Clean Romances discussion

Hey there - I'm a recently published author with Bookstrand (and yes, I'm DEFINITELY a "clean" romance girl!!) and live in Durban, South Africa. My first books, Still Running, was released in December 2008 and The Look and A Thick Black Line are due early this year.

Thank you for the opportunity to join this group - clean is hard to come by these days!

Jude

Welcome to the group, Jude! Glad you're here:o)

Thanks for the welcome!
Jude

Hi everyone. I'm 17 and a junior in high school. I'm also LDS, so clean romances (and books in general) are a must for me! I'm looking forward to discussing and getting suggestions for clean romances. :D

Welcome, Jenna!

Hello Jude and Jenna. Welcome to the group!

Hey Jenna - it's wonderful to "bump into" clean aka "sweet" romance readers! I look forward to getting to know you!

Jude

Judah Raine
Still Running (released December 2008) and The Look and A Thick Black Line (coming soon)
http://www.judahraine.com
http://www.judahraine.com/romancewriteup

Hello, Jude and Jenna - welcome to Good Reads. I have a clean historical romance available as both an e-book and in print. "The Pirate And The Puritan" (by Mary Clayton)can be ordered from Amazon and www.bookdepository.co.uk (they post all over the world Free!) and the e-book, downloaded to your computer, (if you can handle reading off the screen) from the publisher, www.thewildrosepress.com
I think all romance books should be graded as to content on the cover!

Monya (aka Mary)
http://monyamaryclayton.blogspot.com/

Monya wrote: "I think all romance books should be graded as to content on the cover!"

Hey, that's a good idea. They do it with movies and video games, why don't they do it with books?? I have seen romance sites where the reviewers will add a sensuality rating but I don't agree with most of them. What they consider PG-13, I usually consider R. According to them, my books would probably be G, whereas I would rate them PG since I don't write young adult.

That's just my opinion, though. :o)

~Jaimey Grant

Monya, you should add your book to the group shelf. :o)

Jaimey wrote: "Monya, you should add your book to the group shelf. :o)"

Jaimey, thanks! I just did. Why didn't I do it before? Because I still stumble on the Internet, in spite of my I.T. son's coaching.

I have another sweet historical I've been trying to sell, but it's 160,000 words long and no one wants anything over 100,000 words. So I'm going through the agonising process of shortening it. (The Pirate And The Puritan is 130,000 words, but I think the publishers are all tightening their belts.)

I must admit, though, I should set the beginning later in the book, since it's so important to grab readers' attention with the first paragraph and add the backstory later. Work - groan! I did post the Introduction on my blog, which feeds into my product and People pages on Amazon, hoping to get reaction, but no one's told me yet whether it'd make them want to continue reading. And for some reason the print font is huge, yet in my post section it's not, and Amazon have fixed it. Have to wait for said I.T. son to tell me how to reduce it - it won't go smaller for me. Computers know they can bully me.

Thanks again for the sensible suggestion!
Monya
Blog is http://monyamaryclayton.blogspot.com/

This whole issue of "clean" (aka sweet, not to be confused with inspirational per se) is becoming my pet project. That's what I write. That's what I want to write. But the current trend seems to be an overwhelming demand for erotic and menage - publishers seem to take on clean authors with reluctance, and statistically we don't get the same exposure as the "hot stuff" out there. Maybe not consciously, but on a practical level as there is so much of the other that clean seems to get swamped and missed. I'm currently working on a project (fondly dubbed "The Sweet Romance Revival" to try to be proactive on behalf of all of us cleanies. It's still in the infant stages, and right now edit deadlines are leering nastily, but within a week I should be able to give it more practical attention. If you're interested let me know and I'll make a point of getting you the information - that goes for everyone, readers and writers alike.
Jude

Jude - please let me know, for one. I'm tired of seeing publishers of historicals demanding erotic. In fact most readers believe all historicals are.
Very good luck (I know, it isn't luck, it's work!) for The Sweet Romance Revival.
Monya

For sure, Monya, I'll let you know. I'm starting to feel like it's partly "our" fault - we just sit back and suck it up, so tacitly consent to being the "poor relation" of romance (like the withering spinster, condemned to the back shelves to gather dust and be hard to find, or a governess - tolerated because she's there, but definitely not an equal). Gosh I sound a tad cynical - I'm not though, just realistic, but I also see that, unless we find our voice, and find ways of getting it heard, we're going to be sidelined more and more. I for one have no intention of becoming extinct...

Hello:

I wanted to introduce myself to this group, as both a reader and writer of clean romances. My second novel, Mr. Malcolm's List was released this month and is a historical romantic comedy set in England in 1818.

I usually buy my romances from used bookstores these days, because the mainstream publishers are not publishing the "traditional" regencies any longer. They say there's not a market for them, but it seems like the used booksellers are doing a brisk business. :)

Welcome to the group, Suzanne! Be sure to add your book to the group shelf if you haven't already.

:o)

~Jaimey

I'm a writer of clean romance too. I can't tell you how refreshing it is to see this group and others like me. Here's my problem, how do authors who like to write “innocently seductive” romance get published in this market?

Cheri wrote: "I'm a writer of clean romance too. I can't tell you how refreshing it is to see this group and others like me. Here's my problem, how do authors who like to write “innocently seductive” romance get..."

There are a few small presses who will publish them. Otherwise, there's always self-publishing. :o)

Jaimey wrote: "Cheri wrote: "I'm a writer of clean romance too. I can't tell you how refreshing it is to see this group and others like me. Here's my problem, how do authors who like to write “innocently seductiv..."

Thanks Jaimey

Jaimey wrote: "Cheri wrote: "I'm a writer of clean romance too. I can't tell you how refreshing it is to see this group and others like me. Here's my problem, how do authors who like to write “innocently seductiv..."

Hi Cheri,
I self-published my first "clean" historical romance, Loyalty's Web. It subsequently found its way into the hands of an editor at a small regional publisher called Leatherwood Press, who reprinted it, and they have just brought out my second clean romance (another medieval), Illuminations of the Heart under their Walnut Springs imprint. I hope they both sell well enough for this publisher to keep publishing me, but if they don't, I'd go back to self-publishing before I'd compromise or quit.

Judah wrote: "This whole issue of "clean" (aka sweet, not to be confused with inspirational per se) is becoming my pet project. That's what I write. That's what I want to write. But the current trend seems to be..."

Hi Judah! Is your "Sweet Romance Revival Group" going to be separate from your "Classic Romance Revival Group"? Because I just feel overwhelmed, trying to keep up with all my writing groups, and a "sweet" group is really what I'd love to focus on.

Thank you, Joyce! I REALLY needed that info. I'll be sure to check it out.

I had wanted to go through the "standard" channels, however in this market, self-publishing may be the best option.

I'm so glad to hear someone was able to self-publish and then catch another publisher later. That is awesome! And I checked out your book, looks like you have some good reviews on Amazon. That's also awesome. : ) I'm so happy for you!

Can you give me the name of the company you self-published through? And I see that Leatherwood Press is close to where I live. Do they take submissions?

Cheri wrote: "Thank you, Joyce! I REALLY needed that info. I'll be sure to check it out.

I had wanted to go through the "standard" channels, however in this market, self-publishing may be the best option.

..."

Hi Cheri,

I self-published through iUniverse, but there are lots of other options out there. Jaimey Grant has had a lot more self-publishing experience than I have, and could give you lots more advice on that. (Jaimey, want to chime in here?)

Cheri, email me again at jdipastena@yahoo.com and I'll tell you more about Leatherwood. :-)

Hi Jenna
At the risk of sounding self-serving, my debut novel, The Stranger She Married is a squeakly clean historical romance - nothing worse than a couple of kissing scenes. You can find it on www.thewildrosepress.com or Amazon. And Joyce's book, Loyalty's Web is great and very clean. Also, most books by Lynn Kurland are clean, but you will encounter some language with all but her fantasy.
Have you read Georgette Heyer? She was the queen of Regency Romance and hers all all clean, too. She was amazing.

Hello beautiful people,

I'm Jill, a mother of 3 small kids and I'd love to get more ideas about books that are clean; someday my oldest daughter (who will be turning 6 shortly) is going to be reading more than just Dr Seuss and I'm compiling a list that I will OK for her to read. I am LDS but I don't necessarily just want to read religious books, I enjoy Young Adult and Fantasy so I'd like to get familiar with clean authors in that genre.
This group is an awesome idea and I'm so happy to be able to join!!

Jill wrote: "Hello beautiful people,

I'm Jill, a mother of 3 small kids and I'd love to get more ideas about books that are clean; someday my oldest daughter (who will be turning 6 shortly) is going to be reading..."

Jill, by the time your daughter is a teen we hope to have turned the trend from erotic back to sweet. Judah has started a group called Classic Romance Revival, no website yet but there is a blog (Judah's a terribly busy lady lately) and a Yahoo e-group. There are other 'clean lists' I believe, it's just a matter of finding them. Even on the Amazon discussions there are readers asking for sweet reads. In the meantime, if she turns 14 before all this happens, start her on Georgette Heyer by all means. No-one is better on sweet historicals.

Anyway, (whisper), she mightn't be interested in romance novels later on. Maybe she'll like adventure and mysteries.

Happy reading. AND child raising. I've done all that, thank heavens.

Monya

Hi I'm Sherri and I'm new as well. I love all types of romance but sometimes you just want to read a romance for the ROMANCE. Lynn Kurland is one of my favorites, as well as Dee Henderson and Tamera Alexander. I'm a 911 operator by trade, so I get enough drama at work without reading about it too.

Welcome Jill and Sherri! We're so glad you've joined our group! If you have any favorite "sweet" romances that aren't already on our bookshelf, please feel free to add them. We'd really like this to be a place where people can turn to, to find clean/sweet romances for themselves, their daughters, for everyone who just wants, as Sherri said, to read a romance for the ROMANCE.

Oh I added some great books I found on the bookshelf. But how do I add books I've read to it?

ETA - ok I figured it out. I added some good ones I've read.

Jill wrote: "Hello beautiful people,

I'm Jill, a mother of 3 small kids and I'd love to get more ideas about books that are clean; someday my oldest daughter (who will be turning 6 shortly) is going to be re..."

Hi Jill,
I just joined this group a few days ago. I'm also LDS and I'll bet you (and everyone) would enjoy Marcia McClure's books. I have read all of them. Start with Dusty Britches or the Highwayman of Tanglewood. They are adventurous, clean, and have wonderful kissing scenes. Go to marcialynnmcclure.com and check her out. Also, has anyone read Before the Season Ends by Linore Burkart? She's also a Regency romance clean writer. I really liked it.
Sandie

Thanks for all the suggesions, I'm putting these on my to-read list.

Sherri wrote: "Oh I added some great books I found on the bookshelf. But how do I add books I've read to it?

ETA - ok I figured it out. I added some good ones I've read. "

Thanks for the adds, Sherri. I love the way our book shelf of "clean romances" is growing!

Hi everyone! I'm new too!

I'm 22 and LOVE clean romances. I live for them! I'm so glad there's a group on here that searches for them and shares their good finds! I'm excited to get reading AND share my favorites with all of you. :)

-Jana

Hi, Jana! Welcome to the group. :o)

Welcome, Jana!

Welcome, Jana - glad there's a 22-year old out there who loves clean! Have a look at the Amazon reviews for my The Pirate And The Puritan (wr/as Mary Clayton). That's if you like historicals, of course.

Hope you find many more. They're out there, it's simply difficult to find them. Have you looked at The Wild Rose Press publishers website? They grade all their books, from Sweet onwards, and have separate sites for Inspirational and Erotica.

Happy reading.

Monya (aka Mary)


Jana wrote: "Hi everyone! I'm new too!

I'm 22 and LOVE clean romances. I live for them! I'm so glad there's a group on here that searches for them and shares their good finds! I'm excited to get reading AND sh..."

Welcome, Jana! So glad you've joined our group!

Hi Everyone!

I just found this group today and am excited to see all of the people and books out there for clean, secular romance stories! I am 52 and just don't enjoy reading sex scenes; nor can I tolerate a lot of violence or meanness. I am happy to find a group where I can share book reccomendations with my teen daughter, too.

Welcome Jeannette! We're excited to have you join our group!

Welcome to the group, Jeannette!
And welcome to anyone else I've missed:-)

Hi Jeanette, welcome to the group. I write futuristic and fantasy for The Wild Rose Press. It's great to know there are so many people who like their stories sweet and romantic.Hywela Lyn

Welcome, Jeannette!

Hi Jeanette, and sorry if I missed you earlier. Welcome to "clean romance". We're one of a kind! :)

Thank you, Miss. I'm looking forward to browsing and adding to the group's bookshelf. Welcome to anyone new that I overlooked!