The Beau Geste

On Saturday, I was a vampire at High Mass. Life-long Yankee fan that I am, I entered the hallowed ground of Fenway, home of the Red Sox. To my surprise, I did not burst into flames. I sat through a two-hour rain delay—when it wasn’t raining—and then through the game—when it was raining. I sat through it all on what may be the tiniest, most uncomfortable seats invented. There’s more leg room in coach with the seat in front of you pushed all the way back. I even—gulp—cheered for the Red Sox. (They weren’t playing the Yankees.)

Why?

I did it for love.

Many years ago I fell in love with a Red Sox fan. We’ve managed to keep the peace for over a score of baseball seasons, and on Saturday I presented the love of my life with the birthday gift of a trip to Fenway.

Actions speak louder than words. And that’s doubly true for the characters in our books. As men, they are creatures of action, much more so than words. What proves love more than doing something they never would have done at the beginning of their story?

The beau geste is often defined as a gesture noble in form but lacking in substance. I prefer the more literal translation of gracious gesture, what to me epitomizes a lover’s capitulation to the vulnerability of raw emotion. Or as one of my characters would put it, proof that he knows “I am so fucked.”

From taking a bullet meant for his lover to buying a mansion, from turning his back on his family to quitting his job, the beaux gestes of romance bring a lump to my throat. What’s your favorite?

I have a little poll going over at my live journal to name the dog Joey and Aaron got at the end of Collision Course. You don't have to be a member to vote or to weigh in.

Romance Formulas

Happy September, everyone! Autumn is approaching (not fast enough for me), the MLB races are heating up, a three-day weekend approaches, and kids will soon be back in school. These are all good things! And speaking of the upcoming holiday weekend, I'm hosting a Blog Party over at "Just add coffee" starting on Saturday to celebrate the release of my new novel, Client Privileges, from Torquere Press. Stop by and check it out!

On to today's topic. I see that Marty and I are on similar thematic wavelengths this week. I've been pondering lately the different formulas for romance stories. There are a lot of them out there. Marty talked about friends-to-lovers. There's also enemies-to-lovers; the forced or accidental marriages where one or both have been duped into it; the slow-burns; the fiery passions; the forbidden love that must overcome; the reunions; the flings that unexpectedly grow into love; and a bunch more that escape me at the moment. There's something to like about each of these, and there's something annoying about each of them, too. I find I like to write flings or dalliances, which over time become something more. (Maybe that's because it means I can get to the "action" that much quicker.) And I find I'm not a big fan of love-at-first sight stories because too often I find that the author's chosen conflict, although necessary to create a complete story, just doesn't fly for me. But the fact is they are all standard formulas because they work. You don't have to be a Barry Manilow fan to recognize that he as a musical formula that just plain works, you know what I mean?

So, how about you? Do you have a favourite, or least favourite, romance formula? Are there authors who write certain formulas particularly well, but you don't necessarily like when they write a different one? (It's okay. You don't have to name names if you don't want to. ;-) ) Are there formulas you always go for or ones you simply won't read? Here's your chance to plug what you love and slam what you hate. I'm curious to hear it all!