I know that many of us, myself in particular included, tend to take the mickey out of m/f romance… well, let’s be honest, out of the romance genre as a whole… but I do find myself yearning for a sweet simple love story on occasion. Yeah, me. 🙂
I re-read the above over the the weekend. God, but it made me nostalgic for those good old days of devouring Loveswept and Harlequin books and sighing over uncomplicated tales of rainbows, sunbeams, un-pc and not terribly realistic HEAs.
What about all of you? Do you miss those halcion halcyon days? Or do you think I should just take another pill?
Kris + Books = Good. *Sometimes*. 
I'm still in those days. Ok, maybe not so much but I still love my sunbeams and rainbows. *snort*
I have several of those sweet reads kicking around, earning me zilch. I do love 'em, though. In fact I'm trying to get my rights back on one of them so I can offer it as a free read. But wouldn't you know it? The publisher isn't responding to my emails.
I hear Prozac does wonders. 😉
I was never into Harlequins although my aunt still goes through them like mad and I had access to them I was more drawn to my neighbour's bodice rippers. Kinky even back in the day. So I don't think I've ever actually bought or read too many of those books, then I got into mysteries for years and years. So no, I have to say I don't miss it but a good pirate raping the heroine then she falls in love with him…. Ummm. Hell, when you put it that way maybe I don't miss much about the good old days. LOL
I still have a Kay Hooper Loveswept! I love, loved that line! The cover is the woman in a emerald nightie being groped by the guy in his tux.
I also my Lighting That Lingers by the Curtis' that was a Loveswept.
Tracy: Sappy trash readers that we are, I think we all still are in those days to varying extents. LOL.
KZ: Damn publishers! I was gonna say that you must be talking about EC, but… did EC do sweet reads amidst all the throbbing c$%#@?? *Mwahahaha!*
Tam: *coughbiatchcough*
You were into bodice rippers, Tam??
Bwahahahahahaha!!!! Blackmail material! I love it.
KBC: I too loved Loveswept. When I discovered the Loveswept line in the 1990s, I never looked back. It still has to be the best quality of all of those then and since. I mean just look at the authors who began there like Kay Hooper, Tami Hoag, Nora Roberts, Jayne Ann Krentz, etc, etc. It's amazing.
I can't say that I miss those halcyon days… mostly cause I never really had them.
But other than that, and at the risk of sounding UScentric, what does “take the mickey” mean?
Hey Wren. How'd you get into reading and writing romance now then? If you don't mind me being nosy.
'Taking the mickey' is an English expression meaning 'taking the piss', making fun of something.
If I'm in the mood for that I would rather just turn to the Penguin Classics.
I'm afraid I totally missed all the Loveswept and Harlequin (I was probably reading Tolkien and sword-and-sorcery fantasy at that very same time), but I'm really enjoying this glimpse into the romance fan persepctive!
And bless you, Wren, for asking what taking the mickey meant! I too was dying to know, couldn't figure it out from the context, and too nervous to ask, ha, ha!
Sean: No offense, but… *yawn*. Bloody hell, hun, but if I didn't already know you were a twink, I'd swear to God you'd be wearing a jacket with patches on the elbows right now.
Val: *sigh* Americans! 😉
I was probably reading sword and fantasy – and maybe sci fi – back then too. I've always been someone who mixes up their genres. So, at the same time I was reading Loveswept, I was prob'ly reading David Eddings, Robert Jordan, Lynn Flewelling, Terry Pratchett, Ann McCaffrey, Mercedes Lackey, etc, etc as well.
(So she goes and defines one nonsensical term with another nonsensical term — “taking the piss.” WTF?)
EC? Are you kidding? Three are comfortably wasting away in the lap of Cerridwen, the wallflower sister of Ellora, and the fourth (the one I can't seem to retrieve) is at a smaller press where some authors you've heard of have also published stuff.
“Val: *sigh* Americans! 😉
Yes, I'll admit that “taking the piss” kind of confused me, too!
Did I not add 'making fun of something'?? Did I not know that there would be Americans who wouldn't get that expression either?! Gee. Zus.
I figured it wasn't EC, but prob'ly should've guessed it was the 'wallflower sister'. Nice description btw.
“and the fourth (the one I can't seem to retrieve) is at a smaller press where some authors you've heard of have also published stuff”
I love it when you get all mysterious on us. 😉
Not you too, Val! I'm very disappointed. K Z, I can kind of understand, but you…
“Not you too, Val! I'm very disappointed. K Z, I can kind of understand, but you…”
Ooo, you are so on the verge of not getting that overseas container full of cat wigs I was going to send you for your birthday.
I think I'll just send Castanet down there instead. Heh-heh.
Val: Glad I could be of service 🙂
Kris: Thanks for explaining taking mickey (and its mate, taking the piss).
And yeah, I was reading Tolkien, and Clarke, LeGuin, Bradley et al. I enjoyed the bits of romance that popped up in those kinds of books. It wasn't the focus. I was much more enamored of other worlds, or elves or shifters or whatever. In my *ahem* mature years I found urban fantasy, and lots of times there's a little romance there, too. Just enough to rev the engines. I might've tested the romance novel waters, but when I found erotica, “normal” m/f romance seemed dull. And then it was just a leetle step off a steep ledge into the land of m/m romance, which is an amazing place that suits me very well. Thanks for asking! (You're probably sorry you did…)
K Z: *zipping lips so as to avoid the horror of Mizz C… and to get my pressies. hehehe*
Wren: No, not sorry that I asked at all! It's always interesting to hear how people got into reading romance as well as what led them to reading m/m romance.
The Mumma is the one who hooked me. She wouldn't let me read her Mills & Boon and Harlequins until I'd read Jane Austen. 🙂
I completely missed the Loveswept days…my excuse is I was late to the romance party 🙂
KZ – I'm really sorry to hear that the publisher in question isn't responding. I hate it when any company does that! And please send Kris the cat wigs! Photos – we need photos 🙂
Kris – I know what 'take the mickey means' 🙂 I still remember explaining to my UK colleagues what 'spat the dummy' meant. Hilarious conversation!
*crossing fingers desperately that computer will stay happy*
OMG! I have that book. IN THAT COVER!! Loveswept were not widely distributed here, so I used to ferret through UBS stores looking for Loveswepts. I still have a few on my shelves. 🙂
As for wishing for those days. Nope. I think my tastes have changed and what was good then, is never as good now. JJ did give me a total jones for sports romances.
I wish I had a tweed jacket with patches. *sighs*
I jumped from high literature to mysteries to romance historicals. The only Mills and Boon title I've read have been the occasional one from the library when their pathetically meagre stock of historicals had been read. I'm not looking down my nose on them, just that they were never meaty enough for me and always had the door frustratingly closed on any sex.
I'm not missing my m/f romance at the moment. If I feel the need for it then I just re-read some on my keeper shelf.
'Taking the mickey/taking the piss'
I don't see the problem here. I understood you perfectly ;).
Orannia: At the same time as this, I was emailing Tracy and had to explain what 'being crook' meant and then later what 'I'll be back in a tic' meant. LOL. My day for colloquialisms.
Sarah: Srsly?? Holy shit! I could only find Loveswepts at secondhand stores and I remember reading this story with its original cover.
Now I think about it there were a lot of these that featured sporting heroes. Hmm, I wonder if that also influenced my own fondess of this type of romantic hero. 🙂
Sean: *sigh* Don't be silly. Tweed will clash with your blue mesh top.
Jen: I must admit I was never a big fan of relatively meatless Mills & Boon, but give me Harlequin Temptation or Loveswept and I was a happy girl. 🙂
“Taking the mickey/taking the piss'
I don't see the problem here. I understood you perfectly ;).”
Exactly. I think our American friends are sadly lacking in the Queen's English. 😉
Ha! So I wasn't the only one who didn't find those books pervy enough. Thank you Jen for joining me in the pervy corner. 🙂
I totally missed the Harlequin and Loveswept days. I've never even heard of Loveswept. Didn't start reading romance until I found m/m a couple of years ago (well, except for Daphne Du Maurier books– do those count?)
K, so I now know what 'taking the mickey means', but now I'm curious about 'spat the dummy' and 'being crook'. I'm assuming 'I'll be back in a tic' means 'I'll be back in a sec'?
“Daphne Du Maurier books– do those count?”
*Dear God* I guess??
Spat the dummy = take your bat and ball and leave, throw a hissy fit, etc
Crook = unwell, sick, etc
*sigh* You're all hopeless. 🙂
Ha, I love Daphne du Maurier. “Frenchman's Creek” is such a guilty pleasure.
At the same time as this, I was emailing Tracy and had to explain what 'being crook' meant and then later what 'I'll be back in a tic' meant.
LOL. I loved the British version of “spat the dummy': 'throw your toys out of the pram' *grin*