This week I came across two uplifting messages about Women Authors. Both originated from Australian friends, Melissa James and Elizabeth Lhuede (more about Elizabeth later)
Yay Romance!
The first is a Youtube video Melissa alerted me to. It has been around for a while, but I hadn’t seen it before. Created by Maya Rodale, it is titled Dangerous Books For Girls: The Bad Reputation of Romance Novels Explained.
Way to go, Maya! Dangerous Books For Girls: The Bad Reputation of Romance Novels Explained is also an ebook–and the topic of Maya’s Master’s Thesis. Maya started writing romance in her early twenties. She’s the author of “smart and sassy romance novels;” the latest, from Avon, is Seducing Mr. Knightly (Oct 2012). She’s also a co-founder of Lady Jane’s Salon in New York City and one of the nicest people you’d ever want to meet.
Yay Women Authors!
Elizabeth Lhuede and Melissa James have been a friends of mine for years. I’ve never met Elizabeth in person, but Melissa has visited me a few times and we’ve attended conferences together. We’re all part of an Australian/American email group called All of Us. How this came about is a story for another blog, but in one form or another this group has been together since about 1996.
Last year Elizabeth founded the Australian Women Writers Challenge and, via Twitter and Facebook, email and websites, contacted librarians, booksellers, publishers, book bloggers, English teachers and authors, inviting them to examine their reading habits and commit to reading and reviewing more books by Australian women throughout 2012. (Read Elizabeth’s Huffington Post article about the challenge here.
From that challenge Elizabeth created a blog where reviews of Australian Women Authors could be posted (Melissa’s debut, Her Galahad, a romance novel based on Aboriginal history, is mentioned on the blog). It has been so popular a new website was developed, a team of reviewers was formed, and the challenge will continue and grow during 2013.
Elizabeth was interviewed on an Australian radio station recently. Listen to the interview here.
I love positive news about the Romance genre and about women authors or about any success women have achieved. Have you come across any positive news lately?
Yay Winners!
And on this positive note, congratulations to the winners of my Born To Scandal contest ending Jan 15:
Adela from Romania
Lisa from Green Bay
Adela and Lisa won signed copies of Innocence and Impropriety and The Vanishing Viscountess.
Look for email messages from me, ladies
I have a new contest running. Enter here.
Great You Tube video, Diane, with some interesting facts put together in a very entertaining way.
I’m also looking forward to getting involved in the Australian Women Writers Challenge this year!
I bought Maya’s ebook, which goes into so much more detail. Nothing I like better than a scholarly article about Romance!
I am so impressed with what Elizabeth started. Glad you are a part of it!
(Everyone, Deb is in All of Us!!)
Great video and it’s sad to think some people still think that way. However, Romance novels have come a long way and I have to admit using one of your novels with a student. I tutor for a volunteer group helping adults who, in their younger years, missed out on an education. I remember this particular student – lovely lady, but hated reading. To help her improve poor reading skills I gave her one of your Romance novels. She couldn’t put it down. Now she is an avid reader and has even decided to go back to study. Yay, I say, for Romance novels.
Noeline, I am so touched by your story of the woman you tutored. That a book of mine — A ROMANCE novel — made her want to read….words can’t express.
(Everyone, Noeline is also in All of Us)
Hi, Diane, and thanks for the mention – but Elizabeth is the real subject here, and the magnificent work she’s done on showcasing Australian women authors. You go, Elizabeth!
But you got me started with the YouTube video!
You deserve some credit.