Got Romance?

Hi, all!

Sorry to be AWOL these past few days while the flowery ideas have been flowing (or, more aptly, blooming– it’s hard to imagine a flower in flow). Thank you all so much for the fantastical garden of title ideas. The term “embarrassment of riches” couldn’t be more apt. There are still some behind the scenes debates going on as the judges confer, but a title announcement should be forthcoming fairly soon.

In the meantime, the reason for the radio silence is that I’ve been in New Orleans for the past few days, sans email, attending the conference of the Popular Culture Association, where a stalwart band of scholarly souls are laying the groundwork for the academic study of popular romance. It was pretty amazing. For those who are interested in knowing more about the conference and the newly minted International Association for the Study of Popular Romance, you can find the details on Teach Me Tonight, which links to a growing web of sources for the study of romance fiction.

Every new movement, however, needs a slogan. Over a final dinner on Bourbon Street, we wracked our brains for a catchy phrase for next year’s t-shirts. “Stop laughing, I’m being scholarly!” was a front-runner, as was the simple and pithy, “Got Romance?” and “Romance: Ravishing Prose”.

So, just for fun (and to fill in the time while waiting for final title decisions), if you had to come up with a slogan for the International Association for the Study of Popular Romance, what would it be?

p.s. I must belatedly give credit where credit is due. “Stop laughing, I’m being scholarly!” comes to us courtesy of Crystal Jordan, who uttered that very phrase during her (let there be no mistake) extremely scholarly presentation. As far as “best lines of the conference” went, it was right up there with “vampires are the new unicorns”, “I’m too sparkly for my spandex” (you kind of had to be there for that one), and a reference to Dracula’s band of back-up girls as “lair kittens”. Ah, those lair kittens, the supernatural substitute for the Bond girl. You can just picture them lounging in the lair with their Cosmo for the Undead Girl, polishing their fangs Passion Pink.

40 Comments

  1. Stephanie Stoddard on April 13, 2009 at 12:36 pm

    IASPR (front initals)… (back) Aspire to Romance

    Man in roMance – (for guys) LOL kidding

    Popular Romance on the front… Do you Read it?… on the back

  2. Stephanie Stoddard on April 13, 2009 at 12:37 pm

    I however, do not like those as much as “Stop Laughing, I am being Scholarly” Its just too great

  3. Jennifer Dahle on April 13, 2009 at 12:47 pm

    Bodice Rippers Bared? J/K

    How about:
    Passion in Prose
    Romance Uncovered
    Between the Covers: a Close Look at Romance in Prose
    Want Romance?…Ask the Experts.
    Romance Gone Global.

    None of these are great, but it beats working at the moment! ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Stephanie Stoddard on April 13, 2009 at 1:03 pm

    Rip my Bodice and call me a Scholar LOL

    ok no.. how about

    Scholar.. Romance a Practical Application LOL

  5. Katie on April 13, 2009 at 1:12 pm

    Maybe-

    Bodice Ripper Bachelorette?

    or

    Scholar of Art of Written Seduction?

  6. Katie on April 13, 2009 at 1:27 pm

    I meant-
    Scholar of THE Art of Written Seduction

    der!

  7. Katie on April 13, 2009 at 1:40 pm

    A Scholar of the Purple Prose

  8. Tammy on April 13, 2009 at 1:41 pm

    Hmmm… I really love “Stop laughing, Iรขโ‚ฌโ„ขm being scholarly!รขโ‚ฌย but for a few other options… (I’m thinking the full name on the back of these)

    Sholars Do It Better
    Poetry in Motion
    Being Kinky is a Skill
    Not now honey… I’m writing a love scene
    Seduction is Scholarly
    Napoleon was Hot (LOL, couldn’t resist)
    Knee Breeches are Sexy
    Your Wrist Makes Me Hot

    Ok, seriously, this is too much fun, so I’ll stop. ๐Ÿ˜‰ LOL

  9. Katie on April 13, 2009 at 1:56 pm

    “The Writers of the Purple Prose” with Zane Grey like artwork

  10. Stephanie Stoddard on April 13, 2009 at 3:11 pm

    Really Lauren,

    You need more of these things. Apparently your readers have a wealth of creativity. These make up names things get the most entries the quickest ๐Ÿ™‚

    Study of the Bed Books LOL jk

  11. Stephanie Stoddard on April 13, 2009 at 3:13 pm

    I vote for tammy’s Knee breeches are Sexy!!!

  12. Katie on April 13, 2009 at 3:15 pm

    The Cult of the Clinch Cover

  13. Gina on April 13, 2009 at 4:45 pm

    ooh…I like the “Stop Laughing!” one, but Bodice Rippers Anonymous or something is good too…or Knee Breeches…I don’t know!

    LOL – Rip My Bodice and Call Me a Scholar – BRILLIANT!

  14. Tammy on April 13, 2009 at 4:49 pm

    LOL, I LOVE Rip My Bodice and Call Me a Scholar!! ROFL!

  15. Laura on April 13, 2009 at 4:56 pm

    LOL! o no, i just giggled in class when i read that! i’m totally gonna get busted! i’ll have to think about it. i’m concentrating on not giggling.
    ~lAUra

  16. Stephanie Stoddard on April 13, 2009 at 5:21 pm

    *takes a bow* thank you.. thank you.. i will be here all umm.. well for a bit..

  17. Laura on April 13, 2009 at 5:42 pm

    You Just Love Us for Our Brains

    Jane Austen, Eat Your Heart Out
    or
    Austen’s Angels (since she’s kind of looked upon as the mother of romance novels)

    Beneath This Heaving Bosom Beats the Heart of a Scholar

    that’s the best i can do right now. lol.
    ~lAUra

  18. Lauren on April 13, 2009 at 5:49 pm

    These are fabulous! Better by far than our bourbon induced endeavors of Saturday. Laura, I LOVE “Beneath This Heaving Bosom Beats the Heart of a Scholar”. And “Rip My Bodice and Call Me a Scholar”– hee hee.

  19. kiley on April 13, 2009 at 6:04 pm

    History can be sexy… (front)
    Trust us we know
    IASPR (back)

    that’s all i can come up with

    love the stop lauging and bodice rippers anonymus

  20. Elizabeth aka Miss Eliza on April 13, 2009 at 6:17 pm

    I’m also going with Rip My Bodice and Call Me a Scholar, totally awesome! I can’t think of anything better than that…

  21. Julie on April 13, 2009 at 7:17 pm

    lol some of these are hilarious. i like the Rip my bodice and call me a scholar and the knee breeches are sexy. lol
    how about:
    Real Men wear Knee Breeches
    or
    What lies Beneath the Bodice

  22. Brianna on April 13, 2009 at 9:30 pm

    What about

    I’m a Scholar of Fabio’s beautiful body

    Making Women’s Dreams Come True Since 1813…IASRP

    1813 is the year that Jane Austen Wrote Sense and Sensibility. Since she is the mother of love i thought it appropriate to use her first publication as the starting point. well i think that was her first ha please correct me if Im wrong

  23. Courtney P. on April 13, 2009 at 10:33 pm

    OMG…my sides hurt from laughing so hard…
    Rip my Bodice and call me a Scholar is freaking hilarious!!! i like that one…

  24. Laura on April 14, 2009 at 1:07 am

    ๐Ÿ˜€ yay! thanks Lauren! ๐Ÿ˜€ you’re AMAZING btw.
    ~lAUra

  25. Laura on April 14, 2009 at 9:00 am

    These are so funny – what a great way to start a rainy day! Thanks everyone. I especially love Rip my Bodice and Call me a Scholar and Stop Laughing, I’m Being Scholarly! You guys are too much!

  26. Rosie O. on April 14, 2009 at 9:00 am

    I like “Stop Laughing, I’m being Scholarly.” Maybe put a little romance in it with “Stop Laughing Darling, I’m Being Scholarly”

  27. Debra Callaway on April 14, 2009 at 9:48 am

    Front: The In-depth Study of The Bodice Ripper
    Back: Scholarly Pursuits in the Realm of Mental Popcorn-IASPR

  28. Kimmie on April 14, 2009 at 10:30 am

    Society for the Tightening of Knee Breeches and Ravishing Rakes?

  29. Kimmie on April 14, 2009 at 10:30 am

    Society for the Tightening of Knee Breeches and Dashing Rogues?

  30. Kimmie on April 14, 2009 at 10:32 am

    How about Society for the Damsels in Distress and Flowery Spies?

  31. Tammy on April 14, 2009 at 1:17 pm

    Ok, here are some new ones I thought of last night (as I re-read my favorite parts of Emerald Ring)

    Our ‘member’ship is growing!
    I went to school for this!
    Caravets…Mmmm…
    Meet Me In an Alcove
    The Lords and Ladies of Love
    Compromise Me!

    ๐Ÿ™‚ I’m sure I’ll think of more.

  32. Georgie Becker on April 14, 2009 at 1:37 pm

    My vote goes to Rip My Bodice and Call Me a Scholar. That was brilliant!

  33. Jennifer Dahle on April 14, 2009 at 4:15 pm

    I agree. The Rip My Bodice and Call Me a Scholar is too funny.

  34. Megan on April 14, 2009 at 7:19 pm

    Absolutely love Laura’s Beneath this Heaving Bosom…. Brilliant!

    Thanks for all the laughs!

  35. Rachel M. on April 14, 2009 at 10:04 pm

    How about Busting Bosom Broads? Or Rakes, Ravishers and Rogues Anonymous?

    But seriously…

    “Rip my Bodice and Call Me a Scholar” for the win! Haha this seriously made me laugh!

  36. AngelB on April 14, 2009 at 10:47 pm

    He Loves Me, He Love Me Not Is Not For Dummies

    Master of the Arts: Eye Batting and Fan Swatting

    Nonsensical and Scholastical

    Ruined by Romance

  37. am7 on April 15, 2009 at 8:33 pm

    Historical romance:

    Learning to Undress in Any Century!!

    Scholars of Chivalry!/Scholars of Slease

    History lovers are Us!

    And the final tagline:
    Because learning about love is the important, useful, and relevant.

  38. Sarah Frantz on April 17, 2009 at 1:27 pm

    No one tells me people are doing these things! OMG, these are so great! I’ll totally let you all know when I set up the Cafe Press store of IASPR.

    And can I just say, Stephanie, that we’ve struggled with how to pronounce IASPR, and I just love “aspire.” Totally using that! ๐Ÿ˜‰

  39. Stephanie Stoddard on April 17, 2009 at 6:48 pm

    No problem.. glad my creativity can be put to use.. lol

  40. Laura on April 19, 2009 at 12:43 pm

    thanks megan! ๐Ÿ™‚
    ~lAUra

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