Smart girls don’t like romance books. It’s totally true. I read it on the internet. Also, girls who wear glasses are not hot; airbrushing models in magazine ads is a total fallacy; and every man should shave their chest hair.
Ha. Could you imagine what a sad world we would live in if all that were true? Epic fail to use the parlance of our times (yep, watched The Dude last night). So imagine my delight in having Sarah Wendell joining us in the Waterworld Mermaid lagoon today. Sarah is not only one of the founders of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, but she has written two books about romance novels and their importance. You guessed it, I have a total girl crush on her and after reading this you will too.
Take it away, Sarah!
Set the scene for us, where are you and what are your three favorite objects within arms reach?
I’m in my office. The heat just came on and the thermonuclear radiator under my desk is so awesome I might have to go put on a bathing suit. My three favorite things within arm’s reach: Zeb, small 3 year old Cavalier mix; Buzz, medium sized Spaniel mix, and my cell phone, which is telling me it is snack time. YAY!
What was your celebratory treat for finishing “Everything I Know About Love I Learned From Romance Novels”?
A bottle of wine. I think it was red. I drank it. Oh, and some chocolate and a lot of sleep.
For the sake of this question, your best friend is single, what romance hero would you set her up with?
Ooh, tough question! I’d have to think about it, as there are so many very different heroes. It isn’t as if there’s one perfect dude for everyone and all the romance writers create books about him. Each hero is perfect for the heroine he’s matched with in each novel… so there’s no one perfect hero, alas.
What is the proper punishment for those who still don’t embrace the awesomeness of romance books?
I make you read one. A good one. One that’ll blow your mind.
What kind of support do you have as book blogger to help you with your website, e-mails, promotion?
Website, e-mail, promotion, content: that’s all me. I have an intern who just started but we’re still working out her responsibilities. Above all, the hubby, who helps me run the book club chats once a month and listens to me ramble about crazy ideas I’ve had.
With the increase in e-books, digital publishing, self publishing and all the changes in New York, where do you see the industry going and what are you doing to prepare?
I see the book buying public buying books as much as they ever did, and that’s about as far into prognostication as I can go. That said, these types of technological and commercial shifts have happened before, and they’ll happen again. Prices will change, literacy will change, book reading will change, but reading and literacy will remain and possibly increase. That’s a good thing.
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Amen to that! To celebrate Sarah getting in touch with her inner-Mermaid, we’re giving away a Kindle copy of “Everything I Know About Love I Learned from Romance Novels” to one lucky commenter. All you have to do is tell us what romance novels have taught you about love by 11:59 p.m. EST Nov. 22. The Waterworld Mermaids’ lucky seahorse, Mr. Smarmy Pants, will pick the winner at random.
If you, like me, dig the smart ones, come on over to the Avery Flynn blog where Sarah chats some more. I’m giving away a Kindle copy of Sarah’s first book, “Beyond Heaving Bosoms,” over there.