It's Here! First Love, with that little something extra...

It's Happy Release Day, and I'm so thrilled that my little rom-com was selected to appear in this anthology with a fantastic group of writers.

As one of the writers featured I was able to get an early copy, and I LOVE the variety and creativity between these pages, you guys. We were all working with the same concept (First Love) and took it in so many different directions. 

Here are my personal reviews of each story (minus my own) featured in this year's anthology: 

 

“The Art of Making Doughnuts” by Linda Budzinski

“A sweet surprise of a story. First love, with that little something extra.”

“My Heart Approves” by Melissa Maygrove

“Maygrove sweeps readers into the time and place from the very first line. A lovely historical promenade of two characters easing into a love not even a lie can’t temper.”

“My First Love(s)” by Templeton Moss

“A ‘he-said’ then ‘she-said’ tale of all the loves one man can (sort-of) recollect and the woman who sets him straight. Moss nails the characters’ voices and pacing. I am 100% sure this story is worth the read.”

“The Real Thing” by Sammi Spizziri

“It’s not the first love Lola anticipated, but a rideshare to the airport turns into a meet-cute worthy of the most classic of rom-coms.”

“Paper Faces” by Sylvia New

“A swoon-worthy historical account of a journalist who refuses to sacrifice her scruples and the man who adores her for it. The romantic tension between the main characters keeps these pages turning.” 

“Oliver’s Girl” by Michael Di Gesu

“An old man’s sweet imparting of love at first sight, and the namesake who believes in second chances at first love.” 

“Clyde and Coalesce” by Kim Elliot

“Sparks fly when a musician and teacher keep running into each other—sometimes literally. The romantic chemistry between them seeps off pages that seem to want to turn themselves.”

“Marmalade Sunset” by Denise Covey

“The vivid imagery and captivating descriptions of Greece pull readers straight into Cora and her grandson’s journey to reunite with her first love.”

“The Castle of Ohno” by S.E. White

“A grateful Hippolyta disarms the reclusive Konrad as two lonely outcasts work their way towards love in a gothic castle worthy of the most exceptional fairy tales.”

So if you're looking for a nice collection of sweet love stories....

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~

On Flaws and Wounds

A quick way to add depth to your story is to give your character a "flaw."

A more compelling way to define this, I think, is a "wound."

Because it's not really enough for a character to have this negative trait--there needs to be a reason for it. A good reason creates empathy, which is why we sometimes find ourselves relating to and understanding the villain of a story. 

So if your character's "flaw" is that he has trust issues and closes himself off from relationships, the reason why is the wound from which this trait stems.

Maybe his girlfriend cheated on him. Or his fiancee left him at the altar. Or his wife packed her bags and walked out one day in search of a new life. 

That event wounded him in some serious way, he hasn't dealt with it properly, and now a big part of his personality hinges on the idea that he's not going to open himself up to anyone for any reason whatsoever. 

He's going to do whatever it takes to protect himself from being hurt again. 

Enter a cute, spunky heroine and now we have a problem. 

As your two characters circle one another, that flaw/wound is going to rear its ugly head at the most inopportune times. 

But this is also going to open a pathway for growth and change. If, by the end of your story, the hero can move past his wound and open up his heart to love, he not only gets the girl, but your reader gets a satisfying resolution to his character arc. 

This kind of internal arc is the foundation of all great romance novels, but even if you don't write in the genre, give your character a flaw that stems from a serious past wound, have them deal with it while they're dealing with whatever other obstacles you're throwing their way, and you have a nice recipe for a page-turning read.

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~

What is Love?

What makes a love story sing?

It's not the kissing moments or those passionate fights in the rain or the slow build to some hot action (though, I'll admit, I'm a sucker for them all).

It's the sacrifice.

It's the stepping back of one character for the good of another. 

*This* is love.

No strings attached. 

Not about what the character can get, but what they can give.

Their self-sacrifice is, ironically enough, what makes the character truly worthy of the love at all, and this speaks to us, as humans and readers, in a very real, very visceral way.

So, if your love story is missing that extra "zing," find a way for your protagonist to practice a little self-sacrifice. 

It's sure to go a long way. 

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~