Hi friends! I’m very pleased to welcome N.J. Walters to ALBTALBS! She’s a first time guest here, and we always love that! I frequently put out calls for guest posts and N.J. was kind enough to respond, so everyone please welcome her! This is a fantastic and timely post. Read on!

Why We Need Romance Novels More Than Ever

The romance industry brings in more than a billion dollars in revenue a year in book sales. In spite of this, many people, including those in the mainstream media, often still refer to the romance genre with a snicker, calling the books bodice rippers.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love some of those older books—Kathleen Woodiwiss, Johanna Lindsey, Rosemary Rogers—the ones with the heroine’s ripped bodice and brooding hero on the cover. Those early writers paved the way for what we have today—a vibrant and diverse industry. From the beginning, romance authors have pushed the boundaries. The heroines in the stories are often successful business women in their own right. They’re mothers and sisters and daughters and friends. They’re part of the fabric of the community in which they work and live.

There’s nothing wrong with pure escapist fantasy. Now your traditional Science Fiction, Western, and Mystery genres all offer the same thing—an escape from reality—yet are rarely criticized in the same fashion as romance. Continue reading →