Forever: The keys to Happily Ever After

My new book, The Real Deal, is a reunited lovers story.
I LOVE it. If you subscribe to my newsletter, you know that because I wrote about loving it there. AND here when I was writing it. AND on my Facebook Fan Page. And in the note to readers at the back of the book.
I LOVE the Sam and Patty story. I love them as characters.
I love that they're older and that they called it quits and got back together.
I love that forever was the real deal for them in the end.
I hope I didn't need to say spoiler alert there. I solemnly swear ALL my books will end in happily ever after. Always. I'm fine reading happily right now, but my favorite stories end in HEA and the ones I write do, too.
But those stories are fiction, make believe, fairy tales.
Forever in real life isn't easy.
My grandma always said commitment was key.
I think it's that and making sure you have happily married friends to help you. And understanding the realities of marriage and how there are all these different types of love and how they're all important in the marriage relationship.
I think those truths are seen in The Real Deal. I think that's one of the reasons I love Sam and Patty's story so much.

The keys to a satisfying HEA (in my opinion):
1. Make it something they have to FIGHT for. Even though I know the story is going to end with an HEA, I need to think they might not get together.
2. Include an all hope is lost scene near the end. In my romance writer group we were taught this is called the Black Moment. When I told DH, he laughed and laughed. Ever since any time we reach that part in a movie, DH comments on it.
3. Make the conflict real and not just something the characters could talk about and get over.
4. Remember, this is a fantasy. Okay, some people are all "give me reality." NO. Do Not Give Me Reality. I want the Avery jumping up and stopping the Kepner wedding, the on-call room hookups, the icicle falling off the roof into the side intro that leads to steamy tension (See my Greys Anatomy infatuation post yesterday!). I don't read romance for reality.
5. Include fun. Dates that aren't about sex, makeup mishaps, worst days ever...whatever. Don't forget fun.
6. No Perfection. Okay, the hero should be hunky and heroic, but please don't make the characters perfect.
7. STEAM. I'm a fan of hot books, but I want attraction in books, not just sex.
8. A strong female character
9. A conflict I can relate to in some way. (Rachel Gibson and Jill Shalvis are rock stars at this! Okay, they're masers at ALL of this.)
10. A kiss that counts.
BONUS: A wedding that makes me say AHHHHHH! I love this.
<3

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