Mental health issues, have they got any place in romantic fiction? Is your own state of mind one of the last taboos? I believe a lot of people are affected by mental health issues, stress, and forms of OCD are fairly commonplace, yet we rarely talk about it. It is probably one of the least romantic topics, yet it is part of the human condition. In our writing, we use our personal experiences as a framework for our stories. Is it also not fair to represent stress as well?
I have been delighted to have read the work of KA Neeson. Her books The Story of JESS and AVER: Giving Love a Chance and The Path That Leads You Home. These stories are populated with well-rounded characters. Both books have one of the lead characters suffering from anxiety. KA Neeson handles this in the story with a light touch; it is part of the character, the health issues are there as an extra lait of detail, without dominating the plot. It is my belief that in the twenty-first century, we can include this as a part of a character’s makeup in romantic fiction.
I feel that KA Neeson’s stories form part of a romantic subgenre, where these topics can be explored in a nonjudgmental way. For me, it also holds up a mirror to my own health and has given me the chance to consider this important topic.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments here on the blog, the BVS Facebook page, or my Facebook page. We have a twitter page too, and we are always happy to follow people that follow us.
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