I'll Take Romance

(If I can get it...)

By Alison Bruce

The first romance I ever read was serialized in Women's Weekly. My mother's friend loaned a stack of them to me to read. It was so frustrating because the final installment wasn't there. Then there was this falling out between friends. I never got to read the end but I imagine it ended happily ever after.

What made it so appealing to me wasn't just the romance, it was the exotic location. I picked up Lancelot's Lady by Cheryl Kaye Tardif to recapture that feeling. I'm glad I did. Not only was it a fun read, it lead to a great friendship. Cheryl and I were both members of Crime Writers of Canada, but Lancelot's Lady got us talking.

That was about a year before Cheryl started Imajin Books and bought my Under A Texas Star. Shortly after that she bought Rowena Through the Wall by Melodie Campbell, a good friend and co-worker. Now these three books with thee other terrific Imajin books are together in a romance box set: Sweet & Sensual.

The funny thing is that none of us are what I'd call Romance writers. Melodie is a comedy writer first and foremost. Romance, fantasy and criminal caper are the vehicles for her humour. Cheryl is a Suspense writer: Romantic Suspense, Paranormal Suspense, Psychological Suspense, and sometimes all of the above.

I'm what you'd call +Romance writer. I've written Historical Western +Romance, Mystery +Romance, including the soon to debut Men in Uniform books from Lachesis Publishing (A Body Guard to Remember coming TBA). I've even got Fantasy and Science Fiction waiting in the wings, +Romance. Why?

Romance
I'll take romance if I can get it
Give me just one night, you won't regret it
This old world's not ready for me
'Cause I live inside of my fantasy