This week: Beauty and Beast and Fantasy Romance Edited by: StephBee  
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March is a busy month. My theme for the year is “firsts,” but March isn’t typically a “firsts” month so let’s see what we can discover.
The first day of spring this year is 20 March 2019. It’s known as the Vernal Equinox, when the sun crosses the equator on its way to the highest point in the sky, the summer solstice. Spring is a time of growth and rebirth. The season “springs” of hope and hope is an emotion that embodies the romance genre.
One of my favorite weeks is just around the corner: Read and Ebook Week! (3-9 MAR 2019).
The last ebook I read was Dani Shapiro’s “Inheritance.” The author conducts a DNA test and the results shatter her world. It’s very well written and I struggled to put it down.
Question for you: “What was the name of the last ebook you read?”
St. Patrick’s Day on the 17th celebrates everything that is green, shamrocks, and Ireland. It’s a lighthearted holiday now, but what are the roots of our St. Patrick’s Day traditions?
One news worthy item recently involved the VJ Kiss photo. The picture is an iconic symbol of the end of World War II, but does the photo embody hope for the future, or a violation of one’s trust?
Finally, what does the genre of fantasy romance bring to the table? What’s the appeal of it? Do readers connect to the genre, or avoid it? What makes fantasy romance a story worth reading?
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ST. PATRICK’S DAY
From my research, it was hard to determine when the first St. Patrick’s Day celebration occurred, but the first parade is dated to New York City in 1762. (When the state was just an English colony!) We all know St. Patrick helped bring Christianity to Ireland and he used a shamrock to describe the concept of the holy trinity to the people. I don’t think the holiday had any overly romantic overtones like Valentine’s Day, but I think it’s a holiday that many enjoy celebrating simply because it appeals to our sense of fun.
VJ KISS
Japan surrendered in World War II and thousands of people were glad to hear World War II was over. In the excitement of the moment, photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt captured a picture of a Navy sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square. The picture was given a full page spread in Life Magazine and most people can recall the visual even today.
A kiss is meant to inspire hope, and certainly the mood was hopeful, but the woman in the picture stated the sailor was kissing everyone and theirs was not a consensual kiss. Should it remain in the context of the 1940’s, or should we give it a modern spin? Is THIS kiss an expression of hope or a sexual assault… or something in-between? Is the joy of the moment (war is over) just an expression of joy, or this is an opportunity to take advantage of a young woman? Are we foisting 21st century values on a 20th century moment? Food for thought.
FANTASY ROMANCE
A fantasy romance is a subgenre of romance where the setting revolves around a chivalric or medieval setting. There’s an emphasis on adventure, which might take on the form of a quest. There’s dragons and swords and the conflict is usually external, as a villain tries to defeat the hero. The hero’s motivations are usually a duty to kingdom and family.
The concept of “Courtly Love” is often used in fantasy romance and the medieval setting. This idea emphasized nobility and chivalry – a love that was passionate, yet noble, where the hero makes himself worthy of the heroine through deeds or tests which prove his love and commitment. This concept allows for more “internal” conflict in the genre.
Conflict, of course, is the heart of any romance. How the hero and heroine find each other is much more rewarding when the conflict is internal. An external conflict may place the hero and heroine in a situation together, but there’s no rich reward unless both struggle with their internal values, feelings, and morals.
In a fantasy romance, the exotic setting of the fantasy can be used to augment the conflict that drives the story. For me, the best example of a fantasy romance is “Beauty and the Beast.” I first saw the movie in 1991 when it came out and I loved it. There was action, adventure, and a heartwarming story of how the beast comes to find love. When the live action film came out, I had to see it. I loved how the story expanded on Belle’s and Beast’s backstory, making their characters that much richer and the reward that much greater.
In a way “Beauty and Beast” captures the essence of a “bad” boy and a good girl romance. There have many spins on the general idea throughout the years. Grease comes to mind, but I digress.
Who are some of your favorite fantasy romance couples?
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FEEDBACK FROM MY ROMANCE/LOVE NL DTD: 30 JAN 2019:
Quick-Quill 
I’m going to miss the little sweetheart candies. I made little sentences for my hubby on his nightstand. last year we were on the road together and it was just as fun.
They’re supposed to be back, but I often the find the re-do is never as good as the original. Someone gave me some Brach’s sweetheart candies and I couldn’t read the sayings on them. That’s no fun!
Monty 
Fine News Letter. I enjoyed it.
Thanks!
Pumpkin Harvest 
Children get a big kick out of exchanging Valentines with classmates. For adults, Valentines Day is a big commercial waste. There are gifts you don't want, junky things. Even married couples may agree it's a non-holiday. But it can be used as a reason to reach out to elderly or confined people. One year, my company had four widows. I bought some long stem roses and gave one to each. It would cheer them up for a few days and then be discarded, not stored.
I often give flowers to elderly people as I find the appreciate the thought behind the gesture.
StephBee is a 911 dispatcher with LAPD. Her latest novella is "Mr. Christmas Elf?" Jules is off to a rough start come Christmas. Can Elvis the Elf save the day or make more of a mess of things for her? |
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Romance/Love: February 27, 2019 Issue [#9408]
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