Yes, I Read That
We all have books we’re embarrassed to say we love. At one point in our lives they probably weren’t embarrassing; they were likely perfectly acceptable. Take mine—I’m 37 and I still love the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. There’s something about the Twilight Saga that just pulls readers in. Meyer does an amazing job of bringing you into Bella’s world and keeps you turning the pages so you can find out how her relationship with Edward changes next. The only book in the series I wasn’t crazy about was New Moon, which I think is because there wasn’t much interaction between Bella and Edward—I’m Team Edward all the way. I kept waiting for him to figure out what a dumbass he was and come back.
And don’t get me wrong, I like Jacob too, but not for Bella. If we’re picking book-boyfriends, I’d probably pick Jacob over Edward. I mean, could they have picked someone better than Robert Pattinson to play him? Totally ruined the visual for me of what Edward looked like. I don’t even know who I would have picked to play him, but that man was not it. I could have done without Kristen Stewart as Bella too, but oh well. Taylor Lautner, though—YES.
I am also not ashamed to say I read romance in addition to writing it. There’s such a stigma around romance novels. Yes, some of them are pure smut, but others are well-crafted suspense novels that happen to revolve around a romance. Even some of the smut ones can have an interesting plot. I’ve had people look at the book I’m reading and instantly, I can see their opinion of my intelligence drop. Just because I’m not reading some high-brow, New York Times best-seller that Oprah recommended does not mean I’m some brainless twit who doesn’t know her right from her left. I am a damn smart woman and what I read to entertain my brain should not change anyone’s perception of my intelligence. Books are meant to be fun. Some are meant to inform. Some do both. I read all kinds of books. I’d take a picture of my bookshelves, but they’re a mess and no one wants to see that. I have romance novels, but I also have some of those NYT/Oprah books. I also have a plethora of non-fiction about historical events and their impact on the world. Like many things in this world, I think people need to check themselves and butt out. Is it any of your business what I fill my spare time with? No. Is it harming you? No. Problem solved. *sigh* If only it were that easy.
For many people, though, reading is an escape. I know it is for me. I write and read to help my mind reset when I’ve had a crazy day/week. When my son went through cancer treatments, reading helped me to not think about what was going on and how sick he was. I can’t count how many books I read during that time. If I wasn’t cleaning, cooking, or doing something to care for my kids, I had my nose buried in a book. It helped me deal.
So, the next time you’re out, proudly show off those embarrassing books—no matter what genre they are—and tell anyone who looks at you funny to stuff it.