Writing Love Stories
I write novels.
I deal with some harsher topics in them, and I try real hard to add humor to balance things out.
My novels are about life, which is often messy and difficult, miraculous and magical, as everyone knows.
Writing novels is my main job.
However, I have also written short love stories with sexy men, happy endings, and nothing too harsh, in anthologies.
For example, this one…
And this one…
And this one…
and this short story, coming out in June…
I’m working on a fifth short story right now.
These stories are falling in love stories with, I hope, interesting, quirky, flawed, and captivating people who are trying to find that soul mate they know is spiraling around and about out there.
I love writing them. I love dancing with those characters.
But what I find endlessly touching is the real life love stories.
For example, yesterday I was in Starbucks, trying to write, and not minding my own business.
An older couple hobbled in. And, I mean, they hobbled. They were eighty five, at least, if they were a day. White hair, faces that had known a lot of smiling and a lot of laughing, hands that had hugged thousands of times. I assumed they were married because of their wedding rings and their familiarity.
He helped her, she helped him, they shuffled on in, leaning on each other.
The gentleman settled his wife, who was slender and dressed so prettily, at a table, pushed in her chair, then wobbled over to order coffee and doughnuts at the counter.
When the order was up, the gentleman brought it over, hands shaking only a bit, to his smiling wife and carefully, no fast movements, sat down, his body seeming to melt into that chair. He was glad to be sitting.
About a minute later, the gentleman rose slowly from his seat, weighed a hand heavily on the table, then plodded on out of Starbucks, his balance precarious. He walked back in in about three minutes carrying a pillow, one foot carefully placed in front of the other.
He smiled at his wife through his glasses, put the pillow beneath her on the chair and helped her to resettle herself, tucking the chair in for her once again.
She smiled up at him through her own glasses and said, “Thank you, that’s so much better, dear.”
The gentleman smiled back then gingerly, slowly, hand again heavy on the table, sat himself back down, and they chatted. No, I did not eavesdrop on their conversation. That would have been too much, even for me.
But, you see, that scene, right there, that’s the real love story. That’s the true romance.
That’s what we all dream about, I think: A relationship where the husband, who is very creaky and poorly balanced, who struggles to stay upright, would love his wife enough to happily teeter back out to their car and grab a pillow so his wife’s bottom would be more comfortable.
And the wife, in turn, smiles up at him, always appreciating her husband’s value and worth, and says, gratefully, “Thank you, that’s so much better, dear.”
The couple enjoyed their coffee and doughnuts, at Starbucks, together, smiling, while I pretended not to watch or tear up.
They were old together, growing older together, and still laughing, still smiling, still loving.
Now there’s a true love story. A true gift. It’s love into eternity. It’s love straight into heaven.
And no matter what I write, no matter how hard I try, I can never, ever top that.
Oh Cathy,
1I just read Suzanne’s Stockings even though it is not Christmas time. I LOVED it. However, I must say that as a 60 year old single woman, I cry so at your stories because I so wish I had someone to share my life with who felt the way your character’s mates feel about them. Valentine’s Day is particularly hard. I am truly independant and self sufficient, but I yearn for the relationships you portray. They are true gifts as you say. Please keep giving us your pearls of wisdom through this blog as we wait for your next book. Kiss your innocent husband tonight and be glad that you have such a precious relationship. Waiting for your next missive.
Susan
I’m only 32, but I know just what you mean.
2And being independent and self-sufficient doesn’t mean we don’t need a life partner with whom to grow old. We are able to leave full lives on our own because that is the measure of our characters, but the longing for more, for the other part of our soul, for that profound, complete connection with a life partner, that is the gift of love we are seeking.
And yes.
I sit in Starbucks and observe couples, too.
And I walk in the park and observe families.
And whether they’re sniping at each other or strolling arm in arm, I wish I could tell them, “Hold on, kiss hard, and be glad you have someone at your side….”
And Susan, some of those 85 year old couples supporting each other with walkers and canes, only met a few years back.
I’m only 32.
You’re only 60.
Love can still take you by surprise… give it a chance to find you.
-Nava
Susan,
So glad you liked Suzanna’s Stockings! I’ll bet you particularly liked her name!
I’m sorry my stories make you cry but I think your tears are telling you that you need to get on one of the online dating services and rock it. You’ll kiss (or shake hands with) a whole lot of toads but their might be a cool lion out there, too.
I read this book called Escape by Carolyn Jessop. She said that people looking to change their lives should try one new thing, just one. Then try another new thing, and another. It could be something simple, a class at a college where you’ll meet people, or parachuting, or hiking somewhere new with a new group. I thought her point was really well taken.
try one new thing. And, hey! You could meet a movin’ and groovin’ dude while you’re at it!!
3I love your short stories, but….they are too short and I’m always wanting MORE, MORE, MORE. I can’t wait for your newest book in August! I buy the book the minute it hits the bookstore, read it non-stop (much to my husbands dismay….he gets over it), then it goes to my mother-in-law who devours it and finally to my hairdresser/girlfriend and her 10+ other friends. I insist on the book back in the end. Your books get a LOT of mileage in the tiny town of Bethlehem, PA and parts of NJ! We LOVE your books, please keep writing! Your website has gotten pretty awesome too, thanks again! I enjoyed the post on where you get your character ideas from. I just “assumed” it was the Oregon air and water. My brother lives in Gold Beach, OR and he could be a character in one of your books; he is definitely a horse of a different color; you just love being around the nut. He makes you laugh just when you need it. Take care!
4