The pro and cons, to be or not to be...

[reviews_and_ramblings]

When wondering why and if I have to continue with this blog, I received an email like this one:

"Greetings and respect from a gay leatherman who finds your reviews truly excellent

Dear Signora Rolle,

I wish to express my sincere thank you and my profound respect for your wonderful and discerning reviews. I use your reviews to select what M/M fiction I will like best and you never, ever let me down.

You provide a wonderful service, taking your passion for M/M fiction and sharing it primarily wih female readers but also with gay men.

I also love the beautiful male images which you have collected.

You are a wonderful person, a wonderful and expressive writer. I both admire and respect you. Thank you so very much."

I received this email weeks ago, and also in a moment when I was a bit down. Then I read it and decided there was a reason for doing what I'm doing. Then again yesterday I wondered again; maybe I should let other people doing that, other reviewers with more experience... why a straight woman should read and review gay romances? but now, when I will wonder again, I have the above letter to give me a reason to continue.

My response to Victoria Brownworth: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/1108364.html

Comments

[girlofavalon.livejournal.com]

Keep that in mind, always *hugs*

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

Yes, I will. I would have not post it if not that again and again there is the question if gay men read romance. They do! and they want to have a place where to find it.

[girlofavalon.livejournal.com]

The idea that gay men don't read romance is nothing but a form of prejudice. They do, and you're completely right... Moreover, they want to have a place to find respectfully written M/M romance.

[kirby-crow.livejournal.com]

They do read romance, yes. :) It's a big old world, Elisa, and there is plenty of room for everyone to do everything they love, not just certain people to do certain things.

Never doubt that we love ya! :)

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

Yes, exactly. And in the end, I'm probably reading half book written by women and half by men. And sometime it's really difficult to find a difference. I'd like to arrive to a time when no one will "search" the difference.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

Thank you Kirby. I'm probably tired myself, not of this, never of this, and everything seems to strike near home.

[girlofavalon.livejournal.com]

I'd like to arrive to a time when no one will "search" the difference.

THIS. So much!

That's one of the reasons why people like you should carry on with their doings. You're making a necessary difference.

P.S.: Would you mind PMing me your e-mail? I'd love to have more ways to be in touch.

[kika-k.livejournal.com]

Scusa se non sono molto presente nel commentare ma credimi tu fai un gran lavoro qui che è molto apprezzato.

ciao

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

Will send you a PM, but my email is pretty much everywhere ;-) And if you loose it, also the LiveJournal's email account works.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

Grazie. Lo so che ho molti amici, ma alcune volte mi sento come se qualcuno mi "accusasse" di non c'entrare niente. Poi mi passa, ma al momento fa un po' male.

[kika-k.livejournal.com]

Ma scusa io credo che tu sia una delle poche/i che gestisce una mole di recensioni così grande e lo fai molto bene. Io non giro molto gli altri blog o siti di questo genere ma non credo ce ne siano molto altri così completi e dettagliati.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

c'è una polemica in corso sulle lettrici donne (e soprattutto etero) di gay romance; una parte delle opinioni pensa che stiamo "svilendo" il genere. Non è sempre facile stare zitti e far finta di niente.

[kika-k.livejournal.com]

Davvero? E scusa se non lo fanno le donne chi diavolo lo fa? Svilendo? Non credo.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

Dovrebbero pensare che, anche se i gay leggono romance, come la mail sopra dimostra, praticamente nessuno lo dice. Fanno difficoltà le donne ad ammettere che leggono romance, ti immagini gli uomini? per questo penso che ancora per molti anni, i blog sul gay romance saronno scritti da donne.

Mi ha fatto tenerezza il teenager che mi ha chiesto un'intervista, gay, 15 anni e legge romance... sembrava si sentisse ancora più isolato che mai.

[josephine-myles.livejournal.com]

Please do continue! I may not comment often, but I read most of your reviews and have promised myself to read many of the books you've recommended.

I also love all the beautiful cover artwork you post - I end up noticing bad covers too often, so it's wonderful to see so much quality artwork on your blog.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

I love everything that is beautiful. And thank you for your kind comment.

[kika-k.livejournal.com]

Vedi!!! Tanti leggono qui e i libri ma non lo ammettono! Ma leggono eccome! Ripeto. Sono forse sterili discorsi fatti per chissà cosa o da chissà chi.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

Oh si, leggono leggono. Grazie per le tue parole.

[kika-k.livejournal.com]

Grazie per i tuoi post! ;P

*Abbraccio virtuale*

[vorvolaka.livejournal.com]

I hate the whole 'straight women shoudn't write/review m/m romance' thing. Why not? As long as it's out there and being published, it doesn't matter. And as long as someone is reviewing, it doesn't matter.

By the same theory, I shouldn't have my other journal reviewing primarily teenage fiction because I am no longer a teenager.

It's all just silly.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

I shouldn't read Afro-American fiction since I'm not Afro-American, I shouldn't read French poet since I'm not French ;-) with that theory I should read only fiction that I don't like!

[bodleian.livejournal.com]

I appreciate what you are doing. I always check out what you have to say and use your suggestions to help choose my books. Thank-you.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

to know I'm helpinh you choosing book is the best thank you. Thank YOU.

[eevereon.livejournal.com]

Don't discontinue this journal, Elisa! I love the fact that you post a lot of diverse content, rather than being bias towards movies, for example.

If I wasn't so poor right now I'd buy all the books you've recommended XD

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

I need to start seeing movie more often, but time seems always lacking. Will try to post more movies for you :-)