Violence

I love this video from Eminem because I think it is actually anti-violence in its stance but I do recognize that people disagree with me on this subject. So please don't be offended that I posted it here.

In the 1980s writers sometimes chose to write very different romance novels than the ones we write today. Highly talented romance writers presented their heroes and heroines in horrible situations. Sometimes the hero beat her. Sometimes he raped her. Sometimes he emotionally damaged her to such a point that she stopped speaking for a year. And yet, at the end of the book, as she limped because her leg never healed from his assault, he would tell her he loved her and they would run away on the back of a white horse together.

Now today, most submission guidelines tell you that the publisher will not look at stories that include the glorification of rape disguised as seduction. I applaud this decision. But it does change the nature of the stories. Our heroes have a line they cannot cross. Ever. That means no matter how despicable we make them, they really can't be *that* bad.

Is this a problem? Is there ever a time when violence works between the hero and heroine? Thoughts?

Best

RR