Monday, February 24, 2020

The Making of A Heroine: A Purrfect Romance Week


Last week, we spoke about My Kinda Heroes according to my own Rom Com DVD collection. I listed several heroes, but one hero that many of YOU mentioned as a favorite was Jack Callahan from While You Were Sleeping.

As I thought about the topic of heroines this Purrfect Romance week, I considered why Lucy Moderatz (Sandra Bullock) made a good heroine. If you recall, she truly saved Jack's brother from a train--becoming a bonafide heroine by that very act, but so much more goes into a heroine than that, right?

No matter if you are watching a movie, reading a book, or considering the women in your life who seem to fit the bill of a "heroine", there are a number of qualities that make a gal a heroine--in her own right--with the hero opposite her, not defining her, but worthy of completing the journey alongside her in the end: a rich back story, authenticity, and redemption are a few fleshed out so purrfectly in While You Were Sleeping...read on, then share your own!

Back Story-Lucy lived alone, ate alone (well, she had a cat), worked on holidays that most people spent with family, and had a dad-shaped hole in her heart. She managed, but we know as the viewer that it wasn't an ideal situation for her. She was enduring, not necessarily thriving in, the loneliness of an orphaned girl in a bustling world. We root for heroines who stumble upon their chance to change the trajectory of their journey from glum day-to-day to life-giving adventure. A girl stuck in a tower has a chance to get out? A servant escapes her step-mother's clutches and visits the palace? Heroines who take the chance on something different win our hearts and the hearts of those they meet along the way.

Authenticity-Lucy Moderatz wore her dad's old coat, held no airs about her as she pretended to be the girlfriend of Jack's snobbish brother (who was in a coma for most of the movie). Lucy tried to hold a mask up, but she just couldn't manage to hide her true, down-to-earth self. When a hero falls for the authentic heroine, we know that her worth is valued above her status, above her actions, above her flaws. We see a heroine being loved for her whole self, and that makes a purrfect romance.

Redemption- When I was first writing, I would write heroines with a hardened heart, thick skin, sour responses--manifestations of wounds-for sure-but not very likeable, and certainly not heroine material for the beginning of a story. These manifestations are redeemable, but the audience needs to realize the wound quickly if they must invest in the heroine. Heroines may behave badly, but only if we understand why, and find hope that ill behavior hints to forthcoming redemption. Lucy lies to Jack's family very close to the beginning of the story. But, we see her reasoning, her need, her chance to redeem the lie and the wounds of her past. We are sold on the fact that Lucy is the heroine, not just of the love story, but of her own story.

YOUR TURN: What do you love about a good heroine? Who are your favorites? Be sure to stop by our Facebook Page  on Thursday and chat with me and Pepper about Heroines! Last chance to win our giveaway...and a copy of the brand new The Heart's Stronghold novella collection!



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Angie Dicken credits her love of story to reading British literature during life as a military kid in England. Now living in the U.S. heartland, she's a member of ACFW, sharing about author life with her fellow Alley Cats on The Writer's Alley blog and Facebook page. Besides writing, she is a busy mom of four and works in Adult Ministry. Angie writes historical romance and historical fiction. She enjoys eclectic new restaurants, authentic conversation with friends, and date nights with her Texas Aggie husband. 



Find her on:

Website: angiedicken.com








Monday, February 17, 2020

My Kinda Hero: A Purrfect Romance Week


I have always loved curling up on the couch with a good book. But I'll admit, curling up on the couch with my DVD collection and choosing an oldie-but-goodie love story is a purrfect pastime too.
For Hero week on The Writer's Alley, let's chat about the men in my DVD collection! In the comments, would love for you to share yours...and any CBA/Clean read heroes you can think of that might fall under each of the following categories:

(And don't forget to check out the info below for a fun opportunity to celebrate Heroes later this week and an ADDITIONAL giveaway to the Purrfect Romance Alleycat bundle)!


BOY NEXT DOOR TURNED MAN: They are the guys who’ve always been there. They see their heroine through awkward stages, not-so-great stages, and the woman they’ve become. These men have grown up, just like their heroine, but their soft side for the heroine offers hope in all she’s lost and has come home to find again. From my collection:

  • Matty from Thirteen going on Thirty 
  • Jake from Sweet Home Alabama
  • Justin from Hope Floats 


ENEMIES...OR NOT: It’s always fun to see the trope of a hate-love relationship where the love wins in the end. Whether there is a secret being covered up, or a conflict of interest, the hero finds redemption when his vulnerable side comes out—his family life woos the heroine—or the heroine brings out his own soft side beyond their conflict. It’s always fun to see how the writers will bank on the moments that crack the tough exterior. From my collection:

  •  Andrew from The Proposal 
  •  Ben from How To Lose A Guy in Ten Days 
  •  Joe from You’ve Got Mail 


SECOND CHANCE AT LOVE: They’ve loved before. And they aren’t quite sure they can love again. As an audience member, it’s easy to fall in love with a hero who gave his heart away only to return with a wound. We want to help them in their pain, we want to drag them along and stand them right in front of the heroine and say, "hey, look at him"! These heroes have backstories wrapped up in a different woman, but all they’ve gone through brings them to a new heroine and the love story of a lifetime. From my collection:

  • Bob from Return To Me 
  • Sam from Sleepless In Seattle
  • Graham and Miles from The Holiday


MORE HERO TALK! You can nominate your favorite heroes in CBA or Clean Reads by checking out the pinned post at the Heroes on The Red Carpet Event . Be sure to join in the fun on Thursday night! 


YOUR TURN: Comment for a chance to win the Purrfect Romance giveaway. Any good romantic heroes to add to the list? How about your favorite in CBA or clean reads? 

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Angie Dicken credits her love of story to reading British literature during life as a military kid in England. Now living in the U.S. heartland, she's a member of ACFW, sharing about author life with her fellow Alley Cats on The Writer's Alley blog and Facebook page. Besides writing, she is a busy mom of four and works in Adult Ministry. Angie writes historical romance and historical fiction. She enjoys eclectic new restaurants, authentic conversation with friends, and date nights with her Texas Aggie husband. 



Find her on:

Website: angiedicken.com

Monday, February 10, 2020

Romantic Gestures...the many 'expressions' of Love



Pepper here, and we're talking about Romantic Gestures today!!
How do people in books and movies (and real-life) show love? Oh!! Let's count the ways :-)
Let's start with the little ways :-)

Small gestures
These are "simple" everyday ways of showing love.
Let's hear what some readers have to say about examples of this type of love expression:
Kristine: He goes out on below-zero days to clean off her vehicle and starts the car so it's warm when she leaves for work."
Summer: A foot rub after a long day of work, putting the kids to bed.
Denise: Getting up and making coffee every day before she leaves for work, even though he doesn't HAVE to get up for two more hours.
Rachel: sweet notes hidden around the house, or a note "just because"
Paula: writing a poem on their 48th anniversary and showing love by going shopping with her (because he hates shopping).
Author Janine Rosche added: I love a good running of fingers through hair.

Other ways: using his/her skills to build something unique for the one they love. Supporting the other person's dreams/passions/likes. Giving the other person time and resources (when possible) to explore those interests. Finding ways to keep each other safe. Keeping a letter/book/gift of your beloved because it came from or belonged to them. Or Colonel Brandon staring with such rapt wonder at Marianne as she plays the piano in Sense and Sensibility. Sacrifice can be small or big, so can acts of protection.

One of the most romantic gestures EVER (which fits into both small and grand gestures category) is KNOWING the "loved" person by listening, remembering, and finding ways to express they've "heard" you and want to celebrate the things that matter to you!

Grand gestures
These are the ones that are usually celebrated on movies, right? "Big" things.
Does the hero uproot his life in order to be with the heroine? Does he work all summer on a project in order to pay for something the heroine wanted? A trip for her to take? Does she race across an airport and get on the intercom to stop him from catching his flight so she can tell him she loves him?...um...oh wait...I digress ;-)

Julia Lynch reminded me of Gilbert Blythe giving up the Avonlea school for Anne.
In my case, my husband worked out our finances so that we could take a trip to Ireland at the end of March (for ME...because I love traveling/research. Him? Not so much :-)

Bottom line: Time and intention are super romantic, no matter how big or how small. 

Non-kiss touches
Romantic touches come in all shapes and sizes...and they can be just as unique to the couple as favorite gestures, but there are a few that show the sweetness and meaningfulness of touch.
Stacey shared that her husband will take her in his arms when she gets home and say, "I'm so glad I get to be home with you." (cue the 'aww').

What about the moment on North & South with the hero and heroine touch fingers while she's serving him tea? A guy pushing back a girl's hair from her face? A hand to the small of the back? Linking arms as two lovers walk? Holding hands? Caresses to the face (super intimate). Dancing. Tender glances. HUGS!! (and so many more).

Kissing
Okay, so this is one of my favorites, but I have to tell you, I'm not a fan of watching kisses on movies if the couple looks like they're trying to eat each others' faces off. I do love kisses like..well, as I mentioned above, the kiss in North & South!! Tender, gentle, intentional, sweet...Mama Mia!!!

A kiss is NOT just a kiss!

Romantic kisses come with stories behind them.
There is intention, knowledge of each other, care, and, yes, there can be a sense of awe and passion too!

Kisses of love are expressions of something that's already happening in the heart and, in my opinion, are just extensions of the appreciation, knowledge, tenderness, and delight two people have in (and for) each other. Without the story behind the kiss, there really isn't any romance in it.
Kisses are kind of like the exclamation marks of a million conversations between two people who love each other. 

Words
It goes without saying...hee hee...words DO matter in romance. But it's more than just sweet words. Of course, there are compliments and expressions of appreciation, but there are also thoughtful discussions, intelligent conversations, careful questions to show care, encouragement, healthy debates, and so much more.

One note about the art of innuendo: It's a beautiful thing to see subtlety in stories that show the love and romance growing between characters - the messages between the lines. Even in those more "intimate" moments that are tastefully and beautifully rendered.

Author Rachel McMillan reminded me that there are some beautifully subtle expressions of love shown in the movie/book The Magic of Ordinary Days when Ray begins reading archaeology books so that he can have something to talk to Livy about (and so she won't feel alone). What about Mr. Knightley's rushing back from London to check on Emma's wellbeing after he finds out about Churchhill's engagement?

A few recommendations from Rachel regarding well-written intimate innuendo in romance is Laura Frantz's The Lacemaker, Jolina Petersheim's How the Light Gets In, Deanne Gist's Tiffany Girl, and Kate Breslin's As High as the Heavens...for a start :-)

I'd LOVE to hear about some of your favorite romantic gestures shown in movies, books or REAL LIFE...and, to make things more interesting, you can't list the kissing ones :-)

Plus, join me on Thursday evening at 8am EST for a FB live chat about Romantic Gestures in fiction & movies! Bring some examples from your favorites and we'll swoon together :-)Let's talk romance!
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Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor. Both her historical and contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inspys, and ACFW's Genesis and Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer, was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her most recent historical romance, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge, showcases her Appalachian heritage and family history, as well as her love for humor, the mountains, and family. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC, where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist to dozens more, and a love for chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus. Pepper loves to connect with readers and other authors through social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Learn more about her and her books at www.pepperdbasham.com

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Monday, February 3, 2020

The Purrfect Romance - Why Romance?


Pepper Basham here! And guess what?

It’s February.

And you know what that means?!?

ROMANCE TALK!!!

Of course, as many of you know, I’m a big fan of romance-talk all year long, but February gives me a little extra excuse to celebrate big time! 

Speaking of big…the romance genre is the largest selling fiction genre out there – mainstream or Christian. So…maybe there are lots more people than just ME who find romance fascinating all year round too 😊…(Yes, I’m looking at all of you people who keep the Hallmark channel on 24/7 😉 #mypeople


Have you ever wondered WHY romance is such a "hot” commodity?

Well, here are a few of my thoughts, but I’d LOVE to hear yours too!
1.     We love STORY. It’s in our genes. For millennia, story has been the way to captivate, explain, inspire, capture memories, provide encouragement, and offer hope. Histories are made up of STORIES. Jesus used stories to teach deeper truths in a winsome way. So, while romances are stories about relationships, growth, and love…at the heart, they’re stories.


2.     Relationships without the everyday commercials - Most readers of romance are women…and we enjoy watching relationships happen. Even moreso, we like to see things turn out well (thus the reason why most romances are happily-ever-afters- HEA). If you’re like me and want to ‘fix’ everything, but know you’re human and haven’t been bitten by that radioactive spider yet, fiction provides a wonderfully condensed way for us to see broken people in broken relationships find fulfillment, community, and love within a few hundred pages and everything is FIXED (with all the mundane laundry, vacuuming, and toilet cleaning taken out to keep the pace going). 

3.     Escape – Stories provide a way for us to travel, experience, enjoy, and learn from worlds, people, and places that we’d never see in real life. And, most readers aren’t looking for a ‘real’ escape from their lives, but, similar to a vacation, romances provide a little bit of ‘magic’ in the everydayness of life. Instead of turning on the television to escape into a sports game, romance readers flip open the page. (or maybe they do both. Touchdown!)

4.     HEA – let’s go back to that for just a minute because there’s something to this! According to Psychology Today, readers of romance novels are not a population of women who are pining away for unrealistic or unmet expectations, but in fact, are people who are “happier overall” (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-real-story-risk/201212/the-allure-romance) Why? Because, as Peter Pan so wonderfully pointed out to Wendy Darling…HAPPY THOUGHTS make you fly!!  So…in other words, the way of our thoughts goes the way of our behavior and perspective (hmm…that sounds Biblical! Philippians 4 for a start) 😊

      So, let’s get those thoughts shifted in a happily romantic direction!


We, here at The Writer’s Alley (affectionately called Alleycats), are so excited to celebrate this month of Purrfect Romance with you!! In fact, you’re so important to our celebration, we want to make sure you get involved. How, you might ask?

Let me count the ways 😊


1.     This Thursday we’re going to have our first Instagram Slam. What is an Instagram Slam? Well, it’s when we take over Instagram to post your FAVORITE romance books of all time!!! (okay…or of the last 6 months. “Of all time” is too big for some of us to handle). We’ll spend all day on Thursday, February 6th, ‘showing the love’ of romance books that have left us feeling all the wonderfully romantic HEA feels. Don’t forget to tag the featured author, share it with us (@alleycatwriters), AND use some of the hashtags #PurrfectRomance, #AlleyCatWritersSlam or #InstagramSlam. We also have a graphic you can grab from down below to add to your post!!...check it out:



2.     Next week, we’re talking KISSES and I plan to host a FB LIVE, so bring some of your favorite fictional kissing books to the table for some lipsmacking conversations. You know I’ll bring mine 😉

3.     The week of February 17th, AlleyCat, Angie Dicken, will be chatting about top romantic heroes and why we love them, following with a FB live later in the week. 

4.     And the last week of February, Angie will bring to light some fantastic romantic heroines and the two of us (Angie and Pepper) hope to offer a FB live together later in the week to discuss YOUR favorite heroines in romantic fiction.

Icing on top of the love cake?



We have an awesome giveaway planned for those who participate. All you have to do is comment on this post to be added to the drawing…and each additional comment you make on the other posts throughout the month will be an additional entry for you!

Now, let's talk! Why do YOU read romance?
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Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with southern Appalachian flair. Both her historical and contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inspys, and ACFW Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer, was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her most recent historical romance, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge, showcases her Appalachian heritage and family history, as well as her love for humor and family. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

Pepper loves getting to know readers and other authors through social media outlets like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You may also learn more about her on her website at www.pepperdbasham.com