erastes

Ranty McRant Rant.

Cross posted from the Romantic Times Forum.

I have to say that I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw Avon's historical romance submission guidelines . I really wish that I could write heterosexual romance, especially in light of RT's rules, and the fact it's a great market to be in - but when I see this sort of restrictive guideline, I realise WHY I can't.

A man and a woman meet--she's like no other woman's he's ever known. She tantalizes him in ways he never thought possible...and he'll stop at nothing to make her his--forever.

These are love stories set primarily in Great Britain and the United States before 1900

1. this really encourages formulaic fiction. It's roast beef today and roast beef tomorrow and roast beef for ever and ever and ever. The same old diet of plot and denouement that we know exactly what's going to happen before we even open the book.

2. Why only America and England? Again, it's repetitive and I find it astounding the Avon would stipulate this - particularly as they are big in other countries, like Australia for example. Is there no historical stories to be told about France? Spain? Mexico? Canada? A hundred other countries? I can't tell you how refreshing it is to find a love story set in Ancient Machu Picchu rather than yet another story of a crofter's daughter who catches the eye of the local ne'er do well laird...

3. Finally, and most importantly - the whole tone of that guideline is wrong. The woman beguiles and tantalises the man. He is inflamed - he will stop at nothing. He pursues... she flees... he courts.... she resists... he stalks.... she obtains a restraining order.... he breaks into her house....

He will stop at nothing to make her his forever.

Really? Nothing?

It's about time we had an end to this victim/aggressor kind of approach, and about time people stopped encouraging others to think that "stopping at nothing" when it comes to sexual advances is a good thing.

/here endeth the rant. Erastes has stomped out of the building.