Monday, February 20, 2012

Romance Poll

It was unanimous the sex habits of Bonobos is the choice of my readers.

Just a little social commentary here, the Bonobos can have their lifestyle of heavy foreplay, integrating sex into their whole social structure, and a carefree lifestyle because they have found a place in the jungle that doesn't change much. However it comes at a cost that I didn't mention last week. They can't deal with fear.

In Berlin during WWII the allied forces were careful to avoid the Berlin Zoo. Even though the Zoo was never hit with bombs all the Bonobos died of fright. Other primates survived, traumatized but they survived.

If you look at humans we have the ability to swing back and forth. In any society during prosperous times sexual norms get looser, the expression of love and affection is more public and romance is in the air, or at least in literature. During hard times societies go the other way, stricter sexual norms, banning of public displays of affection, literature gets censored.

This swing does briefly help societies focus, but if it goes on too long it destroys the civilization. The Roman Empire was destroyed by the Christians. The Soviet Union was destroyed by the Communist Party cracking down on women not being properly submissive and banning for a brief time homosexuality. I could go on.

I guess I'm saying no extreme comes without cost.

On to my next poll:

I'm working on a writing project, shocker. It involves looking at the sub-genre of the (Blank) Romance.

I will go on way to much Wednesday about this sub-genre, but basically it uses the (Blank) genre to explore problems in relationships in broader way. It also does not need to have a Happy Ending like true Romance Novels. In my research I had my wife help me with that part and while nice I don't see why a genre needs that particular sex act to qualify.

THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE: This is Sci-Fi Romance. Henry is going through something (Time Travel) that both attracts and worries his wife Clare. She learns both to cope and to help him by being there for him and understanding, even though she can't change him. In relationships often the thing that most attracts us to someone is also the thing we hate the most later.

TWILIGHT: Paranormal Romance. Bella knows Edward loves her because he doesn't kill her. When he tries to leave she lets him know that she will try and kill herself to make him come back. A nice healthy relationship.

NATURAL BORN KILLERS: Action Romance. Mickey and Mallory share a common interest sadistically killing people. Others don't understand their hobby making them outcasts, they can only rely on each other to understand.

DANGEROUS LIASIONS: Historical Romance. The love of seduction vs actual love.

The best (blank) Romance:

THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE

TWILIGHT

NATURAL BORN KILLERS

DANGEROUS LIASIONS

As always vote on the upper left hand corner of the page.

By Darrell B. Nelson author of I KILLED THE MAN THAT WASN'T THERE

5 comments:

Stephanie Barr said...

These are the best you could come up with?

Oy!

I can think of far better examples in every category.

Sigh.

Stephanie Barr said...

I'm not trying to be mean.

The problem is romance is an easily dismissed and sneered at category, yet many of the best books EVER are loaded to the brim with real romance, driven by romance, made exciting and thrilling by romance.

The only thing on this list I would have even considered romance was Twilight. And, as romances go, it doesn't make my top 50, probably not my top 100.

Romance, real undying love for another, at it's best, breathes life into the cold futures of science fiction, brings humanity into the arcane in paranormal, adds personality and insight to the past, and adds urgency to thrillers by giving people a motivation beyond their own interests.

Several great writers known for their different genres were or are diehard romantics: Heinlein, Ludlum, Dickens, Michener, Tolkien, even James Cameron, the writer/director.

I know the poll, as usual, is a joke, but romance doesn't have to be. Or, if it is a joke, it can be a good one.

Darrell B. Nelson said...

On my writing blog, I talk about Romance writing. It is opposite of Action writing. Focus on the characters instead of the events.
Romance is like Ginger Rodgers dancing, she just did everything Fred Astaire did only backwards and in high heels.
Both were great dancers, but when they got together it was magic.
Good action writing is great, good romance writing is great, if you can combine the two. Magic.

Stephanie Barr said...

NOW you're talkin'

Fireplace Repair Santa Barbara said...

Appreciate your bblog post