Choices

I found myself in an unusual discussion this weekend with a friend and fellow writer about reading choices and how I felt about reading out of my comfort zone.

As a writer I've pushed myself out of my comfort zone to see if I could write something, and I did.  As a writer, I've read some books that I am personally not totally comfortable with, but I learned from these writers which was part of my reason for reading them.

But it all comes down to choices.

As a writer I have a choice in what I write about, if I want to write about sexy cowboys knowing there are some readers who don't like sexy cowboy, that's okay.  If I choose to write about a virgin heroine who is swept away by the multi-millionaire hero bent on revenge knowing there are some readers that won't read it, that's okay. I know there are readers that will never pick up a romance, and that is fine.

Everyone has a choice in what they're comfortable in reading.  I don't feel anyone has the right to dictate to anyone what they should or should not be reading.

I read romance, I read all over the board romances.  Sweet, sexy, erotic, historical, contemporary, and paranormal romance.  Lately I've been reading YA with a bit of romance, and even some gay erotic romance.  But I don't expect everyone to want to read what I've read.

Some of what I read, pushes me out of my comfort zone, and that is okay with me because I know I'm being pushed out of my comfort zone.  I want to be pushed, because as a writer I want to learn from other writers.

Readers have choices, if they want to read nothing but sweet romances, or historical romances, or gay romances or inspirational romances.  That is their choice.

No writer has the right to demand anyone to read their book.  I do ask that people try and give it a go, but for some that isn't possible.

Morally, ethically, faith based, whatever, something stops the reader from reading a particular book.  It's no big deal, it happens.

We are all different, we all have our ways of thinking, we all grew up in different places, with different people, and in different situations.

I respect those differences, I only ask that you respect my differences.