Readers, please welcome our newest blogger, author Kathy Shaw. Kathy writes funny, sexy romantic comedy.
HELP! I'M STUCK IN THE MIDDLE
By Kathy Shaw
Probably
the second most asked question I get (behind where do you come up with your
ideas?) is: What’s the hardest part of the book to write?
Hands
down, it’s the middle.
I’m
not sure if it’s the adrenaline of starting a new project or getting to amuse
myself by writing two people’s highly-volatile emotional dislike of each other,
but I love to write the first third of the book. Yes, not all romances start
with the hero and/or heroine in-hate with each other. There are stories of friends
falling in love or non-combative competitors falling in love or maybe a dozen
other scenarios where emotional aversion is not the jumping off point. But not
in my books. Where’s the fun in that?
And
then, there’s the last third of the book. This is the section where they know
they love the other (although they probably haven’t admitted it yet) but there
is too much “stuff" between them to over-come. I could go on, but that’s
for another blog.
So
let’s get down to business. The Middle!
Or
more importantly “being stuck in the middle.”
This
is where the hero and heroine fall in love. But what makes them fall in love?
What makes them fall off the deep end?
Well,
heck if I know!
Over
the years, friends and family have shared their stories about how they fell in
love. The sagas all go about the same way.
The
couples meet. This is where I always get a lot of endearing details. (First
third of book)
Then,
they say, “We fell in love,” and sigh. Just that one line—no details, no particulars,
no how-to-pamphlets. Nada! This is where
I want to tear my hair out. (The dreaded middle)
Next,
they wax on about their happily-ever-after or lack there of. Yea, we’re back on
the research trek. (Last third of book) Remember, I’m saving my creative anxiety
concerning a book’s ending for a future blog.
So,
here’s what I’m hoping will happen. Share with me how you fell in love or
how/when you realized you were in love. Please, please! Because…
HELP!
I’M STUCK IN THE MIDDLE!
