Happily Ever After

I write romance.
*gasping and covering mouth with hand*
Nah, I've never really gotten that response. Not in person. But I have felt it in awkward situations when someone mentions that I'm an author. The stunned silence, the retreat from conversation, the eventual discussion regarding books and their favorite authors and the implied "why haven't I ever heard of you?", "you must not be very good if you're not widely published". I understand the reaction. I do.
And it changes nothing.
I love a happy ending. And what's wrong with that? What is wrong with sharing the journey to the future with a couple falling in love? Nothing. Most of us are or have been in love at some point in our lives. We remember, or still feel, the butterflies, the yearning for that other person, the hope, and the pain when things don't turn out the way we envisioned. And what about the build up to that first kiss and the sickening beauty of new love?
For me, experiencing those things with my characters reminds me of how it all began for me. While my husband isn't most people's idea of the "perfect hero", he is to me. And that's what matters. The hope matters. It really does.
So while I write post-apocalyptic fiction with corrupt world leaders, brainwashed characters, demons, paranormal abilities, and nuclear wasteland, there will always be the hope of love - of finding someone to complete and compliment your uniqueness, and the possibility of a happy ending (whether implied or stated).
And there is nothing wrong with that.
Behave!