Guest Blogger - Booksmugglers
by sue on Oct.02, 2009, under Book Chat
BIO: Ana Grilo, Reviewer, Super Geek and Book Smugglers, first noticed her addiction to reading at a young age when her grandfather read her fairytales. When her book reading (and buying) became a problem with her significant other (“What do you mean, we need money for food, dear?”) she resorted to book smuggling by having the books delivered to her office and then smuggled home in small batches. In her blog partner, Thea James, she has found a kindred spirit (read: “also obsessed with books”) with whom to share the joy of reading. Hence, The Book Smugglers was born. Romance and Speculative Fiction are their speciality.
Ponderings on genre reading and romance
When I was invited to write a post for Borders’ True Romance blog, my first reaction was exhilaration until I realised I had no idea what I should write about and panicked. Ideas sprung left and right and I navigated between themes as varied as Emotional Reading (I am an emotional reader: books can make me become a pile of mush, a crying wreck, or a laughing maniac, and romance novels are capable of igniting all of these) or The Perils of Reading Romance (I became a book smuggler when I had to buy Julia Quinn’s entire backlist in one go. Book smuggling is a VERY dangerous occupation if you have no room for books in your house).
It was when I read Ursula Le Guin’s review of Margaret Atwood’s The Year of The Flood in The Guardian on 08.29 that I finally realised what I wanted to write about: how I became a romance reader and what it means to be one. In her review, Le Guin explores how Atwood does not want any of her books to be called science fiction because of how the genre is shunned by readers and reviewers alike.
And one of the reasons for this is how genre (or “popular”) novels seem to be perceived as stock filled with formula and conventions. In Le Guin’s own words:
“One of the features supposed to distinguish “popular” from “literary” fiction is the nature of the characters who enact the fiction. In a realistic novel we expect to find individual personalities of some complexity; in a western, mystery, romance or spy thriller, we accept or welcome conventional types, even stock figures – the Cowboy, the Feisty Heroine, the Dark Brooding Landowner”.
And then it struck me that the reason why I have become a romance reader so late in my reading life is that I had those very same expectations – for a long time I, too, was a literary snob. Having grown up in Brazil where genre fiction is practically non-existent probably helped to create that frame of mind, but the principle of the matter is that to an outsider, this is exactly what one expects from genre reading: conventional and formulaic characters and plotting.
Then, a few years ago I started to read Fantasy and was immediately won over by the genre and the amazing possibilities of imaginative new worlds. Romance remained a no-no, the last frontier, the line that I would not cross. Until that is, two years ago when a friend convinced me to try a Julia Quinn novel (The Viscount Who Loved Me) and that was it. I crossed over and never looked back. 
In her review, Le Guin, carries on to say that the supposed distinction between popular and literary fiction is so often violated in both ways that it has become meaningless, and this is exactly what I found out once I submerged myself in the genre.
Which to me only proves that the distinction between genres is sometimes an unnatural division, a marketing choice because regardless of which genre a book belongs to, regardless of conventional tropes, a good story is a good story is a good story.
Yes, Romance has its own tropes and clichés (one of my favourites, which I think I will never tire of, is the Rake and the Reformer) and one of the most criticised is the certainty of a Happily Ever After. But the myriad of ways to get there, the multitude of possible subversions available, coupled with beautiful prose and the obvious penchant of the genre for some of the most amazing character-driven stories I have ever encountered in any genre, have made of me a Romance reader for life.
I suspect that most genre readers had at one point or another to excuse their own reading to someone – when I told my friends that I ran a blog and that I read Romance and Speculative Fiction their reaction was to ask, “But you read ‘real’ books too, right?” - every time that happens I usually begin my retort by saying that I understand where they are coming from and finish with a very simple, very clear remark: genre reading makes me happy.
And that is all there is to it really – I read because I love good stories and I have found that the best ones, in my opinion, are in genre fiction, including Romance.
Why do you read Romance? Do you read other genre’s as well? How do you deal with book snobs? Enjoy the blog!
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About Sue & Borders True Romance Blog
Sue G - Borders True Romance Host - Borders Romance Buyer, reads romance. For her JOB. No, really. You can email Sue at sgrimshaw at bordersgroupinc dot com.
Borders True Romance Blog is a community, developed for you, the romance reader, to find out more about the books you love; the authors who write them & where to buy them :) Borders.com
Previously published as Wishes No Matter How Fast You Run. . .The newborn baby boy is beautiful, perfect, and hers for the asking. All Kate Summers has to do is agree to one condition--she must disappear from Boston and never breathe a word about the adoption to anyone. Or How Far You Go. . .Fifteen years later, Kate has built a good life for herself and her son, Jon, in Hopewell, Oregon. Still, she is haunted by the fear that he will somehow be taken away. Then Daegan O'Rourke arrives in town and strikes up a friendship with her and Jon. But Daegan has his own past to hide--one with shocking ties to hers. A Killer Will Always Find You. . .Someone is watching Kate, watching her son, and is willing to go to any lengths to claim him. And the one man Kate is tempted to trust has dangerous secrets that could change her world forever. Soon the past Kate thought she could outrun will explode, unearthing a legacy of lies and treachery, and a fury powerful enough to kill. . .
Friend Feed
October 23rd, 2009 on 4:35 am
I can tell they are about to go to seed. ,
October 22nd, 2009 on 5:03 am
Extra solar power could go to towns on or near the route. ,
October 3rd, 2009 on 12:34 am
Romance makes me happy, so therefore that is what I mostly read! Sometimes I will switch off for a book, but I always got back to romance. It is like chocolate to me!
October 2nd, 2009 on 7:34 pm
I read a lot of fantasy and sci-fi, but romance is catching up. I like how most books in both genres are about working things out and coming to positive resolution, whether it’s in a relationship or saving a whole world.
I am always amazed at the disrespect some people show towards genre fiction, and it seems like romance gets the least respect of all. Even readers of other genres talk about romance as if it was all cookie-cutter formula writing, as if their genres didn’t have conventions to follow and some formulaic elements. Ursula LeGuin is right. I <3 her.
October 2nd, 2009 on 3:57 pm
Thanks for the wonderful comments and feedback! and thank you to Sue, Sarah and Jane for inviting me!
October 2nd, 2009 on 2:44 pm
“Yes, Romance has its own tropes and clichés (one of my favourites, which I think I will never tire of, is the Rake and the Reformer) and one of the most criticised is the certainty of a Happily Ever After. But the myriad of ways to get there, the multitude of possible subversions available, coupled with beautiful prose and the obvious penchant of the genre for some of the most amazing character-driven stories I have ever encountered in any genre, have made of me a Romance reader for life.”
This is so beautifully put, and I couldn’t agree more. Great post! And thank you for showing us “purist” romance readers how many wonderful, even romantic, things are to be found in other genres!
October 2nd, 2009 on 2:41 pm
I started reading romance books in the 1960’s. Although I read more romance books than anything else I do read paranormal and historical books. Granted, these are still romance books, just a little different spin than contemporary.
October 2nd, 2009 on 1:51 pm
Another recovering literary snob here. I am an English professor and, despite my own willingness to defend popular culture in my academic work, still didn’t read genre fiction myself. It’s not that I purposefully disdained it — I just only considered “literary” fiction for my pleasure reading. But when I found out about several other academic women who not only read romance but write it, I became intrigued … and now I can’t stop!
I think many readers do not consider romance because they associate it with retrograde ideas about women. But you know what? Much literary fiction itself is quite dismissive of women, both as authors and as interesting characters. Alternatively, I have found romance to be more affirming to me as a woman than any other genre. It’s about sensuality, emotion, the pursuit of happiness, family, friendship, maturity, knowledge … all with a woman’s life at the center.
October 2nd, 2009 on 12:31 pm
“Book smuggling is a VERY dangerous occupation”
It’s also contagious. You can catch it by reading The Book Smugglers blog. Be prepared! ;D
October 2nd, 2009 on 11:56 am
I read romance for the happy endings. Yes I like the characters and, depending on the author, spicy sex but in the end I want a happy ending for all involved (I don’t mind series as long as the books don’t end on a will they/won’t they cliff hanger!). I used to read lit fic almost exclusively because that is what “educated” people are supposed to read…right? At least that is what I was told while growing up. (I never had the opportunity to sneak or be given romance novels by my mother or grandmother or aunt because in my family one simply did not read such “trash”.) It was only in the past few years when lit fic became all about tragic characters leading horrible lives that led to even worse endings that I decided I’d had enough and began casting around for reading material that wouldn’t make me feel so bad after I was done reading it! So now I read romance (especially paranormal romance), urban fantasy, some sci fi and recently have begun to get interested in steampunk. Readingwise I’ve never been happier!
October 2nd, 2009 on 11:42 am
Sometime between the ages of 13 and 15, I skipped past the teenage-angst books and dove into romance, which initially gave my life some much-needed HAE while my mom was deteriorating from illness and the school was assigning literary but depressing as all get-out books like CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, METAMORPHOSIS, and HEART OF DARKNESS. But romance novels were no less challenging in terms of plot structure or vocabulary. In fact, in one of my English classes, we received a vocabulary list each week, and had to find the words used in print - and I could find 90% of them in the romance novels of Jude Deveraux, Julie Garwood, and Johanna Lindsey.
I fell in love with the storytelling - the characters, the strong women, the relationships, the conversations, the towns.
Today I’m a library assistant, and what amazes me is when I meet librarians who don’t want to buy romance of any sort for their libraries because they consider it low-brow reading. Most of them have never read even touched a romance knowingly. It blows my mind, because one of a library’s main goals is to promote literacy and reading for pleasure.
But the attitude is so ingrained that patrons are sometimes timid about asking for a romance author - until I begin talking. “I loved her last book!” “If you like her, have you also read ____?” “Oh, I can’t wait until ___ comes out next week!”
October 2nd, 2009 on 10:24 am
I read pretty much every genre out there, except Westerns, horror and literary–and I will make an exception there for an exceptional book. (How many times can I use the same root word?) I don’t like books that scare me too much, which leaves out some suspense/thrillers too. Won’t read serial killer books. I used to work in a prosecutor’s office, (one of my hats was victim services) so–no thanks.
I do think “literary” fiction is a genre in itself. It has its own conventions, and the author breaks them at his/her peril, IMO. But that’s just IMO.
Book snobs? I don’t run into many of them, and those I do meet–I tend to pity them more than anything…
October 2nd, 2009 on 9:42 am
I love The Book Smugglers! I was really annoyed with Atwood, too. Much of the best science fiction is character driven. Has she read anything by Orson Scott Card? Science fiction and fantasy deal with societal ills and explore possibilities. I also hate how for a book to be taken as “literary” or seriously these days the book has to have some element of disillusionment and hopelessness. The “literary” and “serious” books seem to involve characters that find no meaning or happiness in life. I think life is full of meaning and needs to be celebrated.
October 2nd, 2009 on 8:32 am
Aww, blog, I MISSED you.
Anyways, I’m going to give some truth to the stereotypes here. I started sneaking actual romances from my mother when I was very young, like around eight. I still read the tween & teen romances, i.e. Love Stories, regencies, etc, but I could never resist the forbidden. I think, however, the main draw of these books for me was the relationship between the hero and heroine, the connections, the idea of loving someone because you chose to. I was in and out of the hospital when growing up, and my relationship with my parents was tumultuous. They loved me, but I never felt they understood me. Romances offered the hope that if I could just hang on long enough, eventually I’d meet someone who *wanted* to be with me, someone who did *get* me.
Contrary to popular opinion, I think my views on relationships are realistic. In both of the serious relationships I’ve had, the guys were perfect in either personality or temperament, but not both. If I could smush them together, I’d be married now. Reading romances showed me the importance of communication, of having similar goals in life, of remaining two distinct individuals while sharing a life together. Romances, in a way, were some of the best therapy I had.
As an adult, I do read romances for more of escapist reasons. I tell people that the world is harsh enough that I don’t need the reality in my entertainment. I need the HEA. I used to be very diverse in my younger days. I love non-fic on endangered species, Sy Montgomery being a favorite author, and I do read sci-fic/fantasy, young adult, graphic novels, & manga as well. However, when one is a Borders Romance Expert and has a full-time job on top of that, romances are my main output these days!
Since I am my store’s Expert, all semi-related customer queries get tossed to me. Most of the time it’s open-ended, “I like so-and-so, what else should I read?” I have made attempts to suggest romances, only to have the customers dismiss them as ‘trash’ and perhaps my friendliness takes a nosedive. In any case, I find the best way to avoid these situations is to ask, “Are you look for a book that focuses on relationships or a book that focuses on plot?”
I’m sneaky too. Over time, I’ve converted several friends and co-workers into romance readers. The key is to find just the right book to hook them. If you can’t beat ‘em, make them join!
October 2nd, 2009 on 8:29 am
I agree with Shiloh Walker here: I also love a good HEA and reading about two people falling in love, and this is something that crosses genres. You have that in SF, mystery, horror, literary fiction. But just because it’s the focus in Romance, people find that, I don’t know too cheesy or some other thing, which probably says more about them than it does about romance!
I’m one of those people who loves a good crossover. SF with a dash or romance= YUM! I love it.
How do I deal with book snobs? I haven’t encountered too many, and when I do, I usually realize: this person reads so much less than I do. What do they know?
October 2nd, 2009 on 7:45 am
I read romance because I want to laugh, cry, rage and any other emotions that want to join the party the characters start. I want to believe their HEA is impossible, to have them struggle for it and end up in each others arms, happy. Hot sex usually enhances this. Winky.
I also read mainstream fantasy and science fiction. If it has a side plot of romance, all the better. Love and romance is a very human experience, a natural part of life, and I think it crosses into all genres to a point. If done right will enhance any story it makes its way into.
As for book snobs, I haven’t really encountered people judging me too harshly for what I read. If they did I think my droll sense of humor would be sufficient enough of a shield. I mean, there’s not really much they can do against almost total apathy for their unimportant opinions. Because if they choose to judge they’re being jerks. Why give a jerk’s opinion anything more than that? It’s great when they realize they’re just not going to get a rise.
If it’s a good friend teasing me, which I feel is different, I usually join in on the fun and poke right back at them.
October 2nd, 2009 on 7:26 am
I love HEA’s..I love romantic tension. I love fictional men. So I must read romance!
Depending on my mood, I either ignore people that think the books I read are “trash” or I go into full attack mode.
October 2nd, 2009 on 6:45 am
Ana, I am so glad you found the wonders of romance even though you came to it late in life.
Even though I started reading romance at 13, I love horror also. But I will say that by reading romance it opened new genres for me to read such as historical fiction, sci fi and fantasy.
Those snobs are missing a wonderful world. Look at the top 10 book lists. How many hoity toity books sell like the way genre fiction?does? Even Dan Brown’s Lost Symbol is more of a adventure book and no way lit fic.
October 2nd, 2009 on 6:39 am
“Why do you read Romance? Do you read other genre’s as well? How do you deal with book snobs? Enjoy the blog!”
I read it because I love the HEA. I love reading about two people falling in love. Just love it.
I also read SF, UF, fantasy. Sometimes horror or mystery, just depends.
And as to how I deal with book snobs? I don’t. I don’t care much what other people think about my reading material…if I’m asked WHY I read it, I’ll say pretty much the same thing…I love the HEA, etc, etc.
But too many book snobs just don’t ‘get’ it, and it’s because they don’t want to. I might get irritated, but I’m not going to waste my breath defending the books I read or write to them. Not worth the headache.
Loved reading about how the ‘book smuggler’ title came to be.