Jezebel mentioned an article in the Washington Post on romaction movies, which is a mash-up of romance and action set to a catchy disco beat (I love the nightlife, I love to boogie, I need some rom-act-shun! ahem… sorry).

Actually, most of the great movies do have romance in them for one very good reason. It’s a great way to show someone loves the hero/heroine and thus, they are cool-dudes-people. Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Titanic, Casablanca, Gone with the Wind… Ah, yes, love how Hollywood can stumble over these new “fads” with people.

I was skimming through Save the Cat by Blake Snyder (RIP Blake) and one of the great pieces of writing advice in there is the addition of the Save the Cat scene. The place where the audience sees the hero rushing in to save the cat, because even though he’s an alcoholic, drug-dealing, cheating-hearted ex-con, he still loves Kitty Anon enough to risk his life and limb in order to save the little friskers. Cue the audience going “ahhhh….”

Romance is save the Cat on a larger scale. Romance makes everyone lovable. The great romances are the beauty and the beast. If beauty loves beast, he doesn’t seem quite so furry.

There’s a quote in the Washington Post article that cracks me up:

Dergarabedian calls the new genre “romaction-comedy” and likens the hybrid to a science experiment. “I imagine movie executives sitting around a conference table like guys in a laboratory, trying to build the perfect box office beast,” he says. “They’re trying to figure out, ‘How do we get the guys to go to a movie with their girlfriends and not feel like they’re being dragged to it?’ “

This cracks me up because frankly, if the movie is well-written, everybody wants to see it, male, female, furry beasts.

I hope Hollywood continues this “trend” because I like my heroes and heroines with heart and if this is the only way that Hollywood can figure out how to do it, fine by me. But Hollywood? With that romance thing? You can’t just tell it, you have to show it.
Sigh.
It’s probably hopeless.

I’m posting at the Blazeauthors blog today. Taking an informal survey on the whys of reading romance and has the why changed and why the why has changed….

I’ll be here today, blogging on travel hell. Lots of great travel-atrocities so far….

Lest you have not heard the girly screams coming from New York, Smart Bitches, and Dear Author have joined together to pimp out two category books: Bronwyn Jameson’s, Magnate’s Make-Believe Mistress, and Hot Under Pressure by *taking a humble bow* moi.

Lots of giveaways all week, and here’s how to win:

First: at 9pm EST, 8pm CST, today (4 August) Jane and Sarah will select 10 winners from the comments to this entry on each of their sites. Those lucky winners will receive a copy of both Hot Under Pressure by Kathleen O’Reilly and The Magnate’s Make Believe Mistress by Bronwyn Jameson.

Second: every day this week at 9pm EST, two winners a day will be chosen from those who Twitter about the Save the Contemporary campaign (#stc) and from those who blog about or email the contest entry. To email, simply forward the details to a friend using the “Email This Page” link at Save the Contemporary.com , or or email us at sbj.contests@gmail.com with a link to your blog entry. The more times you forward the details of this giveaway, the greater chance you have of winning. For the Tweet campaign, use the “Share This”  button and twitter the contest link, along with whatever you want to say about contemporary category romances — but don’t forget the #stc tag!

Lots of chances to win!!

The authors of the Harlequin Blaze line have put together a blog, and for the big celebration, today’s entry is senior editor, sportswoman extraordinaire, and grand poobahess in chief, Brenda Chin.

Also, a Blaze trivia contest, and first prize is the Jan, Feb, and March 2009 Blazes delivered to your door.

No foolin’

So, uh, the problem with not being Miss Johnnie on the Spot is that uh, sometimes things happen and you have to, uh, you know, do other stuff…  So, that, dear readers is a fumbling apology wherein I missed zesty, insightful commentary on Round 3, Region 1, Part 2, whichis wherein Nora went dow-ohhhn!!!  I checked the Times today, but it did not make the news, and I thought to myself, have the cutbacks got so bad?

Anyway, uh, in Round 3, Region 1, Part 1 action, Iron Kisssed knocked out Grimspace, so Briggs advances to fight again another day.  In the magic Burns vs. The sharing Knife, Magic Burns won, in what should be considered an upset of Bujold proportions….  

And then, there was Part 2. Paranormal, SF, Fantasy, Speculative Fiction against Contemporary Romance. The ten-thousand pound gorilla that is Blue Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas was up against Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione.  The numbers show this as tight race.  BED winning with 338 votes against PU with 313 votes.  

The second round was a true surprise to me.  Although I didn’t think Tribute would go all the way, like the United States Marine, you just don’t bet against Nora Roberts.  However, Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs pulled it off.  The vote was close, less than 20 between them, but in the end, it was Briggs that walked away.  

Next year, Nora will be back, with the gleam of death in her eyes, and she’ll be bringing the ultimate secret weapon with her.  A straight contemporary romance trilogy centered around a wedding service.  Be afraid, fellow authors, be afraid.  Nora is bringing the goods.

The next vote is not posted, but it’s scheduled for today, and it’s going to be another nail-biter.  Your Scandalous Ways, by sentimental favorite Loretta Chase against Delicious by young new-comer Sherry Thomas.  Never underestimate Thomas.  Delicious is smart, wily, and knows how to move.  Tune in folks.  Should be… uh, delicious.

The other match in the Region is Spymaster’s Lady against Price of Desire.  I had originally thought there’s only one book in this field that can ravage the Spymaster’s Lady and that’s Blue-Eyed-Devil with it’s silver-tongue and charming Southern drawl.  However, with Briggs out there, two books still in the pack, I’m going to have to rethink that think.

There’s the smell of napalm in the morning air.  Ladies and gents, I think we gut us a rip-roaring, romance battle royale.  Welcome to the jungle.

Annnnnnd we’re back!  After a short hiatus where the books had a chance to withdraw to their respective corners, the DABWAHA is back on, and they’re coming out strong and winded,  with blood in the eye.  This morning’s vote is NWRE, novel with romantic elements, battling it out against NWRE to see who’s left standing when the romance is gone.

Grimspace by Ann Aguirre vs. Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs.  This is going to be a slog.  Patricia Briggs is the heavy favorite with two books still standing among the field of sixteen.  On the other hand, Grimspace, is the spunky young newcomer, ready to pull an upset, because the future of the world is at stake.  Grimspace is used to the challenges, having taking out The Hunger Games (new movie deal!) in the prior round, and showing no mercy to Kushiels Mercy in Round 1.  Iron Kissed has had it easy up to now, putting the hurt on YA title, My Most Excellent Year in Round 1, and yanking a scream of agony from Silent in the Sanctuary.  She’s tough, she’s a NYT darling, and right now, she’s winning by a narrow 17 votes.

The Sharing Knife: Passage by Lois McMaster Bujold vs. Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews. This battle is going to be a little tougher to call. McMasterBujold is an established name (actually two) with a tough (McMaster) continental (Bujold, tres france) pedigree and a writing history nearly as long as Nora (longer?).  This is no Miles Vorkosigan Adventure, so it’s not going to a a civil campaign, not if Andrews has anything to say about it.  Magic Burns doesn’t have the pedigree, nor the backlist of Bujold, but it’s an urban fantasy with Kate Daniels, who’s taking names and kicking ass, and has a crew of werebeasties behind her.  Right now, Magic Burns is pulling ahead, but can the magic hold up???

Polls close at 4pm today (I think that’s what I’m hearing), so lay down your bets and let the trash talking begin.

Yesterday, I blogged over at Access Romance, offering a shameless bribe prize of a $100 Amazon Gift certificate to anyone who could help me title my next Blaze.  Feel free to contribute.  I’m putting up another commentary on the title (here) later on tonight.

I share a great love with Dee Davis and Barbara Vey.  Jack Bauer, and 24.  I was not pleased with last season, nearly ready to abandon my 24-ness, but then….  Tony’s undead (and not in the zombified, but in the soap opera sort of manner) and they found the groove of Jack Bauer, one man fighting to save the country from terror, no matter the price to his soul.

In homage to this rebel patriot with a cause, from whom no terrorists knee-caps or private organs or safe, I submit:  The Jack Bauer peep.  Credit must also be given (I promised) to my daughter as the creative consultant on the project.

During the day-ful month of March, as men and bars glom onto basketball like it’s the second coming of Michael Jordan, the more discerning romance readership lift their elegant pince-nez, peruse their meticulously organized 2008 reading lists, and in hushed, twittering voices consider….

DABWAHA!!!!!  

Dear Author Bitchery Writing Award for Hellagood Authors.

“ARE YOU READY TO RUM-BULLLLLL!!!!!!”

Tap.  Tap.  Tap.  Ahem. 

“Ladies, please.”

“As we were saying, the contest is a list of 64 books, going in head-to-heat match-ups to find the best of the best, the most awsomest trifle in the delectable feast that is romance. “

“SPYMASTER’S LADY IS GOING TO KICK-ASS”

“Down, Ms. Bourne.  Down.”

“You think you’ve got the stuff?  Do you?  DO YOU?  When you’ve been in this biz for a quarter of the century and John Grisham quakes, *quakes* when you’re out in the same month, then you can talk about ass-kicking.  Until then, little girl, unless you want me to unleash my ultra-Rourke-2000 taser-stun on those pristine little pink knickers—“

BAM.  BAM.  “Ms. Roberts.  I think we have the idea.  You may sit…..  Sit!”

“I think the series books should be handicapped.”

“In this contest, all books with disabilities are welcomed.”

“No.  I mean, the series books.  They don’t have a shot.  Look at the brackets!  It’s David. And the historical Goliath – on steroids.  Mark McGuire doesn’t have a neck that thick.”

“Are we speaking about the paranormals, Ms. O’Reilly?  I’m not following this conversation.”

“We’re going to get pulverized.”

“There will be no pulverization in this contest.  We have a firm set of rules to keep the contest happy and conflict-free.  In the romance community, there are no Neanderthals…”

“Unless it’s the Hunger Games.  Then we’ll be EATING the dead contestants.   For snack.  You getting this — Bitch.”

“I’m shutting up.” Burying head in hands, Lori Borrill provides a comforting pat.

“Now, isn’t this nice.  I knew we’d have a cheery afternoon.  Tea will be served in the great hall and the knitting group will organize in the solarium.  We have some lovely, lovely yarn to work with.  I picked it out myself.  Our project is a….*giggle* cap.”

“Ms. Hart, please pull apart Ms. Cole and Ms. Showalter.  We will have no hair-pulling in this venture.”

****

Another fun-filled day in the DABWAHA.  If you want to join in the book-picking smackdown, go and register from now until March 16^th.  Go to “TOURNAMENT,” “ENTER YOUR PICKS,” and if you haven’t registered yet, create an OnlineID, enter your email address, click “New,” and then start picking the winners of each match.  The generous ladies of DearAuthor and Smart Bitches will be giving away loads of prizes to the ones who have the winningest predictions.    Voting in the head-to-head match-ups start on March 19^th, and ahem, when series-nominated, Kathleen O’Reilly’s Shaken and Stirred is up to battle, you will be notified accordingly.