Good morning. Today I want to talk about risk. I have a wonderful friend, author Bobby Hutchinson, who insists that every book we write explores an issue that we, the author, are struggling with in our own lives. This may also be true of the books we read that affect us the deepest. For a while now, the theme I’m seeing in my own work is risk. The fear of taking a big chance, the risk of losing all. Of course, in some way, all romances are about risk because giving away your heart, telling someone you love them, joining lives together, may be the biggest risk of all.
This month in my Harlequin Blaze, French Kissing, my heroine is a strong, adventurous woman -- a fashion writer in Paris for couture week. When she finds out the annoying, fashion challenged, seriously gorgeous photographer who has somehow been assigned to her is an undercover PI, and that there’s a crime to bust, she rushes into Nancy Drew mode and risks her life. The research for French Kissing was really, really tough! I had to fly to Paris, look at fashion, try on shoes...there should be danger pay!
Turn Left at Sanity, a mass market reissue from Kensington also out this month, is about identity and the risks we take when we try and change. What do we do when the person we’ve become isn’t working for us anymore? I took a stressed, overworked, technology addict and put him in an eccentric, sleepy town where people live according to their own ideas. Beaverton, Idaho is an old-fashioned sort of place where everyone knows each other and accepts their oddities. My hero Joe, in falling in love with the patron of the Shady Lady B&B, begins to realize that his workaholic lifestyle is killing him.
As my characters usually find out, sometimes not taking a chance, is the greatest risk of all.
My latest way of embracing change is to take up running. I’m enrolled in a 10K ‘fun’ run this weekend. Wish me luck!
What risk have you taken recently, or plan to take soon? I’d love to hear about it.
Have a great (risky!) day.
Nancy
3 comments:
Hi Nancy, have fun on your run.
I am trying to find a new job and that is risky in itself. Not happy with the current job, but after 13 yrs, it's a risk I'm willing to take to be happy.
Hi Nancy,
I haven't taken a risk in so long. I have been in safe mom mode for a long time. i used to take risk do things on the spur of the moment. Now I factor in the danger factor and usually avoid risky stuff. My goodness I am getting boring. LOL
I imagine that is why I love a good strong heroine in a story. I get to experience risky adventures through those characters.
Have fun on your run this weekend.
I'm another of the safe-mode folks!
I'm a homebody who loves to read.
Nowadays, it is risky to just go
out, get in the car, and drive down
the street! Tonight's news told
of a mother killed in a carjacking!
Pat Cochran
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