  Romance/Love
This week: Paint a Pretty Picture Edited by: StephBee  
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There’s no denying spring is in full bloom in May. I love the scent of fresh flowers. There’s something about the pretty blossoms that enhances positive feelings. The setting in a romance novel is important, too, establishing mood and atmosphere, which allow the hero and heroine’s emotions to grow.
What do you consider a romantic setting? We’ll explore a couple today.
May is National BBQ month. I love a good BBQ. For me, it’s all about the meat. I love grilling steaks and hamburgers. We’ll share some BBQ love later on in the newsletter.
Also, Memorial Day is marching closer, so I thought I’d share a little bit how the Dutch express their love and respect for the service members of the American military who gave their lives for them during World War II.
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SETTING
I find the backdrop in which the hero and heroine meet, solve their problem, and fall in love, is just as important as the character development between them.
Time and place depends on the sub-genre of romance you’re writing. Contemporary never goes out of style and it’s what most writers are familiar with. However, should you set your romance in the past, dare to tackle dystopian, venture into the paranormal, or explore a contemporary setting you’re unfamiliar with, you’ll need to research your setting so the details are accurate.
What setting (aka time and place) provides is the framework for mood and atmosphere. Mood and atmosphere is the emotional response the characters have for being present in the setting. For example:
How do the characters feel if they are stuck in a log cabin during a thunderstorm?
Stranded on a tropical island? Alone on a cold, metallic space ship? How does mood and atmosphere established by the setting effect the hero and heroine’s feelings?
When describing a setting, stay away from passive voice.
Don’t tell me: The Keukenhof was beautiful. (The Keukenhof is a tulip garden in the Netherlands.)
SHOOT FOR: Red, purple, gold tulips dotted the Keukenof’s grounds, filling the air with a fresh scent that lightened D’Arcy’s heart.
Also consider tapping into the 5 senses when writing the setting. A few strategically placed vivid sentences can set the mood/atmosphere which will resonate throughout the whole book.
EXAMPLE: Twilight cast long shadows through the cabin’s windows. D’Arcy paused the doorway, unsure if she should enter. A heavy scent of earthy pine filled the air, warm, but not necessarily inviting. Darrin brushed past her.
“I’m sure there’s candles.”
D’Arcy drew in a breath and followed Darrin inside, taking small, hesitant steps. Thunder rattled in the distance. Her heart skipped a beat.
QUESTION: Where did you fall in love? What made it special to you?
NATIONAL BBQ MONTH
I love BBQ. For me, there’s something tasty about fresh seared meat. Top it with some tangy BBQ sauce and you have a hearty meal stuffed with flavor. One of my favorite meats I enjoy BBQ’ing is hamburger. I like to add a little Heinz 57 in the meat while making my patty. Some enjoy just simple salt and pepper. Other people like Emeril’s mix.
QUESTION: What’s your favorite food to BBQ?
MEMORIAL DAY
Lastly, Memorial Day is coming up. It’s a day to honor our deceased military men and women who gave their lives in defense of the country.
Many American Armed Forces Service members gave their lives to defeat the Nazis in World War II. The Dutch haven’t forgotten. The Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial was dedicated in 1960 in Margraten, Netherlands. Approximately 8,300 Americans are located there.
The Dutch have adopted the graves at the location. They brings flowers to the site on Memorial Day, paying their respects. They’ve research the graves they care for and can tell you about the service member resting there and their family. You can find several photos of prior events on the Internet.
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Feedback from my Romance/Love Newsletter DTD: 26 APRIL 2017:
Osirantinous 
I went to see Beauty and the Beast just the other day. Loved it, but it quite different to the Disney version and you have just reminded me that the original story that I read did have Belle being sent to the Beast as a replacement. Being a romantic, I might have been sniffing away at the ending! Favorite Disney though? That would be Aladdin. Again, another 'don't judge a book by it's cover' motif (which, thinking about it, most of them seem to have). It was the first I saw done with the new more modern look to animation and I love a good 'love wins' kind of story. (I also loved the animated TV series - and I watched that when I was in my late teens, early twenties!)
Thanks for sharing. I am ‘sucker’ for the love wins in the end, endings, too.
Quick-Quill 
Most of the later movies as they now give something for every age. The first was Aladdin. The adult references, Ed Sullivan, the airline directions, etc give the adult something to laugh about along with the kids. Shrek I is another favorite.
I absolutely adored Shrek! I really appreciate those movies that make it interesting for the adults as well as the children.
Monty 
Enjoyed the News Letter and your Kyrielle.
Thank you! 
StephBee is a 911 dispatcher for the LAPD. Her Windsor Diaries steampunk romance series have been recognized for the following:
Reader’s Favorite, Bronze in Historical Fiction: Victorian Scoundrel
Reader’s Favorite, Gold in Historical Fiction: A Gentleman and a Rogue
RONE Finalist: Historical: A Lady Never Lies
Travel through time with the Windsors as they try to stop that rambunctious time traveling scoundrel, Jonas from changing the winds of history.
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Romance/Love: May 24, 2017 Issue [#8300]
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