The topic of this month's Round Robin is my title. I'm usually loathe to touch the "third rail" of politics in my romance novels. After all, with how polarized the USA is today, I'd risk losing half of my readers, if they read opinions they didn't agree with, politically. And what I write is, after all, escapism, though I try to make all of my characters seem like real people you might meet. My newest romance involves werewolf shifters, so I'm not sure how likely it is that you'll meet one of them. Or maybe you will, but won't be aware of it. But no one discusses politics in my books.
That being said, it's inevitable that some of my viewpoints will surface. I have stated before that I only write contemporary romance, because to me, romance without birth control is a very scary notion. I assume that a healthy sexual connection is integral to falling in love. How can you know if you're really compatible with someone you have feelings for, if you don't express those feelings in the ultimate physical sharing of your bodies? But babies are life-altering, not to mention expensive! So best not to risk unwanted pregnancy...ever. So the birth control used by the heroine in my books is always something she discusses with the hero. This book is no exception.
There is also a secondary romance in this book, that involves another werewolf shifter. He's attracted to the heroine's best friend since grade school: a gay man she used to defend when other boys called him names she wasn't even old enough to understand. She just knew her bestie was being insulted, and that was enough for the red-headed spitfire of a girl to blacken their eyes, or bloody their noses, in his defense.
But the shifter has never acted on his desires--or even acknowledged them. Everyone living in the compound knows they're different from most people, because either they share their bodies and minds with a wolf, who likes to "take over" now and then...or else they're in love with someone who does. But for shifters, one difference is enough. Gayness is not even talked about. Until John's "coming out" forces them to face it. Most quickly discover what a non-issue it is. Love is, after all, love.
* * *
There are actually two questions that were posed for this month's Round Robin. To see which question was chosen by the other authors, please visit their sites.
Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
Connie Vines http://mizging.blogspot.com/
Dr. Bob Rich https://wp.me/p3Xihq-1Qt
Judith Copek http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/
Rhobin Courtright http://www.rhobincourtright.com
That being said, it's inevitable that some of my viewpoints will surface. I have stated before that I only write contemporary romance, because to me, romance without birth control is a very scary notion. I assume that a healthy sexual connection is integral to falling in love. How can you know if you're really compatible with someone you have feelings for, if you don't express those feelings in the ultimate physical sharing of your bodies? But babies are life-altering, not to mention expensive! So best not to risk unwanted pregnancy...ever. So the birth control used by the heroine in my books is always something she discusses with the hero. This book is no exception.
There is also a secondary romance in this book, that involves another werewolf shifter. He's attracted to the heroine's best friend since grade school: a gay man she used to defend when other boys called him names she wasn't even old enough to understand. She just knew her bestie was being insulted, and that was enough for the red-headed spitfire of a girl to blacken their eyes, or bloody their noses, in his defense.
But the shifter has never acted on his desires--or even acknowledged them. Everyone living in the compound knows they're different from most people, because either they share their bodies and minds with a wolf, who likes to "take over" now and then...or else they're in love with someone who does. But for shifters, one difference is enough. Gayness is not even talked about. Until John's "coming out" forces them to face it. Most quickly discover what a non-issue it is. Love is, after all, love.
* * *
There are actually two questions that were posed for this month's Round Robin. To see which question was chosen by the other authors, please visit their sites.
Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
Connie Vines http://mizging.blogspot.com/
Dr. Bob Rich https://wp.me/p3Xihq-1Qt
Judith Copek http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/
Rhobin Courtright http://www.rhobincourtright.com
