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Men Need Romance Too

by Erastes

Back in 2003, when I first had the idea to write a gay historical romance I decided to do a bit of research to find out whether there was such a thing as gay romance (yes, there was, but not much) and whether anyone would:

1. publish it
2. buy it
3. read it
4. like it

I wasn't sure of the answers, even though I did as much research as I could do.

I was told so many things and they all turned out to be wrong.

- That only women wrote it (wrong)
- That only women read it (wrong)
- That gay men wouldn't read a gay romance book by a woman writer. (wrong)
- That I'd never sell it, (wrong)
- That there had been an attempt in the 1980's ("Gaywyck" by Vincent Virga) to kick-start such a genre (true)
- but it had fizzled out (wrong)

I had a gut feeling that that gay men would read gay romance as opposed to,  or in addition to, gay porn. I read both - why not them? I knew that a lot of women liked it, I'd discovered that from my years in fanfiction but even there male writers were rare.

When I looked on the net I found one site "Romentics" established by two gay men, Scott and Scott, who were so disillusioned by the paucity of gay romance in the gay fiction world that they decided to start up their own publishing house, and it's doing pretty well, too, by the looks of it. I got in touch with them and they said that it was difficult to get the stuff accepted by the publishers.

From the first page of Romentics Website:

"Gay men may be more willing than ever to claim their inner Cinderella and read up on Prince Charming. Certainly, most people's everyday lives could use a little more charm and a lot more prince..." New York Times Magazine

So when, after Standish  was published, I started to receive emails from male readers, who were more than happy to have some romance in their novel, I punched the air, I felt so bloody amazing.

I replied to them, and I voiced my concerns. I couldn't say "are you gay?" because it seemed rude, although it also seemed rude for me to assume it, too, but I said that I was glad they'd like it, and that I was worried that men wouldn't read it.

"Are you KIDDING?" They said, whole heartedly, "why wouldn't we read it?" One man, a member of a large internet book club said that he knew at least 10 other men who were reading it and reading it slowly because they didn't want it to end.

I can understand this, not for any big headed reasons about my book, but merely for the point that the gay historical romance was back then, a rare beastie.

I got talking to my creative writing class tutor - his son was gay, and he often bewailed the fact to his father that there were no gay romance books, no Mills & Boons, no Harlequins, no books where he could put up and read - knowing that gay men like him could find love and end up happy ever after. Seems I wasn't so mad, then!

Back then, gay fiction seemed to be separated into distinct categories.

1. Porn (the one handed goodness from publishers like Starbooks)
2. e-books (Lots of it there, with an emphasis on fantasy)
3. High Literature (At Swim Two Boys, The Charioteer, Maurice, Wicked Angels etc)

Thank goodness for them all, say I.

.... But... There wasn't much to compare with "Love's Savage Splendour" or "His Faithful Heart" or whatever. No "formula" (and yes I hate that word too, even though I write romance) romances.  Five years on, things have improved more than I could ever imagine.  Five years ago, there were a handful of writers, now there are (as you can see by the site) hundreds of us. Hundreds and hundreds of books.  Each book is snapped up and read voraciously by an eager audience of women who like gay romance, and gay men themselves. Then they wait (im)patiently for the next one to come out. They are active, they share books and recs, they post on Amazon to share their new finds. They are passionate, and there's not enough of it to satisfy their voracious appetites.

Most of the emails I get these days are from gay men--proving without doubt that I was right. Gay men need, and love, Romance too. 

And why the hell not?