Thursday, February 16

Men, romance authors and a mini rant

There's a column over on RTB today talking about who's more romantic men or women. In my marriage it's definitely my husband, which I hate to admit since I'm such a sucker for all things romantic and cry during Hallmark and AT&T commercials.

My husband is without a doubt a romantic, he writes beautiful love notes and always signs cards with beautiful thoughts, I on the other hand struggle to write "I'll love you forever and always" in new and refreshing ways. And yet, the same man who can express himself so wonderfully has no problem scratching and farting without uttering an "excuse me". Of course, that's only in my company, he'd never do this in front of his mom or sister, he says he's comfortable being a "man" around me. Gee thanks, I'd still like to see better manners.

I picked this quote out of Bam's blog review of Dark Lover: "This book is even blissfully free of supposed big-shit tough guys who sound as if they’re high school valley girls."

So, where am I going with all this?

I have one pet peeve with romances, it's not secret babies, or amnesia stories (though I'm not a huge fan of either of these plot devices)--I hate men who don't sound like men. I find this is a huge problem in contemporaries, but you see it in historicals too. I absolutely, positively hate seeing an author use a conversation between men to bring out how they're emotionally dealing with their relationships. Maybe my real world is different, but if my husband is out with the "guys" the last thing they're going to be talking about is their "feelings". Men DO NOT talk to each other the same way women do, why is this so difficult for some authors to deal with?

Okay, men can be and are romantic, but it seems to me that what they express to us is completely different from what they will express to other men. Am I the only one who notices this, or am I out in left field**?

Tara

**please note the baseball reference--pitchers and catchers report to spring training this week--GO YANKEES, Kristie and Wendy I thought you'd appreciate that--LOL

9 comments:

ReneeW said...

Funny you should mention this because I just ran across some dialogue in a book that made me cringe because no way in hell would a man say that stuff. We many wish they talk like that but they just don't. Some may argue that romance is fantasy so this is OK with them. But give me realistic 'manly' dialogue any day.

Your reaction to your hubby's scratching and other stuff cracked me up. I agree :) BTW, GO MARINIERS! Sorry, Tara, I couldn't resist.

Wendy said...

The Skankies now have Kyle Farnsworth - which means I might have to voluntarily sit through some of their games just for the train wreck potential. The Boyfriend however feels that Farnsworth will only implode should something happen to Mariano.

Is it wrong of me to wish something will happen to Mariano? I mean, besides the fact that he's really effing good and I wish him ill-will every season. This, however, is different.

Tara Marie said...

Renee--"cringe" says it all.

Wendy--"Skankies" such a bad word and shame on you wishing ill on poor Mariano--LOL.

Bob & Muffintop said...

GO SOX!

Er. About the dialogue thing- you're right. Men ought to sound like men & good dialogue is crucial.

Tara Marie said...

Go Sox? Sox?

Kristie (J) said...

I'm late - again
Having lived around 3 guys for 27 years now, they defintely talk different than us. That's why I really like some contemp authors. You can tell the woman who write them, know how guys talk - Susan Anderson & Linda Howard come to mind first.

This week for spring training eh? Where does the time go. It's gonna take me some time to adjust to the changes the Jays's made off season. No more O Dog

Sam said...

My hubby is far more romantic than I am - but I think I'm funnier than he is...
LOL

Bob & Muffintop said...

Yup- go Sox! I am a native born member of the Soxnation! ROTFL I like you anyway though. :0

Mary Stella said...

I concentrate on making my male characters talk and act like men. Even in POV thoughts, I make sure they use the right words to express themselves. I hate it when a guy talks out of character.

BTW -- GO PHILLIES! :-)