This week has been a tough one. The final push leading up to the US Presidential election became more contentious and volatile, pitting friend against friend. And it didn’t end when the election was over. Much to my dismay, things only got worse. Riots in the streets and even more heated arguments online as to who is “right” and who is “wrong”. Stories of hate crimes and bullying from across the country splashed on my newsfeed; people I had considered friends yelling racial slurs at strangers.
Fear, anger and hate at every turn.
And from the writing community came a sense of despair, of deep loss for what they hoped the future would be. It was like everyone I knew was in collective mourning.
And now, a week later, this sense of loss and despair is still ongoing. Every day I read posts and emails from friends saying how they are having a tough time getting back to writing; that the hope they felt in their stories seems to have died with the outcome of the election. How the world they were creating ceased to exist and the emotion they had for the characters disappeared. And as I read this it makes me sad for the future. This world is crazy and busy and mean enough as it is. But it is up to us to create a safe place for people to turn.
There is a common sentiment out there that romance is nothing but fantasy and escapism. Call me a dreamer, but I think that’s what we need now.

We need romance. We need two people fighting for love. We need people to find their Happy Ever After.
The world needs more love. 
I refuse to give in to the fear. I refuse to become angry. I reject the hate that I’ve seen.
Instead, I choose love.

I. Choose. Love.

And I hope that by saying it loud and saying it often I will get the point across to others and together we can fill the world with love. One book at a time.
If you need me, I’ll be writing about love. :)