Part #2 of our chat with @MelindaCurtisAuthor LUV: You write sweet romance and romcoms. How are these two different from an author perspective? And how are they the same? Melinda: No matter which Melinda Curtis book a reader picks up, they’ll get the same voice. First off, I always include some humor in every story I write (more on this below). And second, I tend to gravitate toward characters who’ve made a mistake in the past or are at a crossroads, unsure how to move forward. I’m a psychology nerd (just a course shy of a minor), so I’m fascinated by emotional hurdles characters have to face to move forward and change. I even wrote a craft book about this: Frankly, my dear…Creating Unforgettable Characters. I’m such a nerd that in this craft book, I assigned what psychologists would consider the hurdles several movie and TV characters faced in their storylines and how their journey helped them grow and change. Bullied as a child? Captain America. Don’t feel you fit in? Any Karate Kid. Made a big mistake and just want to hide away? Elsa in Frozen. As for the differences between my romances and romcoms, the humor is more prevalent in a romcom. And by prevalent, I mean, the humor strikes on several levels – situational, dialogue, ironic turns, and quirky supporting characters. When I edit, I make sure I keep the humor going, whether it’s a big hit or a smaller one. Also, the underlying emotional thread of character is more subtle in my romcoms (i.e., a character does less internal growth). Which means there probably won’t be tears in one of my romcoms or, if there are, it’s not going to extend beyond one hanky. Part of that is also due to length. My romcoms tend to be shorter than my more traditional romances. Some of my romances have multiple hanky ratings.

Posted by LUV Team at 2022-07-26 19:00:25 UTC