Write with love, write with joy, and write with pride.
Author, Victor J. Banis
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Dedicated to My Uncle Down Under
I consider myself quite fortunate in that I have a very supportive family. No matter what adventures I endeavor to take on, I know they have my back – they always have and they always will. My Mom has always been my very best friend, and not much of what happens in my life gets by her. She’s such a big supporter that more often than not, I end up conversing with people who start off by saying, “So, your Mom tells me you’re [fill in the blank].”
Lately, the standard conversation opener has been, “So your Mom tells me you’re writing a book...”. I chuckle under my breath every time, but I also feel a little shy about sharing the details. I like what I like and I’m proud of it, but I know that some of what I like isn't for everyone. When I tell them I’m writing romance the responses vary, though they are usually reserved. Then I add that I’m writing paranormal romance and a grin cracks. Then I add that I’m writing male/male paranormal romance and an eyebrow raises. I shrug and move on.
And what is it with people looking down their noses at you when you say you're writing romance anyway? Why should the genre dictate whether or not you're a good writer? But that's a topic for another time.
Yeah, so back to the topic at hand. It’s not for everyone, but it is for me and it makes me happy. So its all good.
Recently, I had a visit with my three uncles on my Mom’s side. One of them lives in Australia, so it’s only about once or twice a decade that I get to hang out with all three together. And they are a boatload of fun. You're guaranteed at least one stitch in your side from excessive giggles when in their company.
As we’re sitting around talking, one of them brings up that my Mom mentioned I’m writing a book. Here we go… But they aren’t giving me the reserved-raised-eyebrow-grin thing. They are genuinely interested and asking questions: What are you writing, what is the guy's name, what is the girl's name, how did they meet, is there a fight, do they end up together? And so on. I give them a brief of the hetero paranormal romance I’m almost finished because I’m not sure they’re ready for the M/M blurb just yet - they're still adjusting the vampire bit.
It’s like a mini-brainstorm session as they begin throwing ideas at me. Then my oldest uncle, the one from Australia, pipes up and says, quite seriously I might add, “You could have the boy leave the girl for another boy, and then that girl falls in love with another girl, and then everyone is happy.”
Passion tea lemonade tries for a rapid exit through my nose.
What? Did my seventy-year-old uncle just suggest I write a gay romance novel?
I didn’t tell them that I was, in fact, writing a gay romance novel, with more in the wings, but it warmed my heart to know I have such an open family behind me. I think I’ll dedicate my first published M/M novel to my Uncle Down Under.
Lately, the standard conversation opener has been, “So your Mom tells me you’re writing a book...”. I chuckle under my breath every time, but I also feel a little shy about sharing the details. I like what I like and I’m proud of it, but I know that some of what I like isn't for everyone. When I tell them I’m writing romance the responses vary, though they are usually reserved. Then I add that I’m writing paranormal romance and a grin cracks. Then I add that I’m writing male/male paranormal romance and an eyebrow raises. I shrug and move on.
And what is it with people looking down their noses at you when you say you're writing romance anyway? Why should the genre dictate whether or not you're a good writer? But that's a topic for another time.
Yeah, so back to the topic at hand. It’s not for everyone, but it is for me and it makes me happy. So its all good.
Recently, I had a visit with my three uncles on my Mom’s side. One of them lives in Australia, so it’s only about once or twice a decade that I get to hang out with all three together. And they are a boatload of fun. You're guaranteed at least one stitch in your side from excessive giggles when in their company.
As we’re sitting around talking, one of them brings up that my Mom mentioned I’m writing a book. Here we go… But they aren’t giving me the reserved-raised-eyebrow-grin thing. They are genuinely interested and asking questions: What are you writing, what is the guy's name, what is the girl's name, how did they meet, is there a fight, do they end up together? And so on. I give them a brief of the hetero paranormal romance I’m almost finished because I’m not sure they’re ready for the M/M blurb just yet - they're still adjusting the vampire bit.
It’s like a mini-brainstorm session as they begin throwing ideas at me. Then my oldest uncle, the one from Australia, pipes up and says, quite seriously I might add, “You could have the boy leave the girl for another boy, and then that girl falls in love with another girl, and then everyone is happy.”
Passion tea lemonade tries for a rapid exit through my nose.
What? Did my seventy-year-old uncle just suggest I write a gay romance novel?
I didn’t tell them that I was, in fact, writing a gay romance novel, with more in the wings, but it warmed my heart to know I have such an open family behind me. I think I’ll dedicate my first published M/M novel to my Uncle Down Under.
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