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Welcome Lydia Dare to Casablanca!


I’m sure many of us heard or will hear the same stories from our girlfriends about Valentine’s Day. You either heard the “He asked me to marry him!” shriek or the “He didn’t do a darn thing,” grumble. Whether you’re shrieking over the most thoughtful gift or gesture in the world or grumbling because you were overlooked completely, someone else is doing the same. You’re definitely not alone.

My friend’s husband spent the love fest day at his mother’s, fixing something that broke at her house. But my friend was elated since she got to put her hot little hands on the remote control. Would a newlywed have felt the same way? People who are dating? Doubt it. But those of us that have been married for a lot of years can see the sheer joy the gift of solitude for a few hours might bring.

If you’re Lydia Dare, there’s a good chance you’re seeing two sides of that same coin. In fact, it’s guaranteed. It’s what’s so great about writing as a team. There’s always a fresh or opposing viewpoint and having that thrust upon you can make you enter areas you might not have ventured into without prompting. When you write as a team, you have to take those two, often very different, viewpoints and use them to create something that will entertain and captivate a reader.

Take a look here at a fill-in-the-blank scenario, the outcome of which could be drastically different, depending on one’s point of view.

Fill in the Blanks
(Male Name) spun quickly to face her, (something) flashing in his (description) eyes. A lesser woman could be (emotion or action) by a look like that. But not (Female Name). Instead, she was completely and totally (emotional reaction) by the look in his eye, not to mention the (item) he held in his hand. Tentatively, he held it out to her. Dare she take it? Dare she not?

Version #1
Andrew spun quickly to face her, wariness flashing in his narrowed eyes. A lesser woman could be felled by a look like that. But not Margaret. Instead, she was completely and totally captivated by the look in his eye, not to mention the wild flower he held in his hand. Tentatively, he held it out to her. Dare she take it? Dare she not?

Version #2
Antonio spun quickly to face her, ire flashing in his obsidian eyes. A lesser woman could be intimidated by a look like that. But not Isobel. Instead, she was completely and totally giddy by the look in his eye, not to mention the dagger he held in his hand. Tentatively, he held it out to her. Dare she take it? Dare she not?

That’s what it’s like being Lydia Dare. Like mad libs every single day.

How would you fill in the blanks?

Comments

  1. I envy you. I enjoy collaboration and I've always thought it would be wonderful to be part of a writing duo.
    I can see how it would be hard to manage things like nuances of character development, though.

    I took a little artistic license with your scenario.

    Jack spun quickly to face her, challenge flashing in his metallic blue eyes.A lesser woman could be scared by a look like that. Not Rebecca. She was completely and totally intrigued by the look in his eye, not to mention the panties he held in his hand. Dare she claim they were hers? Dare she not?

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  2. LOL on the panties, MM!
    Here goes...
    Gisbon spun quickly to face her, raw animal lust flashing in his sparkling green eyes. A lesser woman could be turned off by a look like that. But not Tolarne. Instead, she was completely and totally captivated by the look in his eye, not to mention the bottle of lubricant he held in his hand. Tentatively, he held it out to her. Dare she take it? Dare she not?

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  3. Great post! :) And, MM, so naughty. ;)

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  4. Orion spun quickly to face her, determination flashing in his sapphire eyes. A lesser woman could be detered by a look like that. But not Annabelle. Instead, she was completely and totally mesmerized by the look in his eye, not to mention the amulet he held in his hand. Tentatively, he held it out to her. Dare she take it? Dare she not?

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  5. I am not sure I would do well writing with a partner, but thank goodness I have a critique group to go to when I need assistance. I am envious of your writing team.

    Thanks for the fun challenge. I gave it a shot.
    Patrick spun quickly to face her, heated desire flashing in his emerald eyes. A lesser woman could be alarmed by a look like that. But not Chloe. Instead, she was completely and totally enthralled by the look in his eye, not to mention the goblet he held in his hand. Tentatively, he held it out to her. Dare she take it? Dare she not?

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  6. Ooh! What fun!!

    Here is mine:

    Harrison spun quickly to face her, sadness flashing in his haunted eyes. A lesser woman could be devastated by a look like that. But not Cecily. Instead, she was completely and totally overjoyed by the look in his eye, not to mention the handkerchief he held in his hand. Tentatively, he held it out to her. Dare she take it? Dare she not?

    Think I may write a novel on that! Ha!! Thanks for the fun blog! And welcome to our group. You two will be a fun addition. :)

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  7. I'm not sure my original post made it. I contemplated working with a writing partner on an action adventure romance series. I soon found out that we had very different voices and visions for the series. Then other projects became more important to us, and the collaboration effort was put on the back burner. I still haven't lost hope for that action adventure series. It's going to be tons of fun.

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  8. Welcome to the blog, Lydia!

    A frienda and I collaborated on shorts and had fun. It was easy since while we wrote different genres, our writing style was very similar. Not sure how it would work for a book though!

    Linda

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  9. Mary Margaret, panties? Oh, my!

    Cheryl, you took it to a whole new level with a bottle of lubricant. :-)

    Writing with a partner is a really a lot of fun. What's ironic is that our writing styles are nothing alike, yet we're finishing one another's sentences.

    I think I can speak for both of us when I say that this started as a game of round robin. Now it's a seven book series. :-)

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  10. Wouldn't it be great if you could put "I do MadLibs" in your job description :) Great post!

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  11. Oooh, Mad Libs! My favorite!

    Waldemar spun quickly to face her, lights from the nearby police car flashing in his bloodshot eyes. A lesser woman could be unhinged by a look like that. But not Sugar. Instead, she was completely and totally intrigued by the look in his eye, not to mention the zucchini he held in his hand. Tentatively, he held it out to her. Dare she take it? Dare she not?

    Tawna

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  12. Panties, lubricant, and zucchinis... oh my! I'd like to participate in the mad lib but I [gasp] seem to be overheating [fanning self].

    Welcome Lydia Dare! Sounds like a really interesting writing process!

    Amanda

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  13. Oh my, indeed!! You ladies know how to snag a reader's attention! LOL Too funny!

    Kudos for collaborating!

    Raul spun quickly to face her, guilt swimming in his swamp-water green eyes. A lesser woman would forgive him the betrayal. Not Ramona. Instead she was incensed by that look in his eye, not to the half-eaten box of chocolates in his hand. Tentatively, he held the red foiled box out to her. Dare she take it? Dare she admit to eating his bag of Peanut M&M's?

    Ah, chocolate! How do I crave thee. LOL Fun post!

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  14. Loved this post, and all the inventive comments! Thanks so much for sharing.

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