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tuxedo.
Keeping up with the times
In line with the glamour/power image, today s romantic her-
oine may well be in her mid to late twenties and running her
own business. She may drive a powerful car, pilot a plane, sail
a yacht or be an expert horsewoman and will not appreciate
being treated as if she s a rare and fragile flower.
ENJOYING SEX AND FOOD
The only rule relating to the inclusion of sex in a romantic
story is that it must be integral to the storyline and portrayed
within the context of a love scene. Gratuitous sex, particularly
if linked with violence, is totally unacceptable.
Practising safe sex
Some romantic writers always include explicit sex scenes,
others never do. It is entirely up to you to decide whether
or not you are comfortable writing about sex.
All sexual encounters between the hero and heroine are
immensely pleasurable and safe sex is practised. This is
all part of the caring, nurturing role which is the essence
of the true romantic hero.
Eating and drinking sensuously
Eating is almost as important as sex in a romantic story.
Meals are described in great detail and range from plain but
wholesome simple fare to delicately presented gourmet
dishes.
F I N D I N G T R U E L O V E / 107
For example, a romantic ploughman s lunch for two would
consist of a fresh, French loaf, deliciously crusty on the out-
side, the soft, white middle thicklyspread with creamy butter.
The cheese will be firm and mature, served with a generous
helping of tangy, home-made chutney. The whole thing will
be washed down with a named wine, a fruity red or light,
refreshing white.
Listed below is a selection of key words for describing food
and drink:
cool piquant
crisp refreshing
crunchy smooth
crusty succulent
fresh tangy
frothy velvety
melting
HEIGHTENING ALL THE SENSES
As we have seen in previous chapters, in order to bring fic-
tional characters to life, it is important to bring all five senses
into play.
In romantic fiction, these senses are heightened for maximum
stimulation. Cars go faster, food tastes better, clothes feel
silkier and voices are softer and warmer.
Things lookbetter, too. Cars gleam, meals are feasts for the
eyes, garments cling in all the right places, hair and eyes shine
and flash, skin and muscles are soft or hard to the touch.
108 / CREATI VE WRI TI NG
BRINGING THE HERO AND HEROINE TOGETHER
With all these sensations to look forward to, it s not surpris-
ing that romance is such a popular form of fiction. All that
remains now is to bring our hero and heroine together.
In a romance, when hero and heroine meet, their first emo-
tion should be any one of the following:
anger
dislike
suspicion
distrust
intimidation
embarrassment
fear
caution
irritation
reluctant attraction.
What it should never be is love . That would be too easy and
as we know, without conflict, there is no story.
HISTORICAL SETTINGS
The advantage of a contemporary romance is that you are
writing about today s characters and can set them against
backgrounds with which you are familiar. As we saw in Chap-
ter 4, it is important to have accurate knowledge of a location
whether it is a small provincial town or an exotic South Sea
island. Background information must also be accurate.
Knowledge of the television industry would, therefore, be
essential for anyone writing Sally and Nick s story and for
historical romances, accuracy is equally important.
F I N D I N G T R U E L O V E / 109
Researching the period
For an historical story to work effectively, the right monarch
must be on the throne and costumes, furnishings, vehicles,
dialogue, attitudes and behaviour must all reflect the right
period.
Romantic etiquette through the ages is a complex area. In
order to write believable historical fiction, it is essential that
the author understands and isthoroughly conversant with the
conventions and rules of the period.
Employing the language of fans, for example, is one method
by which a heroine could embark on a romantic liaison with a
potential suitor. Like every other language, however, you
have to know it to speak it.
Youalsoneedtoknowwhowouldbe deemedanunsuitable
marriage partner and who would be considered an excellent
catch according to the conventions of the time. Methods of
overcoming parental opposition, schemes for bettering them-
selves or plans for eloping must all be workable within the
context of the historical setting you have chosen.
Attending banquets
Eating and drinking was just as important in the past, if not
more so. For the historical novelist, it is vital that you know
what food was served and how it was cooked.
Finance also rears its ugly head as, whilst the hero and heroine
will care nothing for monetary gain, financial status will have
enormous implications on any potential marriage plans.
110 / CREATI VE WRI TI NG
In romantic fiction, the background is as important as the
plot and accuracy provides an ideal balance for the escapist
tale you long to tell.
CHECKLIST
1. Would you fall in love with your hero?
2. Does your heroine possess qualities that are attractive to
both men and women readers?
3. Do you care whether or not everything works out the way
your characters want it to?
4. Does your story have an upbeat ending?
5. Is the background information up to date?
6. Do your characters react to one another and their sur-
roundings through the five senses of touch, taste, sight,
sound and smell?
7. Issexportrayedwithinthecontextofaloving relationship?
ASSIGNMENT
Select one of the following pairs and write the scene of their
first meeting, conveying their reactions through a combina-
tion of dialogue and action:
A male lawyer whose brilliance in court led to a miscar-
riage of justice against the young woman s father.
A female hospital administrator, charged with cutting
costs, and a male paediatrician.
A minor lady-in-waiting at Queen Elizabeth I s court and
a Spanish courtier.
8
Haunting,Thrilling and Killing
INTRODUCING A NOTE OF SUSPENSE
For some writers, the thrill of the chase has little to do with
love. Their preference is for ghost and horror stories and the
opportunity they offer to take their writing to the limits of
their imagination.
Explaining the inexplicable
Ghosts take many forms and appear in novels in a range of
guises and moods. They may be:
friendly
hostile
sad
happy
mischievous
malevolent
humorous
helpful
obstructive
manipulative
powerful
possessive
terrifying
comforting.
111
112 / CREATI VE WRI TI NG
In addition to all those qualities, the form they take could be:
a restless spirit
a contented resident
a poltergeist
a messenger from the past, present or future.
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