Hello from Atlanta! I can’t believe it’s been a week since I blogged last – so sorry. I was in Melbourne, FLA for the first annual Deep Thinker’s Retreat. What fun, with a great group of aspiring author. I just fell in love with this group of ladies! Why? Oh, I’ll tell you – First, I live in the woods, and when I say woods, I mean tucked into a little hamlet in the snowy tip of northern Minnesota, where ice and snow clasp us in solitude for the better part of four months. Worse, I am an extrovert, so….well you get the picture. I shed my layers going south, met my friend, stood on the beach and shouted out a hallelujah! The retreat Filled that Empty Place….you could say […]
Read the RestTag Archives | How to write a Romance
I have my reasons…
Part two of of Creating a Heroic Heroine. Yesterday, we talked about how every heroine needs to have a goal – something tangible and specific that they are shooting for in the story. A goal is your target, and give you a place to aim for in the story. But, of course, we can’t let her get there, at least not without a struggle. Which means our heroine also needs a FLAW. We know women aren’t perfect. But we try, oh, we try. And the key to a great flaw is something that can be overcome – with the help of a good hero. It doesn’t have to be a huge flaw, maybe it’s a tendency to run away from her problems, or better, a tendency to push men out […]
Read the RestWhy are you here?
Part One of How to create Heroines who can take care of themselves! (but still want a good man!) I used to hate romances. Why? Because I didn’t respect a woman who had to have a man to save her. BUT, I did respect a woman who allowed a man into her life to make her better, stronger, more noble, more complete. Which is why, probably, all the heroines in my books are strong women, — CIA agents, and K-9 Handlers, and bush pilots and fire chiefs. But for all the toughness of my heroines, they need a good man. So what makes a strong heroine? The first element is that your Heroine must have a Goal. And that Goal must be measurable, and specific. Now, both your characters need […]
Read the RestWhat are you so afraid of?
Creating a Hearthrob Hero…continued. My husband used to hate to dance. Last year, because he’s a hero, he gave me dancing lessons for my birthday. Now, this flaw kept him from dancing for years because…he was afraid of looking foolish. (which is why we have to make sure our dancing is perfect. It’s like dancing with a drill sergeant.) I finally figured this out and helped him conquer this fear by buying us dancing tapes and letting us learn the basics in our kitchen. Then, when we enrolled in dance class, he looked like he knew what he was doing. (And wow, you should see him now!) Behind every hero’s flaw…there is a fear. Yesterday we talked about flaws…those problems our hero has that makes him less than perfect. […]
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