Last night around 11pm, I was ready to relax and read a little before bed. I read the back cover of two books that were at the top of the stack. Once I read the back cover of Eloisa James book… I realized that it was one of the characters I was anxious to read about from her other books. So naturally that one was one.
Next thing I knew, I could hear birds chirping outside. 5:30am. I did have something like a chapter left to go but the bird singing was a hard reminder that I was going to be punch drunk from lack of sleep today. My kids did not stay up that late and I simply cannot sleep while my daughter is awake.
But as I settled in for a couple of hours of sleep, my mind kept going back to her book. It was extremely well written. A GREAT story. Maybe it’s because it’s so fresh in my mind… but I thought it one of her best. Excellent. It was so good in fact that I had an unsettling thought. Now, all of you know how much I LOVE my romances, so don’t take this the wrong way, but I know in the back of my mind that yes, I love the entertainment of romance novels but they are really for the moment. I doubt very seriously that in 100 years Eloisa James books will be timeless classics that continue to get published. And this is where my mind went last night. I LOVE LOVE her stories. She really is a GREAT storyteller. But I kept thinking that it was a waste of her talent. I completely believe that if she put her mind to it… she could write a timeless masterpiece. And this struck me as a sad thing. A masterpiece unwritten.
I mentioned this profound thought about Eloisa James to my sister this morning ;) My sister responded that Ms. James is simply doing something she loves. And this is true. I shouldn't judge. But I can’t help it. I just keep thinking what if.
3 comments:
Oh, Mary. So many of the classics of yesterday (1800's) were considered a waste of paper. So who's to say that a 100 years from now, someone won't be studying Eloisa's book? Such as I did Dickens, Shakespere, etc.
I don't see her talent being wasted at all.
I've actually given this some thought :) I swear I'm a romance reader geek LOL. But I believe its authors like Nora Roberts and Georgette Heyer who be among those authors studied from this era. They played such an important role in the explosive popularity of the romance novel during this era... it seems a given that it will be them. Sadly, right now, Ms. James is just one of many New York Times Bestseller romance novelists.
I love Eloisa's romance novels. I think she IS one of the greats and deserves the recognition. Thats exactly what I was worried about. I just hope she becomes what she is capable of becoming.
OMG, I'm terrible at putting a book down, too. And I SO regret it the next day when the kids are driving me crazy :-)
Whenever I pick up a book later in the evening, Dave gives the the "you're crazy" look. He knows I've got no self-control :-)
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