Feb 14 2012
News and Deals V Day Style
News
Great real life romance stories include:
A) Herbert Carter and Mildred Hemmons via CNN. Two people who typified the Tuskagee Airmen experience. Brave trailblazers. Mildred was the better pilot but not allowed to fly during the war. The two carried out their courtship in the air:
Seeing each other in flight created a bond. When they flew together, it was as if they were holding hands in midair. At the end of their aerial encounter, he’d peel away, only to circle back. He’d sneak up behind her, pull in front and leave her in a trail of airwash. Her tiny craft shook mightily. She’d come to expect it every weekend.
B) In 1995, Karen Guiterrez, a reporter for a paper in Lexington agreed to run a piece about a girl who met a guy at the Sugar Bowl and she only knew what car he drove and that he lived in Lexington. The editorial staff grumbled but the piece picked up steam and, well, you’ll have to click on the link to read the rest of the story.
C) Mildred and Richard Loving. HBO is rerunning the Loving documentary today which chronicles the story of Mildred and Richard Loving’s marriage and court battle to outlaw miscegenation. On the 40th anniversary of the Loving v. Virginia decision, Mildred Loving came out and made a rare public statement.
My generation was bitterly divided over something that should have been so clear and right. The majority believed that what the judge said, that it was God’s plan to keep people apart, and that government should discriminate against people in love. But I have lived long enough now to see big changes. The older generation’s fears and prejudices have given way, and today’s young people realize that if someone loves someone they have a right to marry.
Surrounded as I am now by wonderful children and grandchildren, not a day goes by that I don’t think of Richard and our love, our right to marry, and how much it meant to me to have that freedom to marry the person precious to me, even if others thought he was the “wrong kind of person” for me to marry. I believe all Americans, no matter their race, no matter their sex, no matter their sexual orientation, should have that same freedom to marry. Government has no business imposing some people’s religious beliefs over others. Especially if it denies people’s civil rights.
I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard’s and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That’s what Loving, and loving, are all about.
*****
From my inbox:
Forever would like to e-invite you to our Valentine’s Day Twitter party tomorrow and celebrate all things romance. Our favorite day of the year!
Here’s more information:
Spend Valentine’s Day with your favorite romance authors by following @ForeverRomance on Feb. 14 and use the hashtag #4EvrLove to chat with authors about Valentine memories, relationship advice, and ideas for how to spend the day (and night!) The party starts at 9am EST & we’ll have book giveaways throughout the day, so come join the fun!
Author Participant Schedule:
- 9 am, Elizabeth Hoyt (@ElizabethHoyt)
- 10 am, Kristin Callihan (@Kris10Callihan)
- 10:30, Hope Ramsay (@HopeRamsay)
- 11:30, Stella Cameron, Darkness Bound (@StellaCam)
- 12pm, Jami Alden, RUN FROM FEAR (@JamiAlden)
- 1pm, Katie Lane, CATCH ME A COWBOY (@ktlane3)
- 1:30pm, Vicky Dreiling, HOW TO RAVISH A RAKE (@vickydreiling)
- 2pm, Larissa Ione, IMMORTAL RIDER (@LarissaIone)
- 3pm, Jennifer Haymore, SECRETS OF AN ACCIDENTAL DUCHESS (@JenniferHaymore)
- 4pm, RC Ryan, QUINN (@RuthRyanLangan)
- 4:30pm, Jill Shalvis, HEAD OVER HEELS (@JillShalvis)
- 5:30pm, Cynthia Gardner, KISS OF THE VAMPIRE (@CynthiaGarner)
Deals
From Samhain: Happy Valentine’s Day! Enjoy 30% off your entire order with coupon code LOVE12 all day! pic.twitter.com/YKsTOxqv
- In a Cowboy’s Arms by Janette Kenny * $1.99 * A | BN | K | S
- Demonfire by Kate Douglas * $1.99 * A | BN | K | S
- Touch of a Thief by Mia Marlow * $1.99 * A | BN | K | S
- The Truest Heart by Samantha James * $1.99 * A | BN | K | S
- Deep in the Heart by Sharon Sala * $1.99 * A | BN | K | S
- Heiress in his bed by Tamara Lejeune * $1.99 * A | BN | K | S
- Heart’s at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey * $2.99 * A | BN | K | S (YA)
- I’ll Be Slaying You by Cythia Eden * $2.99 * A | BN | K | S
- Some Kind of Wonderful by J Minter * $2.99 * A | BN | K | S (YA)
- Twilight by Stephenie Meyer * $2.99 * A | BN | K | S (YA)
- Devil’s Kiss by Zoe Archer * $2.99 * A | BN | K | S
Send to Kindle
Feb 14, 2012 @ 08:52:39
If I owned a PSP, I would buy Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom, even though the anime gave me the impression that the heroine is annoyingly wimpy and that everyone around her is kind of stupid for not seeing that. I would love for more romance videogames for women to be available in the U.S., so I hope this game is successful.
Feb 14, 2012 @ 08:58:32
I shall definitely be looking into Hakuoki. Always interested to see a new, to the western crowd, game concept from Japan. I only wish my Japanese were better that I might play more of them without the hassle of hoping for an English release.
Feb 14, 2012 @ 09:08:01
I would buy that game, too, but no PSP! And I would LOVE an article on romance video games…how cool! My girls and I are sloooooowly working our way through a Harvest Moon with an eye to romance, but it gets kind of boring and repetitious.
Feb 14, 2012 @ 09:34:42
This is the best statement on love I’m sure I’ll see today on the big V-Day. I plan to tape the documentary on HBO tonight and watch it this weekend with my teenagers. I live in a state that’s placed one of those awful “marriage is a man/woman only thing” amendments on our April ballot and I’m depressingly confident it will pass.
Reading this quote today and then thinking back to my childhood and the unthinking ease with which I used the whites-only water fountain in the small town my mother grew up in gives me hope. We opened the barriers to interracial marriage and I feel sure my children’s generation will do the same for marriage for those of all persuasions.
Thanks!
Feb 14, 2012 @ 09:40:56
As for otome games, there’s a couple out on iPhone and Droid, such as Pirate’s Love and anything by SolmareNTT. :)
Feb 14, 2012 @ 10:11:10
I did not know there was such a thing as romance video games. I thought the closes thing to that was The Sims! I don’t have a PSP, though. I do have an Android, so thanks to @Fiona Shin: for the rec!
Feb 14, 2012 @ 10:25:39
I’d love to know more about “romance video games”. I remember seeing some hidden picture games in the past. Is it like that? I’m kind of hoping for something more.
@Fiona Shin – I found Pirates in Love on iTunes. Is that what you meant? Free intro, then $ to download more characters? It looks like a choose your own aventure kind of thing?
Feb 14, 2012 @ 10:27:54
Mills & Boon is having Pink Tuesday today with deals on 180 titles…
http://www.millsandboon.co.uk/books/pinktuesday.htm
Feb 14, 2012 @ 11:33:59
Thanks for another great roundup!
I have an item to add:
Backward Momentum is hosting a sci-fi romance themed Valentine’s Day Bash with lots of posts and prizes (including a giveaway from me, in the interest of full disclosure):
http://backwardmomentum.blogspot.com/
Feb 14, 2012 @ 11:58:58
Yay, thank you for publishing my item on Hakuoki!! I’m really excited about it. I’ve heard the localization is good, and I’ve played it in Japanese – the story is very involved and pretty intense.
Feb 14, 2012 @ 12:27:40
@Dabney: that’s beautiful (sniffle, sniffle). thanks so much for sharing. And, I love the Carter/Hemmons story. Being a pilot (and married to a pilot) I could totally envision their air-play.
Feb 14, 2012 @ 12:47:15
@Carin: There we go. Yes, it’s kind of pricey, but there’s about 12 episodes and each episode is pretty long. :D
Feb 14, 2012 @ 12:53:42
I love the story of Herbert Carter and Mildred Hemmons. I really can’t wait to see the film Red Tails as I heard that it’s a good fast-paced, action-packed war thriller with a focus on the ups and downs of friends among the crew. Sounds the kind I’d enjoy. I love the story of the Lovings. What a wonderful surname, too.
I’m “meh” on most Japanese romance games, to be honest, because most I tried are the ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ type. They’re visual novels and dating simulation games, basically. So I hope this one will be good.
@Carin: Yes, Harlequin’s Hidden Object of Desire [DA review] and Nora Roberts’s Vision in White [DA review]. I actually have two pending game reviews. Must finish them ASAP. My apologies.
Feb 14, 2012 @ 13:10:54
MANY thanks for the link to Mildred Loving’s very moving statement. I printed it out and plan to use it for my students in my classes.
Feb 14, 2012 @ 13:45:07
I am all over that HBO doc on the Lovings. I have always loved their story. Talk about true love overcoming adversity. And this part of her statement:
rocks hard.
Feb 14, 2012 @ 14:37:26
Hakuoki! I really enjoyed the anime of that. Why only on PSP… *sigh*
Feb 14, 2012 @ 15:17:33
Speaking of great real-life romances, I just came upon this on NPR’s site and it is one of the sweetest, most unusual stories I’ve read so far:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2012/02/14/146717078/a-brother-and-sister-get-married-and-later-their-son-tweets-it
Watch the slideshow in the middle of the page because it’s just lovely.
Feb 14, 2012 @ 15:24:00
I am SO getting the game. I am an MMO and RPG gamer currently enjoying Star Wars: The Old Republic (and the “romanceable” companions). I have never found any PSP game that would appeal to me. This one is going to be my first one. So looking forward to it. Payday is tomorrow ;)
Feb 14, 2012 @ 15:27:51
“Her tiny craft shook mightily.”
hee hee :)
@Brian: I looked at that briefly but was discouraged by the prospect of sorting through to see if there was a NA title change and if I have it already.
Feb 14, 2012 @ 15:55:47
A Valentine’s Day freebie at ARe (free today only)…
The Virgin Billionaire by Ryan Field (M/M)
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thevirginbillionaire-443846-144.html
Feb 14, 2012 @ 16:06:38
I may have to pick up that video game, being a gamer in my spare time. As to the mention of Harvest Moon – yes, yes, so many times yes. That’s a wonderful series perfect for casual gamers that does feature romantic options. The last few games have varied in quality, but they are quite addictive.
*g* I’m going to go back into my non-Valentine’s Day-centric hole. The mention of romance gamers brought me out of the woodwork.
Feb 14, 2012 @ 19:30:09
Not only were the Lovings remarkably brave, but they had the most appropriate name: their Supreme Court case is Loving vs Virginia, and that is just perfect for a case about marrying the person you love, no matter their race, religion, or whatever.