This post "And another thing . . ." was from May 13th, 2022 and still applies.
So. Back to writing romance. As a Christian author whose foremost concern is to be truthful/authentic/real in order to portray life circumstances and temptations in an acceptable way to honor the Author of Life, I ask this (a familiar expression to some): If not us, who?
Those who've read this blog know how serious I am about writing real. It's why in the genre I write I only read a few authors. In Friday's brief interview with one of my favorites Becky Wade, she answered honestly when I asked her if it's ever a test when writing to please her publisher.
If we as Christians cannot tackle the real temptations faced with the attraction and development of romance that leads to love, it seems to me we're leaving a significant part of our reality out of the story, out of our God-designed reality.
You might have noticed I have a genuine dislike for the term attached to Christian romance when the label reads "clean". In my opinion - which has little bearing on anything in Christian publishing - it should read "sanitized". Romance and physical attraction are not "dirty" except when the world uses them as excuses to get graphic. Men are generally attracted by visuals. Women are generally attracted with admiration for certain characteristics that contribute to their emotional reactions. That's human. It isn't dirty unless it sinks into the worldly versions with little respect for the opposite sex and what they'd like to do with them.
If Christian authors can't portray the struggles that result in a romance leading to love, then who can accurately present what God will do to give the grace and order to the sometimes chaos of those powerful reactions and emotions?
Asking for a friend . . . just kidding.
Father, you know it all. You created the beautiful process, the loving result. You did. Not mankind. Please help me to show who we are in the midst of romance and love and where you need to be in our lives and love. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.