Romance? Yes please...but since when?

Now that I'm really trying to take this writing thing seriously, I've started paying closer attention to how the books I like are written and what I really like to see in the books that I read. One thing that I've noticed has really surprised me. I’ve never been much for romance. As a kid, I didn’t plan my wedding, in fact I was adamant, as I still am, that I didn’t want to get married, and I never made my Barbies marry Ken. I did, however, have a ton of crushes on celebrities and boys I knew and would readily kiss any of them behind the bleachers…I was, and still am, what everyone likes to call boy crazy.

When it came to books (and even movies), I never really cared much about the presence of a love interest in or whether or not the characters got a happy ever after. Aside from a decent storyline, strong characters and some serious action, what did matter was whether or not there was at least one cute boy for me to drool over because apparently, even with fiction, I’m totally boy crazy.

I don’t know when things changed, although I'm fairly certain it had to be in the last couple of years. I still don’t see myself as a romantic and I don’t read straight up romance novels (or really like romantic comedies), but I’m no longer embarrassed to be seen in the romance section of the book store or library. I prefer when the main character has a love interest, although if they don't I'll still read the book. If they do, I don’t like the tension to be drawn out too terribly long. Hints and moments of almost are great at whetting the appetite, but eventually I need the characters to get together.

When I say get together, I don't necessarily mean jump into bed, although I love a well placed sex scene as much as anyone, and I don't mean that they have to stay together. Admitting their feelings for each other gives the reader a great payoff, but leaving them together or letting them lie around in bed all the time would make for a really boring book. Bring them together and then rip them apart, either as a twist to the plot or because separately they can solve the mystery faster (or whatever problem is trying to be solved). As long as I get some kind of payoff first, I'm a happy reader.

So what do you like to see in the books that you read that has surprised you? Have you always enjoyed it or is it a relatively new development?

For real this time...

A while back the always sexy and suprisingly inspiring Donnie Wahlberg tweeted something that struck a chord. "Don't be afraid to fail .... Be afraid not to try!"

I have always been afraid to try because I'm afraid of failing at the only thing I've ever wanted to do. So instead of actually trying to write a novel, I read about writing. I check all of my favorite author's blogs, I Google how to's, I read about other people's success and failures on writing message boards. I do everything but put my own words onto paper (or into the Word document).

But all that has come to an end. I am going to write everyday. It might not be words for a novel, but as long as I write something I'll be happy and then maybe eventually all that writing will result in a novel that, whether or not it's any good, I can be proud of. I no longer care if I fail in the end because if I don't try, I've failed before I even gave myself a chance. Donnie tweeted more amazing advice that I plan to live by on August 31st, "When that moment of fear hits? That moment of anxiety shows up? The one that won't go away- FACE IT! Then kick it right in its b***s!" My fear is going down and I am looking forward to the challenge.

It's my time to shine..."Today! Don't give up on your goal! Things happen when they're meant to- It's up to you to be prepared when that moment comes! Keep grinding!"*



*(of course, more Donnie wisdom to close out this post, I couldn't help myself)