Swimming Upstream, or Bucking a Romantic Cliché

Here’s the thing…

Romantic clichés come under two headings: what the uninformed THINK romance stories are about, and what they EXPECT romance stories to be about.

The THINK part is easy, and pretty much goes across all romance genres: ripping bodices, sex, handsome men, sex, flawless heroines, sex, exotic settings, sex, fantastic fashions, sex, and then ~ there’s the sex. And always guaranteed is the Happily Ever After, cheesy or not.

The EXPECT part gets a little narrower, especially when it comes to Historical Romance (which happens to be what I write). Here, you get the Regency period (which, I don’t write) with British words like “Ton” spoken by rakish dukes, innocent would-be duchesses, nasty earls, and grasping uncles. Think Jane Austin on steroids.

Or, you have countless kilted warriors (which, I don’t write either): tall, muscular Scots with long red hair, impervious to cold and rain, swashing around with their longswords (pun intended) and dropping the T from the end of “Not” with their thick brogues, calling everyone “lassie.”

Catch any clichés there? *wink*

The reality is that there ARE stories that fit these clichés. Good ones, even. They are popular in part because they are familiar and comfortable ~ and what many of us cut our romance-reading teeth on. After all, America was very heavily populated by immigrants fleeing from, or being thrown out of, England, Scotland and Ireland. We speak (mostly) the same language, and generally have the same cultural values.

But there are a lot of us who have broken away from this mold, and taken our historicals from the Bronze Age through World War II. We also moved them out of England and Scotland in the process, placing our characters on other continents and in less-well-known cultures. Places not as familiar to the average American reader.

What an uphill battle this has proved to be! Who knew? Not every reader is willing to step out and try something different. Those who do, however, are reaping interesting and imaginative rewards by the pageful. Dark-eyed Indian Rajas from Mumbai, powdered and beautifully coifed Geishas from Japan, muscular Roman soldiers building a wall.

Though I cannot prove any Norwegian ancestors directly, my DNA is “100% Northern European” ~ and with four grandparents with English, Scots, Irish, and German surnames I figure I am most definitely Viking spawn. As if the Scots and German weren’t enough, throw in some Norse and I can be a bit stubborn. No, really.

So, dang it, I am going to succeed with my Norwegian heroes. Big, blond, buff and beautiful, with eyes the color of seawater, and the blood of their Viking ancestors flowing through their veins.

Can you feel it?

It’s time to buck a few clichés. Go on, swim upstream. You’ll see ~ the water is wonderful.

Humor, Deconstructed.

I remember the old Dick Van Dyke television show very well; I watched it as a prime time evening program when I was a young child. Decades later, as a young mom at home with kids, our local independent TV station reran episodes every weekday at noon. I used to challenge myself to name the episode within the first thirty seconds - and was pretty darn good at it. I watched consistently until Ted Turner bought up the rights, and my free daily fix disappeared deep into cable land.

Though I knew the episodes so well, and could quote dialog along with the characters, I still laughed. The quips were still funny, even when repeated.

For example, in one episode Laura Petrie goes to work for her husband Rob as a temporary secretary for the "Allen Brady Show" comedy writers. Misunderstandings ensue, prompting a loud argument between Rob and Laura, which she ends by shouting, "I'm fired!"

Rob's frustrated response still makes me giggle: "You can't fire! I quit you!"

(If you have never seen the show, that episode is available at Hulu.com:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/114070 )

Throughout the five years that the program ran, Dick Van Dyke took several opportunities to do something other comedians didn't do: he used his character - a comedy writer - to explain to the audience how comedy is created.

In the "Father of the Week" episode, son Richie brings home a note announcing that Rob is Father of the Week for his class. Rob is thrilled, until Richie explains that Rob is the LAST father to be invited - and one other father has already come twice. The embarrassed boy says that being a comedy writer isn't a career that third graders would be impressed with. And impressing his classmates is high stakes for an 8-year-old!

Nonetheless, Rob pushes onward and appears in the class at the appointed time. Things start very awkwardly, until Rob accidentally trips and the kids in the class laugh at him. That incident prompts Rob's explanation, complete with hilarious demonstrations, of core components in comedy - the "unexpected" being number one.

Several other episodes contain similar explanations in different situations, all which flowed effortlessly into the plots of this classic show written by the great Carl Reiner. (Does anyone think it's a coincidence that Carl's son is named "Rob"?)

I had no idea as I watched, re-watched, and enjoyed these episodes that I was absorbing one foundation for my future career as an author.

Now as I write my books, I listen to my characters. When they respond after misunderstanding what was said to them, get in an awkward physical situation, or snap something snarky, I put it in. I let them be funny, even if it's only for the briefest moment, such as in the middle of an argument or other tense situation.

Why? Because that is what real people do. Humor releases stress. In some cases, it can deflect anger. And some characters just have good senses of humor as part of who they are! Adding humor - where it fits and isn't forced - adds another level to our stories and deepens our characters.

Fifty years after the first "Dick Van Dyke Show" episode aired, I give grateful kudos to both Dick Van Dyke and Carl Reiner. Because of their expertise and dedication to their craft, I have a better understanding of how to let my characters laugh. 

How Scarlett O'Hara Determined My Future

I was twelve-and-a-half years old the first time I read "Gone With the Wind" ~ and thirteen-and-a-half when I read it for the second time. I found the 800+ pages of that complex novel far more interesting than math class.

Forty-*scrubs hand over mouth* years ago, I certainly had absolutely no idea what career turn my life would take in my mid-fifties. I had no aspirations of becoming an author. And I didn't realized how Scarlett's saga imprinted the historical romance genre on my impressionable, young psyche. But it did.

Scarlett began the story as a spoiled brat, concerned only with the size of her corseted waist and the attention of the ill-suited Ashley Wilkes. But by the time the Civil War ended, her natural intelligence and steely will have carried her through into adulthood.

Scarlett single-handedly directs the salvation of her beloved home, Tara, doing whatever ~ and marrying whomever ~ she must in order to achieve her goal. The selfish child becomes a selfless woman. At least, for the duration of the crisis.

I was hooked. Historical romance was my genre of choice. But not short little stories with no depth, subplots, or fleshed-out secondary characters. I wanted hefty stories which would carry me outside of myself for several days at a time.

My second favorite author in my life was Kathleen Woodiwiss, the mother of the meaty historical romance. I read and reread her first five novels throughout the 1970's and into the 1980's ~ until raising four children cut severely into my late-night reading abilities.

I didn’t read fiction again until 2006, when I discovered/devoured Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. Her influence prompted me to attempt writing my first novel. Ten published book later, I have never looked back.

And all of this goes straight back to Margaret Mitchell's Scarlett. The ultimate flawed heroine, whose character arc is hard to match in any other fictional work of any genre. As much as I wanted to be the rich and beautiful flirt in the green party dress that matched her eyes, I would like to think that I could deliver a baby, drive a wagon out of a burning Atlanta, and keep a plantation going, and a household fed, by my wits and sheer determination alone.

Thank you, Scarlett.

I hope my heroines might make you proud.

*****

Norway is the New Scotland!

To find out how to receive a limited-edition, signed Hansen novella

go to KrisTualla.com !!!

Celebrating Becoming an Author - Or How My Life Took a Right Turn

I never thought I would be an author; that possibility never crossed my mind. I went through my life, changing careers as circumstances demanded. High school teacher, stay-at-home mother of four, food service, travel agent, teacher again. The kids grew. The end of college bills were in sight. Now was my chance!

I could do whatever I wanted to do with my next career. But I had no idea what that would be.

I didn't know I wanted to be a writer. I started on a whim, inspired by Diana Gabaldon's statement that "the best way to learn to write a book is to write a book." That sounded like a challenge. A fun one.

So I bought a laptop and began writing my first manuscript on August 1, 2006. And that's when my life took a hard right turn.

The words flooded out like I had turned on a faucet. The characters emerged, three-dimensional and suitably flawed. The plot had twists. And the story turned out to be a trilogy, following the same couple for three years.

Over the next four years, I learned how to write "right" for today's market. I rewrote the rewriting. Again. I won over an agent. Eventually I self-published, and after that a publisher offered a multi-book contract for one of my ongoing characters. Five books, so far.

Along the way, I began to see how my previous experiences could help me in my new career: art background for graphic design, event planning from running proms -- plus countless other Student Council events, using my speaking and teaching skills to help others do what I have learned to do.

Everyday I celebrate that very fact: I am using all the various skills I have acquired over my lifetime in this, what is possibly my culminating career.

I don't know if I will ever do anything else, and I say that for two reasons. First, I was already 53 when I started, and I will turn 60 in September. Secondly, I am having more dang fun than should be legal! Don't get me wrong, I'm working my fanny off about 60 hours a week. But I can't see a reason to ever quit writing and publishing.

No one ever told me as I grew up, that who you are today will be different than who you are tomorrow. Each day our experiences mold us. I don't think we ever finish that process. Our future is always new uncharted territory. We can always try a new path.

Now THAT'S a reason to celebrate!

It's December - Time for Gifts!

Dearest Blog Reader,

I've been a busy girl; hence this short post. *wink*

Not only have I just updated my two craft books, "A Primer for Beginning Authors" and "Becoming an Authorpreneur" but I have a new release from Desert Breeze Publishing on December 11th - "A Discreet Gentleman of Consequence" (Book Three in Brander's series).

I also am releasing "Leaving Norway" and "Finding Sovereignty" in time for Christmas - bringing the total of Hansen books to TEN novels published in just 27 months.

Coming in 2013 will be two more Brander stories, plus a special-edition novella tying up the "Loving the Norseman" and "Loving the Knight" duet.

*whew*

So… Have you read any of them? Do you want to?

I will give anyone who emails me at Kris@KrisTualla.com one free download from Smashwords.com of your choice of:

• A Woman of Choice
• A Prince of Norway
• A Matter of Principle
• Loving the Norseman
• Loving the Knight

If you enjoy the book, I ask that you post that enjoyment somewhere: Amazon, Smashwords, Facebook, wherever. Share the love!

And no matter what, I hope you have a blessed holiday season, connecting with those you love.

Thanks for reading.

Kris