The movies are educational…as in from the perspective of an author, they help me with writing romance. They "show" versus "tell" me by providing visual examples of style, topics, relationship types (good and bad,) lifestyle, various scenery, and locations, etc.
Watching romantic shows and movies, and reading romance in any form, whether a full novel or a 5-minute short story, are positive reinforcement that show our world has the potential to be able to learn to work together, live in harmony, and help us individually and collectively to see the positive side of life.
They show us how to be polite and thoughtful toward our neighbors, friends, and those who are strangers to us. For example, holding the door for the person entering behind us. Or, letting the mom with the fussy kid go in front of you in the grocery store line.
Simple acts of kindness.
These types of stories and movies let me escape from personal, national, and international woes. It is like burying my head in the sand.
Or like the infamous three monkeys—see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.
Of course, this scenario is for the pure romance stories.
Suspenseful romance does have a dose of evil, but in the end, all is rosy. Love and positivity reign. All turns out well for the heroes of the story. And the reader is left satisfied that all is well in the world—or at least the world of romantic fiction.
Unrealistic, sometimes? Oh Yeah! Escapism? Absolutely! A chance to feel safe and “normal?” Yes, for those hours you are immersed in a fantasy of the way life should be—ALL THE TIME!
Letting your imagination run with the good things in life, is like a palette cleanser. On a bad day is watching or reading romance like a reset? On a good day, does fictional romance, confirm positivity and your perspective of what life should be—hopeful and kind and full of love?
What more can one ask from a few hours of reading or watching a feel-good movie?
What’s Your Palette Cleanser on a Bad Day?
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY
all about love!
Moonlighting
(e-reader only)
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Come-Dance-Me-Serenity-Starlight-ebook/dp/B074N95RGK/
Books2Read
Moonlighting
(also e-reader or in paperback as a collection: Starlight Grille)
Amazon
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Moonlighting-Serenity-Harbor-Novella-Starlight-ebook/dp/B075TK7KYS/
Books2Read
Books2Read
books2read.com/u/mZ5eop
~ cottages to cabins ~ keep the home fires burning ~
Delsora Lowe writes small town sweet and spicy romances and contemporary westerns, from the mountains of Colorado to the shores of Maine.
Author of the Starlight Grille series, Serenity Harbor Maine novellas, and the Cowboys of Mineral Springs series, Lowe has also authored short romances for Woman’s World magazine (most recently, an Easter romance in the April 1, 2024 edition.) The Love Left Behind is a Hartford Estates, R.I. wedding novella with Book 2 on the way. A Christmas novel (The Inn at Gooseneck Lane) and novella (Holiday Hitchhiker – the youngest brother of the Mineral Spring’s ranching family) were the most recent releases. Look for book 3 of the cowboy’s series, as well as book 2 of the Hartford Estates series, to be released in 2025.
Social Media Links:
Facebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/delsoraloweauthor/community/
Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/Delsora-Lowe/e/B01M61OM39/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Facebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/delsoraloweauthor/community/
Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/Delsora-Lowe/e/B01M61OM39/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Books2Read Author page: https://www.books2read.com/ap/8GWm98/Delsora-Lowe
BookBub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/delsora-lowe-93c6987f-129d-483d-9f5a-abe603876518
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16045986.Delsora_Lowe
Photo Credits:
Cash Register: fee clip art - cash register - Search Images / https://www.vecteezy,com
Ostrich: free clip art - burying head in sand - Search / clipartmax.com
There was a time when I watched a lot of Hallmark movies. I do like their mysteries, but I've found their romances are so similar with different actors that I grew tired of them. But I can see where they would be a feel good way to relax. Both my daughters watch them for that reason.
ReplyDeleteSo true, Paty. A writer friend of mine and I critique each new movie over email, while the movie is playing. It is interesting on the things we pick up on. And, also the things that spur writing ideas. I do have favorite actors. "Unfortunately," the list keeps growing :-) Since I was a kid and saw my first Hallmark movie, I always dreamed they would turn one of my books or ideas into a movie. That was LONG before I started writing romance.
ReplyDeleteDelsora, now you've put your goals for 2025 out here ("Look for book 3 of the cowboy’s series, as well as book 2 of the Hartford Estates series, to be released in 2025.") we'll be looking forward to those stories!! I also love to escape the bad headlines with a good romance story --book or movie. I think I'm finding better variety with the ones on Netflix than the Hallmark offerings, but I still like those too. I always think I'll analyze them but usually in the end just let myself get caught up in the story!!
ReplyDeleteGail, I do watch Lifetime, too, and other stations. I don't get Netflix. I don't analyze, usually, on first watch-through. But they do have the movies on repetitively, so that's when I try to pull apart scenes, and study characters, etc. Just a learning tool for me. And fun to do with another person. We usually find the same outcomes, but every once in a while, we point out something the other didn't notice. It's all in fun, but also educational.
ReplyDeleteDelsora, I also like to escape into a world where justice prevails and stories end happily. Great post!
ReplyDeleteSarah, we all definitely need to escape into friendly, uplifting, and inspiring fiction.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post, Delsora. I haven't dissected a movie ever...and I do watch Hallmark Mystery channel (reruns of Matlock are on now with Murder She Wrote on at 10 p.m. my time). The movies themselves? I occasionally watch them. My go to are HGTV, Food Network, occasional TLC if they are replaying a program I liked. I also like some programming on The History Channel and then I have my favorites on PBS (Finding Your Roots, Antique Roadshow, Celebrity Roadshow) and ABC (Jeopardy). What they all have in common is that I'm able to step out of the here and now and be somewhere else. And there are those days where it's important for me to do that.
ReplyDeleteJudith - I do enjoy HGTV too and I do watch the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel on occasion. I like PBS. I am avoiding all news channels right now. Burying my head in the sand. I used to watch Jeopardy a lot. With Hallmark, I have seen all those movies so many times, I keep the station on in the background, because when I am writing, it is background noise that drowns out the street noises.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes watch Hallmark for the same reasons you do-escape from the realities of...reality. But my favorites are old romantic movies...Casablanca, An Affair To Remember, Notorious, Now Voyager...I have even used a few for inspiration in scenes I write...like that long, smoldering look between lovers before that first passionate kiss! Thank you for the gentle reminder1
ReplyDeleteDeborah, I agree - those old movies are so special. I need to remember to search for those types of movies OR... hook up my old VCR so I can watch the movies I still have sitting around 9a ton of them.) Thanks for the reminder!
ReplyDeleteDeb,
ReplyDeleteA great blog post as usual! I love the bird with his head in the sand! Isn't that just the way it is right now? We are not watching any news shows either.
I do love Hallmark channel, but normally it takes two lunch hours to watch a movie. I can't sit that long. So I watch the first half one day and the second the next both with having my lunch.Thank goodness for DVR.
happy new year to you!!!
I've found that I prefer to read a story rather than watch a movie. But I do read voraciously and love to lose myself in the story and the lives of the characters, knowing with a romance that I'll get that HEA that I crave.
ReplyDelete