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by ethics officer

Addiction to Science Fiction and Fantasy Books

December 21, 2011 in Apocalypse World

Lately I’ve noticed that all people can talk about are the latest science fiction and fantasy books and films—conventions overflow with people dressed up in costumes that pay homage to their favorite stars, fans are lined up outside ready to wait as long as it takes to get tickets to the latest films and books, and these genres of books have topped the bestseller list for what seems like ages. Why are people so obsessed with this arena when they really should be focused on ensuring their survival in an apocalypse world?

Obviously, science fiction and fantasy books provides an escape from our harsh reality. One of the basic premises of both, with any kind of art for these genres, is irrationality. For example, young adult fantasy books tend to be set in places that transcend the boundaries of the world as we know it. Readers establish relationships with the characters that take precedence over the ones in their real life. They relate and devour sequel after sequel until the character arc is complete.

Readers and moviegoers often read fiction to live vicariously through others, with the goal of entertainment and escape. Even in apocalypse world novels and dystopian books, the settings can still serve as a source of hope, a mission statement for our own belief that we will escape The Heat or whatever else the Uni-Gov has in store for us.

Or perhaps this obsession with the genre, whether experienced through young adult fantasy novels, films or video games, is due to the lack of rational individuals in our society. The Keirsey Temperament website states, “Rationals are very scarce, comprising as little as five to seven percent of the population.” Scary prospect—if that is true, we may find ourselves living out the plots of our favorite apocalypse world novels if there are no rational individuals left to save us from ourselves.

Source: thenextweb.com

 

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by eden

Fantasy romance… does it really exist?

December 15, 2011 in Eden's Posts

This whole fantasy romance thing with Jamal has been like a roller coaster lately. I’m not really sure how much I can trust him. He’s been acting very moody and seems more interested in what my dad’s doing than I am. Instead of asking how my day was, he always asks how my dad’s experiment to save the pearls is going. It’s super annoying. Plus, I saw him talking to my evil coworker when he thought I wasn’t around—and it seemed like they were flirting. Hmmm.

I’m in such a difficult spot right now. I need to find a mate before my 18th birthday, because if I don’t, we all know what happens—I’m a goner. Unless, of course, the whole experiment to save the pearls works. It’s hard for me to put all my eggs in that basket, though, even though my dad’s the one conducting the experiment. I’ve been trying to have faith that this whole fantasy romance thing with Jamal is going to work, but now I’m getting nervous. Like I said, I’m not sure I can trust him, and isn’t that a crucial element of a relationship? This is my first real one, so all I have to go by is what I’ve read about love in young adult books. The chemistry and attraction is there, but is that really enough to motivate him to mate with me?

A part of me feels like I should just get back out there and try to find a mate fast. Yet the other part of me, the one ruled by my heart, tells me I should just believe and go with this thing I have with Jamal. But in this day and age, does fantasy romance really exist? Or is just a myth, a thing of the past, a fictional dream ingrained in our heads from reading too many romance novels and young adult books? What do you guys think?

Source: Blog.80millionmoviesfree.com

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by eden

Full moons bring adventure romance

November 11, 2011 in Eden's Posts

The full moon is killer tonight. I feel like you could make a wish upon it and the chances it would come true are huge—that is, if you’re not a Pearl. It’s as if none of the good things in life are destined for us—like no Pearl would ever be so lucky to find the adventure romance we all dream of. I’m never giving up, though. I know we’ll find Gretchen and I will avoid that romantic apocalypse everyone warns me about. If I was able to get my story out there, I should be able to do anything, right? If you haven’t read it yet, please do—before it’s too late. You can get it by clicking here. I worry that they’ll shut me down when they find out it’s out there. Even if they do, I’ll find another way to spread the word. I’m looking forward to full moon dreams tonight, and making my wishes come true. What will you wish for?

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by eden

It’s hard to believe in fantasy romance

November 9, 2011 in Eden's Posts

Comikaze was rad—it took my mind off of everything and gave me the chance to escape for a minute. I even stole away some time to read part of my favorite kind of book—young adult fantasy romance, of course. It gave me the chance to get my mind off of Gretchen, as well as Jamal. Ever since she disappeared, he changes the subject whenever I mention it. He just wants to talk about us. I should be flattered that he’s all about our young adult romance, but it’s a little scary, too. Plus, Jamal wants to move faster than even I do—and I’m the one that needs to! It’s scary because I don’t want him to just disappear one day after I’ve opened myself up like this—but then when I’m with him, I really do just want to jump in. He wants to know everything about my dad and is curious about me, which I appreciate, and steals away to be with me every chance I can. It’s just hard to believe that a Pearl could really fall in love like this…

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by eden

Young adult fantasy romance books can bring the truth

November 3, 2011 in Eden's Posts

Things are looking up. My book is done and 500 copies have been printed. I’m bringing them to Comikaze, which I am so excited about, and am going to sell them there. I wonder who will dare to buy it? I tell the story of my young adult fantasy romance and share how a romantic apocalypse changed everything for me. While I thought I found the perfect mate, guess what—things just aren’t always as they seem. I’ve taken my head out of the cloud of young adult fantasy it’s been immersed in, and now I’m telling it like it is. The truth is here—overcome your fear and read it now! You can order itright here on this site… can’t wait to hear what you think!

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by ethics officer

Making it a fantasy romance again

October 21, 2011 in Apocalypse World

After dating and mating for awhile, you find the perfect mate and are suddenly immersed in the perfect young adult fantasy romance. It’s heaven for a bit, but then the honeymoon period ends and that adventure romance hits a little bump in the road. How do you improve the relationship and avoid a romantic apocalypse?

Even the most amazing fantasy romance and love stories from Harlequin romance novels hit rough patches. The good news is, it doesn’t mean you have to start your quest to find a mate again. The relationship just needs a little more fantasy romance in the form of fun and spontaneity. Dating and mating successfully is a work-in-progress. Eden Newman forwarded this awesome question and asked us to share some tips for keeping your adventure romance intact so you don’t have to start browsing online dating profiles again.

Be present
With all that we have going on in our lives, coupled with the population’s addiction to technology that keeps us constantly connected, it can be difficult to be present in the moment. Take time every day, with some extended blocks of time during nights and weekends, to disconnect from everything else and give your young adult romance a little quality time. Block out some time that is just for your relationship and nothing else—turn off all your phones, computers, iPads, etc. and just listen to your partner and really connect. Your perfect mate needs to know you are really there and present for them, and they will be able to tell the difference when you’re multitasking, even if it’s subconsciously.

Laugh
Laughter is key to keeping that young adult fantasy romance alive and healthy. Do something together that makes you laugh, whether it’s going to a funny movie or something silly like playing video games at the arcade—just anything that you both think is hilarious.

Get out of your comfort zone
Another way to boost your fantasy romance is to do things that gets you both out of your comfort zone. When you find a mate, it’s easy to fall into a routine that may lead to a rut. Consciously plan to do things you’ve both never done, whether as daring as skydiving or bungee jumping to simply trying a new type of food. On the Save the Pearls website, your profile asks for the top five things on your bucket list, and those items actually improve the appeal of many online dating profiles.  Tackle items like that if you’re feeling ambitious! Either way, trying something new or daring makes you grow individually and is bonding. Even the characters in harlequin romance novels are usually forced to get out of their comfort zone, and the result is usually an unforgettable young adult romance.

Dedicate time for dates
Make sure you have time that is sacred and uninterruptable for your relationship. Schedule date nights and leave your phone in the car during dinner. Set aside a few time periods per week that you won’t sacrifice for anything else. Even Eden Newman has to put aside her campaign to save the pearls so she can cultivate her young adult fantasy relationship.

Focus on the good
The best way to avoid a romantic apocalypse is to focus on its polar opposite: the good in life. Take time remember and appreciate what you love about your partner—and let them know exactly what you’re thinking. Focus on what is really making you happy in your life and talk about it and try to manifest more of it. For example, if your relationship is troubled by the type of issues that often accompany interracial relationships, instead of dwelling on those aspects, focus on what you both have in common and enjoy. When Eden was navigating her own interracial dating experience, she focused only on what attracted her to her partner, not what the rest of her world was thinking. No matter what, don’t blame your partner for the imperfections in your life and relationship.

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by eden

I can do it all, right?

October 20, 2011 in Eden's Posts

I decided to name my book is going to be Save the Pearls Part One REVEALING EDEN. It’s almost done, but there’s more to tell, so it’s going to be a two part series. Even though I’m so excited about this fantasy romance I think I’ve found, I am still as determined as ever to continue my quest to Save the Pearls. I never thought I’d really find a mate, especially the perfect mate—but now I think that there may actually still love in this world. I hope that by getting my story down on paper, I’ll be able to help others in time to avoid the whole romantic apocalypse thing we’ve been hearing about since birth. So I am writing every minute of the day that I’m not at work or stealing away to spend time with Jamal. I will not let this adventure romance sidetrack my writing—I can do it all!

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by eden

Is this really happening?

October 18, 2011 in Eden's Posts

It’s moving really fast with Jamal. He’s saying things that are kind of freaking me out—that he’s never met anyone like me or felt this way before. After being closed off to adventure romance for so long and thinking of it just as a survival tool, it’s amazing to have someone be so into me—let alone someone who is such a catch! It’s almost scary, I can’t even believe this is happening. I may just avoid my romantic apocalypse after all! When people would tell me stories about how they found their young adult fantasy romance, I would secretly balk at them. Now I know it exists, even for a Pearl. Hopefully, this will be the end of my dating and mating journey and the beginning of life with my perfect mate. Perhaps the young adult fantasy really does exist…

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by ethics officer

Going Back for Seconds

October 17, 2011 in Apocalypse World

When the romantic apocalypse is upon you and there are no prospects for a young adult fantasy romance in sight, it can be tempting to get back together with one who you once thought was the perfect mate. If you’ve managed to stay friends and you know they’re a good catch, rekindling an old flame can seem right out of the stories in Harlequin romance novels and YA fiction. Yet there are a few things to consider before re-establishing that fantasy romance.

Keep in mind that it’s easy to idealize a past young adult romance, especially when dating and mating isn’t going so well. That said, with a little bit of honesty and a new perspective, you may be able to find a mate in an ex and have a successful adventure romance. You’ll also have to be careful to not repeat the same mistakes so you don’t find yourself immersed in another romantic apocalypse. Below are some tips for navigating this delicate area of dating and mating.

Look for change
The reasons you broke up the first time around must be eliminated. If your ex was the perfect mate except for their excessive partying and drug use, then that element has to be gone for this to become the young adult fantasy romance you want. Perhaps you had some control issues that took the young adult fantasy right out of the mix last time—if you’ve tamed those issues, then it’s possible to make it work this time. Or maybe you lived too far apart and now one of you has moved closer. If a behavioral issue was at the core of the relationship’s demise last time around, then make sure to watch for an extended period of time to make sure those changes are real before you reconcile. If your ex was one of your interracial relationships and it caused issues for them, this is probably something that didn’t just go away and this issue will rear its ugly heads again, killing this adventure romance even quicker than before. Eden Newman experienced exactly that type of situation in her quest to save the Pearls.

Take it slow
As with any new young adult romance, it’s tempting to jump right back in. However, the key to making this fantasy romance last is actually to take it slow. If both of you have changed, then you need to get to know each other again and adjust to each other’s transformations. It’s also good to slow down the physical intimacy and treat this just like you would any other brand new relationship. This helps you make more rational decisions and be sure that it’s time to cancel all your online dating profiles and stop trying to find a mate in other people.

Discuss what went wrong the first time around
Even though you don’t want to rehash the ugly past from your original fantasy romance, having an honest discussion about what went wrong the first time can help you avoid those same issues. It’s important to discuss why it was necessary to change and think of ways to avoid the situations that evoke bad feelings or conflict. For this to grow into the kind of young adult fantasy written about in Harlequin romance novels, you’ve got to be open and honest.

Don’t do it to avoid loneliness
Obviously, for Pearls like Eden Newman and all the others who’ve created online dating profiles on the Save the Pearls site, finding a mate is more about survival than avoiding loneliness. There are also those who only seek interracial dating opportunities and interracial relationships, and loneliness is not a factor. However, for some, the quest stems from a fear of being alone, which is the worst reason to rekindle an old flame. Make sure that you miss the actual person, not just having their companionship. Good luck on making this work! Our next post will tackle the subject of interracial dating…

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by ethics officer

Creating killer online dating profiles

October 14, 2011 in Apocalypse World

Are you fed up with dating and mating in the bar scene but are ready for the perfect young adult fantasy romance? Is it time to create some online dating profiles so you can find a mate? If so, here are some tips for making the best online dating profiles for the Save the Pearls site or any other dating and mating websites designed to help you attract the perfect mate and avoid a romantic apocalypse. Your profile can be the roadmap to your own young adult fantasy.

Start with a drop-dead photo—just make sure it truly looks like you. The next step for getting that young adult romance in motion is to write a description of yourself. Here are a few tips for creating an amazing piece that conveys the real you, written by dating experts and our Save the Pearls serial dater, Eden Newman, in her quest to find a mate for her ideal fantasy romance.

Start with a draft. When you’re writing your description, create a rough draft first. You definitely want to proofread it and perhaps look at it the next day to make sure you’re saying what you want to. While you’re not trying to submit this to a publisher of Harlequin romance novels, you don’t want it to be riddled with errors.

Keep it real. A young adult fantasy romance isn’t actually built on fantasies. If you hate sports, don’t say you love them. While we all want a fun adventure romance, it needs to be adventure that you like. If you’re seeking interracial relationships, be honest about your background. Interracial dating is not easy, so you want to be sure your potential date is open to it if you are.

Don’t worry about perfection. Think of your profile as a work-in-progress. You can always add and delete elements as you search for the perfect mate. Eden Newman shared that she tweaks hers regularly, as she learns more about what she wants from her fantasy romance.

Simplicity is Key. No need to use elaborate vernacular unless you do so on the regular. Stay away from curse words, text-message style abbreviations like OMG and LOL, or urban slang to attract interracial relationships. That type of thing can seem pretentious and inauthentic.

Have fun with it. Most importantly, have fun with your profile. This is the first step in creating an adventure romance and avoiding a romantic apocalypse. Love can be like the stories written about in Harlequin romance novels—enduring, passionate and loyal. You are the creator of your own young adult fantasy. If you seek others interested in interracial dating or a mate who truly believes that young adult romance exists, gear your profile to attract that type of person.

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