In the romance genre, it’s a given that your hero and heroine will end up together for a happily ever after. Or at least a happily for now. The challenge for the writer is coming up with the obstacles (AKA conflict) to keep them apart.
The most satisfying stories are those with organic differences that seem insurmountable, but the couple, because of their love for each other, are determined to find a way. Deanne Gist is a master at this. In Tiffany Girl, it’s 1892 and Flossie Jayne is a New Woman. She’s moved from her parents’ home to a boardinghouse, to take a position at Mr. Tiffany’s glass studio. Most young gentlewomen don’t leave home until they marry. And they certainly don’t work at jobs. Reeve Wilder is a resident at the boardinghouse who disapproves of the New Women and believes all women should stay out of men’s business and their domains. He even writes a newspaper column about the proper place for women in the home and in society. I had to keep reading to see how they would reconcile such differing beliefs and come together.
Susan May Warren is another author gifted at creating characters with deep wounds and flaws that seem diametrically opposed, but ultimately can only find healing in each other. I just finished her The Way of the Brave. Orion Starr was a pararescue jumper who was injured in Afghanistan in a mission gone wrong. He’s angry and wants answers. Jenny Calhoun was the CIA profiler who gave the okay for the mission that cost Orion his knee and his teammates’ lives. How can they end up together? But Susie makes it so that not only can they get past these issues, they must, to heal each other and to move on.
In The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck, there are two story lines, one contemporary and one historical, (that also intersect with two other timelines). In the historical timeline, Emily is engaged to a suitable young man, Phillip, whom her parents approve of. Daniel, the man she thought she loved once, has returned to town, eager to renew their relationship and upset to learn she’s moved on. Phillip is perfect for Emily and wedding plans proceed. The only problem is Emily and her mother disagree about her dress. And the little things Emily notice that lead her to believe her fiancé may be hiding something from her. If she breaks her engagement, her father will lose his standing in his business and in the community. Her mother will be devastated. Daniel knows Phillip is not what he seems, but if he tells Emily she will be broken-hearted and blame Daniel. Now that’s conflict.
Conflicts and obstacles are not something that can be solved if your characters would just sit down and have a conversation. They’re something deeper and organic. They demand really knowing your characters. They’re hard work. But they make for a richer, more satisfying read that will linger with your reader long after they close the book.
Carrie Padgett lives in Central California, close to Yosemite, but far from Hollywood, the beach, and the Golden Gate Bridge. She believes in faith, families, fun, and happily ever after. She writes contemporary fiction with romance. Carrie and her Stud Muffin live in Central California with their cat and dog and within driving distance of their six grandchildren.
Point of view (POV) is essential in all forms of fiction to describe the action as the character experiences it, including emotional responses, thoughts, and reactions. Point of view is especially vital in romance fiction as we build a story around two people falling in love.
The hero and heroine cannot talk about everything they see, feel, want, so the point of view describes what is going on. Without it, your reader will not understand the inner lives of your characters. Their inner lives are especially important when the book is all about emotions. By getting inside the character’s minds, you can give the reader the full story. You can show their attraction, even when they don’t act like they are attracted to each other.
The same is true during action scenes, even when most of the focus is on external events. Point of view interwoven with dialogue and action can keep the romance front and center. Often adding a few lines of into a scene is the easiest way to convey pieces of information the reader needs.
Whose point of view is the right one for the scene? Whose head the writer gets into depends on if the hero or heroine has the most to learn or has the most at stake, at-risk, or the most to tell the reader or have the most interesting take on what is happening around them. If you decide both your hero and heroine are equal, you might choose to split the scene between the two characters. As you switch from one character’s point of view to another, use a scene break to make it easy for your reader.
Use an internal monologue to stay in the hero or heroine’s head longer to convey an important point. The most important use of the internal monologue is during moments of great emotional stress, or when the character realizes they are in love with the other person. That is a huge revelation and a key to everything else that will happen. Your reader needs to know how the hero or heroine feels about this sudden realization. Does it make them happy? Perhaps they are furious because this wasn’t in their plan? Do they think their love interest couldn’t possibly love them back? Maybe there have been so many negative things happening between them that they feel it’s impossible to work out the rocky road of their relationship.
No matter what they feel, those feelings are dramatic, complicated, and fascinating, and you need that extra time inside his/her head to tell the reader all about them. You can also use the internal monologue to convey information like what motivates a character or what the character thinks motivates someone else. These don’t fit well into dialogue.
Choose the character’s point of view carefully. Ensure there is enough at stake to tell the story from inside the hero or heroine’s head. Make their inner life rich enough, so the story is dramatic and intriguing to your reader.
As a reference for this article, I used Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies by Leslie Wainger.
Award-winning writer, Rose Gardner’s journey toward publication has come in two phases. During the early years, she was a finalist in thirteen contests and won her category in seven, was a 2007 RWA Golden Heart finalist in the Long Contemporary Category, and 2nd runner up in the 2008 Harlequin Super Romance Conflict of Interest Contest. After a break from writing, she returned to writing with a renewed focus on clean, contemporary heartwarming stories about love, hope, healing, and the power of forgiveness. She has won or placed in several contests for unpublished writers since 2017 as she works toward publication. You can find out more about Rose at her website mrosegardner.com or on social media at Facebook at MRoseGardner/, Twitter MaryGardner6, Instagram mrosegardner/
In today’s world of literature, no matter what genre you read, you are likely to come across romance. I read a broad range of genres: historical and contemporary romance, fantasy, YA, mysteries, crime novels—pretty much everything except science-fiction, horror, and erotica. I don’t mind a steamy scene, but don’t give me details. In all of the genres I read, most of the books in those genres include some romance, whether it be the main story line, a single scene between minor characters, or just a hint of attraction between characters.
What does this mean for writers? It can mean a couple things: 1) you can include a romance in whatever genre you are writing, if you choose to; 2) adding a romance to your genre may appeal to and attract a larger audience.
Everyone has a need to be loved. Maybe that’s why it’s so popular to include some type of romance in a novel of any genre. I recently read a murder mystery that was written like an old classic, but the detective found the woman, who received a threat against her life, attractive. He thought about the possibility of a date with her. That was the extent of the “romance” in that book, but it still offered a taste of romance for the reader.
In the first book of a fantasy series I read, there was no romance. In the second book, the protagonist’s romantic interest is introduced, but the romance doesn’t really become a big part of the story until the third book. Even then, it’s not the main story line. It never really becomes the main story line throughout the four books in the series. Even in the sequel, where they finally are able to marry, there are many other things they must experience and deal with before they can marry near the end of the sequel.
Through these examples, you can see that you don’t have to be an experienced or successful romance writer to add a bit of romance to whatever genre you write. Simply add some attraction, or make the romance a secondary story line. If you want more romance, read a romance book or two, or talk to a romance writer.
Romance is often the beginning of love and everyone wants to be loved. Therefore, no matter what genre you write, you can include a little bit of love. It will not detract from your story. It will add something to your story, and may even attract more readers to your books.
Kelly F. Barr lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She is married and has three sons. She writes historical romance. She has also been a blogger for ten years, and every Friday, you can find her Flash Fiction stories posted for your reading pleasure. She loves her family, including the family dog, books, walks, and chai lattes.
When I first visited upstate New York several years ago, I
kept getting the feeling I’d been there before, but that was impossible. I
finally realized that I’d visited the area through the pages of a book. Several
books, actually. Julia Spencer-Fleming’s Claire Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne
series is set in that area. I’ve read them all and they take place in icy
winters, muggy summers, and fiery-leafed autumns. So of course I recognized the
hills with orange-tipped trees and houses with screened in porches and
pumpkins.
Location is said to be the three most important rules in real estate. Although often overlooked in fiction, it’s pretty important there too.
The locations in our romance novels need to be such that the reader can’t imagine that story taking place anywhere else.
J.D. Robb’s In Death series could not be set anywhere except
New York City in the near future. The urban grittiness of the series is a
perfect match to Lt. Eve Dallas’s voice and the tone of the books overall.
Not strictly a romance, but I recently read Miss Julia
Speaks Her Mind, set in North Carolina. The southern voice and idioms make
it the perfect location. Ann B. Ross set her series in a specific time and
place, and the hot humid summer weather rose from the pages of the paperback
and frizzed my hair. Margaret Maron’s Deborah Knott series does the same.
How do we make our location into a character in our stories?
Let’s look at the examples I’ve already mentioned.
Specificity. Spencer-Fleming talked about the crunch of ice underfoot, the slipperiness of the roads, the bone-numbing chill. And colors, like the flame-colored trees in the fall. Nora Roberts, writing as J.D. Robb adds aromas and noises to make the future New York come alive. She describes the smell of a chemi-head as he passes her in the booking department, and what a soy dog smells like being grilled by a street vendor, and the sound of a bus belching smoke as it rumbles by her.
Voice and Tone. For books set in the south or areas with distinctive speaking cadences, capturing those patterns are essential. But beware of trying to write accents and particularly showing ethnicity by speech. In a Sue Grafton book. Kinsey Milhone was interviewing someone over the phone and at one point she realized they were African American and let her surprise show. The interviewee was (rightly) offended, and put on an elaborate “black,” accent, asking, “Yo, dis better fo yo?” (Grafton was making an effective point.) Use patois and jargon sparingly. Some parts of the United States refer to a soft drink as “pop,” others as “soda,” still others call them all “coke,” or “coca-cola.” If you’re writing about an area you’re unfamiliar with, find out those little idioms and differences.
Use location to strengthen your characters. Could Scarlett O’Hara be from Missouri? No, she can only be from the South. She has a particularly genteel determination that’s bred into southern gentlewomen. Can Gidget be from Maine? Nope. She’s a beach girl with sand between her toes and sun-kissed cheeks.
In romance, location can be so much more than a setting for
sunsets and picnics and first kisses. Those are nice, but with a bit of detail,
your location will become a full character. One your reader can’t imagine your
other characters and plot without.
Carrie Padgett lives in Central California, close to
Yosemite, but far from Hollywood, the beach, and the Golden Gate Bridge. She
believes in faith, families, fun, and happily ever after. She writes
contemporary fiction with romance. Carrie and her Stud Muffin live
in Central California with their cat and dog and within driving distance of
their six grandchildren.
In my opinion, anyone
who says they don’t have time to read might as well say they don’t have time to
breathe. Reading is as necessary to my well-being as food, water, and sleep
are. It can be argued that writers must be readers. Most romance writers
are also romance readers.
I also think it’s
necessary to read outside of the genre you write in. I’m not saying that
if you write sweet or Christian or inspirational romance, that you should read
erotica or gay romance. But I am saying that if you write historical romance, maybe
pick up a romantic suspense. If you write Amish, try a romantic comedy. You’ll
be surprised at how the conventions of the other genre will inspire and inform
your own writing.
For instance, I was
working on a sweet, contemporary romance but was stuck on a plot point. I was
using the secret baby trope, which I know lots of readers hate, so I needed a
really, really compelling reason for the heroine to keep this pregnancy
and baby from the father.
I story mapped. I brainstormed
with my critique group. I tried free associating ideas. Finally, I gave up. I
told my subconscious to work on it and I picked up a thriller to read. A couple
of hours later, I put the book down and I knew exactly why the heroine didn’t
tell the father. She couldn’t tell him. Telling him would ruin his life,
and she would never do that. Something in the thriller—a turning point in the
story—jogged my subconscious which had been laboring feverishly while my
conscious mind had been otherwise occupied. Steven King calls this the “boys in
the basement,” at work. My girls in the basement, once I set them loose on the
problem, came up with the solution while I read about spies running around
Rome, trying to stop a terrorist plot to kill the Pope.
Reading in another
genre also helps keep you open to new ways to twist a phrase or expression. Some
genres have specific vocabularies and reading unfamiliar idioms will help your
brain follow new pathways and make new connections. That all helps keep your
writing fresh and unexpected.
If you normally read
hard copy books, try an ebook, or an audio book. Something about shaking up
your normal routine also shakes up your creativity. Speaking of creativity,
let’s touch on the importance of filling up that creative well. Reading outside
your usual genre is part of that. But also take time for other creative
endeavors. Get outside into nature. Visit museums and art galleries. Even if
you live in a rural area, far from a museum, many offer virtual tours online.
With the Internet at our fingertips, we can learn Scottish history as easily as
we can examine the Sistine Chapel up close and personal.
If there’s a popular
romance author that you’ve never gotten around to reading (because, let’s face
it: so many books, so little time), seek out a title by that writer and move it
to the top of your To-Be-Read stack.
Be purposeful in your
reading, yes. But also read for the sheer pleasure of it. Read because you
must. Read because without stories, your brain would shrivel up and crumble to
dust. Read to make your own stories stronger and better.
Carrie Padgett lives in Central California, close to
Yosemite, but far from Hollywood, the beach, and the Golden Gate Bridge. She
believes in faith, families, fun, and happily ever after. She writes
contemporary fiction with romance. Carrie and her Stud Muffin live
in Central California with their cat and dog and within driving distance of
their six grandchildren.
I started out wanting to write another
Christmas story and the plot of Stranded
for the Holidays evolved from there. The
standalone novel is part of an ongoing series set in the Blue Ridge Mountains
of North Carolina. The fictional town is Truelove—Where
True Love Awaits. And three elderly matchmakers take the town motto a little
too seriously. They’ve made it their personal mission to help everyone find
their happily-ever-after. Whether the recipients of their efforts want them to
or not!
Here’s a short blurb:
Running away led her right where she belonged.
AnnnaBeth is running away from her own wedding when her car breaks down in the middle of a snowstorm on an isolated mountain road. And of course, who happens along to rescue her? A handsome cowboy and his young, mini-me cowboy son, Hunter, who’s wishing for a mommy for Christmas. As the storm clears, city girl AnnaBeth will have to decide: does her heart now belong in the country?
AnnaBeth’s character type is one of my favorite to write. The banter and chemistry between the never-met-a-stranger, social butterfly and the pay-for-every-word, stoic cowboy was fun to create. When the town matchmakers get a hold of these two—by novel’s end, snowflakes aren’t the only thing falling between AnnaBeth and Jonas
I hope you’ll be on the look out for the fourth book in the Blue Ridge Matchmaker series—A Mother’s Homecoming—which releases June 1. I’m currently writing #5—also a Christmas story.
Why
do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?
My
ultimate desire is to proclaim the truth of God’s Word, His redeeming love as
seen in the life of Jesus Christ and to help readers know for themselves this
great, awesome God of all comfort and wisdom. He is enough for every need.
I hope
my books will make readers laugh. And perhaps make them cry. But most of all, I
hope my stories will warm their hearts with the greatest of loves, God’s love
for each of them.
How
long have you been writing?
I come from a family of storytellers.
My mom used to entertain my brother and I on long road trips by inventing
adventures featuring us as the hero and heroine. I told myself stories as a
child to fall asleep at night. I thought everyone did this until I discovered
in elementary school this might not be perceived as normal for the rest of the
school population. But during summers, I became the neighborhood child who
entertained my friends and organized epic retellings of prairie schooners in
space, aka whatever I had watched on television lately—Daniel Boone, The Wild
West, Star Trek (the original), or Gilligan’s Island. Yeah, I know I’m dating
myself.
It was only after my children were in
middle school that I got serious about pursuing a career in writing. My first
novel was published in 2013. Twenty-five novels and counting, it’s been a
whirlwind of adventure ever since.
And
how long did it take you to get your first major book contract? Or are you
published non-traditionally? How did that come about?
In 2009, God laid a story
upon my heart and a compulsion to write it down that wouldn’t go away. I’d
written for myself, as a freelancer, and for church organizations most of my
life. But during this season in my life, God literally compelled me that now was
the time to get serious about my secret dream of writing down the stories
swirling in my head and that these stories were to be used for His glory. I
wrote the story that became my debut, Carolina
Reckoning, and God led me to a
person who suggested a writing conference.
I attended the conference
and God led a multi-published romantic suspense author to take a mentoring
interest in me. I attended several more conferences, and God was always
faithful in leading me one step further along the road to publication. I wrote
three other manuscripts; I listened; I studied; I learned more about the craft
of writing and the publishing industry. In 2011, I received the call from
Abingdon Press regarding my Aloha
Rose proposal. But Carolina
Reckoning actually became my first
published novel, releasing in August 2013.
Which
of your books is your favorite?
Usually the one I’m currently writing
is my favorite. We’re not really supposed to have favorites among our
“children”. But if you’re going to make me say it, I guess Under
a Turquoise Sky. That entire project was such a
joy. I may never write another book like it, but the story was a gift to me as
an author. It also won the Carol Award for Inspirational Romantic Suspense that
year.
Do
you have a favorite character or scene in one of your books?
I’ve written three dual timeline
romantic suspense novels, which is my favorite type of story to read and write.
But my favorite character is probably Aaron Yazzie in Under
a Turquoise Sky. There was such brokenness in him
at the beginning but by the end, his character arc went through such an amazing
transformation. Readers tell me that his journey touched them in a profound
way.
How
long does it take you to write a book?
I love to have eight months to write
one of my suspense novels. I don’t always get that, however. I’m usually
writing one book, editing another and often marketing yet a third novel. With
the smaller Love Inspired novels three-four months is about average.
What’s
your writing work schedule like?
I am a morning person so I do my best
writing early. My day usually begins at the computer by eight a.m. I don’t have
daily word count goals. My goal each day is to write the next scene or chapter.
When I finish the scene or chapter, I stop for the day. Usually, I’m
done—creatively, mentally and physically—by three p.m. I may tackle other tasks
like marketing or business-related obligations for a short period. Or, I have
tea and watch the next installment of one of my favorite British mystery
series.
Do
you have an interesting writing quirk? If so, what is it?
I like to read over the
last scene I wrote the day before to plunge myself back into the novel moment.
Then, I’ll go for a walk or bike ride, allowing the stream of my unconscious to
flow and work it’s magic on the chapter or scene I know I need to write that
day. I get into the shower and literally and figuratively allow the stream to
continue. By the time I’m ready to sit down at the computer, I’ve actually
visualized entire scenes and segments of dialogue in my mind and the words
“flow” onto the screen.
What
has been your greatest joy(s) in your writing career?
Getting to know other Christian authors
has been one of the greatest blessings during my writing journey. I also love
when readers contact me and tell me how God has used my stories to impact their
lives for His glory. Winning the Carol Award in 2015 and the Daphne du Maurier
in 2017 was such an affirmation to me to persevere in writing. In 2019, His
Secret Daughter and Stranded
for the Holidays, part of the Blue Ridge Matchmaker
series, both made the Top 25 best-selling lists. I got to see my name on the
same list as Nicholas Sparks and Debbie Macomber. How fun was that!!!!
What
has been your darkest moment(s)?
As my father’s primary caretaker, the
last three years of his life as he battled Alzheimer’s were extremely difficult
for me. My own family responsibilities didn’t stop. Deadlines didn’t stop.
Just before his death in 2016, I hit a
“wall.” I was physically, emotionally, creatively and spiritually drained. And
yet through it all, I can testify of God’s faithfulness to me as I walked to
the other side of the “valley of the shadow of death”.
My editor and agent would tell you that
I did some of my best and most powerful writing during that period. It was
during this season of pain and suffering that I won the Carol and Daphne for
two of my romantic suspense novels. And I encourage other writers to not be
afraid of the pain, but instead to embrace it.
How
many times in your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape
you?
Rejection began early and
continues to be a regular part of my writing journey. But nothing ventured;
nothing gained. Writers must develop Teflon-coated skin. One of the most
encouraging pieces of advice I ever read came from best-selling novelist,
Elizabeth George. She said, ”You will be published if you possess three
qualities—talent, passion, and discipline.”
And the most important of
these? Not talent, or passion. But discipline—perseverance. The ability to keep
on keeping on. Writing one word after the other. Never quitting. Never giving
up.
Where
do you get your ideas?
My story ideas come from everywhere—my
past, my friends and their past/current experiences, and the news.
Who
is your favorite author to read?
It depends on the genre. I read widely.
And as soon as I name favorites, I realize I’ve left someone out. But initially
in my career, I was inspired by Catherine Palmer’s romantic suspense adventure
series, Treasures of the Heart, set
in Africa. I still love those books. I continue to re-read them over and over.
What
advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that
you wished you would have heeded?
Read. A lot.
Write every day.
Every year attend the best
conference you can afford.
What
are common mistakes you see aspiring writer’s make?
Don’t listen to the lies of
the Enemy. Don’t listen to the nay-sayers. Don’t give up.
Where/How
do you recommend writers try to break into the market?
The key to my publication journey has
been about building relationships—
1. With God foremost—a conscious choice
to pursue His leading.
2. With others in the publishing
industry.
3. And, to pursue relationships over
pursuing contracts.
Multi-published author Lisa Carter likes to describe her romantic suspense novels as “Sweet Tea with a Slice of Murder.” A Vast and Gracious Tide released in June 2018. The Stronghold won a 2017 Daphne du Maurier. Under a Turquoise Sky won the 2015 Carol Award. Beyond the Cherokee Trail was a 4½ star Romantic Times Top Pick. She also has two contemporary romance series with Love Inspired. Lisa enjoys traveling and researching her next fictional adventure. When not writing, she loves spending time with family and teaching writing workshops. A native North Carolinian, she has strong opinions on barbecue and ACC basketball.
If you
are writing a clean or Christian romance, you still need to build tension in
your story. Depending on the story you are telling, the tension may or may not
begin with a denial of attraction. Perhaps they will experience an initial
dislike for the other person or have accepted that they are “just friends.”
Romances, by their nature, promise a love story with a satisfying happily-ever-after ending. Your characters must find a way past the denial stage and realize there is more to their relationship. This is a critical turning point in the story.
Foundation for growth
The
first look or the first physical contact may cause butterflies, but there needs
to be more of a foundation for a relationship to grow. For some
characters, it will be a wish or a desire for affection. Maybe a dream of
having a happily-ever-after, no matter how unlikely it seems with the person
they feel attracted to.
The wishing for a relationship must turn to your characters to wanting to spend time together, even if one or both are still in denial. They need to begin looking forward to seeing each other. Maybe external circumstances draw them together, which results in them becoming more comfortable with each other.
That
doesn’t mean they are suddenly emotionally on the same page. They may have
intense disagreements about something in the story. Perhaps one wants to sell a
ranch, and the other wants to keep it, but neither is willing to walk away. So
builds the push and pull of their relationship.
As they learn more about each other, they learn to coexist in their story world. Your characters develop a daily routine, whether they are sharing the same space, as in the ranch example, or regularly seeing each other over a common situation.
It’s at this stage, that each partner will begin to accept and even appreciate the strengths in the other person. Appreciation is vital in building a relationship. Without it, one or both have no reason to stay connected to the other person.
They begin to ask the what-if question and begin to imagine what it might be like to be in a real romantic relationship. Maybe one or both of your characters start to wonder what a kiss feel like, or perhaps experience an encounter that makes them feel accepted and connected in a new way. They begin to toy with the idea that maybe it could work. However, if our characters come together too quickly, there will not be tension.
In Susan May Warren’s book How To Write A Brilliant Romance, she says, “The pull toward each other, is just one half of sexual tension. We also need the push away from each other or the fear of loss.”
The fear of loss
An
internal obstacle causes the fear of loss. The internal wounds of one or both
characters may lead them to believe the risk is too high. The fear of losing
the other person if their most guarded internal wound is exposed. One character
may summon the courage to ask what the other person fears. Or even more
powerful to risk rejection and ask them to stay.
The
internal wound cannot remain a secret from the other person if their
relationship is to be realized. Each character must feel their love interest
will accept the broken parts of them and all. They will be loved for who they
are and will be there for them in times of hardship. Only then can they become
more intimate with each other, both physically and emotionally, and have their
wish for the happily-ever-after become real.
If you want to dive deeper into creating emotional
tension, I’d like to suggest the following books:
Writing A Romance Novel for Dummies by Leslie Wainger
How to Write a Brilliant Romance by Susan May warren
The Story Equation by Susan May Warren
The Writers Journey by Christopher Vogler
The Virgin’s Promise by Kim Hudson
The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Mass
Troubleshooting Your Novel by Steven James
Rose Gardner’s writing
journey has come in two phases. The first was focused on contemporary category
romance. After a break, she returned to writing contemporary heartwarming
stories about love, hope, healing and the power of forgiveness. During the
first phase of her writing she was a finalist in thirteen contests and won her
category in seven including a 2007 RWA Golden Heart finalist in the Long
Contemporary Category, and 2nd runner up in the Harlequin Super Romance
Conflict of Interest Contest in 2008. More recently she won 1st place in the Blue Seal Award for General/ Contemporary/
Romance Novels at OHCWC 2017.
As a little girl I was enthralled with the classic Disney
tales of princesses finding their “Prince Charming” and living happily ever
after—Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty. As a teenager I devoured
Harlequin romance books and larger romance novels, each ending with the man and
woman madly in love and the assumption that they lived “happily ever after”.
Therefore, like most girls, I dreamed of finding and falling
in love with an incredibly romantic man, marrying, and living happily ever
after. Now let’s pause a moment here to talk about what this idea of “happily
ever after” is. When you watch the Disney princess movies or read the romance
novels, there may or may not be any real tensions or problems between the man
and woman that have to be worked through for them to continue having a “happy”
relationship. Often, their relationship appears perfect—not a care or
problem in the world. Is this idea of “happily ever after” realistic? Of course
not.
Are we doing our readers a disservice if we paint this kind of perfect romance? My opinion is “yes”. I remember being quite upset when I realized that Disney princesses’ “happily ever after” doesn’t exist in the real world. To achieve happily ever after requires hard work from both the man and woman in the relationship because men and women are different. God created them to think, feel, and communicate differently, and that can present struggles and problems they must learn to talk about and work through in order to have a “happily ever after”.
Will including such problems in our romance stories, even before marriage, make our stories less, or lose readers? I think, by showing characters that face real-life struggles, our stories become richer and more relatable. Depending on how you choose to show how your characters work out such struggles, you may even be helping your reader with a struggle in their own relationship by showing them a possible solution they may not have thought about. Including such problems in our characters’ relationships can not only make our characters stronger, but strengthen the story as a whole.
As a romance writer, I have had several ladies say to me,
“Why are the relationships in romance stories always so perfect? Why do they
have to always have a happy ending? Real life isn’t like that. Just once I’d
like to read a story that doesn’t end with “happily ever after”.
Does that mean you have to end your romance novel without a
wedding or the happy couple walking into the sunset hand-in-hand? Not
necessarily, but it could offer you a new option for some good tension or
conflict in your novel. Or maybe, the boy doesn’t get the girl the reader
thought he’d get at the beginning of the book. Maybe, he finds one that’s a
better match, showing that not every relationship works out or ends in
marriage.
Readers may find such a story refreshing.
Kelly F. Barr
lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She is married and has three sons. She
writes historical romance. She has also been a blogger for ten years, and every
Friday, you can find her Flash Fiction stories posted for your reading
pleasure. She loves her family, including the family dog, books, walks, and
chai lattes.
Once upon
a time a romance novel plot included a heroine who wanted the hero to kiss her,
but she had to pretend not to want
that. She had to object. She had to act surprised. That was a reflection of the
times. Women were expected to protest to protect both their virtue and their
reputation. Women who wanted physical touch were wanton.
Those standards
and mores faded in the late 20th century when women could actually enjoy
a toe-curling kiss in romance novels (and in real life), along with other
physical expressions of love.
But now
we’re in the 21st century with sexual harassment, assault, rape,
consent, dubious consent, and #MeToo stories in the news every week. Gone are
the days when a hero can force a kiss—much less himself—on a heroine in a
romance novel.
So how
does the current day romance writer handle physical affection in our stories? If
our hero has to stop and ask permission to kiss the heroine, it slows the story
and action. Especially if then he asks if he can touch her “here?” “How about
there?” And it’s not realistic for the female protagonist to instigate every caress,
kiss, or cuddle either.
So
what’s a romance writer to do?
Well, I
have some suggestions.
First, get very good at writing visual signs of attraction.
Your
hero needs to be able to tell the heroine is attracted to him. Study body
language and non-verbal cues.
He can
do things like move in for a kiss, then pause, raise his brows in a question.
She smiles back as an invitation.
Movies
and television are great tutors for this kind of thing, because they’re a
visual medium. Watch your favorite rom com and take notes. How does she show
her interest? How does he make his move without being creepy? Is it clear that
she welcomes his move? How does she convey that to him?
In one
of my favorite movies, Notting Hill,
Anna and Will are clearly attracted to each other. They engage in flirty
banter. They laugh together (she throws popcorn at him in a movie while he’s
wearing his SCUBA goggles). She invites him “up,” after a movie date. Then in a
classic plot twist, her boyfriend arrives on scene. Will exits, stage left,
with the trash. The next time we see Anna and Will together, she’s single. (Thank
goodness, or we wouldn’t like her at all.)
In this instance, they both debate making the first move, but are unsure. It’s
played out clearly onscreen. When Anna tiptoes downstairs, Will thinks it’s his
idiot roommate and groans, then says, (more or less), “Bugger off. Go away.”
When Anna replies, “Okay,” Will quickly recants. Anna perches on the edge of
the couch where he planned on sleeping. You can imagine, as does the viewer, (most
of) what happens next.
Even though Notting Hill is more than a few years old, it does a great job
showing the dance of consent. Probably because Anna is a celebrity, but that
doesn’t make it any less of a tutorial for the contemporary writer now. Maybe
more so.
In Susan
Mallery’s current release, Meant To Be
Yours, when the hero, Jasper, moves to kiss Renee, he says, “I may be
reading this all wrong …” as he puts his hands on her waist and pulls her
close. This gives Renee time to back away, if she doesn’t want him to kiss her.
We know she does, so this works great to show her
consent.
Of course, historical romance writers have a bit more leeway, because of the conventions of the times. But still, they’re writing for contemporary readers with contemporary sensibilities and would be wise to keep all this in mind.
A rake
can be a rake, but he should still be a gentleman.
A lesson
for all the eras.
Carrie Padgett lives in Central California, close to
Yosemite, but far from Hollywood, the beach, and the Golden Gate Bridge. She
believes in faith, families, fun, and happily ever after. She writes
contemporary fiction with romance. Carrie and her Stud Muffin live
in Central California with their cat and dog and within driving distance of
their six grandchildren.
In my last column, I wrote about the first meeting. Now that
your characters have met, the first blush of attraction draws them toward each
other.
Why?
Unfortunately, for the writer, it can’t be because we want them to be attracted to each other. That’s not enough. We have to develop an underlying reason for the attraction. In many romances, the first blush of attraction is their physical appearance. That first reaction may not be enough to sustain a story, let alone a relationship. What stands out about that person that holds their interest?
In Susan May Warren’s book How to Write a Brilliant Romance, she says, “It’s because they are at a place of Need in their life.”
They either may not know they have a need or are resisting
it as a flaw. The hero or hero may not want to NEED anyone or anything because
of past wounds. That they have met the person who tugs at the wall they’ve
built around them makes them angry.
The writer must build in looks between the hero and heroine.
What will they say to each other? Will they engage in banter to draw the other
person to them? Or perhaps they’ll engage in sarcastic comments meant to drive
the other person away. They could be professional, friendly, outgoing, or shy.
Everything they do is based on the personality of the character you are
creating.
What are they thinking? Their thoughts may be in direct
conflict with what they are saying or doing. What they believe may be the
opposite of what their hearts desire.
One thing neither can deny is that something is happening between them. That spark of attraction will continue to draw them together. Initially, they may blame it on having been thrown together by circumstances or another person. You are writing a romance, and even if their circumstances change, their attraction continues to tug them back together.
The attraction is the foundation from which you will build the tension that will carry them through the story. It will lead them toward having their wounds healed so they can give away their hearts.
On a personal note, here is my biggest pet peeve when it comes to the attraction scenes in some romances–the ones that make me want to throw the book across the room:
When the heroine is otherwise a strong woman but upon one look at the hero and she can no longer think, move, talk, but simply stands there staring starstruck at the hero. Or when the hero wears a smirk and struts around as though to say “She likes me. She likes me. I’m such a hunk she can’t help but like me.” These types of scenes make me want to slap the hero and heroine senseless and shake the writer for crafting such a shallow scene.
Do you have a favorite or least favorite attraction scene?
Will an attraction scene make you stop reading a book? If so leave them in the
comments below.
Rose Gardner’s writing
journey has come in two phases. The first was focused on contemporary category
romance. After a break, she returned to writing contemporary heartwarming
stories about love, hope, healing and the power of forgiveness. During the
first phase of her writing she was a finalist in thirteen contests and won her
category in seven including a 2007 RWA Golden Heart finalist in the Long
Contemporary Category, and 2nd runner up in the Harlequin Super Romance
Conflict of Interest Contest in 2008. More recently she won 1st place in the Blue Seal Award for General/ Contemporary/
Romance Novels at OHCWC 2017.
What do you think about when you think of romance?
Oh sure, there are the typical things like boy meets girl, a dinner date or
dinner and a movie. You may fantasize about what the hero or the lady look
like, their personalities, their similarities and differences. As a writer,
you’ll be thinking about how they’ll meet and what kind(s) of conflict will
affect their relationship, as well as how they will overcome these conflicts to
come together in a forever love.
But have you ever considered how your setting can enhance the romance? Consider this—when you think about what kind of romance you’d like, don’t you envision where the romance will take place? And you probably envision more than one setting for more than one date.
Building a description of the setting can help create romance.
Imagine: dinner at a top-notch seafood restaurant on the pier at a table by a window with a view of the moonlight shining upon the ocean. That view is enticing, so much so that after dinner, the lady and her date wander down to the beach, remove their shoes, and walk barefoot and hand-in-hand on the beach near the water’s edge. They feel a strong chemistry between them and little sparks shoot through their hands and up their arms at the physical contact of holding hands. They continue to take turns talking about themselves—getting to know one another.
Eventually, they know they have to go back the way they came. He has to drive her home. The night won’t last forever, but neither of them wants it to end. They look up at the bright, full moon and comment on the beauty of it as it shines upon the water. They breathe in the cool, salty air, then the hero turns to the lady, comments on her beauty and brushes some loose strands of hair from her face, places his hand on her cheek, then lowers his lips to hers for their first kiss.
You can take it from there, but do you see how the beach, the ocean, the moon and moonlight all add to the romance of the scene? You can take any scene you want, envision it in your mind and bring it to life in a way that enhances the romance or even causes the romance between your hero and lady to begin. Your settings can play an important role in your story. Don’t neglect them.
Some stories include a setting so well developed it almost becomes a character in the story. Be sure to use your settings to enhance the attraction, the feelings, the romance of your romantic stories.
Kelly F. Barr
lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She is married and has three sons. She
writes historical romance. She has also been a blogger for ten years, and every
Friday, you can find her Flash Fiction stories posted for your reading
pleasure. She loves her family, including the family dog, books, walks, and
chai lattes.
The first is “Match You Like Crazy,” a contemporary romance
in the Resort to Romance Series. The stories take place during
Matchmaking Week at an island in the Bahamas. The heroine and hero have
everything in common, but their families are business competitors. Will a week
on Joy Island spark another feud? Or prove they’re a crazy-perfect match?
“Journey of the Heart” is a historical romance in Barbour’s The
Erie Canal Brides Collection. The heroine writes abolitionist pamphlets
under a pen name. When a slave-hunter captures a runaway, she vows to rescue
the young girl. But she’ll need to trust the hero with her secret. And also
with her heart.
Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal
for your books?
The desire to create stories is so strong within me, I think
I’d shrivel up and die if I couldn’t write. I thank God for His gift and pray
that readers are blessed—whether simply entertained or deeply touched—by the
stories He has given me to share.
How long have you been writing?
I dreamed of writing for so long, it’s hard to pinpoint a
starting date. However, I participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing
Month) for the first time about sixteen years ago. That’s when I fell in love
with creating characters and imagining a story.
But since I had a full-time job, teenagers at home, and
other responsibilities, I didn’t write much for another couple of years. I left
my job and went to my first major writers conference about twelve years ago.
That was definitely a turning point for me. I learned more about the writing
craft and the publishing industry, joined a critique group, and made lifelong
friends.
And how long did it take you to get your first major book
contract? Or are you published non-traditionally? How did that come about?
My first major contract was for Where Treasure Hides
which was published in 2013. So that was about ten years. Here’s a fun bit of
trivia–I first wrote the manuscript for my debut novel for NaNoWriMo about five
years earlier. Of course, it went through major revisions before I submitted it
to a publisher.
How long does it take you to write a book?
That depends on the length and depth of the story. I spent
years writing my first two novels, but only had nine months each to write the
next two. This month I’m doing the final edits on a historical novel that I
first started ages ago.
Now that I’ve gained a bit of experience, though, I can
write a contemporary novel of approximately 55,000 words in about four months.
What’s your writing work schedule like?
I set weekly word count goals and usually write in the
afternoons and evenings.
Do you have an interesting writing quirk? If so, what is
it?
I don’t know that it’s a quirk, but I love to plan, imagine,
and dream my stories by scribbling in artist sketchbooks. The thick, unlined
pages allow me to write in different directions and sections. I ask “what if”
questions, write lists of potential names and characteristics, add interesting
research info, brainstorm titles . . . all kinds of fun stuff!
What has been your greatest joy(s) in your writing
career?
Signing contracts is fun, and it’s always exciting to open a
box of brand-new books with your name on them. I also love encouraging other
writers and learning from other writers.
What has been your darkest moment(s)?
When I got my first two-star review, I was devastated. It
was one of the first reviews posted on my debut novel, and it truly hurt. But
that’s part of the writing life, and I’m happy to say that most reviews are
extremely positive. If there’s something to learn from a critical review, I
tuck it away. If not, I shrug it off.
Which of your books is your favorite?
Such a tough question! But if I must choose, I’d say Where
Treasure Hides. It’s a complex story set during World War II, and the
characters experience extremely difficult situations. I love my other novels,
too, though!
Who is your favorite author to read?
Another tough question! There are so many great authors. I
recently read Erin Bartels’ debut novel, We Hope for Better Things. This
compelling novel, set in Detroit, weaves together three different time periods.
It’s amazing.
I’m currently reading No Ocean Too Wide by Carrie
Turansky, and it’s also amazing!
What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished
you had gotten, or that you wished you would have listened too?
For too many years, I was afraid to pursue the most
important dream of my heart because I didn’t want to fail. I wish I hadn’t let
fear hinder me the way I did.
So my advice is to be brave and be persistent.
How many times in your career have you experienced
rejection? How did they shape you?
Definitely more than I wanted, but I’ve learned that
rejection can be a good thing. God knows what’s best for me, and I trust Him to
protect me. That doesn’t mean I’m not disappointed—of course, I am. But I
rarely dwell on a rejection.
Do you have a favorite character or scene in one of your
books?
One of my favorite scenes involves Ian Devlin, the hero of Where
Treasure Hides. When this scene takes place, Ian isan officer in
the British army who has escaped from a German POW camp. He’s with a group of
Jewish refugees trying to get to France when they encounter German soldiers.
It’s a very sad scene, and the consequences cause Ian to make a pivotal
decision.
Where do you get your ideas?
My first contemporary novel, Where She Belongs, was
inspired by my love for a mid-19th century house I lived in as a
teen.
Other novels are inspired by heart-tugs. For example, when I
was researching World War II, I became fascinated by the efforts of art
galleries and museums to protect their cultural treasures from the Nazis. This
research inspired Where Treasure Hides.
Settings, interests, and occupations can also inspire ideas
for stories. I recently started watching Forged in Fire which is a
competition for bladesmiths. I’m so intrigued by the process of making knives
and swords that I plan to have a master bladesmith as the hero of a future
story.
What are common mistakes you see aspiring writers make?
One common mistake is to give too much background
information at the beginning of the story. Instead, it should be sprinkled
throughout the story—and only when and if it’s truly needed!
Where/How do you recommend writers try to break into the
market?
I think it’s helpful to attend writers conferences to meet
agents and editors in person. Entering contests can also be a great way to get
feedback on your writing and get the attention of publishing professionals.
Bio
Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, is a CBA bestseller. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the Serious Writer, Inc. executive board, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Johnnie lives in Oklahoma with Griff, her happy-go-lucky collie, and Rugby, her raccoon-treeing papillon. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.
The fact that you are writing a romance it’s a given that
your hero and heroine have to meet each other.
The romantic relationship can’t begin until they do.
I once heard an author of another genre say that in a
romance, the characters always meet by physically running into each other. While
we know that’s not true, I’ve seen the technique used many times. It’s called a “cute meet.” Some authors not
only feel it’s necessary, but are highly skilled at introducing their hero and
heroine in unique, memorable, or sometimes funny ways.
Maybe their characters physically run into each other. Perhaps
the hero/heroine find themselves booked into the same cabin and it’s the only
cabin available, or the heroine’s best friend gives her the keys to her
family’s vacation home and the hero (the best friend’s brother) shows up to use
the home at the same time. Maybe, the hero and heroine inherit the same house, ranch,
or business with the stipulation they must work/live there for a certain period
to claim their inheritance.
These all are openings I’ve seen. However, they don’t
represent all types of romances. The romances in which best friends fall in
love don’t have the same initial meet. There seems to be a different kind of
first meeting in reunion romances where the hero and heroine were teenage friends
or lovers years before the story opens. Perhaps one of your lead characters are
hard working single parent striving to raise their child, or your hero or
heroine believe they are too busy with their career for a romantic
relationship.
No matter the circumstances, the first meeting is more than
a physical greeting between the hero and heroine. It is the first milestone you,
as the author, must reach. The reader expects that the initial encounter
between the hero and heroine will happen within the first chapter. It represents
the first spark of attraction or perhaps the first confrontation between the
two characters.
When a reader picks up a romance novel, they are already
accepting the promise that not only will the characters meet, but they are
eager to go on their journey to find love. If you need to make them wait for a
few pages, be sure you are layering in the hero and heroine’s character traits
and hint at their internal and external motivation or conflict by having at
least one scene in each character’s point of view. In those first pages, you also
promise your reader the story will be funny, suspenseful, or filled with angst
from past hurts that the hero or heroine must overcome to find love.
From page one, the reader begins to root for the hero and
heroine’s happily ever after. Don’t let the hero and heroine’s first meeting
become a disappointment to your reader.
Rose Gardner’s writing
journey has come in two phases. The first was focused on contemporary category
romance. After a break, she returned to writing contemporary heartwarming
stories about love, hope, healing and the power of forgiveness. During the
first phase of her writing she was a finalist in thirteen contests and won her
category in seven including a 2007 RWA Golden Heart finalist in the Long
Contemporary Category, and 2nd runner up in the Harlequin Super Romance
Conflict of Interest Contest in 2008. More recently she won 1st place in the Blue Seal Award for General/ Contemporary/
Romance Novels at OHCWC 2017.
Romance used to be so formulaic—boy meets girl,
they fall in love, something threatens their relationship, but in the end, they
marry and live happily ever after or the male rescues the damsel in distress,
they fall in love, marry, and live happily ever after.
Some people still enjoy those types of romance stories, but romance has come so much further. Today characters can face issues found in current relationships: cultural differences, disease or serious illness, career vs. family struggle, etc. The story doesn’t have to end with the wedding and, as a writer, you don’t have to write a “happily ever after” ending. You can give your couple trials. You don’t even HAVE to have a “happy” ending, but most romance readers do prefer a happy ending. Finally, you don’t have to have the boy who meets the girl at the beginning of the story be the one who wins the girl in the end nor have the rescuer win the damsel’s heart.
The romance genre, like all other genres, has a diverse readership—women, mostly, from many different cultures and backgrounds who face many different struggles in their lives, and they’re looking for characters in romance stories that they can relate to—characters who face the same struggles. They want to see how such characters overcome their struggles. Seeing a possible solution, or just seeing someone facing the same struggle come through it, having found real love, can give your readers hope.
And that whole damsel in distress thing, that’s not so popular anymore. In the current market, strong women characters are quite popular. Women who can pull themselves up by their own bootstraps, kick some butt, and still desire to be loved, supported, and cherished—in other words, tough independent women who can still be soft and feminine. These women can face the battles but still enjoy having a strong shoulder to cry on or rest on when the battle’s over.
As for the plot line, the conflict doesn’t have to be the woman having to decide between two men. The conflict can revolve around the struggle she faces or a circumstance that threatens their relationship. The plot line should still have a love interest, or two, as well as one or more struggles the man and woman have to work through together to show their commitment to one another, in addition to any individual struggles each may face. All struggles/conflicts can be internal or external.
Romance has come a long way and doesn’t have to follow a formula specific to the romance genre anymore. The romance genre has also expanded to include mystery/romance, romantic suspense, historical romance, sweet romances, and more. There is a romance to fit every type of romance reader and writer. So if you have an unusual romance story percolating in your brain or you don’t think your story will have an audience because it doesn’t follow the romance formula, take a chance, write it—there may be readers waiting for it!
Kelly F. Barr
lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She is married and has three sons. She
writes historical romance. She has also been a blogger for ten years, and every
Friday, you can find her Flash Fiction stories posted for your reading
pleasure. She loves her family, including the family dog, books, walks, and
chai lattes.
We’re well into spring in most of the country, which
means for writers, we’re also well into contest season. The Genesis. The Golden
Heart. The RITAs. The Carols. The Maggies. Touched By Love. FHL Reader’s Choice
Award. So You Think You Can Write. The Golden Rose. Those are just a few of the
many contests available to published and unpublished romance writers.
There are lots of reasons to enter contests. You often get great feedback about what works and what doesn’t. Some contest winners have their entries looked at by agents and acquisitions editors. A win or a final is definitely a great addition to your email signature line.
I’ve entered many contests, finaled and even won a few.
Been a judge. Mentored entrants. Helped coordinate and run a few. So, I might
know a little bit about contests.
In this latest season of judging, I noticed some
recurring issues I want to address.
The synopsis. It’s too easy to write your synopsis as a list of bullet points of what’s going to happen in the story. But it should be written in your character’s voice, just like the manuscript, using the same tone and vocabulary.
Typos. Especially in the first two or three pages. Because those pages are crucial and have been revised and reviewed so often, the writer’s eye becomes accustomed and no longer sees the errors. Before clicking Send on that entry, have someone else give it a final once over.
Metaphors and similes with clichés. It takes a little thought to twist a cliché and turn it into something special. But do take the time and trouble. It will make your entry stand out.
Also, remember judges are human and scoring is
incredibly subjective. I once received scores of 98, 97, 95, and 69. On the
same entry. Obviously what three judges loved, another loathed. Besides
stinging, that low score was enough to keep me from finaling. Many contests
discard the low and high scores and average the others for an official score.
Once you click Send,
relax, knowing you’ve submitted your best effort. Then, no matter what your
scores, commit to taking your feedback, learning from it, and improving.
And like seeing the first hummingbird of spring, a thank
you note to your judge is always appreciated.
Carrie Padgett lives in Central California, close to
Yosemite, but far from Hollywood, the beach, and the Golden Gate Bridge. She
believes in faith, families, fun, and happily ever after. She writes
contemporary fiction with romance. Carrie and her Stud Muffin live
in Central California with their cat and dog and within driving distance of
their six grandchildren.
Jolina Petersheim is the bestselling author of How the Light Gets In, The Alliance, The Midwife, and The Outcast, which Library Journal called “outstanding . . . fresh and inspirational” in a starred review and named one of the best books of 2013. That book also became an ECPA, CBA, and Amazon bestseller and was featured in Huffington Post’s Fall Picks, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and the Tennessean. CBA Retailers + Resources called her second book, The Midwife, “an excellent read [that] will be hard to put down,” and Romantic Times declared, “Petersheim is an amazing new author.” Her third book, The Alliance, was selected as one of Booklist’s Top 10 Inspirational Fiction titles of 2016. Jolina’s nonfiction writing has been featured in Reader’s Digest, Writer’s Digest, and Today’s Christian Woman. She and her husband share the same unique Amish and Mennonite heritage that originated in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, but they now live in the mountains of Tennessee with their three young daughters. She blogs regularly at jolinapetersheim.com
Can you share a
little about your recent book?
My newest novel, How
the Light Gets In, is a contemporary spin on Ruth set on a cranberry farm
in a Wisconsin Mennonite community.
Why do you write? Do
you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?
I write to understand my own heart, and from that
understanding, to draw closer to the heart of God. My themes change as my
personal journey changes. I’ve explored the devastation of family secrets (The Outcast), motherhood (The Midwife), the divide between trust
and action (The Alliance series), and
marriage during the young parenting years (How
the Light Gets In).
How long have you
been writing?
I’ve been “writing” since before I could read. My father was
a carpenter by trade and a songwriter in his spare time. Therefore, I grew up
being immersed in music and language. This, combined with always having my nose
in a book, made me want to be a writer.
And how long did it take you to get your first major book
contract? Or are you published non-traditionally? How did that come about?
I got my first book contract for my debut, The Outcast, when I was twenty-five. My
eldest daughter, now seven, was only twelve weeks old. The Outcast was my third “novel,” but the first I ever submitted to
an agent. I met my agent at an author reading for our mutual friend because we
both have distinctly Pennsylvania Dutch last names, which aren’t often heard
around Nashville. He asked what I was working on, and the rest, as they say, is
history. He’s been my agent for the past seven years. I admire how he treats
everyone with respect and kindness.
How long does it take
you to write a book?
Well, my pace has slowed with each child (my husband and I now have three girls).
I wrote The Outcast in six months; How the Light Gets In took two years.
The beauty of the writing/life journey is that even though I’m a slower writer,
my children are teaching me how to live.
What’s your writing
work schedule like?
Right now, I wake at 5, write until 6:30, get my firstborn
daughter off to school, and then write again at 2, which is nap time/quiet time
for my two younger daughters. I try to wrap everything up when my eldest
daughter gets home at 3:15. That’s certainly not a lot of time to work on a
manuscript, but I have found that slow and steady helps me reach The End. Of course, my writing schedule
often changes due to sickness (like this week, when we’ve been passing around a
respiratory virus), field trips, and book signings, but the key is to jump
right back in when I’m able. I love having a creative outlet that works around
my family’s life.
Do you have an
interesting writing quirk? If so, what is it?
Well, for years I’ve been writing at the kitchen table
(which is where I am now). The kitchen table is our family’s hub, and I like to
be in the center of everything, so my family doesn’t feel like I’m choosing my
art over them. Plus, who knows what my children would get into while I was in a
closed room.
What has been your
greatest joy(s) in your writing career?
Yesterday, a reader at a book signing showed me a dog-eared
section of How the Light Gets In,
where Mabel is giving marital advice to Ruth. Another friend rewrote one of
Ruth’s letters and sent it to her husband, which served as a medium to help them
reconnect. Another friend told me her parents listened to the audiobook version
of Ruth’s story while on their way to the beach, and their marriage—at one
point—had been severely strained. I love using stories to bring connection and
clarity to relationships.
What was your darkest
moment(s)?
At the end of 2014, my husband had emergency brain surgery
to remove a benign (non-cancerous) tumor. My darkest moment didn’t happen the
night before his surgery but the two weeks after it. He was still not well, our
children were sick, and the snow was piled up outside our little Wisconsin
farmhouse. I remember standing at the window and staring out at that snow. I prayed,
and I prayed, and then I walked into the playroom and stretched myself across
the guest bed, too tired to cry. That night, our entire household slept, which is
no small feat with a newborn and a two-and-a-half-year-old with croup. Looking
back, I see that moment as a pivotal shift in my relationship with God. He went
from this distant paternal figure to someone who came close to me when I called
His name.
Which of your books
is your favorite?
Right now, I would have to say How the Light Gets In, but that might be because it most closely
reflects my stage of life while trying to juggle marriage, motherhood, and
creativity.
Who is your favorite
author to read?
Ah! That is always hard for me to answer. I read widely, so
I love discovering new authors—or at least authors who are new to me. I
recently read and thoroughly enjoyed a forthcoming novel called Call Your Daughter home by a debut
author named Deb Spera. I met Deb when we sat beside each other at a book
signing in Atlanta. She said her novel was about the “ferocity of motherhood,”
so I told her I needed to read it! Call
Your Daughter home has beautiful language, an electric atmosphere, and a
thread of justice that pulls everything bowstring tight. I loved it.
What advice can you
give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you
would have listened too?
I would tell aspiring writers that no part of the
process—writing process and life
process—is ever wasted. Not the rejection slips filed in a recipe box. Not the
manuscript on a thumb drive that will never see the light of day. I had a goal
to be published by twenty-five. I received my first book contract at
twenty-five, and though I am extremely grateful for getting an early start, I
would tell myself to relax a little more and to enjoy the journey.
How many times in
your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape you?
I’ve experienced rejection more times than I can count.
However, I believe we really find out who we are in those moments. Are we going
to be the kind of person who just wallows in bed with a piece of dark chocolate
(though chocolate is never a bad idea), or are we going to pull ourselves up by
our muck boots and get back out there? I do believe it’s important to
acknowledge pain, whether large or small, process that pain, and then leave it
once it’s processed. Rejection is part of life. Pain is part of life. But it
doesn’t have to define you.
Do you have a
favorite character or scene in one of your books?
I love tucking my personal experiences into my fiction. When
I was seventeen, I did a short-term outreach at an orphanage in Bogotá,
Colombia, with my future husband and his family (though he wasn’t even my
boyfriend at the time). We visited this beautiful stone house while we were
there with an orange roof. It had a large round table with a circular skylight
above. I remember joking that I wanted to come there for my honeymoon one day.
Well, in How the Light Gets In, I
placed my characters Ruth and Chandler there for their honeymoon. There’s this
one scene where the two of them dance on the table and kiss beneath that
circular piece of sky. It was as if my husband and I got to go back there, if only
for a moment.
Where do you get your
ideas?
My ideas take time to percolate. For instance, I’d been
thinking about writing a contemporary spin on Ruth since I took a snowy
Wisconsin walk with my firstborn daughter, who was only a baby. I imagined a
woman coming there after having lost almost everything. Later, when I put my
daughter down for a nap, I had the idea of Ruth. It only took me six years to publish
it!
What are common
mistakes you see aspiring writer’s make?
Well, I won’t call out anyone else’s mistakes, but I will share
mine. Comparison is one of the greatest downfalls in the business. It is easy
to get our identity in our book’s success (or lack thereof), and either success
or failure can be debilitating if this is our foremost goal. However, when we
keep our eyes focused on the ultimate Author and His unconditional love for His
fellow creatives, everything else clicks into place.
Where/How do you recommend writers try to break into the market?
Social media is always a great way to connect, but there is
truly nothing like face to face interaction. Any creative pursuit requires us
to consistently step outside of our comfort zones. Even the most embarrassing
experiences can later be turned into funny stories. So, go for it!
Jolina’s books can be
found at Barnes and Noble, Books a Million, Powell’s, IndieBound.org, Amazon,
Christianbook.com, Target.com, Walmart.com.
Jill Kemerer and Jessica Patch join me for a Behind
the Scenes look at the Resort to Romance Series—ten contemporary novellas
that all take place during the same Matchmaking Week on Joy Island in the
Bahamas. See the list of novellas at Resort to Romance.
Rose Allen
McCauley writes “Stories from Small Towns with Huge Hearts.” She’s
also the one who came up with the idea to write novellas that take place along
the Erie Canal system. Historic Zoar, Ohio is featured in Rose’s novella,
“Pressing On,” which is one of the seven stories in The Erie Canal Brides
Collection. Zoar was founded by German Separatists in the early
1800s.
The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, April 6, 2019 at
http://www.novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a
print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.
Meet Johnnie
Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the executive boards of Serious Writer, Inc. and the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.
When writing a Christian romance novel, should your
hero be perfect?
I entered a writing contest a few years ago that
required me to submit part of my WIP. My entry didn’t make it past the first
round judges because one of the judges scored low due to being highly offended
that my hero told a lie. The notes from this judge stated that I would never
find a Christian publisher willing to publish my book if my hero wasn’t perfect.
As a writer who studies the writing craft, is very
involved in the writing world, and reads a lot of Christian romance and
Christian historical romance novels, I believe this judge was sadly mistaken.
In the novels I read, the heroes are not perfect, and neither are any of
us in real life. That’s why we need a Savior. The fact that a story’s hero is
not perfect allows the reader to identify and sympathize with the hero.
It makes the hero believable and realistic to the reader. If a reader cannot
connect with our hero, they may put the book down, never to pick it up again.
We certainly don’t want that!
Our hero’s imperfections also serve another
purpose—the purpose of creating conflict in the story, a necessary ingredient
in our writing recipe. The hero may struggle with his or her imperfections,
creating internal conflict. The imperfections could also create tension and
conflict between the hero and his or her love interest or with his or her
environment, creating external conflict. If you like, you can use the
imperfections to create both internal conflict within the hero and external
conflict with a love interest or the environment. Of course, your hero’s
imperfections shouldn’t be the only source of conflict.
You also need to choose your hero’s imperfections
carefully. For instance, you wouldn’t want your hero to struggle with cussing
in a Christian novel. However, remember that as you write, your hero should
change from the beginning of the story to the end, and every story needs to
have conflict that will be resolved by the end of the book. If your hero is perfect
from the very beginning of the story, how will he or she grow and change?
Remember, you want your readers to like your hero, to find your hero
believable, and to journey with your hero as he or she grows and changes
throughout the story. Readers want to be able to root for your hero.
My name is Kelly F. Barr and I am a new columnist here at Almost an Author. I am so excited to be part of this team. I am a historical romance writer, and I will be writing four posts a year here on the romance page and four posts a year on the historical page.
Kelly F. Barr
lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She is married and has three sons. She
writes historical romance. She has also been a blogger for ten years, and every
Friday, you can find her Flash Fiction stories posted for your reading
pleasure. She loves her family, including the family dog, books, walks, and
chai lattes.
Or, to paraphrase William Shakespeare, a romance by any other name would read as sweet. Or would it?
Not only is the romance genre full of sub-genres (romantic suspense, spicy, historical, contemporary, Inspirational, paranormal, erotic, fantasy, time travel, Gothic, Regency, LGBTQ, romantic comedy, and so on), but we also have the tropes, defined as commonly used (some would argue over-used) themes.
Friends to lovers. Enemies to lovers. One-night stand to true love. Secret babies. Soul mates. Second chance loves. Reunited lovers. Love triangles.
Tropes are used because they’ve proven their worth. They’re popular and they work.
Some classic friends to lovers stories would include Emma by Jane Austen and the movie When Harry Met Sally. Enemies to lovers’ stories are The Taming of the Shrew by our Mr. Shakespeare and Pride and Prejudice by Miss Austen, and I’d include the Katherine Heigl movie 27 Dresses.
The best second chance at love book I’ve read is The Five Stages of Falling in Love by Rachel Higginson. It’s the story of a young widow and mother of three finding love again and is framed by the five stages of grief. Second Chance Summer by Jill Shalvis (the title is a pretty good clue to its trope), is another good second chance book.
Secret romance and fake romance are tried and true tropes in Hollywood. The Sandra Bullock/Ryan Reynolds movie The Proposal is an excellent example of the fake romance, with a nod to enemies to lovers.
But why do genre, sub-genre, and trope matter?
They help you stay focused on the story you started out telling
They help you formulate your pitch and query
They help your editor/agent/reader know what to expect when they read your work
I’m sure I’m not the only reader who picked up a book based on the back-cover blurb expecting one kind of story then discovering that what was between the covers was an entirely different kind of story. Or started a book that promised to be a feel-good, funny romp that took a dramatic and unexpected dark turn.
Did the author lose their way? Did they not know the story they were telling? I’m not sure. But having a firm grasp of their genre and trope may have prevented the bait and switch.
My Work in Progress (WIP) has a secret baby trope. I know some readers hate and refuse to read secret baby stories. They think the woman has no excuse for not telling the man he’s going to be a father. Ignoring the fact that we’re talking about fiction, not real life, I spent a lot of time thinking and brainstorming about how to answer that objection.
It finally came to me, as all my most brilliant ideas do, while out walking. My protagonist, Frankie, was born to an unwed mother who constantly told Frankie she’d ruined her mother’s life by being conceived. When Frankie got pregnant, she refused to ruin her boyfriend’s life with an unplanned pregnancy and sent him off to college without her, had the baby, and gave her up for adoption. My story begins twenty years later when the daughter’s adoptive parents have died, Frankie has given her a job to keep a roof over her head, and no one knows their biological relationship. Then the father comes back to town.
Genre: Contemporary
Trope: Secret baby
Take a minute to think about your WIP. Assuming you have your genre dialed in, what trope does your manuscript fit most closely? I’m not saying you need to change anything in your story, just that knowing your trope may be helpful as you craft your story, your pitch, your synopsis, and your query.
Because your story, that beautiful rose, deserves a description that raises it above the wildflowers.
Carrie Padgett lives in Central California, close to Yosemite, but far from Hollywood, the beach, and the Golden Gate Bridge. She believes in faith, families, fun, and happily ever after. She writes contemporary fiction with romance. Carrie and her Stud Muffin live in Central California with their cat and dog and within driving distance of their six grandchildren.
If you’ve been reading my column for any amount of time, you know it’s no secret that I am a hopeless romantic and enjoy reading and writing romantic plots. This genre of writing (romance), whether in books or films, can be rather difficult for writers.
Because everyone has a different definition of romance, this makes it particularly difficult for me as a guy. Whilst most guys view themselves as romantic, we can often reveal our selfish shallow desires.
I share this because I often hear my guy friends talking about their dreams of love—I mean lust—at first sight. For the women reading this, it’s true most men view love and romance from a physical viewpoint. I certainly did while in college. However, in my 20s I read a book that broadened my view and understanding of love. Gary Chapman’s Five Love Languages helped me to see other ways love is expressed:
Words of affirmation
Acts of service
Quality time
Gifts
Physical touch
When I was younger, I only understood the expression of physical touch as love. Back then my favorite genre for a movie was action/adventure. But, as I grew up and started dating, I became more of a hopeless romantic. Who can’t relate to wanting unconditional love and acceptance?
Perhaps that’s why a good romance movie connects with us deeply and longer than the quick fix thrill of an action movie. If a writer can pluck the emotional strings of the audiences’ heart, they can fulfill an essential need for life—love.
ROMANCE?
Webster’s defines romance as “a love story especially in the form of a novel, or a class of such literature.” Personally, I take the subject of love seriously. I don’t find it as something to make fun of or take lightly.
I’m not trying to romanticize the idea of being loved or giving love, I just believe that many of us overuse the term, applying it to movies that are not truly romances. In Story, Robert McKee shares, “By cleverly delaying the lovers’ meeting to climax, these films avoid the prickly issues of modern love by replacing the difficulty of love with the difficulty of meeting. These aren’t love stories but stories of longing, as talk about and desire for love fills the scenes, leaving genuine acts of love and their often troubling consequences to happen in an off-screen future.”
Again, we all have different beliefs about love; my faith shapes most of my thoughts on the subject. It also influences the type of movies I spend my money to view. Some of my favorite romances are below.
With all the junk Hollywood puts out about love, I believe these four movies actually hold a lot of truth. They each show that love may not be easy, but it’s always worth fighting for.
Fight for it!
Last year during the process of rewriting a screenplay, I wrote a scene where my protagonist asks for relationship advice from his mentor. His answer even made my heart skip a beat. “Sometimes you have to fight for love and sometimes love is a fight. Either way, it’s worth it.”
If it’s true that life imitates art, there is always a moment when you know you’re in love—the same thought applies to romantic movies, they have a moment when we see the love between two characters and our hearts melt.
As you write out your romantic stories, keep in mind how you define love and work that concept into the structure of your story. It can manifest in many different ways:
Tender words.
The ultimate sacrifice.
A long pursuit or service.
A well-chosen gift
An intimate touch.
Think of your favorite movies and how they express romance or love. I believe the best romances are more than just funny friend hook up stories, no, they embody a noble cause—love—because that is what matters most.
Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.
Mary Connealy wrote twenty books in ten years–before a single one was published. But her tenacity paid off! The award-winning author now has almost sixty books for her many fans to get lost in. Mary is a Carol Award Winner, and a Rita, Christy, and IRCC Award Finalist. The first book in her High Sierra Sweethearts Series, The Accidental Guardian, is a Romantic Times Top Pick.
Lisa Harris has lived throughout the United States, but her home for the past thirteen years has been in South Africa. For the past nine years, she and her family have lived in Mozambique where they are involved in church planting and humanitarian efforts. In our interview, Lisa shares how the “perfect baby” led to her writing career and what it’s like to research U.S. settings while living on the other side of the world.
The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, February 2, 2019 at http://www.novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.
Meet Johnnie
Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the executive boards of Serious Writer, Inc. and the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.
Have you ever wondered what the opposite sex is thinking while you’re thinking? Men, as a rule, think in fewer words, phrases, emotions, than women generally do. The key to dialogue in romance writing is to keep it natural and consistent. #InsideHerosHead #writingromance101 @donnalhsmith @a3writers [bctt tweet=”Have you ever wondered what the opposite sex is thinking while you’re thinking? Men, as a rule, think in fewer words, phrases, emotions, than women generally do. The key to dialogue in romance writing is to keep it natural and consistent. #InsideHerosHead #writingromance101 ” username=”@donnalhsmith @a3writers”]
I met Lynette a few years ago at a writers retreat, and our paths have crossed again at other conferences. She’s a kind-hearted, humble, and talented writer. So it was a delight to chat with her about her latest novels in the Blue Justice Series. The first book in the series, Oath of Honor, is a page-turner with an intricate plot. And a cute little dog named Mozart.
Becky Wade
Becky and I discovered we have something in common—we’re both the oldest of our siblings. And so is her heroine in Falling for You, the second novel in the Bradford Sisters Romance Series. The paths of a famous model and a famous football player cross again when they’re enlisted to help a young girl solve a family mystery. Will the love they experienced before be rekindled? This story is a page-turner, too!
The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, October 6th, at novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.
Meet Johnnie
Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides (Tyndale), made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the executive boards of Serious Writer, Inc. and the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.
I’m excited to share two debut author interviews with you. Heidi Chiavaroli and I chatted a few months ago about her compelling time-slip novel. More recently Bethany Turner and I talked about her delightful romantic comedy. In between the two, the Novelists Unwind site got an update. Hope you like the new look!
Heidi Chiavaroli loves to seek out “places that whisper of historical secrets.” Her acclaimed debut time slip novel, Freedom’s Ring, is set in both Revolutionary War-era Boston and in contemporary Boston.
In our interview, Heidi talks about the fun and frustrations of writing one award-winning story with two very distinct heroines. Her latest book, The Hidden Side, released in May.
Bethany Turner writes romantic comedies a la You’ve Got Mail and While You Were Sleeping (two of my faves!). But within the breezy humor, pop culture references, and rollicking fun of The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck, Bethany delves into deep waters.
The Romantic Times Top Pick reviewer wrote: “The romance is both scorching-hot and completely appropriate, which is a difficult task to pull off, yet Turner does so amazingly.” Yes, she does!
The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, September 1st, at novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.
Meet Johnnie
Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides (Tyndale), made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the executive boards of Serious Writer, Inc. and the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.
Nobody’s perfect, right? True. Neither can your romantic hero – or your heroine, for that matter – be perfect. [bctt tweet=”When crafting the hero, choose a character flaw to craft that will irritate your heroine to the point where in order to love him, she’ll have to overlook it. #amwriting #almostanauthor #donnalhsmith #CraftingTheRomanticHero” username=”@A3writers @donnalhsmith”]
