I happen to be what some people refer to as a “woman of a certain age”—maybe that’s supposed to sound better than “middle aged” or “mature”. Certainly sounds better than “old”! But inside I don’t feel much different than I did thirty years ago. And while I like writing romances with characters in their twenties and thirties, right now I’m writing some love stories where the heroines are closer to my own age.
Women in their forties, fifties, and beyond are vibrant, passionate women who need love as much as a twenty-year-old. But there are very few romances with characters over forty. I want to show the romance reading community that love can happen at any age. I’ve been warned not to make my characters too old, however. That no one wants to read about them.
I don’t believe that!
Older women are often treated as though we are invisible. Apparently, we’ve had our time and aren’t interesting anymore. We’re treated as if we have nothing left to offer to society. Almost no one markets to older women. But love can happen at ANY age! And I don’t know about you, but I have more discretionary income to spend on things like, say…books!…than I did when I was in my twenties and raising my children.
Many lovers of romance have been reading them for decades and while they certainly can enjoy and appreciate a romance with characters in the early part of their lives, sometimes it’s fun to slip into the skin of a character more like themselves.
Think Meryl Streep, Rene Russo, Julianne Moore, Sandra Bullock or Helen Mirren (I could go on and on!). Vibrant, passionate women, not at all invisible. Women who’ve had wide experiences and histories that lend themselves well to the conflicts inherent in romances. And look at the silver foxes we have for inspiration for our heroes (Mark Harmon, Sam Elliott, George Clooney, Gerard Butler, and Jeffery Dean Morgan – I could go on and on!) Who wouldn’t want to cuddle up with one of them?
Love can happen at any age, and to suggest that it’s not possible, or that older people aren’t worthy of having their love stories told, well, it makes me not only angry, but incredibly sad too.
So, apparently this post on older characters in romance novels has turned into a commentary on ageism. I think it’s an important topic and I encourage you to not only learn more about it, but think about the way we perpetuate it. Here’s an interesting article on ageism to get you started. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/amancay-tapia/ageism-or-the-last-accept_b_8186304.html
So even though I’ve been told no one wants to read about older characters, I’m writing a series of “mature romances.” And I’ve discovered the market for them is out there, in fact, there’s a FB group – Seasoned Romance – that supports, discusses, and advocates for older characters in romances. Check it out and join if you’re interested in fighting ageism in romance.
And of course, not only older women can love these stories. Readers of all ages who simply want a good romance can enjoy them too. My silver foxes are sexy contractors and volunteer firemen, and believe it or not, people over forty also have…gasp…sex! And they have sex in my series too.
The first two books in my Silver Fox Romance series, CHOOSE ME and RESCUE ME, are available now. The third, LUCKY ME, will be out as part of a multi-author anthology, HOT SILVER NIGHTS, releasing on February 28th.
I hope you’ll want to check out some “seasoned” romances and see what they’re all about. I’m excited to be writing them. I hope you’ll look forward to reading them too.
Remember, love can happen at ANY age!
Natasha
www.natashamoore.com
Buy link for Choose Me – https://amzn.to/2cNH56I
Mailing list – https://eepurl.com/hnwRk
FB author page – https://www.facebook.com/natashamooreauthor/
FB Seasoned Romance group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/958318970951705/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/natashamoore
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/natashamoore144/
