I think my own capacity for joy makes me suited to romance novels. Foxglove in bloom. Plums hot from the sun. Toddlers dashing through a sprinkler on a late, hot summer day and cats sitting in a window. I also love the thrill of walking in a foreign city, my feet on the path of thousands before me in history, and the feeling of excitement that comes from exploring the greater world, but my general attitude is one of wonder.
Life is a great and wondrous gift.
To write a great romance novel, a writer must have the ability to convey emotion. To capture very deep, powerful emotions like love and sorrow and passion and wonder on the page in fresh new ways. She must also bring a genuine love of men, which sounds obvious but there are a lot of writers who don't love men and the way they are. One thing we do celebrate in romance novels is the quirky, vulnerable, amazing tapestry of men. She must also love women, deeply and genuinely.