A good friend called me last week and asked if I could recommend a book. ”What are you reading right now?” she asked.
In fact, I was in the middle of a book at the time–one that I really liked.
But when I opened my mouth to tell her, the title stuck in my throat. Could I say it? Dare I admit the truth? Feelings of guilt and embarrassment rushed through me. I had the urge to lie.
Why? Because I was in the middle of a romance. This one, in particular, did not have a bare-chested man wearing a kilt on the cover, but don’t get me wrong–I love those, too. I was reading MATCH ME IF YOU CAN, by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Light, funny, romantic, a bit unrealistic and a stretch of the imagination. But she tells a great story, and occasionally I just want to get lost in the lives of two people who I know are going to find a happily-ever-after.
So why is that so hard to admit? I suppose the snob in me who graduated from an MFA program feels that I should be reading literary fiction, or one of the classics I keep meaning to get around to, or something Russian and thick that I’ll feel important carrying around. I’m embarrassed, as if my IQ immediately drops 20 points every time I pick up a romance. As if others will judge me as shallow and low-minded–and then I’ll have to judge myself that way, too.
I think that’s the bottom line: I’m worried about the judgement of others. And maybe I’m not the only one because I’ve heard romance referred to as a “guilty pleasure” many times.
Well, I’m done feeling guilty and reading things to please others. I’ve just “outed” myself. I like to read romances, people, and I’m not going to stop. And in return– I grant you freedom from judgement to read whatever you like to read.
The really cool thing is just simply to read. 
What about you? Any “guilty pleasures” you keep quiet?
I don’t have *that* particular guilty pleasure, BUT I have in the past been a very embarrassed long-time soap opera watcher….and mystery novels (sometimes quite light) are one of my favorite things to read…. and even though I usually don’t write romance, I did have a short-romance-fiction published in a national magazine… after that I decided to embrace writing regardless!
Julia, I’m a closet soap opera watcher too!! Well, I was. For years growing up I watched All My Children and I’m old enough to have been part of the “Luke and Laura” craze on General Hospital. So funny–forgot about that!
Thanks for the comment!
Romanice are my guilty pleasure, only I don’t feel so guilty about them these days. They provide me great enjoyment. I struggle through enough things in life, why should I struggle through books that don’t speak to me?
These days – I’m working on a new WiP that keeps trying to turn into a romance. I didn’t mean for it to be. Now I just have to get over the fact that I’m writing romances!
I hear ya, Gilly! And had to laugh about your book turning into a romance. Sometimes our characters can be so pushy.
Good luck with the WIP!!
My guilty pleasures are light historical mysteries. I can gobble them non-stop if given the chance–forget dinner or any other duty I might have. Let the family starve, I’m buried… I’m a total sucker for a good story in an intriguing setting, pretty much anywhere that isn’t here and now. At least I started reviewing them for my website, so I have a good excuse to read them. So now I can indulge my guilty pleasure guilt-free.