No Recipes; Just Romance

It's raining today here in Decatur as I am sure it is doing where you live. And the rain, especially when it only comes once in a blue moon, pours down nostalgia.

The Best Thing These Li.P.P.s Ever Tasted in my case is Pecan-crusted Salmon over Portobello Cheese Grits with Wilted Greens. And, in my case this post isn't at all about the recipes but about the romance that ensued.

I was twenty-three living in Atlanta, a big move for a small town girl, and the youngest Executive Coordinator ever hired at a Culinary School in the Southeast. I was the anomaly in a field dominated by older male chefs and entrenched in the metro-area’s restaurant scene. A not-so-lanky food-lover, I hurried to get to know every chef that opened a restaurant in my town inviting them to showcase their food in one of the many classes we hosted. I viewed my position as a stepping stone to my dream job – restaurant public relations and marketing.

The job, in addition to my other responsibilities, tended to be overwhelming, so I would escape to a small island not too far from Atlanta (no, the coast isn't THAT far from here). It was just such an evening.

Sitting at my linen-covered table, I shook my head, hoping with desperation I could let go of work for two days. I wanted forty-eight hours to enjoy the beach, but the food on the island called to me, leading me to my favorite local restaurant famed for its play on Southern cuisine.

My meal was exquisite - Pecan-crusted Salmon over Portobello Cheese Grits with Wilted Greens. I savored every delicate bite allowing the sweet, rich flavors to mingle and fill my palette and soul with the peace I desired.

Taking my last sip of tannin-rich Pinot Noir, I asked the pretty waitress, “Could you please ask Chef to come to the table so I could pay him my compliments in person?”

“Absolutely!” the summer-bronzed woman replied, making haste to the kitchen.

Distracted, my eyes wandered around the restaurant spying lovers in dimly lit corners, and paintings with bright, contemporary colors. I was at home in my surroundings and filled with confidence.

Seconds later the chef stepped into the dining room. Dressed in crisp, formal whites, toque sitting atop his head, he appeared to be seven feet tall. My breath caught in my chest as the handsome, mysterious man approached the table, his self-assured stature enchanting.

We spoke for only a moment, but Chef's charming Northern demeanor, left this Southern belle intrigued. A week later I sent him a thank you note, and a week after that he called, and probably a week after that we were having dinner in Atlanta. He was sixteen years my senior and showed me the kind of love I want in life; the love that sweeps you away in a cascade of stars and warm sea water leaving you breathless and very aware that you will be connected forever.

That was sixteen years ago, and though life has dealt us cards we never would have anticipated, we remain friends. And, on a rare occasion, we get together and toast with a toasty single-malt and reminisce.

Is there a dish that has brought you to a place you never expected? Tell us your story.

Life in Penned Perspective by Lindy Chaffin Start
http://www.unstoppablestart.com/

Eugene Fitzherbert!

Eugene Fitzherbert is the man of my romantic fantasies. Forget the Harry Connicks, the John Cusacks, the Mr. Darcys of the world; Eugene is my man. And, if you (no not you Megan Stanish) but you, the everyday Joe can tell me who Eugene Fitzherbert is I’ll send you a WritersLi.P.P. t-shirt in honor of your correct answer and the wonderful Pam Asberry’s birthday (August 15^th). Of course, that makes talking about my favorite heroine impossible, but what the hey, let’s talk men for a minute.

Eugene travels the countryside under an assumed name. He lives on the constant cusp of being caught. For what, you ask? Well, my friends, Eugene is a criminal. So what if he’s sexy in his own cartoonish sort of way. Morals and values do not exist in this man. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that he’s not afraid to try new things like singing and sharing his feelings. Though I imagine these to be foreign concepts to most men, Eugene is willing if only to win the love of the woman of his dreams.

Admit it ladies, if you had a man fighting for you, diving off a cliff to get to you, wouldn’t he be your prince charming in thief’s clothing? Imagine, if you will, a man who risks it all to rescue you more than once, who would take a dagger for you; wouldn’t you want to turn around and rescue him from his misgivings about adult life?  *insert ballad here*

And, can you tell me why codependence sheathed in romance is okay?

But seriously, if your romantic life could be contained in the pages of a novel that it takes a week to read, or a movie it takes an hour and twenty minutes to watch, then why wouldn’t you want your hero to be someone loathsome like Eugene.  Aren’t the ones you have to work for, and on, the most rewarding?

Have I stirred interest or opinion in you? Do share. And don’t forget, be the first to tell me who Eugene Fitzherbert is and the best looking t-shirt in the blogosphere is yours!

Life in Penned Perspective by Lindy Chaffin Start

http://www.unstoppablestart.com/

Ashley, Oh Ashley

Who is your all-time favorite hero or heroine? This question is an absolute no-brainer for me. My most beloved heroine for all time is Scarlett O’Hara.

Scarlett has been my favorite female lead character since I was two years old. No joke. My mother likes to tell the story of how her best friend took me to a theater re-release of Gone With The Wind when I was two, expecting me to fall asleep by the second hour of the four-hour saga. Instead, I was riveted, watching in silent awe as the story unfolded. Silent except… the scene arrived where Rhett, in his drunken passion, picked up Scarlett – who was now his wife – and carried her up the sweeping stairway of their house. Apparently I, with my high-pitched, piercing voice, indignantly yelled, “Where’s dat man taking dat lady?!”

Posted with great respect to Warner Home Video.

I have been a Scarlett devotee ever since. I’m not sure what it says about me that my favorite heroine is stubborn, willful, prideful, somewhat lacking in empathy and egotistical. Also, while she is incredibly smart and a romantic at heart, she has dramatically poor instincts when it comes to men and love. Hmm… I must think on this more at a later date…

What I can tell you is what it says to me about literary heroes and heroines: flaws are an essential element to capture a reader’s interest and, ultimately, to win a reader’s support and loyalty for your hero or heroine. Think about it. Almost every hero or heroine – aside from those created for small children – has at least one major flaw to speak of. Even our superheroes have flaws and weaknesses, whether they are hindrances to their superpowers (Kryptonite) or personal sensitivities (love interests).

That being said, what lessons can our budding heroes and heroines learn from Miss O’Hara? Remember, I’m speaking directly to your characters now:

1. Be who you are: silly or sharp, beautiful or beastly, proud or humble… embrace it and make your mark with it.
2. Don’t overthink the mantel of “hero”: your reader should want you to win the day, not saint you (unless sainthood = winning… not the case for Charlie Sheen at least, though he’s no hero).
3. It’s okay for your reader to be reluctant in their support of you. Sometimes that’s the fun of your character and your story.
4. Show a little humanity. Even the most “evil” or alien or animal of heroes demonstrates a glimmer of something relatable now and again.

There are so many more lessons to learn, but for now, we’ll go with these. I’ll leave you with a list of some of my all-time favorite heroes and heroines from page and film… though none holds a candle to Scarlett.  (I know some/most of these don’t qualify as Romance, but the lesson remains the same.)

• Elliot – E.T.
• Jane – Jane Eyre
• Ray Consella – Field of Dreams
• Annie Consella (if you think she doesn’t qualify, I challenge you to watch the book-burning meeting scene again) – Field of Dreams
• Aminata Diallo – Someone Knows My Name
• Superman – Superman
• Abilene – The Help
• Coach Norman Dale – Hoosiers
• Henry – The Time Traveler’s Wife
• Elizabeth – Pride and Prejudice

So to ask once again… who is your favorite hero or heroine of all time?

Author: Megan Stanish
Website: http://aboutthesame.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/aboutthesame 
Twitter: http://twitter.com/megstanish

Lend Us Your Ears

Welcome to our blog! I'm Pam, the first "P" in "Writers Li.P.P."

You will meet Lindy - the "Li" - on Wednesday. There is no longer a second "P" - she bowed out before we ever got started - but that's okay. Because "Li.P.P." also stands for "Life in Penned Perspective." And that's really what this blog is about. A couple of romance writers sharing their views on life and love and everything in between.

We want to start a conversation with you - readers, writers, family, friends, Romans, countrymen. So please feel free to jump in with comments and questions. The more personal, the better. If there's one thing we're not, it's shy.

Each week, we will address a new topic; this week it's introductions. So please allow me to introduce myself. I wear a lot of hats: single mom, daughter, sister, friend, lover, dog owner, piano teacher, jewelry designer, novelist. Today, I want to share my journey as a writer.

Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.

~Sydney J. Harris

I have always loved writing. I earn my living teaching piano lessons, but if I hadn't majored in music, I probably would have studied English. Most of my writing was nonfiction: papers for school, pieces about home education for home schooling publications, articles about teaching piano for my studio newsletter and business website. But what I read was fiction, lots of it, and dreamed of writing a great story myself. Someday.

Shortly after my divorce in 2001, I came up with an idea for a novel, based loosely on my experiences as a single mom looking for love, but not a memoir; after all, the guilty must be protected. Years went by, though, before I finally decided to take action. It came to this: at the end of my life, I didn't want my epitaph to be, "She meant to write a book."

Well, it is one thing to contemplate writing a novel; it is quite another thing to actually write one. I assumed the words would just flow, perfectly formed, from beginning to end. Not! I signed up for an online fiction writing class and quickly found out how much I didn't know. There was so much to think about: setting, character, plot, point of view, dialogue and scene. Finding my "voice." "Show, don't tell." Determining whether I am a "plotter" or a "pantser" (I have elements of both). I started my novel with a rough outline, but I have changed my mind about many details - including the opening scene and the name of one of my main characters - as I have gone along.

I love the process, although it is much more difficult than I ever imagined. For me, consistency is key; I do my best to write 500 words a day, seven days a week, but even a couple hundred words moves me in the right direction. And though it's inevitable that I might miss a day every now and then, I try to never miss two in a row. A few days has a way of turning into a few weeks. And, as they say, you can't edit a blank page.

Sure, I would love to become a New York Times bestselling author, but right now what I want most is to have a finished manuscript that I am truly proud of. I am working on the second revision of my novel; I plan to have it finished and ready to query by the end of June. I am eager to start working on my next project. I am hoping that what I lack in talent, I will make up for in determination. I am looking forward to sharing the ups and downs of my experiences - in writing as well as in other areas of my life - with all of you.

If you dream of writing a book but haven't yet started, what is standing in your way? Fellow writeres, what are your biggest challenges? Is it an aspect of craft, or simply finding the time to work? Leave a comment and you will automatically be entered in a drawing for an autographed copy of Suzanne Brockmann's Kiss and Tell and a Writers Li.P.P. t-shirt.

Designed by Lindy Chaffin Start.

Printed by Conflict Studio Screen Printing

It’s what all the cool kids are wearing! Follow this blog and you will be entered twice. The deadline for entry is midnight on Tuesday. Good luck!