tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post777855638177371914..comments2024-03-26T07:33:18.502-04:00Comments on WordWranglers: The things I miss...Margiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843006118151762550noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-73216499563897459142012-10-23T20:20:47.049-04:002012-10-23T20:20:47.049-04:00LOL. I hope so, Charmaine. "Notting Hill"...LOL. I hope so, Charmaine. "Notting Hill" had one of my favorite scenes of all time in it--just a small one. My husband watched it with me, I told him there was a scene I loved, and he picked it out immediately--gave me my own little reminder of why I love him so much.Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-31227837204738195832012-10-23T13:49:57.434-04:002012-10-23T13:49:57.434-04:00Dear Liz,
Do what you do and do it ruthlessly. I ...Dear Liz,<br /><br />Do what you do and do it ruthlessly. I learned this from Richard Curtis of "Notting Hill," etc. He said all he could write was comedy; he didn't try to fit himself somewhere he didn't belong because he would lose his passion and authencity. If you yearn for the old-fashioned romance, there are loads of women who do as well. See what you can do--and do it ruthlessly. Who knows, maybe women will boomerang back to being courted and wedded, rather than vetted and bedded.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12783350310611096039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-29288524357967198062012-10-22T20:05:53.565-04:002012-10-22T20:05:53.565-04:00It was nice, wasn't it?It was nice, wasn't it?Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-17126666157512395302012-10-22T19:41:19.309-04:002012-10-22T19:41:19.309-04:00I write steamy too, but sometimes, the closed door...I write steamy too, but sometimes, the closed door approach was nice. What I really miss is are the days when the h/h were in love before they had sex. It was nice,Shawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04264060298236728344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-60950349797531656382012-10-22T17:02:12.698-04:002012-10-22T17:02:12.698-04:00I miss that, too. 21st century protagonists ins a ...I miss that, too. 21st century protagonists ins a 19th century costume drama just don't do it for me.Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-38857349931790342892012-10-22T16:08:31.772-04:002012-10-22T16:08:31.772-04:00I miss historical accuracy in historical romances....I miss historical accuracy in historical romances. I want the characters to at least sound like they're in the right century! I'm also going to have to agree with Vonnie on the scene descriptions. I like a lot of Atmosphere. And I, too, can do without the erotica lite. Long love scenes are boring.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-19829805398333265582012-10-22T13:05:36.507-04:002012-10-22T13:05:36.507-04:00Oh, yeah, me, too. I just like my heroes to be nic...Oh, yeah, me, too. I just like my heroes to be nice guys. I like them heroic, but not above whining or being carsick or losing at poker--you know, regular guys! :-)Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-66986746845839203872012-10-22T12:59:25.505-04:002012-10-22T12:59:25.505-04:00Hi Liz,
I miss the thoughtful hero. Finished a 201...Hi Liz,<br />I miss the thoughtful hero. Finished a 2012 romance, the hero pouts, while his girlfriend goes into certain danger. He hangs around the house feeling sorry for himself while she's jailed and ready to hang. He wasn't too alpha before this point either. I want a alpha male hero, not a sullen boy.<br /><br />I also miss Doris Day movies.morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02817293003630581559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-15620282875006768782012-10-22T12:52:52.766-04:002012-10-22T12:52:52.766-04:00There's the magic word, D: sometimes. I like s...There's the magic word, D: sometimes. I like steamy, too, and adventurous, and suspenseful, etc., but SOMETIMES I want sweeter. Nicer. You said it just right.Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-27286355269702754642012-10-22T12:51:26.044-04:002012-10-22T12:51:26.044-04:00Oh, yes, wasn't she spectacular. I still go to...Oh, yes, wasn't she spectacular. I still go to Carla Kelly for that same "feel." I'm old, too, Ella, and it's fun, isn't it?Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-25258410881706404492012-10-22T12:50:17.969-04:002012-10-22T12:50:17.969-04:00LOL. You're younger, Molly, and it shows! I lo...LOL. You're younger, Molly, and it shows! I loved it when they "did it" off-camera. I think love scenes are--in large part--boring, no matter how good the writer.Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-21001656978520284482012-10-22T12:48:48.202-04:002012-10-22T12:48:48.202-04:00I liked when "nice" was a good word. Tha...I liked when "nice" was a good word. Thanks for coming by, Patty!Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-32578166326205273172012-10-22T12:47:52.094-04:002012-10-22T12:47:52.094-04:00Readers HAVE changed, Vonnie--you're right. We...Readers HAVE changed, Vonnie--you're right. We started reading romance at the same time. I LOVED those old descriptions--they put us right there!Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-44432724983141267482012-10-22T12:46:23.058-04:002012-10-22T12:46:23.058-04:00I agree, Linda, but I think many writers feel comp...I agree, Linda, but I think many writers feel compelled to write more and more that way--and many like to, as well, w/o having the still-existent stigma of erotica attached to their work.<br /><br />Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-28508721080486557432012-10-22T11:00:17.846-04:002012-10-22T11:00:17.846-04:00I miss the sweetness. Even though I write pretty s...I miss the sweetness. Even though I write pretty steamy myself, I liked less sometimes. Those old romances were like old movies--the tension was there without everything being shown. D'Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05333880627045486088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-78861088355884916592012-10-22T10:48:49.584-04:002012-10-22T10:48:49.584-04:00Thank you, Vonnie. I was starting to feel old. I s...Thank you, Vonnie. I was starting to feel old. I started reading romances in the late sixties. Some were pretty trashy, such as Anglique. Which I thought was very racy. Then I discovered Georgette Heyer and fell in love with her wit, strong characters and historical accuracy.Ella Quinnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-69277228539627932632012-10-22T10:28:28.537-04:002012-10-22T10:28:28.537-04:00I only kept two of the Harlequin's I acquired ...I only kept two of the Harlequin's I acquired (the rest I borrowed from the library), and one of them drove me crazy. Heroine meets stranger; she makes him so mad halfway through the book he strips her clothes off, then 'checks himself' and stalks out of the room. She finally manages to get away from him, but in the last chapter, as she's at the airport, suddenly has a change of heart and goes back to him. WTH???? And both books drove me nuts because they'd get to a 'certain point', and would either be interrupted, or one would say something, ruining the mood. I was always screaming, 'Go ahead!! You're already THERE!' But no....not until the last chapter or 'off camera'. Then thankfully in the late 90's, I read a few more which were more to my liking. And I did NOT know Lavryl and Nora were originally with HQ:) Going to have to look up that Forsaking All Others:)Molly Danielshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01488325587798390008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-63394830393702677402012-10-22T10:11:31.966-04:002012-10-22T10:11:31.966-04:00I like your line that sometimes you miss you. I li...I like your line that sometimes you miss you. I like old fashioned. It's simpler, sweeter... Just a nice clean romance where people still cared about reputation. Pattyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11592860811840631173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-44281699398889260832012-10-22T09:57:36.390-04:002012-10-22T09:57:36.390-04:00You know, Kristi, you may have a good point there....You know, Kristi, you may have a good point there. Maybe it IS my reaction I'm missing. I used to sneak my mom's "True Story" magazines, and I remember that from them.Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-84936299455243251612012-10-22T09:50:36.926-04:002012-10-22T09:50:36.926-04:00I'm older than y'all. I started reading ro...I'm older than y'all. I started reading romance in the late sixties. I've changed a lot since then, so has romance. For one, there is less scene description. Remember in those old gothic romances how rooms in large, extravagent houses were explained in detail down to the matieral and pattern of the drapes? We could pan around the room in our mind's eye. Now, most editors make us take excessive description out. It slows the pace of the story, they claim. The reader wants action, emotion and dialogue, according to them. So perhaps romance readers have changed, too. I'd like to see more "romancing and wooing" put into our stories. And strive to put it in my own writing. Editors don't always like it, though.Vonnie Davis ~ Romance Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07360480832587538895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-50034601945480466752012-10-22T08:34:48.396-04:002012-10-22T08:34:48.396-04:00Great post. (And I had that Second Chance at Love ...Great post. (And I had that Second Chance at Love by Lavyrle Spencer back in the day, BTW!) I started reading romances in the early 80s, and while some aspects of those days, I don't miss (heroines that HAD to be virgins, whether it made sense to the plot or not, for example), I do miss others. I was thinking recently that IMO too many romance authors are trying to write "erotica lite." What I mean by that is that they writer fewer and less descriptive sex scenes than an erotic book would, but they're still concentrating too much on only titillating the reader, not on moving their emotions and taking them to another place the way a good romance does. There is plenty of room for both erotica and romance, but I think it's a shame when romance is trying to be a pale imitation of erotica rather than focusing on what it does best. Just my opinion.Linda Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05113981098789732198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-89458429294135903812012-10-22T08:15:09.526-04:002012-10-22T08:15:09.526-04:00love this post, Liz! I do miss some of the early r...love this post, Liz! I do miss some of the early romances, or maybe it's that I miss how I reacted to them. I started reading romances in the late 80s , but most of my stash came from my grandma whose stash went back to the 70s and earlier. I would be taken away to another place and time and just be lost for a while.<br /><br />I still get that taken away feeling but it's a little different now and I can't put my finger on what, exactly, is the difference...but those older books still have a place in my heart.Kristina Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13674920511835640874noreply@blogger.com