Love cops and Valentine's Day
Maureen O’Connell asked me a few questions about romance and Valentine’s Day for an article in this Sunday’s Honolulu Advertiser. Yes, I write romantic comedy, but I don’t pretend to be an expert on romance. I may be a bit less confused than when I began writing about romantic entanglements, but, like most guys, I still feel somewhat clueless and clumsy when it comes to questions of romance.
One of the questions Maureen asked me was to name my most romantic character. Excellent question, and for this one I had the answer in about two seconds. Donna Cooper, the title character in my first novel, Queen of the Rodeo, seeks true love and romance for herself throughout that story. Then, in the prequel, Chasing Cowboys, she’s a 19-year old who plays a supporting role as one of the two narrators.
In this novel, Donna has a steady boyfriend, and she is kept busy as a first-year student at the University of Nevada and a first-time candidate for Miss Reno Rodeo. And yet she finds time to play a critical role in the story. Donna appoints herself the love cop, directing the romantic traffic and seeking happiness for her best friends. Throughout the novel she goes to great lengths to promote the romantic relationships of her Reno friends. She’s not exactly a matchmaker. She’s not Miss eHarmony. She just takes a hard look at the obstacles that are blocking the path to her friends’ romantic happiness and tries to clear the path.
Donna at 19 is a kind of know-it-all. She knows all about rodeo queen waves, and she thinks she knows all about men and romance. Her self-confidence gives her the strength to mentor Lacey, a woman who is about eight years older (but less experienced with romance). She also does all she can to promote Lacey’s romance with a young cowboy wannabe, while at the same time trying to keep Lacey away from the slick San Francisco lawyer, Victor Kleindich, whose intentions are suspect.
Looking back at the writing of Chasing Cowboys, I see now that during an early rewrite I gave Donna Cooper the role that the writer normally assumes. I let Donna direct the romantic traffic. One thing I absolutely know about romance, in real life and in fiction, is that it’s never easy. Donna has her hands full with Lacey and Cody and Victor, and later with her good friend Charley Meyers, who let the love of his life get away twenty years earlier. In the frist draft of this novel I did my best at playing matchmaker, but as I rewrote it I sort of threw up my hands and let the 19-year-old see what she could do with all the complications. I was happy to turn over the reins and try not to get trampled in the romantic stampede that ensued.
Somewhere in here there’s a lesson for Valentine’s Day. I find the Donna of Chasing Cowboys even more romantic than the older Donna of Queen of the Rodeo. She’s idealistic and practical at the same time, and she cares deeply about her friends. Sometimes I imagine Donna riding at a gallop into the rodeo arena, waving to the crowd, and then, without slowing down, drawing one of Cupid’s arrows and sending it into the stands, just to let somebody else join in on the romantic fun.
Tags: Chasing Cowboys, Romance, Valentine's Day
February 15th, 2010 at 8:31 am
Having read Chasing Cowboys but not Queen, it's interesting to hear your take on the characters. I completely forgot Donna was 19 - she came across as much older because she was so worldly. Of course, being a lawyer myself (and having worked in San Francisco!) I related to Lacey at the beginning, but the one I found to be the most romantic was Charley, and second most Cody. They were the ones who really wore their hearts on their sleeves. I'm sure a lot of us women would love to be with men like that - if they exist in real life. Actually, come to think of it, they do - I'm married to one!
February 15th, 2010 at 3:08 pm
Makana, thank you for that comment. That's an interesting take on Charley and Cody. I felt closest to Charley and Donna. Here's my highly romantic and unscientific theory: I believe that at times a certain woman will cast a spell on a certain man (I told you it was unscientific). After that, for better or worse, the man is then bound to act in peculiar ways, until the issue is resolved (or the plot is complete).
As for the 19-year-old Donna, I'm fascinated by self-confident women who figure out early in life what's going on, and what they want, and then share their wisdom with their friends. I try to avoid writing totally clueless characters. Even sidekick characters know a lot about something, and come in handy when the hero or heroine needs a little help, or humor.