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What do you do/say when someone disses on your reading tastes?
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I used to be ashamed of the book covers for romance novels but my kindle has solved that issue for me. I haven't received any negative reaction in real life but I have heard romance novels referred to as "trashy novels" online. I don't understand why books based on LOVE are considered trashy but books with crazy violent people (Hi, Stephen King!) are considered modern classics. I've been reading romance novels since I was a teen. To be honest, I'm surprised my parents let me do that, since they are pretty conservative. I'm glad they did though because that sparked my love for reading. My first romance novel was Tiger's Eye by Karen Robards and I was hooked!
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My fave genre is chick-lit, which is as 'dumb' as it gets in people's minds. But I don't hide - I totally embrace my inner fluffy airhead bunny and have no qualms to flaunt it. :)
I don't need people to 'approve' my reading to validate that I have a brain and know how to use it, lol. Phooey on them, I say - embrace your inner fluffy bunny and let her bounce, bounce, bounce! *grin*
I've been reading romances for what seems like forever and I have no intention of stopping. For all of those who are romance haters, that's their problem. As Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress stated above "they are a billion dollar industry." The publishers know this, whether the romance haters do or not. Their bottom line is what counts and I feel romances have contributed significantly to that and continue to do so. The book industry would be in dire straits if there weren't any romances. When I was younger, I'll admit, when there was such talk about "trashy romances" I would hide the book I was reading. Not because I was ashamed of what I was reading, but because I just didn't want to hear all of that useless drivel. Useless, because it never did stop me from reading them or buying them. Somewhere along the way, I eventually grew out of hiding them and I just didn't care who saw what I was reading. I think it had something to do with maturity. Now, I flash out my book with that gorgeous eye candy on the cover just like it's nothing. Secretly I'm smiling inside and daring anyone to commnet. I want them to ask me who that great looking guy is on the cover, so I can blab big time. That's so awful isn't it?! *laughing*
I read romances, because I don't want to read about the REAL world when I have some spare time. The newscasts provide enough of that. I want to read about love between two people and all the obstacles they go through to keep that love strong and everlasting or a new love that is just beginning to blossom and where it leads. For a short while I want to be immersed in the fantasy of the HEA and the beautiful novels of authors who love to write romance as much as I love to read it. May they ever reign. Long live romance novels! :)
I've been rather fortunate in that I haven't had many people comment on my romance reading. The few times (about 6 or 7 times) it has happened though I've mostly given an eye-roll as a response because I'm not big on confrontation. I tend to brush off a lot of rude things and don't dignify hatred of the books I read with a response.
Once though I got rather snippy at a woman who said something to me. She asked me 'how could I read that trashy smut?' and I looked her dead in the eye told her it's better than looking at her ugly face on this bus ride. I could tell she wanted to hit me on that one.
So thankfully I haven't had much negativity about what I read. But I've never understood why some people look down on the romance novel reader and industry.
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Gwen, I love romance for similar reasons. I like seeing people go through impossible obstacles to find their happy endings.
Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress wrote: "Desiree, I can't imagine how a stranger thinks she has the right to make a value judgment like that! Very rude!It was very rude and it shocked me for a second. And I couldn't keep my mouth shut with that one.
Now I've had a couple friends be geniunely curious as to why I read romance novels because of my preferences for darker themed things, and they know that I'm not a big fan of romantic movies, and their idea of a romance reader at that time was someone who was much more of a "girly-girl" then I am. So they asked what I found appealing in the genre but they definitely didn't ask the way that one woman did.
I've always been of the opinion that I don't care what people read, I'm just glad that they are reading. I think reading is very important and it shouldn't matter if you're reading The Iliad by Homer or if you're reading The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss.
message 60:
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Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal
(last edited May 29, 2012 09:12PM)
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Good question and something I've always struggled/felt really awkward about.I'm a naturally shy person in real life especially when it comes to what I read. And I'm shamefully one of those readers who hides/covers/not talk about what kind of books I read (when I'm not at home). I hate doing that cause I do feel that romance books are underrated and are awfully stereotyped. I just know that if I told someone off hand I will easily get flustered and brush it off like it's crap and I really DON'T want to do that. I just keep it to myself, display them on my lovely bookshelf in my room and read on my off time.
The only people who know of my romance junkie hobby are my parents and siblings. I just always have wanted to avoid the kind of scenario Lady Danielle described. No one else I know including friends read romance novels (that I know of) so it's not something I talk about. I have friends who are book worms like me but don't read romance books.
The plus side of it is that my obsession with reading has gotten both my sister and mom into reading as well. My mom especially loves the fact that I read and she encourages me to keep reading. I introduced my mom to Lisa Kleypas and she's completely IN LOVE with her work. She keeps re-reading her books non-stop. :P It really surprised me considering how traditional my mom is I was naturally nervous given the steamy uh...love scenes in some of them. lol So that was a pleasant surprise for me and dispelled some of my apprehensions with what 'others think'.
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On a more positive note, I just had a great "romance reading" experience. I teach English lit at a college and I was sitting in the teacher's room reading Lisa Kleypas's Secrets of a Summer Night on my Kindle, when one of the other lecturers comes in and asks what I'm reading. I tell her, expecting the whole "why are you reading trash"? (this is a college after all and one would expect a certain amount of snobbery), but she got all excited and exclaimed: I love her books - can we share?
It seems that word has spread and now there are 3 or 4 of us exchanging paperback and Kindle romances.
So, there is hope...
Lauren wrote: "On a more positive note, I just had a great "romance reading" experience. I teach English lit at a college and I was sitting in the teacher's room reading Lisa Kleypas's Secrets of a Summer Night ..."
What a smile-maker! It's always nice to find a fellow junkie, but especially in an unexpected place.
message 65:
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Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal
(last edited May 30, 2012 08:37PM)
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I teach English lit at a college and I was sitting in the teacher's room reading Lisa Kleypas's Secrets of a Summer Night ..."
That's awesome, Lauren! I did work at a clinic with a woman who read prodigiously and her mother even more so, and her mom would give me bags of books that she had read. She didn't want them anymore!
Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress wrote: "I agree. I meet too many people in real life who never open a book. That is very sad to me. As much as I love movies and television, it's like a second hand picture of the story, what someone els..."It breaks my heart when I see people who don't -- or worse, won't -- read. And they're proud of the fact! I can't fathom it at all.
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Exactly. It's the sort of thing that drives me nuts. I also deal with several people who only read the Bible, and think that anything else is evil. Literally. Not to diss anyone who is religious, but I think that's going a bit too far.
I totally agree Rebecca. I have never really understood that. I am all for people believing what they want to believe but...my goodness...to not read anything else. It's a bit strange. I had someone at work once tell me a was going to "hell" for what I was reading. I was shocked. No one has ever said something like that to me before. I just told her that was her opinion and that I liked my book. It is amazing what people think they have a right to say to others. What's funny is I was reading a Sookie Stackhouse Novel at the time. It wasn't even really anything contorversal.
Jessica that's awful. For someone to say that over what you are reading (doesn't matter the subject) is pretty extreme and ridiculous. You handled it really well. @Lauren that's a great story. I've always been tempted to bring my book at work to read during lunch time (I don't have kindle) just to see if I would get a similar reaction like yours out of others. lol
I get an evil grin and tell my co-workers "Paranormal Porn - what else would I be reading?" Then they try to read over my shoulder!
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Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress wrote: "I think anyone who judges someone else for reading books other than the Bible isn't reading the Bible that well!"AMEN. Excellent point, and one I've been telling my tv way too much this annoying political season. Way too many judge, yet forget the most basic of Sunday School lessons & the Bible, Tolerance.
Lauren wrote: "On a more positive note, I just had a great "romance reading" experience. I teach English lit at a college and I was sitting in the teacher's room reading Lisa Kleypas's Secrets of a Summer Night ..."
My Mom & I had basically the same thing happen with us. Two ladies at work (they don't read, other then magazines & texts) kept looking at us because we were laughing so much at what we were reading. We told them a little about the books we were reading (the Argeneau series by Sands) and they both borrowed them from us.
Missyb wrote: "AMEN. Excellent point, and one I've been telling my tv way too much this annoying political season. Way too many judge, yet forget the most basic of Sunday School lessons & the Bible, Tolerance"
Something this whole world needs a lesson on apparently. And it's not just in the Bible. Why it gets continuously disregarded for other 'beliefs' I will never understand.
Melody wrote: "Missyb wrote: "AMEN. Excellent point, and one I've been telling my tv way too much this annoying political season. Way too many judge, yet forget the most basic of Sunday School lessons & the Bib..."
very true
Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress wrote: "I think anyone who judges someone else for reading books other than the Bible isn't reading the Bible that well!"Absolutely right!
@Jessica - people have such nerve. How dare she say something that? It seems to me that the woman should be more concerned about herself and not you.
Well...I'm actually this really timid person who keeps to myself, so friends and people around me don't really know what i read. But when they learn that I'm a paranormal and historical romance junkie, they usually go, "ooooi didnt know you like reading that stuff". Then after that, I can't help but feel embarrassed! Recently, I dont care anymore. =)
Everyone has different tastes. If you love it, then read it, and never justify your choices.
Ashley wrote: "ooooi didn't know you like reading that stuff". Then after that, I can't help but feel embarrassed! Recently,I don't care anymore.=) Way to go Ashley! That's how to look at it. Enjoy your reading! :-)
But historical covers, oy. The anachronistic gowns, the bosoms, the awkward clutches - it's so awkward to try to read those on a commute and not be embarrassed. I am not ashamed of my reading choices, but I am also not ashamed to hide those horrible (and completely unrepresentative) covers in Kindle form.
But I do love the originals from the 70s and 80s, of course!