Love and other things

For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul ~ Judy Garland

When I write a novel, it’s all about the love story – sure, there’s usually an adventure involved, or crisis, and things like that, but that’s s standard novel formula. I mean, without all of that stuff, the love story would be pretty boring, right? Everyone likes a little adventure.  Some of my novels have great adventures. Some have little adventures. But no matter what, it’s all about the love and attraction between the hero and heroine.  I want to write such a love story that the reader can feel it like it was their very own.  When I’m writing a particularly strong scene and I start feeling that tightening in my chest, or tears in my eyes, then I know I’ve done it.

As an author, do I feel the same things a reader does when writing  my book? Heck yes! I laugh, I cry, I get mad. Sometimes I want to slap the women or smack the men.  When I read a review where the reader states that they wanted to ‘spank’ the heroine or fight with the hero, I consider that a compliment. I’ve done my job if the reader has such strong emotions, good OR bad.

Do I take chances when writing an ‘unconventional’ love story? Absolutely.  ‘For Love and Honor’ is just once such chance. The heroine falls in love with one man but because of circumstances, ends up with another. I had one reviewer, who happens to be an author, suggest I remove this one from my library because it ‘did the readers a disservice’. I thought very heavily on her suggestion and tried to see it from her point of view because I respect it. I think from her perspective she had a very valid point. But in the end, I have decided to leave the book published because some people like it very much. Readers like all kinds of books, so even though that novel is ‘unconventional’, there’s still a very good story attached and characters that deserved to be heard.

Love and other things – it’s what makes this world interesting!