I Loved You the Minute I Saw You
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Where There's Smoke got another good review today. I've been pretty lucky. Where There’s Smoke review
Also, I got a Resolution from the State of Texas, recognizing me and my first two novels. Pretty cool and official looking.
I went to bed last night at 8:30 and got up at 5:30. 11 more days....
One of my pet peeves in romance is when you get to the end, the big "I love you" and one of the main characters says to the other, "I knew I loved you the minute I saw you," or something like that. I tried to figure out if I'm just grouchy, or why this bothers me so much. I think the reason it bothers me is that you've just had this story full of doubts and tribulations and worries, and dang it, if he loved her from the minute he saw her, what does all that middle stuff matter? Why did they have to go through those steps, why did they have a black moment? See, I think the journey they travel together is what makes them fall in love. My characters fall in love pretty quickly, because my books usually happen over a short amount of time. But they learn each other's strengths and weaknesses, and learn to accept each. The "I loved you the minute I saw you" line smacks too much of predestination, I guess, and while there is that in romance novels, it seems to weaken the lessons they learned on their journey together.
Thoughts?
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- MJFredrick
- I'm a mom, a wife, a teacher and a writer. I have five cats and a dog to keep me company. I love bookstores and libraries and Netflix - movies are my greatest weakness.
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4 comments:
'Jerry Maguire'
It's a movie I've never seen but the line 'You had me at hello.' is pretty famous. And I'm wondering if that's where some authors are getting this idea.
Personally, I'm complete agreement with you. To me that kind of line at the end just drips with so much cuteness it's almost sticky-sweet (and a bit on the 'eww' side because of it).
I agree as well, Mary--it's overcoming/accepting the differences(change) that promotes growth in characters and relationships. And makes characters believable and stories satisfying.
As for the famous line in Jerry Maquire, that came at the very last of the movie. And, I believe, the heroine was saying that the fact he showed up right then (returning to her, after all they'd been through-- the darkest of moments) said more to her than any words he could come up with. Great line, great movie.
I have to laugh, because I just did this in a novella. But at least in my novella, they DID have an instant connection that transcended the problems they had--they never denied the feelings. And it's a novella, so the obstacles are pretty small, anyway.
I'm of two minds on the subject. First, I'd say you have a very strong point about it weakening the lessons of their journey. But often, I think a person(character) can come to a point where they are realizing or admitting they love, looking back, and discovering that it was the there all along, even if they didn't recognize it or if they denied it. But the writing has to be good enough to support that moment, and not be just a "this is how it's supposed to be" thing.
It always comes down to the writing, doesn't it? :)
Jerry Maguire is the ONLY Cameron Crowe movie I don't like....but yeah, the line comes at the end when he walks back to beg her forgiveness for being a butthead.
Exactly, Candy, the growing together makes it believable that they'll stay together. I think that's part of the secret of my success - the dh and I grew together through some rough patches.
Natalie, I can see it in a novella more - I have such trouble writing short. You're right about the character looking back. I mean, there has to be something to keep them fighting to overcome the goals, so there has to have been a connection. I just don't think it was love at the beginning.
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