Every Valentine’s Day,
men (usually) run out
and buy their loved ones
chocolates or roses.
I can’t remember
the last time I read a scene with
the romance hero giving his loved one
chocolates or roses.
Why?
Because roses and chocolates are meaningless
on their own.
There’s no magic,
no awww… moment.
The awww… moment is
in the card,
in the words,
in the story.
The common message in romance novels
is that the hero will help protect the heroine.
He will help keep her safe
as she follows her dreams.
He will stand by her side
when the bad times come.
I believe this is what
real life heroes do for their loved ones.
The big difference is
romance heroes SAY it.
WRITE something on that damn card.
Four words is all it takes.
“I support your dreams.”
BTW… romance heroes,
despite the tall, dark and handsome stereotype
and the covers which writers have no control over,
come in all shapes and sizes
– compact (short),
bald (such a BIG market that we don’t use a code word),
rotund (chubby),
teddy bear (extremely hairy and usually chubby),
distinguished (old), struggling (broke a$$),
lithe (scrawny),
you name it.
They are definitely not perfect
but almost all of them
support their loved one’s dreams.
THAT is what romance readers
fantasize about.
I read your blog just before Valentine’s.
It inspired me to think differently, so I wrote “Let us make big, crazy dreams together”.
SHE LOVED IT.
Big thanks!
Great blog.