Heartbroken: Scribd Cuts Its Romance Inventory

bleeding ereaderLast week, authors of romance and erotica titles had more than just the Kindle Unlimited payout changes to worry about. Also, the eBook subscription service Scribd announced it would drop most of its romance titles as fast as a girl who’s offered a better prom date.

Apparently Scribd didn’t realize that romance fans read a lot of books. A lot of books. Any outfit that charges a membership fee – like a gym or, hey, a book subscription service – counts on a percentage of the members dropping out or otherwise not turning up to use the facilities. Those fees help to keep the lights on while not putting any strain on the resources. (So when you bought that two-year gym membership and then quit going after two weeks, you were actually helping other members! How altruistic of you!) Continue reading “Heartbroken: Scribd Cuts Its Romance Inventory”

Bestselling Author Donna Fasano Picks Her Top Ten Romance Books

Donna FasanoGuest Post
by Donna Fasano

I’ve been an avid romance reader for years, devouring love stories since my early teens. Listen up, guys! You’ll earn more points by giving your Valentine a romance novel than you will bringing her chocolates. But then, who knows what wonderful things might happen if she receives both?

Many people hear the term “romance novel” and immediately cringe. They believe all romance books are stored on the same shelf as those old-fashioned “bodice-rippers” famous in the 70s. This phrase describes the archetypical scene where a man is so taken with passion he literally rips open the bodice of a woman’s dress. But, come on, we’re all intelligent people. There’s nothing romantic about rape, and these books have since become identified as offensive. Romance novels of today feature strong heroines—independent women on a quest to find themselves. And the sub-genres abound! You’ll find everything from sweet and funny, to tissue-worthy dramatic, from contemporary to historical, from suspenseful to the sweeping family saga. Readers will find two commonalities: a story packed with emotion, and an ending that’s satisfying.

Why are romances so popular? Because these books allow us to revisit that frenetic feeling of falling in love for the first time. We buckle ourselves in for a roller-coaster adventure that fulfills our deep need for enchantment.

Here are 10 of my favorite emotionally-charged romance novels that never fail to charm my socks off. Continue reading “Bestselling Author Donna Fasano Picks Her Top Ten Romance Books”

Getting Romance Right by Victoria Howard

Author Victoria Howard

[This is an encore presentation of a post which originally ran 10-27-11. ]

The term ‘romance’ encompasses nearly every existing novel genre and writing romance has long been known as the best place for aspiring writers to enter the writing field. Today’s readers don’t just want boy meets girl romances. They want to read a novel where the author skillfully weaves the love story between the protagonists with conflicts, misunderstandings, and obstacles. A story which will keep them glued to the page, desperate to know how the heroine will solve her problem and finally have a meaningful relationship with the hero. Continue reading “Getting Romance Right by Victoria Howard”