April Editorial
PHS Founder and Editor, Trish Wylie, is talking about the need for more love in our lives...
We live in dark times. I was reminded of that last month while watching live coverage of the attack on Westminster, London. Add terrorism to the anxiety about Brexit, Trump, Russia, Syria and everything else we see/hear/read in the news and it's a wonder we manage to leave our beds.
All the fear and intolerance we're witnessing makes me think of the 1960's when there was an outcry for more love and less hate. Of course, my non-linear thought process then jumped from that to the memory of a reader who once told me he (yes, he) considered romance novels vitamin pills for the soul. I have therefore decided we all need more love in our lives; love for our fellow human beings, love for family and friends, love for the things we do, animals, the planet, love in what we read/write... You get where I'm going here.
Of course, it should be no surprise to anyone romance is the fastest selling book genre in the world. Writers may make their characters jump through numerous emotional hoops along the way, but unlike real life, there is a guaranteed happy ending. It leaves us with a sense of hope good things can happen and who doesn't want that? Thing is, not everyone reads romance. I know! What's up with that?!
We, here at the PHS, would like to know why and decided the best way to find out about people's reading habits was to ask. With that in mind, we'd like you to send all your friends and family to answer our questions and remember folks, it's good to share, so if you know of a romance which might interest one of the poor, lost souls who haven't tried one before, let us/them know. And if you guide a friend out of the darkness, into the light, romance-reading-wise, we want to hear about it!
Don't forget to love yourself, too. #TheWriteLifeBalance talks about searching for what makes you feel good. For me that's not just reading and writing, it's spending time with the people I love - particularly my great nieces, who will only be little for a limited period. It's a day at the beach (which I haven't done in ages and swear I will soon!), lunch with friends, traipsing round graveyards in search of lost ancestors (its kinda like a treasure hunt) or moments my four-legged babies make me lol (currently my cats, who all want the one chair).
Along the way I've discovered the latter (my furbabies) can make other people smile. If I share a book promo or giveaway it might not get much of a response on Social Media. But post a pic of my cats or my ponies and everyone hits the like button. It's the same with my great nieces. Cute, my friends, is popular! And that's not just on Facebook. It's on Instagram, too. Do you have a go-to place online to hang out friends and share the love? You can vote for your fav in this month's #PinkHeartPoll or weigh in on the debate in our #TheWriteThing article which argues the benefit (or lack thereof) of Social Media to authors.
As you know, here at the PHS, we're all about the love. We believe in it, we shout about it and we welcome everyone who feels the same way. Love, in all its myriad forms, shapes and colors is what brings us together. And, in my opinion, we could do with a whole heap more of that these days.
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