Pomegranate Ponderings

Hello again, KBers! I hope that this last week has treated you well. It’s the second to last one in March and honestly, this month seemed to fly by. Especially in comparison to last year which seemed to drag on endlessly and last the whole year. I suppose a lot of that had to do with the fact that I was on vacation last week, which again was much needed. I feel refreshed, rejuvenated, and read to recap some of the highlights of the romance world for you. 

Romance News:

Every time I think that people will stop treating the romance genre like the proverbial red-headed stepchild, something happens on the Internet to surprise me. Apparently there was a new publication, called The Shift Magazine, slated for production that was going to focus around the reviewing of romance novels. And I say this in the past tense because, according to their site and after a few controversial tweets, they’ve now paused production and “hope to launch in the fall.” 

I didn’t get a chance to look at the site before the placeholder message was put on. However, based on the screenshots that were floating around, it’s a safe bet that they wouldn’t have been too successful. Between making what I’m sure they thought was a novel and pioneering statement that romances didn’t need a happily ever after (they do), their questionable parameters, and their own admission that their initial review requirements could be viewed as narrow-minded….they were sunk before they even had a chance.

And, upon further investigation, their Twitter account is locked down and protected. *Cardi B voice* That’s weird. 

Alas, screenshots are forever.

Among other things, Jess and Trish played “Is it romance?” on this week’s episode of the When in Romance podcast. And yes for the record…The Mummy is a romance and needs a re-watch soon.

Here’s a quick quiz on what to read next, based on your Zodiac sign. I have an ARC of the one for me, and I am taking that as the universe’s way of not so subtly telling me to pick it up next. 

The consistently amazing Stacy Abrams spoke with SXSW about how being in politics influenced her romance writing.

Recommendations:

One of my current obsessions is the webtoon Lore Olympus. I really can’t articulate how awesome this series is. This unique take on this tale is so inventive and the artwork is amazing. And the author/artist is very good about giving trigger and content warnings for specific episodes. Which is amaze-balls. 

Sidenote: It’s not a spoiler when someone does this; it’s a kindness. 

This has always been one of my favorites of the Greek tales. In the more popular version of the myth, Hades kidnaps Persephone and there is a certain amount of Stockholm Syndrome there. And she’s sad and doesn’t eat and eventually Hades is ordered by Zeus that she has to be returned to Demeter, provided she hasn’t eaten anything.

Right when this decree is being made, Persephone suddenly decides to nom on something. And when she finally breaks her fast, she picks the pomegranate; a fruit that is so difficult to eat, it is like the food equivalent of Fort Knox. 

And I’m not exaggerating. The first time I ate one I got super frustrated at the amount of effort it took. After that experience, I began to have questions. She could have had a plum, or an apple. But nope, she chose a pomegranate. Poet Danielle Michalleni touched on this in her haunting “Persephone Speaks” poem where it turns the myth around and says that she chose to eat the fruit.

Now, I do understand that the idea behind the myth is to explain the changing of the seasons. But it’s still, if you’ll pardon the pun, food for thought. And with that in mind, on to the recommendations for this week! Which, surprising no one I’m sure after that introduction, is Hades and Persephone retellings that I was able to find when searching on the interwebs.

Honorable mention goes to sigeel’s Punderworld, which is also available on the Webtoons app.

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That’s all for today friends. If you want more snippets of me in between the newsletters, follow me on Twitter @PScribe801. Until next time!