Though I love posting my Sinfully Sexy Saturdays on Wickedly Romantic with hot hunks to feast your eyes on, the truth is, it's the hero and heroine coupled together that make the story!!
Throughout the grueling conflict, throughout the heartaches and difficulty, it's the hero and heroine's struggle that makes the story worth reading. Their growth, their love for one another, and resolving the conflicts to give us that happily ever after--that after glow is what I love to read about. There's nothing better than finishing the story, and wishing I had another one of the author's books to jump into and begin delving through all the troubles that a new delicious hero and heroine manage to get themselves into.
So yeah, it's fun having a sexy hero to drool over, but it's the heroine and hero's relationship that make it even sexier and the happily ever after that makes it a winner in my heart. And the goal I hope to achieve every time I write a story.
What do you think? Ever finish a book and want another? Want some more of the same characters? Can't keep quit thinking of the story? Of the hero and heroine's relationship?
Terry Spear
Terry Spear
Heart of the Wolf, Don't Cry Wolf, Betrayal of the Wolf, Allure of the Wolf
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I want the blond guy in the blue shirt--just for an hour or two. Then we'll talk about happily ever after.
ReplyDeleteLOL, Cheryl!!! Did you finish your cleaning???? :)
ReplyDeleteThe HEA is definitely what sets our genre apart from the others. Of course we always know it's going to end happily, but the fun is in seeing HOW that's going to happen.
ReplyDeleteabsolutely, Marie! :)
ReplyDeleteI really don't like unhappy endings, I must say. Too depressing.
ReplyDeleteIf there is even a chance that things will work out, I like to get that sense at the end of the book, even if the final ending doesn't give the characters all they hoped for, yet.
We have to deal with the bad endings in everyday life, so why read about it.
I like series that are stories about secondary characters and I like continuing series about the same characters as long as they have an upbeat ending.
I so agree, Michele. I want happy endings to my stories...get tired of the news, and all the bad stuff. :) I want to see someone living happily ever after!!!
ReplyDeleteI love happy endings! In recent days, it seems like for a book to be taken seriously and to be considered of a certain caliber, it has to end in a drastic, sad and depressing way.
ReplyDeleteI'm a sucker for the guy getting the girl and a giant wedding--and then an epilogue talking about their kids :)
Well said, Terry!
ReplyDeleteIf I want to be depressed, I just have to tune in the news. :-( The beauty of the romance genre lies in the HEA!
Cindy
P.S. I'm guesting today at Writer's At Play, please stop by if you get a chance: http://www.writersatplay.com/wordpress/
Danielle & Aunty Cindy! Here, here! I so agree!!!
ReplyDeleteSome days I can't even look at the news. :) And yeah, I love epilogues that show how they stay together beyond the end! :)
Hi All,
ReplyDeleteI so agree about the happy ending, life hands people plenty of sad, gimme happy all day long in my entertainment!!!!
Terry, I LOVE epilogues!! If I love a story, and I choose carefully so I usually do, I usually want more. Sometimes an epilogue is enough. Other times, like Diana Gabaldon's Outlander, I want it to go on and on!!
And I'm all for more books to feature secondary character!! I love Jude Devereaux (why can't I spell today?) Montgomery series!! Tht's the way to do it, lots of Montgomerys, secondary characters, ancestors, descendents etc!! LOVE IT.
Of course, there's lots of wonderful stories from lots of terrific writers. I never get enough!
You guys ROCK!!
Hugs
Becky
Hey, Becky, do you know some writers are being told not to write prologues or epilogues because readers don't want to read them? :)
ReplyDeleteNot this reader! :)
*sigh* I'm in the middle of revising the first kiss scene between the h/h in Allure of the Wolf.....back to the good stuff.
Um, that was the DH doing the cleaning, not me....
ReplyDeleteGood for you!
ReplyDeleteGood for you!
ReplyDeleteI think that's why with some series I'll wait until several books are out before I start the first book. That way I can have a marathon.
ReplyDeleteLinda
Oh, I do this inadvertantly, Linda! I'll pick up a "new" book and love the author's writing and happily go back and buy all their previous books. One was really funny though because I read one of the series, then picked up another book later, and it happened to be hers too. But I didn't realize it because she'd changed her name on the book!!! They didn't list her other name either, so I was thinking, Omigosh, this author has stolen her characters, plotting, everything!!! LOL :)
ReplyDeleteHandsome is all well and good, but if there are no sparks between the couple (and handsome does not equal sparks) then the book is a snooze. Real romance engages the mind as well as the body, which is why some of the sexiest books I've ever read haven't had much sex at all in them. And when I find an author who gets it right, I feel like I've uncovered buried treasure! Incidentally I like epilogues, even if they just confirm exactly what we knew was going to happen. Despite my snarky comments about "handsome", I do like the photo gallery.
ReplyDeleteChristina,
ReplyDeleteYeah the guys are not too bad to look at. What I love is the way they are responding to the women in the photos...very sexy. :)
But I agree, some of the best stories I've read have very little sex, but man are they hot! :) It's the little things between a man and woman that can make the difference.
Wow Terry, I didn't know that. I like both prologues and epilogues. Of course, I can't speak for anyone else, but I like to know what happened to the character.
ReplyDelete:)
Becky
Great post, Terry! I know, I think it's strange that we're discouraged from writing prologues and epilogues, because as a reader, I eat that stuff up! Especially the epilogues. I'm with Danielle on the liking to hear about the big wedding and future babies!
ReplyDeleteI also love to stay in the same world from book to book. I'm saving Nora Roberts' newest trilogy for after I finish the WIP. Then I can dive in for a few days! This is actually one of the things I love about Stephen King...he always tosses in little asides and "in" things that let you know you're in the same (twisted) world as in many of his previous books. It helps you settle right back in. Well, as much as you can settle before the bloodletting starts.
Also, those pics rock. Joseph Fiennes...mmmm. I'm a sucker for the old-fashioned clinch cover anyway, so I'm with you on liking to see the hero and heroine together! Just, you know, minus the 80s purple eyeshadow.
Hey, Kendra, I'll have you know my purple eyeshadow is from the new millenium!!! :)
ReplyDeleteI have to laugh at how you know all these guys' names! I have a hard time keeping track of the characters' names in my books!
Oh, Terry, I am famous in my family for having an encyclopedic knowledge of Crap That Doesn't Matter. I don't know what day it is, but I can identify almost any actor/actress you throw at me, quote stupid lines from many, MANY movies, and provide details about a lot of other pop culture crap that takes up valuable space in my brain. I got this ability from my dad, who thinks it's funny.
ReplyDeleteIt does me no good, but I do usually win Trivial Pursuit and those Scene It DVD games. Yeah, I know. I'm awesome.
Oh, and by the way, 80s purple eyeshadow must be worn all the way up to your eyebrows, preferably with matching mascara. So it's more a style thing. Purple eyeshadow is allowed under most other circumstances:-) So sayeth I, the romance novel cover model makeup faux pas guru. It's almost poetic, isn't it??
ReplyDeleteOh, Kendra, what would I do without your funny witticisms??? Hmm, sounds like a couple of fun characters in a book, methinks. :)
ReplyDelete