So I saw the question posted on another author's website, asking why romance writers never get any respect.  And it's true.  I tell people I have just had my third book published, they smile and ask what I write.  I reply, "Fiction".  They ask for titles, and that's when I smile apologetically, and say, "Well, I write romance novels."  At that point, their eyes glaze over, and something on the other side of the room catches their attention and they wander away.  Sheesh!  Like they just stepped in something nasty!

Yet when I go to Jazzercise class, I listen to the words of the pop songs, and ALWAYS the subject is love/romance/heartache...so, if all pop songs and indeed, most music has love/romance as the subject matter, why are authors held to different standards? 

Is it for the same reason as teachers make less pay than plumbers, because one is male-dominated, and the other usually employs women?  So since women read and write romance, it is less respected? But men who write "romance" for men, just call it "porn" or else have stories that involve the men doing great things, and just incidentally having hot sex scenes with all available women...think "Oh, James..." yeah, I'm talking to you, Bond-man! 

So I say, let's demand our equal respect!  I guess I need to be more proud and assertive about it, and say, "I write contemporary romance novels".  No need to follow that up with, "Yeah, they're like cotton candy--sweet and insubstantial, but habit-forming."  In fact, I'd LOVE it if some readers decided my books are habit-forming!  Writing them has become a real pleasure for me.  I hope reading them is good for you!  ;-D