Rebecca Connolly's Blog, page 7

Jumping the Shark

** Spoilers ahead, if you haven’t read A Wager Worth Making, be aware!**

Let’s have a little chat, shall we?

Lately I’ve had it on my mind that people tend to worry about a show or a book “jumping the shark” — meaning the point at which the show or book begins to tank. Often, people associate this phenomenon with main characters getting together in what they consider to be too early. They feel that a loss of that will-they/won’t-they tension will leave the show or book without a leg to stand on.

I disagree.

Now, I know there are times when this IS the case, I’m not that naive, but I think we need to cut authors and show runners a break. See what happens and where it goes.

Why do I care about this?

Because it happened to me.

As you may (or may not) recall, in the 7th book of the Arrangement series, A Wager Worth Making, the main characters got married before we were halfway through the book.

A complaint was made in a review that the characters got together too quickly and she hated that the romance part was over before the book was.

I wasn’t upset by her comment or her review. She’s entitled to her opinions, absolutely. But this is one time where I will respectfully disagree.

And claim extenuating circumstances.

Let’s look at the situations in A Wager Worth Making first, and then we’ll go into the romance.

This book is set in the Regency era. Marriage was a different sort of arrangement then. Romance wasn’t necessarily required.
Lord Blackmoor wasn’t looking for love. He was looking for a wife. He needed a marriage, not a romance.
Gemma Templeton was poor. She needed a solution to save herself and her family.
Gemma and Blackmoor liked each other. Genuinely. In their situations individually, and with that in mind, they were set for a pretty good marriage for that time period.

So. Circumstances cleared up? Let’s move on.

Why should the characters “getting together” mean that the romance storyline is over? Personally, I’m not married, but I’m PRETTY sure that it’s supposed to keep going even after the wedding bells stop ringing. And I’m also FAIRLY confident that problems don’t stop with a marriage. In fact, rumor has it that more problems are created by it. Different problems, but problems all the same.

Such is the case here.

Just because Gemma and Blackmoor got married did not mean they were in love. They weren’t at the time. They were friends, and they liked each other, certainly, but there was no way they would have called it love.

Just because they were being intimate (as married people do) does not mean that they loved each other. NEWSFLASH — people are intimate without being in love. Happens all the time. In this particular situation, they were a married couple who had grown close in friendship, and yes, had mutual attraction for each other. But still not love. Not yet.

Just because the main characters were officially together did not mean their romance was ended. On the contrary, it was just beginning.

This wasn’t simply a marriage of convenience where the couple eventually falls in love after being married. This was a couple that chose to marry each other with their eyes wide open, not for convenience, though it did solve some of their problems, but because there was a genuine fondness between them.

The romance came after the marriage. Their friendship and attraction increased. Their caring for each other deepened to an intensity that startled them both. They began to put each other first without realizing it.

THEN they were in love. And they couldn’t even say it because of certain obstacles, many of which were their own faults, but when they did? Oh, the moment was so much sweeter because of it.

Did I jump the shark because my characters met, became friends, and got married before the book’s halfway point? I humbly submit the answer is NO.

Recently, you may have noticed that I have become obsessed with a certain TV show. *ahem* Timeless *cough cough* And even more recently, I became aware that other fans were growing concerned (and even upset) that *SPOILER ALERT* two of the leads were starting to give in to the undeniable chemistry between them.

“They’re jumping the shark!” they cried.

No, I don’t think they are. Let’s talk circumstances again, shall we?

The leads are on a team together.
They are almost constantly in danger together.
They share similar experiences in loss.
They have developed a deep level of trust, as you do on a team constantly in danger.
They banter. Everybody knows good banter is a precursor to romance.
Heightened emotions and intense situations together are going to draw people together a lot faster than your typical scenario.

Plus, you know, CHEMISTRY.

And to be fair, no one has said they’re in love. Okay, Rufus told Wyatt he was, but Wyatt and Lucy haven’t said it to each other, or even admitted it. The chemistry is clearly there, and it’s entirely possible that the writers knew that avoiding it was just skirting around the issue. Addressing it head on was easier.

Does that mean the tension is over? The romance is over? The show has “jumped the shark”? I humbly submit the answer is NO.

Especially given the HUGE twist the show just threw into the mix. Now the tension is going to be completely different and still there in an entirely new way.

This show, like A Wager Worth Making, does not hinge on the idea of the characters being together only. Granted, my book is a romance, so it does have a little bit more hold there, but Timeless is not a romance. There’s much more to the story than whether or not Lucy and Wyatt are together.

To show my TRUE nerdiness, let’s look at one more very quickly.

Star Wars. More specifically, Han Solo and Leia Organa.

Banter. Disdain. Reluctant acceptance. Dangerous situations. Yet in Empire Strikes Back *SPOILER ALERT* they kiss, which seems to change everything. Then suddenly when *SPOILER ALERT* Han is going to get frozen in carbonite, Leia tells him she loves him. His response? “I know.”

So the story is over, right? They got together, and now it’s only going downhill?

I humbly submit the answer is NO.

There was SO MUCH MORE to it. Their romance wasn’t the central plot of the storyline. There was a whole galaxy of stuff to deal with on top of it. And you know what? Their being “together” didn’t get in the way of anything. As a matter of fact, it didn’t really even impact anything. It was just there. Changed the characters a bit, but they were still themselves. Still functioned the way they needed to. Story went on without a hitch, and it was GOOD. Return of the Jedi is actually my favorite of the original trilogy, but that’s neither here nor there.

So. My point with these examples? Being together does not end the romance or the tension or the story.

It is NOT “jumping the shark” just because a couple gets together.

See what happens. See what comes. What problems can their being together bring about? What tensions can arise from it?

What could tear them apart?

Give it a chance. See beyond the “together.”

It’s not over until happily ever after.

And maybe not even then…

 

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I’m in a Magazine!

Guys! I’m being promoted in Southern Writer’s Magazine’s holiday catalogue!

It’s so cool to be part of this!

Here’s the link: http://bit.ly/SWHC2017

Check it out, and see if there’s anything you want to get! So many awesome authors involved!

AND I’m a spotlight author in the November/December issue of Southern Writers Magazine! AHHHHH! You can purchase your issue through their website!

You know, this writing stuff is kinda fun!

Maybe I hate newsletters…

This could be me… Honestly, it probably is me, except she’s prettier and probably more fun.

I am so so sorry if someone gets my newsletter more than once… It’s entirely possible that someone very unlucky gets it three times. It’s a new world for me, and a new way to be technologically inept…

Hey, we all have our weaknesses, right???

I’ll figure it out eventually. And then it will be a smooth system that I don’t have to worry about, right? (You’d better say right, because I NEED it to be a smooth system!)

Someday this will work and it will be amazing.

Someday it won’t stress me out.

Someday…

But it’s not today. (Groan… bang head on table… repeat…)

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Mistakes

This may come as a shock, but I’m not perfect.

SURPRISE!

Because I’m not perfect, my writing is not perfect. My research is not perfect. And, shocker, my characters are not perfect.

And yet nothing bothers me more than finding those imperfections after it’s too late to change them. I was just at a fantastic conference with hundreds of other romance writers and took so many classes to help me become a better writer.

A few classes were historically based.

And therein lies the issue.

I’ve been wrong.

That shouldn’t be shocking, right? Of COURSE I’ve been wrong. I’m not perfect and I know that all too well. But every time I find a mistake, grammatical, historical, or otherwise, I hiss and scold myself, and wonder how many of my readers are going to be bothered by that.

I’m not going to point out my mistakes because if you haven’t seen them, you don’t need to. Go ahead and find me more perfect than I am.

But here’s the thing: I’m still learning my craft. I’m still learning my time period. And I will continue to improve and get better, and then I will find new mistakes that I’ve been making all along.

I’m not a perfectionist, but I do want to do the very best I can for my readers, and for my characters.

You all deserve it.

I promise to cut myself a break if you will do the same for me. If you notice a glaring mistake that alters everything, you can message me about it. I do want to improve, to be sure, and I need to know my mistakes to fix them.

I will probably take it twice as personally as you intend it, so be kind about it, but that’s another issue entirely.

I make mistakes. But hopefully in the future I’ll make less of them.

The post Mistakes appeared first on Rebecca Connolly, Romance Author.

So you hate newsletters…

You probably do, right? I hear it all the time that people hate newsletters. They clog up our email inboxes, and there’s not usually anything good in them. It’s all spam.

I get it. Except for one thing:

I am not spam.

Sniffle.

Anyway…

I started a newsletter today. Hope you’re not confused by the fact that you probably didn’t get anything today when/if you signed up. Unless you did get something, which would surprise me.

Look, I’m new at this, and I really want it to work, so if something weird happens, let me know. I’m that nervous person anxiously hitting the ‘send’ button and hoping I didn’t mess something up. It may look like something a 7th grader put together, but that’s as good as it’s going to get for the moment. I have no web skills. None at all. And my design skills are just as absent.

I just wanted to have something fun to send to you once a month in a way that would reach you.

ONCE A MONTH.

I solemnly promise not to send you anything more than that.

Except for new releases.

And maybe a contest.

And, let’s face it, it’s me, and I’ll probably forget a lot of the time.

So really, I’ll only email you as often as your mom does.

Provided that’s at irregular intervals and not something you set your clock by. But I will try!

So sign up, will you? I’d like to have this go out and make a difference. Suggestions are always welcome! Nice ones, anyway. Mean ones go into the burn bin.

Plus the one coming out for August has a sneak peek of A Wager Worth Making, so….

[I know. That was mean. But you loved it.]

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New pages alert!

It’s taken me a bit to get things going on the website again, thanks to real life and real stress and… Well, just stuff.

BUT… I finally got to something I’ve been wanting to do for ages.

The deleted scenes.

I put together at least one deleted scene from each of the books in the Arrangement series, and I’ve posted them for you! Go look at the odds and ends page to see them! And just as a teaser, here’s one from A Bride Worth Taking that is actually a fairly fun preview for our NEXT series!

Enjoy!

Kit fled the house. It was the only thing he could do.

He couldn’t believe her. He couldn’t believe her. There was no proof. Marianne was not a charitable soul, she was spoiled and selfish and only cared for herself. She’d been more popular than ever, and it caused an ache somewhere deep inside him. He couldn’t bear to see her change, and clung desperately to the memory of the sweet wife he had known.

He had to maintain his distance to save himself from her, from everyone. It had served him well this last week, he’d only been remotely tempted by her, and the memories of her taunting smiles and fawning crowds had buoyed his resolve.

Now, however, he needed help. His wife was being secretive and he needed to know what she was up to.

Only one man in the world could help him there, and he would demand it.

He managed his way through the crowded London streets, between shops and buildings, people and carriages and crates congesting every available avenue. Eventually he made his way down an alley to the backstreet he had only trod a handful of times. He had been firmly instructed to only use it when necessary, and to be as discrete as possible.

Considering his nature and the complete lack of interest the world showed to him as a person, that was fairly easy. His reputation people loved to bring attention to. His person not so much.

The slightly dank street was only occupied by the few urchins playing some street games with a large pebble, and a few ragged ladies tending to their wares and business. A chimneysweep ambled down the street whistling a jaunty tune and tipped his hat at Kit, but no one else marked him.

He reached the address he’d memorized and knocked, craning his neck to look up, feeling as though the buildings would lean in on each other and bury them all.

The door opened and a man called out, “Never mind, Horton, I’ll do your job!” Then he turned and looked at Kit and both froze.

He knew that face. The curly, dark, too-long hair, the ice blue eyes, and the proverbial scowl. The slightly disheveled look and attire, as if he’d either just come from bed or were about to go to it, and the hollow, vacant light in his eyes.

But the name escaped him.

There was a wary recognition in the other man’s face, but he said nothing.

If he were here, that meant that he, too, was…

“You?” Kit finally managed.

The scowl deepened. “Say a word and you’re dead,” the man threatened.

Kit raised a brow at the imperiousness. “Have I yet?”

He snorted and leaned casually against the doorframe. “I don’t know you well enough to take that as an assurance.”

Kit sighed, feeling that this was getting him nowhere, and he was in no mood for the difficulty. “I’m looking for—”

“I know,” he interrupted bluntly, his tone serious. “He’s not here.”

“Where is he?” Kit demanded with a dark look of his own.

One broad shoulder rose nonchalantly. “The same place he always is on Thursdays before teatime, I expect.”

Was he deliberately being obtuse to provoke him? It was working. “And that is?”

“Haven’t a clue.”

There was no hint of curiosity in his tone, which, in turn, made Kit curious. “You could find out,” he pointed out, his irritation fading.

“I could,” came the reply with what only an optimistic man would call a hint of a smile.

Kit sighed and took a step back. “Tell him I came.”

The man offered a brusque nod. “Of course.”

Kit nodded in return, then turned and walked back the way he came. He might as well return home, now he felt less turbulent. Home was not exactly pleasant, but there was nothing for it. He had nowhere to go, no one else to seek out, and nothing to do but wait for this evening. And pray the evening was not the disaster he feared.

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A Private Word with Kit Gerrard

It’s a surprisingly cool day as I walk to the restaurant, which was too perfect considering my guest and the setting. The place itself is the most adorable and quaint place I’ve ever seen, and I am shown in right away. Surprisingly, I’m taken through the entire restaurant to a small terrace at the back that overlooks the nature preserve.

And on that terrace, tea tray before him, sits Kit Gerrard.

He rises as I approached, smiling with a sort of gentle warmth. His pristine navy suit makes me feel a touch underdressed, but his lack of tie gives him an almost carefree air.

Almost because one look in his eyes tells you nothing about Kit Gerrard is carefree.

At all.

He shakes my hand, waits for me to sit, then sits himself and reaches for the teapot. “I wasn’t sure what your favorite tea is,” he says apologetically, “but I figured peppermint was safe enough.”

He pours the tea with grace and precision, adds a touch of sugar and a mint leaf, then hands the cup and saucer to me. “And the cakes should be here in a moment,” he informs me, pouring some tea for himself now.

“Tea and cakes?” I laugh, wondering how any woman on the planet was NOT in love with this man. “How very British.”

He grins. “Too much? I thought a private interview deserved appropriate refreshments.”

I’m not complaining. Not at all.

The cakes arrived, we each took two, and then Kit sits back in his chair, smiling invitingly. “Now, I believe you have some questions for me?”

Boy, did I ever.

 

After all this time, we are finally hearing the story of the elusive Mr. Kit Gerrard. What sets your story apart from that of everyone else?

K: Probably the fact that it’s gone on for so long, and I’ve done such a job of hiding it. I suppose Colin did that as well, in his own way, but this is different, I think. Because I faced mine in a more direct way than he could and the consequences are different. I think mine is much more exciting, actually.

In a similar contrast, how is it that you are your twin brother, Mr. Colin Gerrard, have such different personalities?

K: I am in possession of all the favorable Gerrard traits, and he is in possession of all the less favorable ones.

Tell us about Marianne, if you will.

K: Marianne is… complicated. I think that should have come across in the previous books, but she loves the public and being adored and craves attention. I despise all of that. And yet Marianne has a true and loyal heart, a trait which she shares with her brother. She can be quite generous when she makes up her mind to be.

What drew you to Marianne in the first place, and made you suspect you were in love with her?

K: Well, I first met Marianne as a child, and it was a very long time before I was in love with her, but she always had this vibrant energy about her. She was an imaginative, inquisitive child, though she was actually quite shy. No doubt due to her overbearing aunt we all love so much. She must have struggled to get a word in edgewise. But as I came to know Marianne more, I found that she could make me smile just by smiling herself. Her laughter could provoke my own laughter. And there was something very addicting about being around her, and feeling that energy she possesses. I had no idea it was love until I was much older. Not until I realized she wouldn’t always be there and someone else could have her, come to think of it.

What’s your fondest childhood memory?

K: Beating Colin in every footrace we ever had. He threw the most glorious tantrums when he lost right up until he was sixteen. That and getting Colin out of trouble. Happened quite regularly. He was reckless, I was clever, and we only received a third of the punishments we ought to have done. Thanks to me, naturally.

Did you ever imagine your life would turn out the way it did?

K: No, not at all. I was supposed to lead a very quiet, contained life, perhaps as a scholar or some such. I’ve never been particularly sociable, so I had no desire to be out in Society much. Which makes me vastly different from my brother, I know.

If there’s one thing about your story that you would change, what would it be?

K: Well, I’d like to be less of an idiot about the whole thing, that’s certain. And I would lessen Marianne’s sufferings. In a heartbeat.

How do you feel about having J.J. Feild representing you?

K: Rather flattered, actually. He’s a charming, attractive man with a great skill for playing characters with a bit more complication to them. I’ll admit to being complicated myself, and I think Mr. Feild would do a fine job. I’d like to see how he portrays me, and perhaps take some notes on how to better portray myself, actually.

How do you feel Emily Blunt does in representing Marianne?

K: Emily Blunt is a stunning woman, and an incomparable actress. She’ll never completely match Marianne in my eyes, but I think Marianne is quite pleased with her. She has the ability to portray the airs Marianne does so well, the mischievous glint I so adore in her, and matches her surprisingly well in looks. All told, quite pleased.

What would Kit Gerrard’s weakness be?

K: Pride. It’s a terrible failing, but I have it in spades, as they say.

What do you feel is your greatest strength?

K: I think strengths are for others to acknowledge, are they not? No, I suppose… I suppose I, too, am a loyal person. Loyal to my brother, my sisters, our friends… even Marianne, when we were less than friendly. Also I can be very chivalrous when I wish to be, if that sort of thing matters anymore.

You are a notoriously secretive man. Tell us something we would never expect about yourself.

K: I’m terribly competitive. Growing up with Colin, there really wasn’t another way to live. Is that too obvious?

Besides your brother, who do you consider to be your greatest ally and friend?

K: (pauses) For the sake of this interview, we’ll say my friend Lord Blackmoor. Off the record, there is another that is a great friend of us both.

What do you do to find peace and relaxation in such a proper world that never stops moving?

K: I think one can always find peace within one’s self if perspective is maintained, and one does not get so caught up in the busy aspects of the world surrounding them. To sound less philosophical about the whole thing, I find that long walks and music aid me sufficiently well. Not necessarily if my sister Bitty is playing, but she’ll learn. Hopefully.

Do you find you have found more peace after marrying Marianne, or has life’s disruptions lovingly increased through Marianne’s efforts?

K: (laughs) That would depend on your definition of peace, my dear. There is no peace with Marianne, but there is no peace with any Gerrards either. No, I supposed I do feel AT peace, and I am certainly quite content with it. More than I ever thought I would be. But it is really a rather loud sort of peace. Plenty of disruptions, and sometimes I have to ignore those. I just don’t want to know.

Well, I think that about wraps up our interview…

K: If I remember correctly, you asked Colin fifteen questions, didn’t you?

I believe I did.

K: I’m competitive, remember? And older. Let’s go with one more for good measure. Just because we can.

Very well, just for laughs, what’s your favorite musical?

K: Seussical. No, I jest. I’ve always loved The Sound of Music, actually. That Captain Von Trapp is a difficult man, but a heart of gold lay beneath. You do see what I did there, right? You see why I…? Right, of course you did. Now if you call up Colin, you’ll hear a delightful tantrum when he hears the question count…

 

Off the record, Kit Gerrard elaborated a little more on his life now, and on his story (including spoilers!) and especially on what comes next. Apparently we readers are in for a treat this year, though I am absolutely sworn to secrecy on it.

A man of pride, he says, though I didn’t see the negative side of that. Certainly loyal, as I could tell from the smile he wore even when teasing about his brother. Chivalrous? Absolutely, as evidenced by his continual tending of my tea and cakes, which we completely devoured between the two of us. Mark that down about Kit Gerrard, my friends: notorious cake fiend.

But gentlemanly so.

It was sad to leave him, as I had grown fond of this so-called stuffy Englishman, but he bowed with all the politeness we’ve ever wanted from a man of his period, and he kissed my hand, just in the right way to make my heart skip. And he promised I could interview him again, so long as he still got more questions than Colin.

I may have given him my word on that one.

So would you.

The post A Private Word with Kit Gerrard appeared first on Rebecca Connolly, Romance Author.

Taking Tea with Colin Gerrard

Colin Gerrard is just as carefree as described, sitting at the small table we’d arranged to meet at. He’s chosen this quiet café, a secret to just about everyone, and he seemed to somehow belong here. A man out of place and time, and yet not at all. He smiles easily, comfortable with everyone, and over a cup of – what else? – English tea, invites me to ask him anything in the world.

What an invitation.

It is an honor to be given such a rare opportunity to peer into the life of this man. This man who seems to know everything and everyone, and yet we know so little about personally has finally given us the chance to learn more. So to begin, I decided to start with what we do know, his reputation.

 

Colin, you have such a magnetic personality that draws (most) people to you, particularly women. How did you develop your charm? Why do you think it works so well?

C: Thank you very much, you’re very kind. Well, it certainly hasn’t been easy. It takes a lifetime, you see. Charm is not something that can be purely taught. It must be inherent, and then cultivated carefully. I’ve always been somewhat of a charmer, but trial and error have guided me to the glorious persona I now am. Why does it work? Because everybody, men and women, enjoys being charmed. Sincerely charmed, mind you. False charm is a terrible crime. Thankfully, I am always sincerely charming.

And is the Colin we know and love the same Colin seen behind closed doors?

C: I should hope so. Well, I suppose I should say mostly. Who of any of us is purely ourselves in the public scope? There may be some parts of me that surprise others, but that would be the nature of getting better acquainted, would it not? I believe in integrity of character and being true to one’s self. If you are being honest with yourself. Which I have not always been. Was that a contradiction? I suppose so… which, ironically, seems to be true to my character.

Who do you look up to most in your friend-set? Have any of them inspired your way of living?

C: (laughs) My friends… Do they inspire my way of living? They are undoubtedly the reasons for it. One of us had to be likable, after all, or nobody would have anything to do with us. No, in all seriousness, they are rare men. I am constantly surprised that they are friends with me. And as much of a frustration as this may be, I would have to say that I look up to each of them for different things and in different ways. I doubt any of them look up to me, in truth, but I hope one day to be such a man to them.

What in your opinion, what is your greatest achievement to date?

C: Being alive, honestly. It sounds trite, but with all the cards I had stacked against me, and with all the trouble I’ve caused, it’s a miracle to have survived. Well, I do have one other achievement that may supercede my own life, but that would spoil the book, and we must have curious readers.

What is something that no one knows about Colin Gerrard?

C: I only have four toes on my left foot. No, that’s not true, I’m perfectly balanced. No one, eh? Hmm. I happen to despise mint jelly. Can’t abide the stuff. Such a nasty aftertaste. What a perverse idea, who thought of that?

As I understand it, Tom Hiddleston will be portraying you in your book. How do you feel about that?

C: Oh, it’s an absolutely brilliant choice. Tom is a marvelous man, and a brilliant artist. Do you know, I think he may actually be more charming than I am? And have you seen his portrayal of Prince Hal and King Henry V? That man has a gift, I tell you. And if he is good enough to play Shakespeare that well, he is absolutely good enough to play Colin Gerrard. It’s roughly the same anyway. Don’t you all have some major awards for arts in cinema that he ought to be given? Good lord, the man could have written that Shakespeare stuff. Right, no, I approve of Tom. Good chap.

How do you feel about having your life stories out there for people to read?

C: Well, it’s just brilliant, isn’t it? Who wouldn’t want to read about me? At the very least, I have a mysterious brother, a twin at that, and anything surrounding Kit certainly is worth gossiping about. I’ll admit to being a trifle self-conscious, or perhaps self-aware, being fully cognizant of the fact that I am, in fact, human, and make mistakes. I only hope that my mistakes do not lessen me in the sight of others, as I fully intend to grow from them. Both mistakes, I mean. I count two of them…

Speaking of Kit, will we see more of him and you together?

C: After this or in this book? I suppose the answer to either question is yes, isn’t it? We’re seeing so much about Kit, it might as well be called “Kit Gerrard and his Younger Brother’s Antics,” but I suppose that title wouldn’t do much for the market.

Do you two rely on each other for support?

C: Oh, absolutely. I know it may not be the same for all siblings, but Kit and I have been through a great deal together. We practically raised ourselves, and after what I went through at a fairly tender age, I had a great need for him, and he was always there. He pulled me through, sometimes quite literally. He might not be like me in temperament and nature, but I think, perhaps, he is the more mature version of me. Less humorous, less charming, but mature and wise. And terribly loyal, come to find. I haven’t the faintest idea what he finds in me, apart from comic relief, but there it is.

What were you two like as children? Did the phrase “boys will be boys” apply to you two?

C: That particular phrase only applied to us for the first year of our lives. The rest of the time, we defied categorization or phrases. We were right terrors, I’ll tell you that much. Always into mischief and scrapes, and Kit would have my head if he knew I lumped him into this, but he wasn’t always mature. I got him into the worst sort of messes! But he is the smart one, so he always got us out. Well, almost always.

Does a particular scrape come to mind that you could share?

C: Oh, Lord… How much time do we have? Let’s see… We were home from school around age nine or so, and by home I mean Seabrook with Aunt Agatha, and we’d had enough of her restrictions on our volume and activities, and we were so bored… So I said to Kit, ‘Let’s see how fast the footmen can run!’ And he said, ‘Don’t be stupid!’ Which he said a lot, usually without reason. So. I picked up Aunt Agatha’s second best walking stick, the one shaped like the fire brand, not that you know which one that is, and I yelled like a banshee down the corridor just outside of the dining room. She always had two footmen standing there, no idea why, and I screamed past them, hitting both of them on both shins as I went. Well, footmen aren’t statues, so they yelped and took up the chase. So I’m running around the house, which was rather large, they are chasing, their comrades have joined in, and suddenly all five of them were flat on the ground because Kit, in all the commotion, had strung up a roll of Agatha’s embroidery thread and made a tripwire. Then he and I raced out of the house, knowing we had finally done it this time, and we buried Agatha’s walking stick behind the stables. Where we were sure we would also be buried shortly. As it happens, footmen can run very fast. But I am faster.

So tell us about your father, what was he like?

C: (crosses self, spits over shoulder) Next question.

…Um, you grew up with Susannah, yes? Tell us about her, if you will.

C: Oh, now this one could take some time. You may want another cup of cocoa, settle in. Susannah was a ray of sunshine. All the time. She had this… well, she had this smile, not that she doesn’t have it now, I assure you she smiles perfectly, but then… Even for one as charming and fluent as I am in the English language, there simply aren’t words for what that smile was capable of, and what it made me feel. We were nigh on instant friends, but there was also something magical about her. No one has ever made me feel quite what she did, even before I was old enough for certain emotions to come into my awareness. I firmly believe that I was always destined to love her on some level, if not many. She is clever, she’s delightful, she isn’t afraid to let me know when I’ve been a bit of an idiot, and I can only be grateful that she never got Kit and I confused, because if he’d got her and not me, I would have been utterly wasted for the rest of my life. That sounded so mawkish, didn’t it? I do apologize, dunno what’s come over me. Read the book, everyone, and you’ll see what I mean about her. Ugh, what is the phrase you all say? “I cannot”?

Awww! When did you first realize you were in love with her?

C: Don’t make me get emotional, now. Let me see. I was fifteen. We had just finished a mad dash on the green, and she had run so fast and so hard that she tumbled to the ground, and she was laughing hysterically about it. Breathless and hysterical, demanding a rematch, as I won. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that she had, in fact, won. I was too struck by the light in her eyes, the color of her cheeks, the sound of her laughing as she ran, and then to see her on the ground, laughing and delirious, not a care in the world… I loved that girl from that moment on. I’ll never forget that day, or that girl on the grass, as long as I live.

Do you have any relationship advice?

C: I’m not at all the right person to ask, but I’ll give it a go. 1. Run after the girl. Geoffrey had to learn that one. 2. Don’t waste time mucking about. Poor Duncan nearly lost his girl with that. 3. Take the grand adventure, even if it’s mad. 4. Don’t marry a shrew. I think we can all appreciate that for what it’s worth. 5. No secrets. Take it from me, there is nothing worse than holding something back, than not properly communicating with the one you love, than not having complete trust and fidelity and loyalty. There are two people in the relationship, and both must be active and invested, and working together. Also I can always recommend secluded spots in parks, behind buildings, abandoned closets… Seize the moment when it comes, and all that. But be mindful. Reputations are a tricky affair. I should know. I have four.

Excellent, ok one last question. Do you have a celebrity crush?

C: Julie Andrews. The end, that’s it, it does not get any better.

 

Off the record, we talked about spoilers and other topics, just chatting like old friends, and I discovered something incredible: Although it is easy to believe otherwise, Colin Gerrard is just as human as we are. I couldn’t have spent my afternoon in a better way. Colin is just as amusing and witty as they say, but I think he also revealed a deep and caring side that isn’t always so clear to others. He clearly respects and loves those who are  in his life, with the exception of his father, and privately he helped me understand why. It’s a good reason. As we parted ways, he shook my hand, kissed it with all the gallant air I’d heard about, and gave me that charming Colin smile. “Don’t share all my secrets, dear,” he told me. “Leave something to the imagination.”

So I will.

Imaginations, go wild.

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My Spot

This is my spot. This is where I sat all weekend and wrote. This is where I’ve sat for the last two days and wrote.

This is where I broke my writing record.

It’s a good spot.

The post My Spot appeared first on Rebecca Connolly, Romance Author.

Research Day

No, but really… It’s insane. And fun. And crazy. I can’t wait to share some details with you guys!

The post Research Day appeared first on Rebecca Connolly, Romance Author.