Run, Chick, Run!

Most of us retain enough of the theological attitude to think that we are little gods.

-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

Contemporary romance author Monica Jackson's blog entry is definitely worth reading: In a Rant, It's Fun to Mention Mrs Giggles. I did wince a bit when I read that, thanks to Alison Kent's pointer, Monica saw Constantine as well. Sure, sure. :P Historical romance author Kate Rothwell finds within herself a well-reasoned rant: Cruel Fate. Actually, it's not even a rant. It's a good piece of advice. I'm getting bored recommending Mrs. Giggles's blog, but dammit, she comes up with a lot of good stuff: Sex and the Single Heroine and How I Learned To Solve My Life's Problems Using Contemporary Romances As A Guide, Part 1. I still can't believe that she refuses to put in an option for us to make our responses. Mrs. G, you're one big girl's blouse! :D Come on, please turn it on and let us cheer or jeer at those posts. You know, that now she's a blogger, she should take my place at Romancing the Blog. You have to agree that the stuff she comes up with blows people like me right off the net. *bottom lip quivers* [Speaking of lip quivering, why do some people think that Mrs. Giggles - and anyone who dares to 'criticise' the romance genre - are anti-Romance? I don't think I'll ever get that. Could someone explain the reasoning behind those accusations?] Speaking of Romancing the Blog, Melissa Senate's column is worth reading: Chick Lit: A Love Story. I try not to rant because I have ranted about this topic far too many times on this blog and on some romance message boards. The ironic thing is I'm not a regular reader of Chick Lit [both American and British]. I read when I have a copy lying around, yet whenever I see it getting bashed by a collective of romance readers [or any other group], I tend to jump to the genre's defence. I don't know why I do this. I think it's because I dislike seeing hypocrisy and double standards in action [not that I was completely innocent of those; I'm just as bad as the rest, especially where Scottish politics are concerned :D]. Some romance readers complain when the society and media look down on the Romance genre. Many get defensive and will write up well-reasoned arguements why the Romance genre is wonderful. It is a wonderful genre. I enjoy many hours reading romances. Yet they don't blink twice when they turn on Chick Lit, tearing it to pieces, slagging it off, calling "all" heroines shallow sluts, etc. It's easy to see that some don't understand what Chick Lit is all about, let alone read any. [I will never understand how one could make a judgement of the entire genre on the basis of one or two CL novels alone.] On the other hand, readers of Chick Lit are just as bad as them. They sneer at the Romance genre, saying that it's all fantasy, nothing realistic, calling "all" heroines saddos, etc. So, I jump in to defend the Romance genre as well. Whoo hoo(!) It's f*cking insane, having those two massive readerships taking pot shots at each other. It just doesn't make sense. Why do they do it? *cough* Here's a few blogs that may interest some: Buzz Girl: A Publishing Insider Gets the Skinny On Tomorrow's Bestsellers Cupcake Series: Cupcake is the reading series for New York's best women writers. Here: our take on the literary world, writers we love, and the evils of chick lit. *amused smile* And, err, bear it with me, Underwater Times. It does make a fun read, as in the 'watching a bird repeatedly knocks itself out on a window pane' kind. Be good, be bad & be safe.