About That Time I Accidentally Started a Twitter Feud ...

To anyone who's been around romancelandia this year, or to anyone who scrolls through Twitter with a bowl of popcorn, it should come as no surprise that sometimes people get into it on Twitter. A lot of times, it's a case of people behaving badly.

This one's on me.

No one behaved badly, but feelings were hurt. And for that, I am deeply sorry and greatly apologize.

You see, I was (and still am) coming from a good place. I'm still okay with my original post, which was, to me, a very funny graphic about rom-com books. It was designed by my friend and fellow author, Whitney Dineen. She, like many rom-com authors, got fed up with defending her preferred genre from yet another person who dismissed her accomplishments because she only writes romance and romantic comedies (as opposed to literary fiction or something that is apparently better-- you know, real books). I'd like to say that Whitney's experience was unusual and someone was having a bad day, but it's not. We've all been there.Unfortunately.

Romantic comedies, and their kissing cousins Chick Lit, are some of the least respected books out there. Most brick and mortar bookstores barely have a romance section, let alone one for romantic comedy. Look on Amazon too. Many of the covers that Amazon lists in its romantic comedy section suggest, by the amount of bare skin, washboard abs, and pectoral muscles, that the emphasis is on the romance and not the comedy. Because of this, it's really, really, REALLY hard for rom-com books to be found.

So, after yet another slight, Whitney (who is hilariously funny in both her writing and real life), made a graphic. It's so very Whitney.

She requested it be shared, along with the #RespectTheRomCom tag.

I did.

But then a well-respected, super awesome author didn't like what this graphic had to say. It grated on her. And she began to wonder if she did actually write rom-com, because some of these things don't fit her writing. Which she mused about on Twitter, and her readers replied and commented.

I love this writer. She's an auto-buy for me.

I love Whitney Dineen. She's an auto-buy for me.

They have two totally different styles and personalities. Their books, while both being considered rom-coms, are not necessarily similar. I do think one reader could/would enjoy both. I do think readers should enjoy both.

The very last thing I wanted was for people (writers and readers alike) who enjoy romantic comedies to be arguing and splitting hairs about whether a book has all of these points listed above or not and whether that precludes it from being a romantic comedy.

I am sorry to both authors.

This graphic is what romantic comedies are to Whitney Dineen. I agree with many of the points. I don't think it's an end-all, be-all list. I also know for a fact, that Whitney was being funny because that is who she is and what she does. If it's not your sense of humor, then that's fine. If you are yes-ing every point, then that's fine.

If you're still reading this, then that's fine too. (It's better than fine. It's really cool, so thanks.)

My point in sharing this graphic was to gain support for the rom-com community, not drive it apart. I hope everyone is okay with this, and we can all move on.

In summation, rom-coms are valid books that are an important part of our world because going through life without a sense of humor is like driving in a car without shocks. It gets you there, but man do you feel every bump and jolt along the way.

No matter how you define a romantic comedy, please remember to #RespectTheRomCom.

(And eat cake)