Why Sometimes I Write Insta-Love and will Never Guarantee a Happily-Ever-After

Insta-love.

People either love it or hate it. Some people curl their nose up at the very thought of it and will refuse to read a book if it involves that storyline So why do I still write it sometimes?

Well, I'll tell you, my friends. Because it happens.

We all know or have heard of those couples that say when they met their true love, they "just knew." Hell, when my mom met my dad at a friend's house, the second he walked out the door she looked at her friend and said, "That's the man I'm going to marry." They were married after 12 dates and just celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary.

Now, I'll admit, I don't believe in love at first sight. Like a lot of people, I believe you can't truly love someone until you get to know them - their strengths, their weaknesses, their quirks, their flaws, the annoying way they leave their socks everywhere after you just cleaned the house. How they handle a crisis. The way they support you or let you support them when it is most needed.

But I do believe you can have a connection with someone almost immediately. I believe it because I can attest to it firsthand. Most of the people I've dated, I've had that connection. But some people haven't. They've never been blindsided like that. Their love affairs developed over months or years. Sometimes from friendship. Other times from working together and growing close. Everyone's story is unique. That's what makes them great. How boring would it be if every love story you read or movie you watched was the same? It might be fine the first few times, but then my guess is, it'd get pretty boring.

When I write, I listen to my characters and let them tell me their story. If my main male character hasn't had a great family life, he may be more eager to find or create a family of his own and therefore, be more apt to fall in love quicker than the average person. The same can be said if my female MC was dating someone, thinking marriage was on the table, and then had a sudden break-up. While some women need time to get over the last love or may vow to never date again, others are in that "relationship place." They may realize the person they were with wasn't right, but may still fear not finding someone so they may jump into the next relationship with both feet. It all depends on the person.

Often times, what may seem like insta-love, even while you're reading it, is really a visceral attraction, coupled with a strong connection between two people. We all have those people we met and have just gelled with - maybe it's a lover, maybe it's a co-worker, or maybe it's your best friend. And while the character may mistake those feelings for true love, most of the time they are basing it on intense emotions, believing that person will somehow become important to them. The love they feel so quickly isn't actual love, but more the acknowledgment that one day they could see themselves falling in love with someone.

At least that's usually the case with my characters, even if they don't know it.

With every character I write, I take every last detail of their life into account and develop their story accordingly. How they grew up, who their friends are, what types of relationships they were surrounded by, the kind of upbringing they had, their job, any other outside factors, and of course, their own hang-ups and insecurities determine their relationships. This may lead to insta-love or it may have my character erecting a ton of walls, terrified of love.

I think it is a writer's job to tell a story in the most realistic way possible. Which leads me to why I won't guarantee a happily-ever-after. Yes, I love them. Yes, I want them. But, in life, we don't always get them. If every story I penned was written with the goal of delivering a happy ending, my stories would be skewed. To write the best stories for my reader, I have to ask myself, what feels the most realistic and let the characters and story dictate where they go.

It also keeps people on their toes, which is something I love doing. It stops the story from becoming too predictable. If you know how something is going to end, you start envisioning how the writer will take you there. If you have no clue, it forces you to sit back and enjoy the ride and the world the author has created.

The two greatest compliments I have received as an author are 1) Being told my characters are so realistic, it feels like they are in the room with you or you're watching the scene play out in front of you. The other is being told my books transcend genres. And the reason I'm convinced I achieved that, at least according to this person, is because I listen to my characters and make no guarantees.

Well, that's not true. I'll make one guarantee. I promise if you give any of my books a try, you're in for one hell of a ride.

Please be sure to check out my books The Rise to Fame and The Cost of Fame, available on Amazon and other online retailers.

CLICK HERE to purchase

Why Dave Barry is My Hero

When I was younger I never knew that writing could be, well, funny. Sure I had read such childhood staples as Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and Super Fudge.  And in 5^th grade I anxiously awaited the last half hour of each day when my teacher would read a little of James and the Giant Peach or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Hearing about Grandpa Joe, Grandma Josephine, Grandpa George and Grandma Georgina lying in one bed too old to move, while now I perceive as somewhat creepy, was comical to my 5^th grade mind. As was the idea of a garden where everything was edible; lollipop flowers; trees that produced gummy bears; cream-filled mushroom caps and a chocolate river. Who am I kidding, I still think that is as cool as hell and would love to have one. True I would probably gain about 100lbs, but who would know? I mean, if I had all of that why would I ever need to leave my house again?

As I got older, and by older, I’m talking middle school and high school, we got into books such as Of Mice and Men, Sons and Lovers, A Tale of Two Cities, and, what in my opinion is one of the worst books ever written, The Sound and the Fury. (Curse you Faulkner!) I’m sorry, but any book where you have to go through and use 3 or 4 different color highlighters before you even begin reading it because the author drifts from one subject or time period every other sentence or paragraph is not a great literary work. It is a cocaine or acid trip, or at least that is what I hear, but not literary brilliance. Anyway, not exactly knee slapping, belly laughing, tears coming out of your eyes humor.

Then, one day, while skimming through a newspaper, a headline caught my attention: The Easter Bunny Caper. The first line read: 

"Like most people, you probably often ask yourself: ``What, exactly, are my legal rights if I am wearing a bunny outfit?''

Not your typical Detroit News article. I was intrigued. I thought, wow, what are my rights while wearing a bunny suit? This is information that may one day prove valuable.

As I continued reading the story of a man and his friend that were pulled over for allegedly wearing, you guessed it, a bunny suit in a town that apparently frowns upon that, I began laughing so hard, orange juice came out of my nose (did I not mention I was drinking orange juice), tears were streaming down my face and my gut hurt so bad I almost threw up. All of which to me, are tell tale signs that something is really funny. 

I began reading the weekly column of, what to me, was this prolific comedic genius writer named Dave Barry. I eventually moved on to his books which describe such things as the time when he was at a snooty sommelier competition and everyone was critiquing the wine that was being served. Some said it was too oaky; others thought it was too dry. Dave offered up his own description to the pretentious crowd: “Bat urine.”

I love this guy!

So thank you, Dave Barry, for showing me that writing can be funny and entertaining. I like to hope that someday, someone will compare my writing to your’s and in a "She has the writing style and wit of Dave Barry" and not, "This girl's writing sucks! She is certainly no Dave Barry." To this day, you taught me that it is perfectly acceptable to prefer humorous, sarcasm infused literature greats as Dave Barry’s Greatest Hits, Shit My Dad Says and Go the Fuck to Sleepover such classics as Catcher in the Rye, The Good Earth and as I mentioned above, The Sound and the Fury. After all, sometimes I think people read those books so they can say they are well read and appear intellectual when really, like me, they would much rather be reading the funny papers. Will that insatiable Garfield ever get his lasagna? What mischief will Marmaduke get into today?

Now, if you will excuse me, being fully aware of my rights, I am going to go test exactly what I can get away with wearing a bunny suit. Don't worry. I have my lawyer on speed dial just in case.

God Bless the internet, I found the article: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/04/24/53385/the-easter-bunny-caper.html