In the first few weeks of 2007, I had an epiphany. To give credit where it is due, my husband started it, and it blossomed into a full-blown realization some weeks later.
We were surfing the web and my husband commented on the amount of romance novels present on the popular book-selling websites. I have never read such a novel (of the type we saw splattered everywhere on the screen) and we spent a good deal of time laughing at the similar covers: some lady in an amazingly revealing dress/shirt/robe/whathaveyou with the first button at her navel, aparently fainting away into the arms of said burly rouge/misunderstood hero with breeze-blown hair. After our amusement had worn off, my husband turned to me and said: "I bet you could write a good romance novel... you know, without all that fantasy crap in it."
That night I had an incredible urge to read Pride and Prejudice, one of my favorite books. About halfway through those hallowed pages, I realized what I was reading. Of course it is a romance novel, I knew that, however, Jane Austen showed the world that one can indeed write an excellent romance novel with class, taste and intelligence.
I have never read a romantic story better than her works; once, as a punishment, my teacher brought in a romance novel from the store and read the first chapter aloud. We were studying great literature of England at the time and it was truely an awful, yet humourous experience. I simply could not believe writing could be so shallow and hold nothing rooted in reality: female pirates running about with complete freedom, demanding modern-type respect and rights from almost animal-like barbarians (didn't happen), all the while their hair perfect and Chanel-scented. (I merely point out how it appeared to me). Then again, I was one of those girls whom in high school sat in the library ensconsed in C.S. Forester or E.R. Burroughs while my more modern classmates were grouped around the well-worn Sweet 'landmark' High paperback display.
Inspired by Jane Austen, and with the encouragement of my husband and content editor, I leapt into the fray; however I bore in mind that one golden rule of writing: write what you know.
No pirates, nor swordsmen cavorted over my pages; just a simple love story: a man and woman meeting as if designed to, going through life situations, some mild arguments and getting married. In the sentances I so slaved over were woven my own treasured memories, moments of laughter and banter of long loved conversations. I read the chapters aloud to my husband and he commented on what sounded good,or if it seemed too far-fetched. He even introduced a beloved person into my story and wrote along with me some of the time. Not only did the book soar past my expectactions but I had a great time writing it. It was not a solitary or lonely endeavor in the least.
We put part of the book online on a fiction 'forum' of sorts, just to get some unbiased opinions. I for one did not explect many people to like it. 374 positive, adoring reviews later I was thinking along different lines. They demanded to read the whole thing and also demanded a sequel. Dazed by the response we sent the book off to the US Copyright offcie and began to send out quieries to various literary agents and publishers, like most authors do; the responses were typically elitist and almost macabre in nature. One lady even went so far as to suggest putting some 'sex' into it. I responded: "as if there isn't a glut of that around". Really...
Undaunted, we made a website and put the book online with a few others, with the first three chapters free hooking ti up with PayPal (a wonderful invention) and waited to see what happened. Within the first week (on an unknown site), twelve people bought the book and sent back rave reviews. On the fifth days afer launch, Capital One sent the website a credit card; we laughed over it before ripping up the invite. Online books are a great business, being the overhead is so low.
My book and my husband's book are selling still; though it is a fledgling site, hundreds of people visit it every day. That's up from 55 on the first day. I did not pay for advertising, and several people whom bought my book the first week recommended it to their friends and family, etc...
So, chin up, all you writers of tasteful, elegant books. There is yet a market for your pieces and an appreciation hidden among the surfers of the net. I am completing my sequel and have many more such books in me to write. I shall write them with gladness, knowing there is a tasteful, classy and elegant audience waiting to read them.
Cheers,
Meredith Greene
Belator Books
