Romance vs the Love Story

It's something I've been pondering as I write A Taste of Love. I've spent my time fretting as I write this book that perhaps I take things too far and that I'll frighten you all off. And so from that I self-edit all the time which holds up the actual writing part. Well I sat down and had a chat today with my mom (a truly miraculous woman) and she told me to cut it out. That all this worrying is bringing me down and making me depressed. The story is there for a reason and must be told in a particular way. (Now before I frighten you all, I want to reassure you that the book is not horrible in any way and it is still a romance ;) So no matter what happens have faith that I won't let you or the characters down.)

But she was right. The story needs to be told this way because that is the story in my head. I want my characters to work for their right to love and romance. I'm not writing sissy characters. But it brought something else to mind. And that is the difference between a love story and a romance. I strive to make my characters as real as possible. My heroines are usually filled with all the thoughts and doubts that I have. And if you've been reading my books you'll suddenly have a clear picture about how neurotic my mind can truly be ;)

But at the end of the day they get their happy ending. They work hard for it and more often than not horrible things happen to them, but in the end they get to keep the one they love. And that is the difference between reality and fiction. In reality there are no happily ever afters but only happily for now. What do I mean by that? Well I look at my mom. She had her happily for now. A real love story. My dad was something special a true gent and then seven years ago he died of cancer. Leaving my mom behind, utterly broken hearted. And some people move on and find new people to have relationships with, but not her. He was her everything. I think if I ever wanted to emulate a love in a book it would be theirs. (The same with my hubs but for the purpose of this post I'm leaving us out.)

And yes I realise all of this sounds very morbid, but I do have a point. Although theirs is a tragic story it is reality. And if I'm honest sometimes it's shit. Seeing their love story end the way it did, where she is forced to carry on without him has made me even more passionate about writing romance. In romance there is a happily ever after. My characters might have to go through terrible situations and have tragedy befall them at every turn, but in the end I can give them the end I want. Happiness. Love. Romance.

So that is where my mind has been, and it took that conversation to finally make me unstick inside my head. I don't need to worry about the story, it's fully formed and perfect the way it is. It's real, and raw and in the end, fiction, where everyone's dreams can come true.