Essays & Musings
What We’ve Been Thinking About
Thoughts on books, reading, culture, and the literary life.
the ask@AAR: What are your favorite romances featuring scientists?
March 13, 2020Today, when a friend on Facebook pointed out that you can’t have a pandemic without panic, I was practicing deep breathing. (I’d just read the New York Times.) I had,…
Read Article
The Wayback on Wednesday: At the Back Fence Issue #321
March 11, 2020published on October 21, 2008 North and South When it comes to romances on television or in the movies, I prefer mine set in the past. I believe that Darcy…
Read Article
Best rom com movie?
March 9, 2020We had a tough weekend here in our house–a family member with a crisis–and last night my husband said, “Let’s watch a light rom com.” So I looked up best…
Read Article
the ask@AAR: What’s your go to comfort read?
March 6, 2020Between the coronavirus, the election, the stock market, and putting our house on the market (last kids moved out and we are downsizing big time), I am frazzled. I take…
Read Article
The Wayback on Wednesday: A Winning Review Parody
March 4, 2020Reviews Parody Contest 1999 (from December, 1999) Merry Christmas, everyone, and a joyous holiday season to all! Today we announce the winner in our first ever Reviews Parody Contest! First…
Read Article
Donate to Romance for Literacy!
March 3, 2020The romance community is running a great fundraiser to support literacy. AAR has a team and we’d love it if you’d donate to make the world a better place!
Read Article
the ask@AAR: What kinds of stories would you like to see more of in romance?
February 28, 2020We’ve talked here before about no-go stories in romance–narratives that readers just aren’t having. Many readers can’t abhor infidelity, others can’t stand violent heroes/heroines, etc… Today I’m curious what stories…
Read Article
Dear reader… I’m worried.
February 23, 2020What is AAR? It’s not a business–we don’t make any money and no one gets paid. It truly is a labor of love for all of us. (I do give…
Read Article
the ask@AAR: What’s your favorite romance novella?
February 21, 2020Today, it’s all about the novella. According to Wikipedia, A novella is a work of narrative prose fiction, longer than a short story but shorter than a novel. Publishers and literary award societies typically…
Read Article
Marsha Canham on writing what needed to be written
February 17, 2020I have written three trilogies, and each time I wrote the third book in the set, I thought: okay, tie up all the loose ends, make sure everything you need…
Read Article
the ask@AAR: What’s the most wildly romantic scene you’ve ever read?
February 14, 2020On some rare occasions, if you’re favored, you read a passage or a scene in a novel so grandly romantic, you’re gobsmacked. You swoon, your heart feels tender and ardent….
Read Article
The ask@AAR: One Romance to Rule Them All?
February 7, 2020Later this month, a friend of mine’s book club which typically only reads very serious books for adults is going to read a romance. They read about the RWA fiasco…
Read ArticleLatest from Substack
Sometimes a name is just a name
on offense, accommodation, and the value of getting the facts right
Read on Substack
A Novel Is Not a Safe Space
Books are allowed to offend you. You are allowed to close them. Everybody survives.
Read on Substack
Prestige TV rediscovers the joy of family and friends
sappy for the win–really
Read on Substack