There’s a certain narrative, almost mythological in nature, concerning romance. Many people see it as a trivial subject, a cliché-driven genre that provides readers sentimental pleasure through uncomplicated plots. I see why these ideas exist. However, I also know there’s a more fundamental nature to many of the most passionate romances out there.

It is emotional literacy dressed in velvet and candlelight.

Strength, Softness, and the Space Between

My heroines run corporations, and deal with complexity, and yet they can still be vulnerable.

That, I believe, is a deep-seated effect romantic stories provide to readers: the permission to hold two extremes in a paradoxical state; to be both strong and vulnerable; to be both independent and connected to another.

One of the things I’ve learned about healthy desire is that it has little to do with being perfect or flawless. It has everything to do with being authentic and being human.

I welcome you to explore the Wicked, Lustful Tales series or connect at mariacox.net. I would love to hear your thoughts about desire and storytelling, and how they intersect within a romantic context.

Ever onwards,

Maria Cox