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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What's Up the Street Next Week?

April is here - and Hark! Spring might be on the way too!
Finally.
But whether the weather stays good, bad, or indifferent, we know there are some great books recently released for our reading pleasure.
Here are a few:

The Dance by Dan Walsh and Gary Smalley

The Guardian by Beverly Lewis

Love at Any Cost by Julie Lessman

One Glorious Ambition by Jane Kirkpatrick

Sinners and the Sea by Rebecca Kanner (FABULOUS Cover, btw)

It Happened at the Fair by Deeanne Gist

Invisible by Ginny Yttrup (who was JUST featured at www.seekerville.blogspot.com )

And these titles are only a few! I can't wait to get my hands on Dee's book! I've already finished The Dance and have started Julie Lessman's newest. So many books! So little time!!!

Are there any books you are looking forward to reading this month? Any waiting on your TBR list and screaming for your attention :-)

What's Happening on The Alley this week?

Monday - Pepper gets REAL with a post entitled Hang In There - and other phrases we hate to hear while we're waiting.

Tuesday - Sherrinda brings one of her usual reader friendly posts

Wednesday - Mary's chatting about The Needs of a Successful Writer

Thursday - Krista offers her writing and life insights

Friday - Casey's hosting author Susan Reinhardt and there are whispers about a GIVEAWAY!!!!

Bring your questions and comments!! Stop by and virtually sit a spell.

Why Writers Should Read, II

I finished the challenge!

I read a book in two weeks. Couldn't have done it without my fabulous accountability partner during the challenge: Beth Vogt. A small caveat--she finished her book first.

If you finished your book from the two week challenge, you might need a reminder what to do next. In a nutshell: consider manipulating the plot, twisting, turning, tugging, and smoothing to form a new plot story idea for your writing reservoir. For more details, here is the link to part one of my Why Writers Should Read Series.

Today, whether you finished the book for the first challenge or not, start fresh.

Writers who read meet many new characters who are vibrant, sinister, sweet, passive, aggressive, dorky, mysterious, graceful, snobby, contagious, cruel, empathetic, and etc.

Some characters are round, no reference to physical, these are the main characters. Some characters are flat, these are the secondary characters. Both are essential to stories.

We've had a lot of training with main characters, (round characters) here on the Alley. Check the label list on the side to read past Alley Cat posts for helpful tips.

Being the rebel that I am, I chose to focus on the flat character today. These poor, essential, rarely in the limelight characters provide key components without which entire books would flop. Over the top? Perhaps. Then again, maybe not.

Flat characters fill in holes, explain the whys, serve a small but essential purpose. We don't need to know everything about this character, but we do need him/her to complete a section of the plot puzzle.

At one of the Montana ACFW meetings, one member shared an aha moment. A scene from her story didn't work. She changed pieces, added dialogue and spruced description.  Nothing helped until she realized she needed to add a character. The new character served one purpose, to move the pickle scene forward. Suddenly her words flowed, action revived, pacing soared, the scene felt complete.

Flat characters add a great deal of importance. Often a well placed flat character can earn a starring role as a main character in a future book. Readers become intrigued with the seemingly small character who piqued their interest.

One of the many flat characters in Gone with the Wind was Prissy. SparkNotes describes her as "A squeaky-voiced house slave. Silly, squeamish, and inclined to exaggeration, Prissy is the film’s comic relief."

In this case, Prissy's character eased tension in the plot, without slowing the pace. She provided a pendulum swing for reader's emotions by pulling them from a tense, sad moment into vibrant humorous scenes.

Deeanne Gist, author of' Love on the Line inserted Duane as an essential flat character. Duane is a gun slingin' gang member who won my heart with his humor and spunk. He became essential by filling a hole in one scene the MCs could not. Sure would be nice if Deanne spun a book around Duane. hint hint Deanne

Dos and Don'ts for Flat Characters

Do use flat characters sparingly in your story. (re presence)
Do use flat characters to meet/accomplish a temporary need. (re task)
Do give a missing component of the story to the flat character (comic relief, spunk, etc)
Do give only one trait to the flat character. (timid strong sense of responsibility)

Don't develop the flat character (wastes story space needed for MC)
Don't assign heroic tasks to flat character
Don't assign antagonist task to the flat character
Don't let the flat character steal the scene from the MC
Don't let the MC watch the flat character. (The doer is always the MC)
Don't let the flat character improve-resolve-change

Is there a hole, a jagged scene, an uneasy sense to a scene in your WIP. Would adding a flat character sprinkle spice into your story?

Your challenge: read a book in the next two weeks. Should you chose to play with me--volunteer to be my accountability partner. You can leave your email address in the comment section or email me: mimary_vee@yahoo.com. That means we have two weeks. In this newly read book, search for flat characters and determine their contribution to the book.

sample: Cinderella. What essential role did Cinderella's father play? (Comment your answer)

The purpose of this challenge is to discover essential flat characters, how they impact a book, fill in gaps, provide essential components, and etc. Are you willing to rise to the challenge? Ready? Go.

Come back in two weeks with a book read, or in the process of being read for our discussion of the third benefit Why Writers Should Read

P.S. I am borrowing this quote posted by Fay Lamb on the ACFW General Crit Loop:  Most beginning writers (and I was the same) are like chefs trying to cook great dishes that they've never tasted themselves. How can you make a great (or even an adequate) bouillabaisse if you've never had any? If you don't really understand why people read mysteries (or romances or literary novels or thrillers or whatever), then there's no way in the world you're going to write one that anyone wants to publish. (This is the meaning of the well-known expression "Write what you know.")  ~Daniel Quinn

Please consider this opportunity to nominate The Writer's Alley 

for the 101 Best Websites for writers.

Just send an email to Writers.Digest@fwmedia.com 
during the month of April

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This blog post is by Mary Vee

Mary lives in Montana with her husband and loves to hear from her three college kids. She writes Christian young adult fiction (pirate tales, missionary and Bible adventure stories).

Come Step into Someone Else's World with Mary's writing

To learn more about Mary, visit her blog http://www.mimaryvee.blogspot.com/

Make 'Em Laugh - Writing Humor in Fiction

Anyone here love to laugh?
Just stick me in the Mary Poppins’ scene where they have tea on the ceiling with Dick Van Dyke.
I love to laugh.
But laughing, and writing humor are two very different things.

Using a fantastic article from the latest edition of Writer’s Digest and combining it with some things I’ve learned along the way, I want us to look at the fine art of writing humor.

Now, I am no Mary Connealy, Deeanne Gist, or Janice Thompson – nor do I have the wit of fellow Alley Cats, Krista Phillips or Sarah Forgrave, but I know a funny scene when I read one.

Humor is about distorting reality or turning it on its head in some way. Kind of like those carnival fun-mirrors. The image might still be you, but it’s funny looking because your lips look like they’re up by your forehead or it appears that you’re eating your feet. Distorted. Funny.

Let’s look at some important tips to writing humor based on Leigh Anne Jasheway’s list from Ways to Improve your Writing By Thinking Like A Comedy Writer (Writer’s Digest, July/August 2011)

 Incongruity – “Incongruity is the main reason we laugh.” Its’ the whole idea of expecting one thing and the unexpected happens. What’s so funny about the Cliffs of Insanity swordplay scene in the move The Princess Bride? It’s unexpected. Two guys are trying to kill each other, all the while being so very polite, and complimenting each others’ skill in fighting.

It causes your brain to hiccup. Wait, that’s not what I expected.

That’s why I think that God has a sense of humor. The Bible is FILLED with incongruity.

A shepherd boy becomes a king.

A hot-headed fisherman becomes a mighty servant of God.

A donkey talks?

A man is swallowed by a great fish to get him back on God’s path

A man in a landlocked country is told to build an Ark

The CREATOR of the world is born as a baby

 Keep Them on Their Toes – basically it’s when the writer changes directions from the expected course. “Misdirection” – as Leigh Anne Jasheway refers to it.

This is particularly true when phrases we know are changed.  That’s why we get such a kick out of kids’ sayings. My daughter once looked out the window and said, “It’s raining hats and frogs.”

 Use Familiarity to your Advantage – the ‘running gag’, a situation, character, or phrase that the reader can always expect to bring the comic relief. We all can think of that particular character. The one who enters the scene and we grin, knowing they’ll provide a silly phrase, foible, or witty comment to make things a little funnier. Even in the epic movie, Lord of the Rings, we knew that Gimli (the dwarf for those of you who are not Tolkien-ites or elves) is going to provide us with some humor any time he is on the page or screen. In Pride and Prejudice, it’s Mrs. Bennet (among others).

 Employ the Power of Play – if you’re a little silly, have fun pets, or young kids, use them to provide the necessarily inspiration. To write funny, you need to have the internal tools to do it. Which means…. A playful spirit yourself. Leigh Anne says “Make sure your inner 5-year-old has a chance to play at least once a day, and even more often when you’re facing a deadline.”

Use the Power of 10 – Before deciding on a perfect title, character name, or plot point, make a list of 10 possibilities and pick the best one. Don’t stop with just one or two – go all the way to 10.  “It takes more writers approximately 10 attempts at a joke to create the funniest punch line.”

Expose Yourself – learn from other funny authors. Expose yourself to their work and discover the way they make you laugh.

How do we add humor?

Well, here are a few ways:

Through witty dialogue – male-female banter, sarcasm, overexaggerations, complete honesty (usually internal monologues J.

Using interesting or funny similies & metaphors. Shannon LAusch refers to this as Wordplay.

Situational Humor – where the situation is just plain funny.

Parody – a ‘spoof’ off of something else

Slapstick or physical humor – think Lucille Ball or Sandra Bullock-type comedy here (Three Stooges too, if any of you writers even know who those are ;-)

Here are a few examples:

Here are the first lines from Laura Jensen Walker’s book, Miss Invisible.

One size does not fit all

“Not women like me,” I muttered as I tried to wriggle the cotton peasant skirt over my double-wide-trailer hips in the cramped dressing room.

Or what about this wonderful clip from Liz Curtis Higgs latest masterpiece, Mine is the Night. (gentle humor)

Jack looked at her beneath the velvety blue sky, riding as close as he dared.

“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about your employment, Mrs. Kerr. I’m afraid I must dismiss you as my dressmaker.”

She pretended to be greatly offended. “Lord Buchanan! Is this how you repay my many hours of service?”

“Even worse, madam, I insist you marry me within the month.”

Elizabeth laughed softly. “I believe I was the one who proposed marriage.”

“So you did, my dear.”

Lorna Seilstad really shows some nice physical humor in her newest release, A Great Catch. Her heroine is a Lucille Ball act-alike.

In this scene, Emily Graham is trying to cut and eat a waffle, while her soon-to-be love interest, Carter, is at the table talking to her grandmother. Btw, Emily has a sprained wrist – so she only has good use of one hand.

Emily bit her lip and used the side of her fork to try to cut off  the corner (of her waffle). Ah. Success.

She glanced up and caught Carter grinning at her. Heat flooded her cheeks and she dropped her gaze back to her breakfast. Even without looking, she knew he was still watching. She’d show him she was a woman who could tackle anything – big or small.

Her grandmother thumbed through the ledger. “And Carter studied finance, Emily. Since your brother is busy running your father’s business, I’ve asked Carter to help me manage my assets.”

“But I thought – “ Emily jerked. The bite of waffle on the tip of her fork, drenched in strawberry syrup, went flying across the table.

Instinct alone propelled Carter to catch the chunk of waffle midair. The contents squished in his palm, and he grabbed his napkin from the table.

Fun, eh?

Okay – last example. How could I pass this up without putting in some of Mary Connealy humor?!?

From her book, Sharpshooter in Petticoats:

Mandy is trying to get her telescope from Tom Linscott, who just kidnapped her kids (so to speak) and has told Mandy that she’s marrying him (which in Mandy’s mind is still a matter of question).

Mandy said, “I’d like it now, please, Mr. Linscott.”

A far more earthly phrase full of dire threats and insults was pressing to escape from her lips. But the children were close at hand.

“Call me Tom.” Then Tom tilted his head and in the dark seemed to look down at Angela. “And you can call me Pa, little girl.”

“Pa!” Angela kicked her feet, which stuck out almost straight on both sides of the broad backed black Tom rode. Mandy could just barely see her little moccasins.

“Do not call him Pa!” Mandy could not sit idly by while that travesty occurred.

“Pa!” Catherine, on Mandy’s lap, twisted around and grinned up as if the order were a joke.

Jarrod’s legs were encased in that papoose-like pack on Tom’s back, but the little boy’s arms were free, and he waved them wildly and yelled, “Papa!”

“That’s right. I’m your pa. You might as well call me that right from the start.”

If one of our goals as writers is to grab the readers’ attention and hold on – then learning to write humor is a fantastic way to do that. Not all of us are humor writers, though, but even sprinkling it into more dramatic pieces can make your work stronger.

Your homework? Go play with some kids or pets. Look for the fun, imagination, and humor in the moments – and incorporate the joy into your writing.

Do you have any examples you want to post of your own writing humor?

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photos courtesy of www.writersdigest.com
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