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A few weeks ago, through the power of Twitter, I ran across a thread at the Absolute Write Forum in which writers were lamenting the fact that Young Adult Fiction is increasingly becoming Young Adult Romance.  According to some of them, they are above the formulaic world of romance. I was amused (and a little angry) at these responses.

I understand that not everybody likes romance. I wish people would read (more than one) romance before they decide they know everything about the genre, but that’s a pipe dream. Some people prefer to read thrillers in which the protagonist is on a quest to save the world or literary fiction in which the heroine goes on a journey of self-discovery. Granted, I could recommend some damn good romances that incorporate these elements, but that’s neither here nor there. People like what they like and that’s great.

However, I do get pissed when the “above it all” attitude comes from romance writers. I read a lot of blogs, forums, and e-mail loops. I’ve seen more than one author lament the fact that they’re not getting published because they don’t write “cookie cutter” romance. And yes, that hacks me off.

I probably shouldn’t, but I take it as a personal insult. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t seek to reinvent the wheel with my stories. A contest judge described my story as “sweet and cute.” I’m going to assume that was a compliment. I prefer “light and fluffy,” but whatever.

As of right now, I write category length, contemporary stories. That’s what I like to read and the stories I like to tell. I like to surprise my characters and by extension, readers, but I don’t do it because I think no one else would ever think of it. I do it because it’s funny, and I like to see how my characters react.

Furthermore, there’s nothing wrong with being conscientious about the market. When I wrote Seducing Ms. Right, I knew I wanted to send it to Kimani Press. I checked their guidelines to make sure it fit, but I assure you my story was fully formed in my head before I did. I changed nothing to make it suitable for the line.

I can’t speak for other writers, but I know I toil away as much as writers who write outside of the box to make sure my light and fluffy story is perfect in my eyes – that I use the right words, that my characters go on a satisfactory, full journey. I don’t write to some mythical formula beyond making sure the hero and heroine end up together at the end of the manuscript.

I understand these writers are frustrated, but why they must put other people down in the process, I will never know. There are just as many people writing so-called “cookie cutter” romances who find the road to publication littered with potholes as those creating and mixing subgenres.

We should be cheering each other on, not looking our noses down at others’ work.

I applaud authors who forge their own path. I wish my brain worked that way, but it doesn't. I just hope they support me.

What do you think? Am I being too sensitive or do I have a point?
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This morning, I’m still on cloud nine. From what, you say?

Let’s go back to the beginning, shall we.

In January, Harlequin's Kimani Press held an online pitch contest with the senior editor, Kelli Martin. I was one of the winners of the contest. During the pitch, she requested a partial of Seducing Ms. Right, which I sent out in early February. She also suggested a fabulous change to my manuscript, which I included in the synopsis and then wrote in the story.

So began my wait. Just when I thought I might be getting a response soon, I came home one day to find my mailbox lying on its back, looking very sad. It’s one of those metal community mailboxes that everyone shares. It’s been there for over twenty years out in the elements, so I guess the nails rusted and/or untightened or something. The poor mailbox lay there for a few days until one day it was missing. I guess the mail carrier carted it off to be fixed. Now, we had to go to the post office to get our mail.

When the mailbox returned a week or so later, there was a little confusion. I don’t think one of the mail carriers realized it had been fixed, so one day there was mail inside, but the next day there wasn’t and I had to go to the post office.

Mind you, I’d been stalking my mailbox everyday, hoping for a response that hadn’t come. So I freak out a little thinking my Kimani response maybe got lost in the shuffle somewhere.

I thought about sending a follow up just to make sure, but I kept putting it off. The likelihood of it getting lost was small (even if it did exist), and I didn’t want to bug them in case they just hadn’t read it yet.

Saturday, June 19, rolls around. I go to my RWA chapter meeting that morning, where I whined about my fate to my chapter mate, Roni. Then, I went to work and got home at 9:30 p.m. I checked the mailbox like always. I filtered through the envelopes until I saw one with my handwriting on it.  I yanked it out of the mailbox and ripped it open. I could barely read it because it was so dark, but I managed to make out the phrase "enjoyed taking a look at it" and started jumping up and down.

I got a request for the FULL MANUSCRIPT!

Needless to say, I'm beyond excited. I have some tweaks I want to make before I send it out, but I intend for that bad boy to wing its way back to New York by the end of the week.

And the journey continues…
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