Sky K asked Carissa Broadbent:

What are your best tips for the subtle beginnings of a romance?

Carissa Broadbent I LOVE a good slow burn! The magic of storytelling for me comes in writing characters. For me, the key to writing a good romance is understanding precisely why these two people like each other, let alone might love each other. Usually, I try to place these characters on opposite sides of a theme and force them to re-examine a core belief through each other. The first seeds of a romance come from them seeing glimpses of that in the other person. It's usually something that has nothing to do with lust or attraction (though that's also very fun to write). For example, Tisaanah is someone so committed to her goal that she will do anything for it, even morally questionable things, while Max no longer believes there's any morally pure choice so he does nothing at all. The seeds of their friendship, and later their romance, come from Tisaanah admiring Max's commitment to making the moral choice and Max admiring Tisaanah's commitment to taking action on behalf of her cause. (That, and stupid jokes. So many stupid jokes.)

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