So, the big day is nearly here when my first romance novel will be ready for publication.
Right now I'm taking a break from reading the final edit and I must say, I really like it. It's bringing back memories of when I wrote it, it was last year if you remember.
It was rather tricky as there is No Fantasy elements to it, no, not one. Now that is odd for me but I got a sudden rush of inspiration and these two characters were born. I wanted to make a somewhat, modern tale so I included text messages in the first few chapters. I mean, where would we be without texting I guess, I had to wait for my mum to say I could use the house phone before I could call a friend or wait until the next day to tell a girlfriend something exciting.
Now writing romance was a little tricky, I'm not a big fan of reading romance in the first place, a little romance here and there is nice for the development of characters and the story but a book of nothing but smush ? Nope. Also, I don't like how sex is such a big part of it too, I had to read some romance books and shorts and wow, it's madness how much detail the readers of romance go into. (Those of you who have ever read a Mills and Boon will know what I mean, I couldn't even finish one. )
Now I was given advice while writing this novel, apart from the usual talking to other people and reading romance novels., I was told I should date, whether it was the same guy or a few guys. Join a dating web site, experience the thrill of meeting someone and so on. I will be honest I didn't do that, I whole heartedly refused to do that for a novel, its just not me, I don't really do dates. I'm sorry to say that I was still in a bad place after parting ways with my long term partner, and when I say long term I meant we got together at 16 and he was all I ever knew.
But you know, it did inspire me, the feelings I was going through, like, because I had only known him, if you know what I mean, how would I feel about seeing someone else? Think about it, when you broke up with you're first real relationship, how did you feel about another man\woman being in you're life? I was terrified.... And still am, again it's nothing I am ashamed of, being single and not jumping into the arms of the first guy that came along. It did make me think and take notes, and do you know what I discovered? Little things I took for granted like eating in front of someone you like, burping, saying silly things. It made me realise I would be starting all over again, it would be the shyness around meeting someone, the allowing them close to me, trusting them. This was perfect for my character building, the more I thought about it the more realalistic they became.
The biggest hurdle I think was the moment the characters did eventually sleep together, I have NEVER blushed, deleted and retype a part so many times. You see, Gaia , my main character is a Virgin , Andy is not, so once he finds out theres going to be some kind of pressure on him. I mean, it's her first time and he cares for her deeply, so naturally he doesn't want to hurt her.
Then if you flip the coin, Gaia is going to be terrified, I think most people could remember having some kind of fear, I think it's harder for the men to be honest because they have to take the lead as it were. Now, I used my own situation to help me write this moment,. I thought, hay, how will you feel when you do meet someone special and you both get to the point you're going to sleep together for the first time, how will you feel? Well, seeing as it would be only the second person ever, it would be like going back again, I would be terrified, experienced, but scared. So using my own thoughts I think I pulled that part off OK.
Now, from what I researched I can see the cliché is all around in the word of a romance novel, girl meets boy, they fall in love but something always tried to stop them and so on. To be honest, and I'm sure you've read this from me so many times, I HATE cliché nothing but and it gets a bit boring for me, but....... I was presently surprised to discover that you can have a romance novel with fewer cliché.
I wanted to make the characters as real as possible, so, once again I used my own self and others as inspiration. Like Andy wanting to message her, the way he just sends her sweet messages for no reason other than to say, hay, I'm thinking about you. I would love someone I was interested in to do that, I'm a bit of a softie at heart really and little romantic things like that really do make my heart melt.
Also you know what this novels makes me realise as I sit here proof reading it? It makes me realise no matter what, romance never dies, it always lives in you, sometimes it's buried by the negative feelings left behind by someone you once loved or by a broken heart. If Andy and Gaia can over come their own personal issues and learn to love and trust then why not in real life?
It's like I say about life, even if one door closes behind you, lots more open in front, you just have to take that first step towards it. So, I know sometimes it feels impossible and you might be scared of getting hurt, but I believe that even under all that hurt that has left nothing, or heart break, you can open you're heart again and maybe find someone you can at least get to know. I think, since I'm not a party girl who likes to drink and so on, I think I will take my own advice here, and take it slow, get to know someone I'm interested in and see where it goes...... Of course when that opportunity comes along, and of course someone I want to get to know. My friend Amy says I have odd tastes in men, I don't agree but she says me liking older men is weird and I should stick to some one my own age. What can I say to that, not much really, I think she says that because she knows who I find attractive and likes to take the micky out of me for it.
Anyway i' m not Turing this into some cheesy chapter of a biography where I tell you down to the last detail what kind of man I like.
I guess it lets you into the how I created this novel and maybe a little about how I see romance myself. And yes Amy a little about the men I like, even though that's not that many.... If any.... OK just one.... MAYBE. Not that it'll ever happen.
Well, I will keep you posted as to the date of publication, I'm so excited, I found a old photo I took years ago on on holiday and I just Ave to use it for the front cover.
Until then lovlies
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