Sunday, 12 February 2017

Love Is...
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I thought it may be worth looking at the various forms love takes in my writing. I wouldn't call my self a writer of romance per se but love and romance feature strongly in my stories and novels. "But you're a member of The Romantic Novelists' Association NWS,"  I hear you say. "The scheme is for romantic novels only." That's true. As a member of the NWS, my novels have to be ones where romantic content and love interest are integral to the story and I am satisfied that they are. The RNA welcomes writers of romantic fiction in all genres. I think of mine as family sagas. I know of someone who writes romantic suspense, others write historical and contemporary romance, some romantic comedy. The list of sub-genres is endless. Although they may centre around a 'boy meets girl' premise, the plots, settings and characters can vary as much as any other genre. In my dual narrative, now renamed 'A Mother's Secret', we see the burgeoning of first love with the main characters of each story, but there's also maternal love, forbidden love, love for family and maturing love.
Does anyone remember  the 'Love Is...' comic strip created by New Zealand cartoonist, Kim, that appeared in 1970? The cartoons originated from a series of love notes and drawings that Kim Casali (nee Grove) made for her future husband in the late 60s. 'One of her most famous drawings, Love Is...being able to say you are sorry, published on February 9, 1972, was marketed internationally for many years in print, on cards and on souvenirs.' What I didn't know was that the publication of the strip coincided with the iconic 1970 film, Love Story, where the film's signature line was 'Love means never having to say you're sorry.' I remember crying buckets during that film...in the cinema! 

 In Wales, the patron saint of lovers is Saint Dwynwen and her day is celebrated on January 25th each year.  CLICK HERE to find out more about the 4th century princess who was unlucky in love so became a nun. She prayed that true lovers would have more luck than she did. 

 For interesting facts about the background to St Valentine's Day, you may CLICK HERE
What is your favourite 'Love is...' quote or saying? I'd love it if you shared it. Does love feature in your writing? What form does it take?

 Thank you for reading the blog. You may also follow me on Twitter @JanBayLit and on my Jan Baynham Writer Facebook page.
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6 comments:

  1. Susanna Bavin12 February 2017 at 09:27

    Goodness, this takes me back! I can't recall an individual cartoon, but seeing the picture you have included, I can remember exactly what they looked like.

    I love your title - The Daughter's Secret. And I'm glad you have highlighted some of the many romantic sub-genres. When you mention romance novels to some people, their immediate response is "Mills & Boon," as if that's all there is to it.

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    1. Jan Baynham12 February 2017 at 09:40

      Thanks, Sue. I've actually edited the post when I realised I'd written 'A Daughter's Secret' and not 'A Mother's Secret', the new title I've chosen. I wonder if there's a message for me in that! If it ever gets published, I'm sure it will be changed again.

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  2. Sam Carrington13 February 2017 at 01:53

    Love your new title, Jan! And yes - I do remember 'Love is...' but not sure if I remember the comic strips. But, I recently found a Love is... necklace I had in the early 80s :)

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    1. Jan Baynham13 February 2017 at 05:18

      Thanks, Sam. I didn't realise that all the 'Love Is...' merchandise at the time originated from a comic strip. Thanks for commenting.

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  3. Carol Lovekin13 February 2017 at 02:39

    Love is... In the air? It's said to make the world go round. (Or is that money?) Yes, I know - bit cynical...

    Regardless of genre, love, in it's many guises, certainly features in most literature. I don't mind if people attach a 'romance' label to my stories - people do fall in love in them - so long as nobody ever calls what I write 'Women's' fiction!

    Great title, Jan. I can't recall the original although I do remember we had a long discussion about the content; about Rosa & Clara! xXx

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    1. Jan Baynham13 February 2017 at 05:23

      Thanks, Carol. I like the title now, too, but there are lots of titles with the word 'secret' in them. All I want is for someone to like the story and think it's worthy of publication.

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