tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30203557.post6023081965135807350..comments2024-03-26T01:10:13.720+00:00Comments on Teach Me Tonight: My New Romance ClassE. M. Selingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426524354823232002noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30203557.post-18025498014020483182007-01-19T04:04:00.000+00:002007-01-19T04:04:00.000+00:00Sounds like a great course, Professor! I confess t...Sounds like a great course, Professor! I confess that "Bet Me" isn't my favorite of Crusie's novels. And I think it's because of all the movies I've seen that hinge on a bet that the male protagonist can turn the female into a hottie (or vice versa) in 60 days or less . There's "My Fair Lady" for goodness sake! So we pop-culture vultures already have an inkling of what's in store. The average college student would probably not know all the Regency Romances published over the ages in which the hero and heroine meet due to a wager, which is the trope I think Crusie is playing with. Perhaps it would have been better to start with an actual fairy tale that corresponds to the novel to enhance that aspect of the story. I confess it also went over my head for the most part until I read some of the analysis on this blog.<br /><br />You might also point out that the feminist "learning to love myself is the greatest love of all" theme is actually a product, in great part, of modern popular movies and "chick lit" and feminist manifestos. It's pedigree isn't much more academically serious than the romance novel HEA.<br />But, obviously, today's grrrl would likely have a problem with some Prince Charming showing up at her door with a shoe. If he didn't pay enough attention to her face at the ball to recognize her, Cinderella should plant that shoe in his behind!<br /><br />Anyhow, in my experience, it's easier to write a thorough, impassioned essay on a novel you dislike or don't agree with than one which you thought was a "fun read!" Keep that in mind. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30203557.post-61234734111013272132007-01-18T00:14:00.000+00:002007-01-18T00:14:00.000+00:00(Chuckling) I was wondering if there might be a s...(Chuckling) I was wondering if there might be a strong response to the idea of “girl cooties” vis a vis romances. I've been in a provacative mood lately.<br /><br />One other thing regarding Christian romances: when approaching them, keep in mind that there is huge diversity in Christian culture and so this will be reflected in many of the books. The media (especially movies and TV) tends to depict Christianity and believers monolithic in belief and attitude, and it is anything but. The culture and rituals of Roman Catholicism will bear scant resemblance to those of a non-denominational Protestant evangelical church. An African American Baptist church will have different rituals and attitudes than a predominantly white Baptist church, even though both have the same doctrines of belief. One book presenting a particular slant on Christian belief doesn’t represent all Christian romances. Even within one denomination, the church services in one church can be very contemporary and evangelical with lots of rock music, in another traditional with the traditional hymns, and another still may be new-agey. The romance characters will reflect this, more or less. And, you might just find Christian jargon in them, which may need explaining. If you have students who are Christians, they might be able to decode the language. Some non-Christians may find such phrases as “washed in the blood of the Lamb” icky.<br /><br />That said, MOST Christian romance is Protestant-based, because the Christian-only publishers that do publish romance are Protestant. <br /><br />By the way, a good informative blog about Christian publishing and fiction is http://www.faithinfiction.blogspot.com/<br /><br />Sorry to go on about something you probably already know, but I’ve encountered so much ignorance about Christians and Christianity that I can’t assume the above info is known or how important it is to understanding this subgenre.--Karen Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04516772051139013960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30203557.post-21523359394247610122007-01-17T14:44:00.000+00:002007-01-17T14:44:00.000+00:00Thanks for the suggestions, Karen and Brenda! I'm...Thanks for the suggestions, Karen and Brenda! I'm very new to the subgenre myself, so these come in very handy, and my students looked pleased to hear that the Teach Me Tonight community had my back, as they say. (Sorry--the "girl cooties" reference seems to have provoked a manly backlash!)<br /><br />More on the class and their choices as things develop. A good and lively discussion last night!E. M. Selingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00426524354823232002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30203557.post-3876265956720630442007-01-16T19:21:00.000+00:002007-01-16T19:21:00.000+00:00When it came time to tell the class which topics a...<i>When it came time to tell the class which topics and genres most interested them, however, these students hung back, some of them visibly. It's far less embarassing, evidently, to confess your love for erotic romance than for the Christian sort!</i><br /><br />Believe me, that was no isolated incident. As a writer of inspirational romance who constantly rubs elbows with other romance readers and writers, I've seen that reluctance to speak up many, many times. It isn't that inspirational fans are ashamed of what they believe and what they enjoy reading. It's simply that, particularly in the online community, they've been pounded again and again by readers and writers of steamy romance who portray them as Bible-thumping banshees on a mission to stamp out erotic romance novels. (What the accusers fail to realize is that it's hardly in the best interests of inspirational romance fans to tear down another subgenre. If we did that, we could hardly expect any support when <i>our</i> subgenre was threatened.)<br /><br />I love it that you're including inspirationals in your discussion of romance subgenres. If I can answer any questions about inspies, please give me a shout. Also, your students might be interested in the following posts at my blog:<br /><br />http://brendacoulter.blogspot.com/2007/01/life-changing-books.html<br />http://brendacoulter.blogspot.com/2006/04/romance-novels-all-sex-all-time.html<br />http://brendacoulter.blogspot.com/2005/05/just-so-you-know.htmlBrenda Coulterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13528691681455659296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30203557.post-89955060168453722192007-01-16T18:17:00.000+00:002007-01-16T18:17:00.000+00:00For Christian romance, I highly recommend Beth Pat...For Christian romance, I highly recommend Beth Pattillo’s _Heavens to Betsy_, which won the Romance Writers of America’s RITA award. It’s a humorous look at the plight of a single female minister battling a sexist congregation, while trying to date without giving rise to gossip. Anyone who has been active in a church will sympathize and have a good chuckle. And it should blast quite a few stereotypes about what a Christian romance is. Or what a Christian is, for that matter.<br /><br />The main component (aside from the romance plot) in the Christian romance is what’s called the spiritual or “faith” journey. That faith journey varies from book to book, and can address where one’s faith is lacking, or other aspects of a protagonist’s moral or ethical self-examination. It is, by the way, about _self-examination_ not someone else’s failings.<br /><br />As for your student’s reactions to Crusie’s book—good heavens. They really need to think outside of their fear-bound boxes. They really won’t get girl cooties if they drop their Puritanical “has to be good for you like medicine and green vegetables” attitude and actually read romances for fun. (Remember girl cooties in elementary school? They’re what you get if you touch a girl or a girl’s belongings. However, if you say the right ritual words, you will be cleansed of all girl cooties and the attendant shame of having them on you.)--Karen Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04516772051139013960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30203557.post-12262717499506064732007-01-16T02:03:00.000+00:002007-01-16T02:03:00.000+00:00For stories about women who come to self-love firs...For stories about women who come to self-love first, who, in fact, through out the hero because they come love themselves so much and then he has to grovel to get in good with them, you gotta try the mighty SEP: Susan Elizabeth Philliphs. My favorite, and the best of the above genre, is <i>Heaven, Texas</i>, but most of her books follow a theme of self-realization for the woman and groveling for the men.Sarah S.G. Frantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10413768227099945783noreply@blogger.com