Romance is the genre that inspired me to write as a kid. It felt more welcoming and attainable, since I viewed it in an escapist light. I realized I didn’t have to take myself or my writing so seriously, but rather just try to write something fun, interesting and well-written. Another beauty of romance, no pun intended, is how central love is in our lives. Everyone wants to love and be loved in some sense (even if just between them and their pet); it’s a universal desire.
For every taste, there is a romance subgenre. Whether you love your love stories with the life-and-death stakes of a deadly chase in a romantic thriller, or with the potent, seductive magic of the fae courts, whether you thrill to a piratical bodice-ripper, or swoon at a fete-heavy Regency wooing, romances have powered the publishing world and granted delight, adventure, and escape to readers for the entirety of the genre’s long, long history. Often maligned (usually by people who had never read them), romance fiction is experiencing a heady resurgence thanks to social media like BookTok.
Something that appeals to me, personally, and that I find exciting in our romance stories are the fresh and nuanced perspectives, revitalizing love and lust, detailed imagery, and lovable characters. All of which maintains the readers’ interest from beginning to happily ever after, and even leaves us wanting more.
(Written by Casey McCarthy and Sarah Burton)