear
What follows is Carrie's report on Con-volution 2013, which was held Nov 1-3 in California. I had the immense pleasure of attending Convolution 2013, a science fiction/fantasy convention in Burlingame, CA, during the first weekend of November. For me and my peeps, Halloween never really stops. As evidence I give you the fact that I reported for work every day in a cape and on one occasion responded to an offer of candy (chocolate eyeballs, … Continue reading Carrie Went to Convolution 2013
It's the most expensive comment thread of the site, when I ask what you're reading, and how you like it, and then I buy about 3/4ths of the things you suggest. (Please tell me I'm not alone in that problem, please.) I'm reading a mix of holiday titles, and am trying not to allow myself to read the Tessa Dare historical that isn't out until February, but I have a feeling I'm going to cave … Continue reading Whatcha Reading? And Cooking?
Molly O'Keefe prevously wrote about her love of Bruce Springsteen, and is back with a discussion of how she – and we – learn about sex. I never had a discussion with my parents about sex. Or even a vague and confusing birds and the bees conversation. Which is odd considering my dad was a high school health teacher and my mom was a nurse. Instead what I got was a musical montage of pornography, … Continue reading “It’s Not Really Like That” or How We Talk To Girls About Sex - A Guest Post from
Former Intern Amanda is back, this time with the historicals she always re-reads. I do love me some romances and there are a few that I make an effort to reread every so often. They are books that remind you of why you read the things you do and why you love them. Those books that help instill faith back into the genre after a particularly harrowing reading of some new, glossy paperback that you … Continue reading Historicals: They’ll Keep You Coming Back for More
