#romcon Medieval re-imagining as written by Australian romance authors. Powerful heroines are "exceptions" to actual medieval lot of women.
#romcon Focusing specifically on medieval romance written by Australians in particularly Australian context/perspective. V. cool.
#romcon Sarah Ailwood, University of Canberra, Australia: “The Hero in the Napoleonic Wartime Romance”
#romcon This wonderful woman used my dissertation as the basis for her disssertation. We likes her, we does. :)
#romcon Women writing men: how women write men can tell us about political, social, feminist concerns.
#romcon Desirable masculinity in Napoleonic-era England was site of much debate and confusion.
#romcon Revival of chivalry in early 19thC. Refinement of 18thC polite society and strength of English national character. Respect+courage.
#romcon 18thC/19thC domestic novels gives women an authority to critique and evaluate men.
#romcon The Guerilla Chief and Persuasion: heroes are soldiers/sailors. Set in specifically wartime context, written after war.
#romcon Men experience moments of weakness which specifically comments on chivalric gender stereotypes.
#romcon Desirable man has a fundamental reliance on his wife and family. Emotional dependence different from chivalric English masculinity.
#romcon Anthea Taylor, UQueensland, Australia: “Romance, Masochistic Desire and Vampiric Subject-Formation in the Twilight Novels”
#romcon Another one on Twilight! Woohoo!
#romcon Masochistic relationships in Twilight. Erotic desire is linked to death. Bataille: urge toward love is urge toward death.
#romcon Nina Auerbach: "Every age embraces the vampire it needs." What does Twilight saw about our culture, then?
#romcon Self-loathing narrative voice in Twilight makes eroticism-->masochism-->death viable and desirable.
#romcon Eroticization of Edward's dominance is problematic.
#romcon Bronwyn Clarke, U New England, Australia, and Romance Author: “The Heart of the Matter: Representations of Love in Romantic Fiction”
#romcon Fundamental assumption of paper: love exists. :)
#romcon Rarely see ongoing relationship after HEA. Critical for reader satisfaction to believe in HEA.
#romcon Are we entirely sure what makes a relationship work? What is love? We know it when we see it (like porn o_0).
#romcon Discomfort talking about love. We'd much rather talk about all the stuff around the actual definition of what love is.
#romcon "HEA" is actually picture of old couple, smiling at each other, very much in love. Never see that in romance novels.
#romcon Modern perspectives on love: pessimistic and cynical. Feminist perspective focuses on power, freedom, and choice.
#romcon Elements of lasting love: intellectual, social, respect.
#romcon We can use the framework of Elements of Lasting Love to establish how romance novels builds that love. Like the Flame and the Flower
#romcon Opposite of love is not hate but indifference.
#romcon Flame and the Flower known for violent beginning (rape) but we can see the aspects of lasting love being established.
#romcon Final panel of the day. Starting with...
#romcon Therese Dryden, Author, Australia: “Exploration of the ‘Barrier’ Element in Six Harlequin/M&B Sweet Novels from November 2008”
#romcon Considering six books in the "sweet" line of Harlequin romances published in a single month in 2008.
#romcon Barrier is conflict in the novel. Examining the 6 novels from aspect of romance element of barrier.
#romcon Internal barrier: 5 out of 6 novels had internal barrier and all internal barriers are the hero's barriers. Fascinating.
#romcon External barriers: Geography, Time, Economics/Class, Other People, Acts of God, Duty.
#romcon Theme areas: Guilt/Responsibility, Health (physical/emotional), Duty, Family/Community, Christmas (Dec pub date).
#romcon Conflict must be resolved by significant sacrifice or by facing greatest fear.
#romcon Psychological focus is definitely the focus of these books. Tone is the thing that's most different: comic to serious.
#romcon Diversity is still alive and well in romance novels.
#romcon Sandra Barletta, Independent Scholar: “A First Kiss is Still A First Kiss: Ageism, Romance Heroines and the Mid-Life Romance Reader”
#romcon Readers like to see themselves in heroines. But where are the older heroines?
#romcon Do older women live in romanceless future of menopause and moody children like Hamlet?
#romcon Gap exists b/t what romance industry is providing and readers who want to see mid-life romance stories.
#romcon What's the rationale to say that heroines have to be under a particular age?
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