Posted by Robin Lee Hatcher on April 15, 2002 at 15:32:26:
In Reply to: An article about Robin Lee Hatcher that may surprise you posted by LLB on April 11, 2002 at 13:25:16:
Well, it appears that a real storm is brewing. I wish I had been notified before today, but it never occurred to me that a small article from a small Idaho newspaper would create such a brou-ha-ha. I have not taken the time to read the posts contained herein. I was already told that I was being tarred and feathered. Thank you to the few people who posted words in my defense, knowing that I have always been a strong supporter of the romance genre and remain so.
Prior to the publication of the article, I told my local RWA chapter that I was very worried. The interviewer didn't understand romance or the Christian book market, and some of his questions made me nervous because I know how easily an interview can be manipulated. I have no idea why he contacted me to do the interview. It wasn't arranged either by me or my publisher. The interview lasted two hours and was then boiled down to what you read. Many of the statements were taken completely out of context.
Paragraph #1: "And through it all, she kept a secret."
That wasn't true. It was never a secret that I didn't enjoy writing or reading sex scenes. My friends knew it. My editors knew it. My agent knew it. I never told anyone else they shouldn't write them nor did I tell readers they shouldn't read them. Just for me, they are not why I read/write romance.
Paragraph #1-3: These three paragraphs make it sound like this was a huge deal in my writing career and the main reason I moved to CBA fiction. It wasn't. In fact, it had *nothing* to do with the change in career direction.
Paragraph #8: "...she compromised her values in writing sex scenes..."
This is an accurate statement, but again was not said in a way to denigrate romance. It is simply a fact, that for me, I knew what I set out to do and I didn't stick with it.
Paragraph #12: "Hatcher said women can develop addictions to the sexual fantasies..."
Oh boy, was this taken out of context. I defended the genre, saying it was not porn for
women as was suggested, that the romance genre is about women winning, about one man and one
woman being able to form a lasting, committed relationship. When asked if I considered myself a "reformed romance writer," I laughed and said, "No, I have tremendous respect for the romance genre."
Paragraph #12: "...like serving a drink to an alcoholic..."
The comment has come to me from readers who have told me they ceased to do anything else, ceased having a life, because of their "addiction to reading" romance novels. Taken out of context, it doesn't sound the same as what I was saying to the reporter at all. I did NOT say that all romance readers are addicted, to sexual fantasies or otherwise, but that is definitely what the article got boiled down to.
Paragraph #15: "...she lists her romance books on her Web site under the caveat that she does not recommend them."
That isn't quite accurate. My web site highlights the books that I'm writing now. For my older titles, I have the following: "My career as a novelist (and my life) took a sudden turn the day I recognized God's call on my heart to write for Him. The stories I've written since and the ones I'll write in the future are decidedly different from those I wrote prior to that significant moment. Many of my earlier novels contain elements that are contrary to what I hope to share with readers today. Therefore, the following list (in order of release dates) is provided simply as a record of publication and not as any sort of recommendation."
I don't believe this statement denigrates romance; not mine or anyone elses. It simply says, "Here, I want you to read what I'm doing now instead of what I used to do."
So, for what it's worth, those are my comments. For those who have decided to be angry and assume that what the article said is what I really said/believe/feel, then there is little I
can say or do to change your minds. For those who actually know me, who know how I have unfailingly supported both RWA and the romance genre, perhaps it will clarify things a bit for you.
Robin Lee Hatcher
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