Research: Romance

interview

3, 2, 1...

"And we're back with Writers Weekly starring our special guest, Amelia Aplin, and her new fiction novel A Ghost of Me. Amelia, welcome!"

I adjust in my seat, smile crumbling at the edges from holding it so long. Waving to the camera, my back straightens, and I pretend I can see the sea of faces of the audience behind the shadows. "Thank you for having me! And, please, call me Leah. Everybody does."

"Leah." Maizy Barker, the host of Writers Weekly, looks thrilled at the opportunity to use a nickname. "I love that! Very down to earth."

Offering a charming smile in response, I resisted smoothing out my dress for the millionth time. My eyes pass over the crowd again and I spot the shadowed face of my publisher, Desi, in the front row next to the stage. She gives me an encouraging thumbs up. Taking a deep breath, I turn my attention back to Maizy as she begins to speak again.

"Well, let's get down to business. Before the break we talked a little bit about your latest novel, A Ghost of Me. Just a phenomenal book! You have really out done yourself this time."

Her eyes are a sharp and inquisitive kind of blue, an interesting contrast against her face, which is very "girl next door" in appearance. I wonder briefly if she studied journalism before becoming a talk show host. It also made me wonder if she has read my book or was just particularly good at pretending.

She continues, holding up a copy of my novel for the audience to see before setting it aside. "Now, it's been remarked that many people felt there should have been more of a romance between the main character, Peter, and Lottie, the woman who helps him. What do you think about this?"

I shrug, careful not to look apathetic before responding, "Well, I like to think that my characters tell me the way their stories go. If it were up to me, there may have been more of a spark between the two, but that isn't how they revealed it. I think it's important to tell stories as they happen, not as we wish they would."

Maizy looks at me now as if I'm about to bite the carrot dangling from her hand. Something swirls in my stomach, and I realize how bright and hot the stage lights are. I also worry briefly if I am sweating but decide not to pay it any mind. Instead, I take a drink of the water set out for me and let it cool my internal temperature. When it hits my stomach, everything stops swirling. I take a subtle deep breath.

"There has been talk..." Maizy begins, leaning forward as if we're two girlfriends talking over coffee. "That your fans are... a bit unhappy with the consistent lack of spark between your characters. Now, Leah, you have been a successful fiction writer for quite a few years... but it's the same song. Not to be too blunt, but there's only so much dryness an audience can take. Are you by chance looking to dabble in new genres?"

I regret letting her call me Leah. I regret taking that drink of water because it gurgles in my stomach. Dry? Same song? Lack of spark?

Stunned, I sit motionless. This has been my fifth interview in the last two weeks where someone has brought up romance writing. Was I losing my touch in fiction, could my characters not carry themselves or the story without sex as an incentive?

I write fiction. I want to say. That doesn't always come with a kiss. This novel's premise would not suit a romantic relationship. He is healing his inner child, and she is the catalyst for that change... Romance is not the motivation. Why would they fall in love when he is falling in love with himself?

Resisting the figurative carrot Maizy was dangling in front of me, I cleared my throat and turned toward her. My internal monologue keeps on, but I smile a little tightly, "Fiction is a very broad genre. It has many different subgenres and applications. That's the beauty of it. While it would be exciting for Peter and Lottie to fall in love, I don't think it would have suited the message of the novel."