Karen Foley
Lynn Raye Harris
Ellen Hartman
Diana Holquist
Samantha Hunter
Shirley Jump
Dee Tenorio
Jeannie Watt
Welcome Guest Author Natale Stenzel!
Between a Rock and a Heart Place (or Sweeping Romantic Gestures)
(And before you groan and click, let me just try to entice you . . . I'm giving away a free book today to one randomly drawn commenter. See how cheap and sleazy I am? Surely it would qualify as bottom of the totem pole of romantic gestures, but see, that could be entertaining, too . . .)
Back to the blog, dork. Got it. I'm on it.
Okay, so anybody who read my blog on my website last week might realize I'm not the biggest fan of Valentine's Day. I did, after all, suggest 14 reasons to hate the 14th. However, that does not mean I'm not a huge fan of romance in general. I love romance. I read it, I write it and . . . on occasion . . . I even live it.
Take my tenth wedding anniversary, for example. To celebrate, dh told me nothing other than that I should pack and expect to spend the night somewhere. Kids would not be accompanying us (he'd taken care of that already). So I got in the car, convinced I'd brought all the wrong clothing but excited nonetheless, and we drove. And drove. Where did we go? Dh took the roudabout way/scenic route back to the town where we first met. We stayed at this bed and breakfast called The Schoolhouse. As he predicted, I loved the names of the rooms, mostly because I have a really dirty mind. There was Dick and Jane's Room, the Spelling Bee room, the Teacher's Pet Suite, etc. Ours was called the Show 'n' Tell. It was great, except for the tiny shower stall whose water ran way too hot. And, er, was situated in front of a window, so when it scalded me I screeched and jumped out, screeched then jumped back in, screeched--
But I digress. This was a trip down memory lane for us. He took me to the restaurant where we had our first date, took me on a winery tour and tasting like we'd enjoyed on another date . . . it was great. Most of all, though, I appreciated the fact that he'd planned it all by himself, all in an effort to please me. And he's not a grand gesture kind of guy, so I was really touched.
I think grand gestures can be inappropriate and misused on occasion, but let's face it: we live for the grand gesture in a romance novel. We love to watch the prince climb the castle tower to rescue his princess or slay the dragon for her or shoot the bad guy holding her prisoner . . . and then sweep her into his arms and make that grand declaration . . . sigh.
In my latest release, Between a Rock and a Heart Place, Tremayne and Daphne basically risk all for each other: him, his new life; and her, her sanity. I doubt I'm spoiling things by admitting that everything comes out all right in the end, but I wouldn't skip past the terrors and the goose bumps and the wild passion and laughter for anything. It gives that necessary depth to a wonderful, grand gesture and leaves us cheering, weeping, laughing and satisfied.
Back to that free book business I teased about in the beginning. (I know. So manipulative and I really have no pride. Thank you for humoring me anyway.) I'm giving away a copy of either of the two prequels to Between a Rock and a Heart Place, so it will be the winner's choice of either Pandora's Box or The Druid Made Me Do It. For a chance to win, just leave a comment telling me about your favorite grand romantic gesture -- either real or fictional -- or what you think of romantic gestures in general. Do you like them grand or do you prefer the little every day things that warm the heart? You do have to be registered at Cigars to be eligible to win. Thanks, everyone for having me!
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Welcome back, Natale!
Happy to see you again, and the book looks great! I know you are having a ton of fun with them. :)
Your trip sounds wonderful! And I think you nailed it -- the grand gesture is fantastic, but its the once or twice in a lifetime thing, maybe, and if it's overused, I would start to get suspicious, LOL. And you hit on the other key -- your dh thought about every contingency, he planned it all and really did a good job -- regardless of the size of the gesture or how it turned out, he was thinking about you, what would make you happy, and that's the part that counts.
I like large or small gestures, but that element of the thoughtfulness has to be there, and I think they generally come in small gestures, but those can be so meaningful on a daily basis... I know in books, I like to use small gestures to show big emotions... I like that contrast, one of my favorites being when Ian (who's a complete bastard in many ways) makes a small lunch for Sage, the heroine, in Fascination.
So, maybe the size of the gesture isn't the issue, but what it reveals...
Sam
Hi and thank you!
Hi, Sam!
Thanks for having me back -- I love blogging with you guys. Yes, I have had a lot of fun with these books. Paranormals are so cool to write because the boundaries are so . . . well, almost nonexistent. You're only limited by your ability to justify the impossible. That challenge is a big part of the fun.
I totally agree with you about the significance of the gesture being what it reveals about a person or character. Frankly, I think the smaller gestures are a lot more revealing. They seem more genuine and, frankly, the casual nature of them usually means the person's guard is down. There's a lot of honesty there, then. I think it would be easy to hide behind a big gesture. The showiness, as appealing as it may be, distracts from the person making the gesture. Best of all worlds . . . a lot of little gestures leading up to the big one. Gives that last one a lot more punch.
gestures
If I had someone to have a romantic gesture with - I'd prefer the small gestures. For example - if I'm sick and out of toilet paper or tissues - bring me a pack. Give me a hug just because you want to. And if I want to read a book while you watch TV - then let me read and not talk to me (which is the reason I probably started reading anyway).
I agree
Little gestures like this show consideration and, honestly, just mean that you know each other well enough to know each other's likes and dislikes.
Hi Natale
Hi Natale. I prefer the little every day things that warm the heart. I am shy and grand gestures would make me cringe.
Hi, Crystal!
Me, too. Although, who's to say that a grand gesture would have to involve anyone but the two of you? If given a choice between the two, though, I think I do have to go with the little everyday gestures, like you said.
Hey Natale!
Hmmm, grand gestures. Does eloping count?
Hubby and I had been together for four years and we'd always planned to get married, but waiting--and WAITING--was getting on both our nerves and then there was just hating to be apart. So we had this big argument and it seemed like we were going to break up. So, being totally upset, I ran and sobbed piteously in my shower for like...I don't know, a half hour. I came out and he'd been calling the whole time. I take the call and he goes, "So let's just get married or end it."
Yeah, hawt.
LOL, actually, it really was at the time. All authorative and Alpha-rific. Two weeks later, we eloped. My mother was cool about it, his family...er, not so much. They've finally gotten over it--I'd say the grumbles stopped at the ten year mark--but as grand gestures go, that one's just hard to beat. He whisked me away and married me and you know, neither one of us has ever looked back with regret. And every now and then, he gets Alpharific like that, just to make me blush. Gets me every time. :)
Hi, Dee!
Oooooh. Swoon. What a cool, cool story, Dee! Man, I'll bet he was sweating that whole time you were in the shower, too, poor guy. Sigh. So, yeah, we'll say it counts.
Hi Natale!
It's great to see you here today! I love your cover, BTW...and the Celtic undertones have me intrigued. As far as grand gestures go, I get way too embarrassed if someone goes overboard for me. My husband did that for my 40th birthday and although it was wonderful, I was a little mortified, too. I definitely prefer the smaller gestures, like the charm bracelet he gave me that has a different charm to represent each of my books...it's gorgeous. The fact that he a) thought of it, b) read my books and then searched everywhere for specific charms to reflect each unique story, and c) actually pulled it all together makes this little bit of jewelry absolutely priceless.
Hi, Karen!
Thank you -- and yes, I love my cover. The fonts make me giggle -- and, ahem, the necklace and cool Celtic undertones. Seriously, I've loved researching this book. mythology and old folklore draw me in every time. The Druids were fascinating -- what we know of them, anyway.
Re. the gestures, I totally understand being embarrassed when somebody makes a big deal over your birthday. I'm the same way, really. (I blush easily still -- a curse.) Still, I'm inclined to give him kudos for planning the birthday, just 'cuz. Now, the charm bracelet, however, is in a class all its own. What a cool idea -- both the thought and the resulting jewelry. Do you wear it when you write? For conferences?
Um, neither...I've only worn
Um, neither...I've only worn it around the house. It's fairly new, and I haven't worn it to work because I'm afraid I'll lose it. But I do intend to wear it to the New England Chapter's conference in March, and show it off to my editor, and recommend that she give me more contracts so that I can add more charms, LOL!
Ooh, good plan. Maybe you
Ooh, good plan. Maybe you need a charm necklace or a charm belt . . .
A cup of coffee...
My dh just brought me a cup of coffee.
That's enough for me!
Great post, Natale, and welcome to cigars!
Diana Holquist
http://dianaholquist.com
Thanks, Diana!
Oh, good hubby. Never, ever turn away a man bearing the gift of caffeine.
I prefer the little everyday
I prefer the little everyday things my husband does to show he loves me---like stopping along side the road to pick me a bunch of pussy willows to show me that spring is on the way.
Estella
Aw, what a romantic. Good hubby.
Awww!
Natale, what a lovely trip down memory lane ;) That is extremely romantic, especially if your husband isn't one given to that sort of thing!
I think that although the grand gestures seem to command more air-time, it's the consistent offering of the smaller everyday things that form some pretty sturdy glue--getting up to get the kids breakfast so I can sleep in a little longer, doing more than his share of the grocery shopping, keeping his lips zipped even though the piles of books are practically tumbling down all around... priceless! :D
LOL
Oh, you hit on a good one. The selective zipping it up consideration*g*. See, that's true love. Honestly, I think that, more than a lot of things, keeps a marriage from turning into a warzone. The piles don't matter in the bigger scheme of things -- and he loves you enough to remember that and keep all in perspective. Priceless is right.
I love that cover! I'm
I love that cover!
I'm going to say both in answer to your question. I like the small things that happen every day, with an occasional grand gesture.
Thanks, Kim!
The best of both worlds. Can't argue with that.
A winner!!
Congrats to CrystalGB! Please e-mail me privately at natale@natalestenzel.com with your snail mail address and let me know if you'd like Pandora's Box or The Druid Made Me Do It.
Thank you, everyone, for participating! And thanks for having me here on Cigars.
Thank you so much. I have
Thank you so much. I have sent you an email.