Smart Bitches Trashy Books | All of the romance, none of the bullshit.

I just saw the Today Show segment in pacific time – I’m not sure why so much airtime was devoted to Sex & The City, though it probably is the most current and stylish representation of the romantic happy ending that’s familiar to folks outside the romance genre group. But Nora kicked ass, and if you saw those two ladies looking up at Patrick Dempsey and George Clooney, that was indeed Lisa Kleypas and Barbara Caridad Ferrer.

It just occurred to me that people who attend this conference might be more likely to have bubble-thought dreams of meeting Kleypas and Ferrer than Clooney or Dempsey. But anyway.

I was on and while I couldn’t hear what I said (I was in the lobby bar having begged a hotel employee to turn up one of the bar televisions) I think it was the part wherein I compared romance novels to really good sex. So let me tell you some of what everyone else said because they were much more awesome than I could possibly describe.

Jane started out by identifying herself and her profession (attorney, general mastermind of organization) and said that she reads romance because of the assurance of a happy ending, and that they all end in happiness and redemption. She was also the origin of the idea that the stereotypical romance reader is a myth – and that we are the typical romance reader.

Kassia Krozser was kickass. She talked about her favorite books, and about the powerful experiences found in romance novels. Marcella White Campbell’s interview was so good that I nearly had to sit down on the floor to keep myself from jumping up and down and doing a happy dance. She said that there’s something in romance for everyone, and between the beginning and the happy ending, there can be comedy, drama, fear, hope, triumph and that’s why she continually goes back to her favorite books: they stand up to rereadings and they never get old.

When I was about to go over for my turn, someone over my shoulder (I don’t remember who, I’m sorry) said something along the lines of, “When is someone going to say something about the sex?” So I said, “I will.”

So when I was asked, like the others, “Why do you read romance novels,” the answer I gave was that there’s no shortage of unhappiness in the news right now, that it’s so easy to become overwhelmed with bad news, and romance novels guarantee a happy ending, that every thing will work out ok. When asked to elaborate as to why I like the happy ending, why I like romance novels so much, I said, “Well, romance novels are like really good sex.”

And there you have the soundbite.

I’m bummed out that Jane, Kassia, and Marcella’s comments weren’t included because they were so very excellent. But the RWA Conference on the whole looked incredible – and the shots of the literacy signing, which raised nearly $60k, were impressive. Romance fans, I think, came across as excited, stylish women who are devoted to reading and to romance. It’s a slight change on the fumpy unsatisfied housewife theme, and I like the subtext of the updated reference to romance readers, brought about by the billions of dollars sold and the millions of books sold as well. I hope the update continues so that romance readers are more accurately represented for who we are, and how diverse and amazing our readership is. Happiness is never chic, but I think the perception of romance readers has once again improved.

Following Sassy, more than a few alternative and dare I say realistic magazines for women have survived, including Bust and Bitch, a magazine which I totally love (for obvious reasons).

A few months back, Candy and I were contacted by a writer, Kathleen Shaw, who was working on an article for a new publication for young women, and who asked if we’d like to talk about our website. Never ones to turn down an opportunity to talk, Candy and I emailed back and forth with her, and hello, Smart Bitches appears in the Rebel Girls section (oh, you have no idea how much I enjoy that - thank you!) of Sadie Magazine.

Sadie is a feminist mixture of reviews, creative writing, do it yourself tips, recipes, and profiles of women in uncommon situations which, for example, examine the experiences of women in the process of changing genders, or the growing fame of women rappers in Cuba.

I’m enormously flattered to be in the premiere issue, to say nothing of being called “badass.” For our site to be included in a new magazine that seeks to “tackle fun and substantive issues in a market that regards women as recipients of ad campaigns” is an ass-smacking honor. While the site has a number of technical and stylistic glitches to smooth out, I had a good old time stealing an hour to read about Vadis Turner’s art made from everyday girlhood objects. And though I’m not sure the need for a Sassy-esque magazine still exists, particularly in light of the internet and it’s ability to connect any two people with like interests, the founders have distinguished themselves through content that features women I’d otherwise know nothing about. Finding the Sweet n’Low prom dress alone made my day.