Joely Sue Burkhart

Today, I’m guest blogging over at Southern Fried Chicas with a “Behind the Book” tale for The Rose of Shanhasson.  Commenters will be entered to win a free electronic copy of Rose!

Balancing sweeping, epic fantasy and romance is not easy, as this discussion at Dear Author demonstrates.

Speaking as a reader first, I’m usually disappointed when I read so called “fantasy romance.” The fantasy elements are trite while the romance ticks me off. I don’t need a big bad warrior riding up on his horse to save the perfect, sweet, delicate maiden from the Evil One. I want the heroine to have flaws and doubts; I want her to be sorely tempted to walk on the Dark Side; and I want her to save HERSELF. If she can save the hero at the same time and have some awesome, hot sex, why all the better.

I couldn’t find this kind of book on a romance shelf.

When I read “romantic fantasy,” I’m as equally dissatisfied. The fantasy might be wonderful, but then the romance is an afterthought. If I’m lucky, the hero and heroine might have one angst-filled scene together prior to the big climatic dark moment of the fantasy thread. They know they’re going to die, so they must love each other one last time….

*yawns*

However, there are risks that a fantasy author can get away with that a romance author can’t. For instance, look at Rand al’Thor’s three “wives” in Robert Jordan’s (The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. You are Legend, Mr. Jordan; rest in peace) Wheel of Time series. That certainly wouldn’t fly in romance. Yet the romance reader in me is not happy that I had to read TEN hefty fantasy tomes before the relationship angle paid off.

In the same vein, I’ve enjoyed Patricia Briggs’ Mercy series, but I was seriously getting impatient with the whole love triangle. Ever since King Arthur, Guinevere and Sir Lancelot, I must admit that love triangles never happen the way I hope. Mercy couldn’t make up her mind until the third book, and again, I personally was disappointed but thought the author handled it rather well, considering. Again, the romance reader in me wants the relationship (and yeah, the sex) to happen earlier and on page, not ending the third book with a tossed shirt! 

Sadly, though, once a “fantasy” author culminates a relationship in the series, it seems to signal the end. It’s like Moonlighting. Once they get together, what else can happen?

Well, I’ll tell you, a LOT can happen. But we rarely see a “romance” story crossing over the length of an entire series arc. Lynn Viehl’s Darkyn series is one of the few I can think of off the top of my head where the hero and heroine of If Angels Burn continue to develop their relationship through the other books. I really, really like that.

So I can see why The Witch told me to get off the fence all those years ago. As a writer, I can’t have my fantasy and write my romance too. It’s too hard to decide which shelf to put it on. If I make the fantasy readers happy with meaty mythology and worldbuilding, I’ll bore the romance reader who wants the emotional development. If I concentrate on the romance, I’ll end up with “fantasy lite.”

I understand the argument. Truly. But I still disagree.

It’s a rahke’s edge to walk, but I write to please myself. I write the kind of book I wish I could find: epic fantasy AND steamy romance with real stakes and darkness. It’s not all sunshine and bunnies, but in the end, light shines through the shadow. In the Blood and Shadows books, I’ve tried to build a rich, detailed world AND a satisfying, emotional, hot romance at the same time. An epic fantasy series gives me room to take the relationship from “Happy For Now” to married with children, through grief and sorrow and loss, but in the end… Love is the greatest gift of all. Love always finds a way. And there is the “Happily Ever After.”  It’s bigger than a ring on the finger, the end, you know? 

This is my theme and always will be. I don’t care which shelf my books end up on, as long as they’re on YOUR keeper shelf.

So tell me, whether as readers or writers, who takes risks?  Who have you read who successfully blends meaty fantasy (urban or other) with meaty romance at the same time?  Because I’d really like to read more.

Larissa tagged me:

The rules are:

1. Link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six unimportant things about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your blog entry.
5. Let the tagged people know by leaving a comment on their blogs.

Six random things: 

1. I read Gone with the Wind three times in high school.

2. I’ve been coloring my hair for so long I can’t remember what my real color looked like.  (I’ve had gray in my hair since I was a sophomore in high school.)

3. My parents named me after a famous actor/actress’s daughter – either Joely Fisher or Joely Richardson – but they can’t remember which one and used to argue about it.  (They’ve been divorced for many years now, but not because of the name argument.)

4. I have a Masters in mathematics but I can’t do arthimetic in my head.  (Although at Princess Monster’s parent-teacher conference last night, they made me take a Rocket Math test in 1 minute and I got them all right.  )

5. My personality is an analytic amiable, which I lovingly call an over-thinking doormat.

6. If I make a promise, I just about kill myself to keep it.  Which is why I’m under such stress at the Evil Day Job lately.  (And I didn’t make yesterday’s deadline.  Boo. )

I won’t tag anybody, but let us know if you participate!

Drollerie Press’s e-zine, Scattered Things, is now live!  Check out the flash fiction, fiction, poetry, e-book reviews and more.  Submission guidelines are here if you’re interested in contributing to a future issue.

This is a test to see if the ljxp plug in is working.  I typically have a horrible time with seemingly easy plugins….

Maybe our poetry worked–PBW is back!  I might still do a TT for her.  If I remember it’s Thursday….

I’m so glad she’s back!

In honor of Evermore, a plea for Paperback Writer to return to the blogosphere:

How are we to blog, Paperback Writer,
Ever silent, forever mute?
Internet between us, all the brighter,
Illuminated and shared, your insight astute.
I still read you,
However long you’re gone.
I’ll never leave you,
Your voice too strong.
Thus I check your blog daily as before,
Re-reading your archives, with you,
Evermore.

Ann gave me one a long time ago, and to my great shame, I forgot to give out the awards!  Now May has given me one because “Dragons Rock It Harder.”  *grins*  So I nominate the following:

(I’m assuming Ann and May are exempt for this round, otherwise I’d nail… er… nominate them again.)

Anna Black, because surely Cowboys Rock.

Molly, because she’s my beloved Sis and she’s got some rockin’ movie reviews

Rhian, because she said that my “Dragons Do It Hotter!”

Jess, because she’s bodyslamming Sven to the ground!

Maude, because she’s also Rockin’ Sven every single day

Rock on, Ladies!

Thirteen of my Regular TT Visits! Here are thirteen of the Thursday Thirteen participants that I always stop by to visit.  So many of these bloggers I never knew before TT–and now we visit regularly throughout the week!  The magic of TT at work.    And of course, each week I find new people to visit. P.S.  Don’t forget to enter my contest to win a copy of Lynn Viehl’s Night Lost.   1. Rene, actually I knew Rene before TT.  She might actually be the one who inspired me to give it a try!   2.  Susan of West of Mars.  3. Nancy, another friend I knew before TT.  Her pictures and poetry always inspire me. 4. Christine d’Abo 5. Amy Ruttan 6. Thomma Lyn 7. Wylie Kinson 8. Milady Insanity, one of the Severed Hand Sisters. 9. MG Braden, another Severed Hand gal. 10. Angela James, the Evil Genius editor 11. Rene Lyons 12. Midnight Moon Cafe 13. Rhian 14. Ann, okay, I cheated a little.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Thirteen of my Favorite Bloggers Rene awarded me a Thinking Blogger award! So let’s share the wealth–here are thirteen blogs that I enjoy for various reasons. Note:  I’m deliberately NOT including my normal Thursday Thirteen pals–I’ll dedicate a whole post to you next week!  Maybe this will introduce you to some new friends.   1.  I’ll start with Rene, who tagged me.  Her most impactful recent line:  “it’s easy to feel like your writing life has ended when a book is rejected.  But having a new project is the best cure.” 2. My Beloved Sis, especially her movie reviews. 3. My very good friend, Anna Black, who always manages to draw insightful conclusions from movies and books. 4. Bailey’s Long and Writing Road, for her heartwrenchingly painful and honest entries about her mother’s battle with Alzheimers, combined with her wonderful reviews and worship of The Shalvis. 5.Barbara Samuel’s A Writer Afoot is like stepping into a lovely painting.  I can’t wait to read one of her books. 6. Holly Lisle, for peeks into the day to day grind of writing.  Writers, if you haven’t yet, check out the wealth of free articles on her website, or the clinics in her shop.  I can personally recommend the Plot Clinic, which I just finished last night. 7. Another of my favorite authors, Patti O’Shea, who battles the Evil Day Job and writes for two publishing houses at the same time. 8.Lynn Viehl, a.k.a. S. L. Viehl, Paperback Writer, for her hilarious Marcia and John posts, her e-book challenge, her generous contests, and her helpful Q/A Fridays.  P.S.  I finished Night Lost tonight and LOVED IT.  I love Gabriel, my favorite Darkyn yet!! 9.Tamara Siler Jones, for her gorgeous quilt pictures, and for surviving all life has thrown at her in the past year, including three new children, a broken wrist, and surgery, while writing the next Dubric book.  I especially love the Richard Steinberg quote in her sidebar. 10. Tess Gerritsen, many-time bestselling author, who reminds me that all the same doubts and fears will be there even if the dream does happen. 11. Jen Holling, another working author with a family who still manages to keep it all together. 12. Laurell K. Hamilton, for scaring me when she starts talking about “we” and she means herself and her characters, and I’m not really sure if she remembers they aren’t real people.  Which leads me to, 13. Janie, for giving me the idea that Edward should just hurry up and shoot Anita Blake already.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants