I've
been writing m/m erotic romance professionally for 16 years. I've seen a lot of
changes in the romance community and publishing industry over that time. Most
have been for the better; some were a long time coming, and others were not so
good.
My
name is Laura Baumbach. I'm a life-long reader, a published romance author for
sixteen years, and a publisher celebrating a successful decade in the romance
business.
At
one point, my writing was published by six different romance epublishers with
many of the titles put out in print from them as well. I've enjoyed a varied
and exciting career that eventually led me to start my press, ManLove RomancePress aka MLR Press. We publish over 120 authors and have an editing staff of
over thirty people, formatting department, social networking director, and a
roster of talented artists for cover art.
It
wasn't easy getting to the place I am today.
Fifteen years ago I started out fighting to break down of barriers that
prevented m/m erotic romance from being even considered a part of the romance
community. In the early days, I and others like me fought for equality within
the community especially where contests and reviews were concerned.
We
joined RWA, participated in the community, attended conferences – where we
weren't always welcome, working from within to achieve real change. We paid the
price of everything from public humiliation to personal snubbing. But we
continued our labors.
Our
hard-won success is measured by how accepted m/m erotic romance is today. How
easily the newer writers to this category of romance take for granted that
reviews are theirs for the asking, that entrance and winning of romance chapter
writing contests, or entry into the RITAS, like their counterparts in
heterosexual romance, is their expected right. They neither know nor care that
those things were not available to others in this field a decade ago. They reap
the fruits of previous m/m authors labors and pain without knowledge of the
cost.
It's
the way of the world. The new rarely appreciate the old.
But
now it is time for the new to help carry the torch for m/m romance. To continue
to assure equality and acceptance for their category of romance as a community
united. Or to pick that torch up when it gets dropped. When discord and
bickering split a community into fractions.
Let
us never lose sight of the goal of every romance author writing commercial
fiction for their readers. We write about love, romance, and
happily-ever-afters. We need to bring that rush of effervescent emotion to our
readers, to brighten their world for a few hours, and to give them characters
to take to their dreams at night.
I
like to think we are here to spread a little magic into the world. And if we,
as m/m romance authors, manage to make a positive impact on increasing
acceptance and tolerance of one another (no matter what letter of the alphabet
represents our true selves) in the process, then I'm pretty sure I have the
best damn job in the world. ~ Laura
BIO: Laura
Baumbach, Author, Owner/Publisher -- Laura is a graduate of Santa Ana College,
Santa Ana, CA with a degree in Nursing. For thirty-four years she specialized
in critical care and emergency trauma nursing. Now retired, Laura devotes
herself full time to publishing and writing. She honed her business and people
management skills as a hospital department head and supervisor which she puts
to good use in the publishing industry. MLR Press was founded in January of
2007.
Laura is also a Romancing the Genres Alumnus. We are honored to have her back as a guest.
Laura is also a Romancing the Genres Alumnus. We are honored to have her back as a guest.
