Romance writing. I cringed at being called a romance novelist. I can't even explain why but prior to writing Kat and Matt's real life based tragedy, heartache and yes, romance, I do have a new respect for the GOOD romance writing (Admit it, some of it is just cheesy, fluff, so far from reality...well, I could go on and on here) that uses real people, real life situations of the every day. No bad guys. No superheroes, no men that are chiseled, broad yet so sad on the inside being chased or chasing females that flutter when they see their chest, or swoon when they speak or just have no real backbone. THOSE romance writings are the ones I would be falling on a sword rather than to be said I write.
You all know what I'm talking about...they have covers like the one below (By the way-- if ANY publisher puts a cover like this or closely related to this, or has a naked anything on it, I will stab said publisher with my pen. Consider that a warning. And yes, I know, I still use a pen to write, deal with it. I'm old school. I did NOT say I WAS old....). You know what I'm talking about. The book you can't even be seen reading at work or in public because then people know you're a sucker for cheesy romances....like..this one. Yeah...why do all the men have no clothes? And whose breasts look like that?
Get some damn pants John. Sheesh. Shirt would be nice. It is the wilderness I believe. There's bugs there. And other creepy things. And by the way? Your hard, throbbing member is doing NO good in the middle of her shoulders-- might just be me, but that's not really considered an entry point. Shrugs. But I don't really know romance criteria. Or anatomy apparently. But I do wear pants. Score one for the writer.
Anyway...(Eyes back here reader-- stop wondering about John's pants)....
So I couldn't. I did romance the Jas T. Ward way. Figures right?
I've written a book that is seen every day with people you see every day. With problems, and bills, heartache and pain along with so much bitterness and resentment that the reader really wonders if they don't have the right idea in staying as far away from each other as possible.
That would be great if these two didn't love each other in the midst of hating each other that they just can't walk away. Not again.
She doesn't flutter nor give and chances are she's like the kind of woman most romance readers wouldn't want as a friend. Matt is just not a nice person and you wonder if ANY woman would want to have to put up with him, much less someone like Kat. But they have such heart. If they can get past all pain.
This story was inspired actually by real life couples that have had to face some of the hardest of spots in a marriage. Physical and health problems that destroy most all couples leaving very few standing together in the end. With Kat and Matt? They were so far apart before this incident happened that only it could bring them together to work out what was left of their love, if there was anything left of their love....or just realized it too had died with all the rest.
I do love Katy and Matt. Their voices were like a soft beckoning in the crowd of paranormal, supernatural demands in my head. They are so achingly real that even I have shed some tears writing as they told me their story.
It's been life changing to write it. It made me look at some very real aspects of my own life and decide--- you need to face the pain. You need to face the harshness. And you need to show you are not ashamed. You are not less a person but you are not who you want to be.
But I can be.
So I owe Matt and Kat so much. And I couldn't just toss the book away after not completing it in my two weeks self-imposed challenge to finish a romance cover to cover in that time (Which dear reader, is not my nature. I am a challenge driven person. Twiz is relentless in that regard) . Because to be honest? It's not a romance novel truly. Its a life book.
So in appreciation of what Kat and Matt have done for me in allowing me to write their story, their story will be published as it is. Painful and raw and full of so much love and loss that maybe it can change each of it's readers too.
There is hero in all of us. There is an amazing ability to heal and move on.
So, maybe they are heroes in their own way.
Just like each one of us should strive to be.
Just well, with more clothes and more common sense. (Wink)
Take care.
-JTW
*******************************************************************************
Matt and Kat's book - Love's Bitter Harvest is slated for publication on Valentine's Day 2014 from Dead Bound Publishing.
No comments:
Post a Comment