tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post1867759625353485024..comments2024-03-29T05:45:39.184-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: Do Your Stories Include the “C” Factor—Children?Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-9560763215915482152015-08-14T19:56:27.709-06:002015-08-14T19:56:27.709-06:00Thanks, Linda! Hope you enjoy it. Thanks, Linda! Hope you enjoy it. Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-13289412994694154122015-08-14T17:02:33.037-06:002015-08-14T17:02:33.037-06:00Kids do that to us, don't they? While I'm ...Kids do that to us, don't they? While I'm not a huge fan of traditional romance, I do like a few authors who write it. Therefore, I occasionally venture into that territory.Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16056682992943171805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-26121593742304531412015-08-14T16:59:05.298-06:002015-08-14T16:59:05.298-06:00Love this storyline, Terry. I'm going to order...Love this storyline, Terry. I'm going to order it today for my Kindle. :-)<br />Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16056682992943171805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-740711511230476532015-08-14T16:25:14.359-06:002015-08-14T16:25:14.359-06:00The only romance novel I have ever read was by my ...The only romance novel I have ever read was by my friend, Angel Smits. I still give her a hard time for 'cheating'. She wrote a scene that made me tear up.... She used a kid very cleverly and it got me. Jason P. Henryhttp://www.jasonphenry.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-82507470457567652682015-08-14T15:11:09.538-06:002015-08-14T15:11:09.538-06:00I had to rethink Danger in Deer Ridge, which was G...I had to rethink Danger in Deer Ridge, which was Grinch's story when I checked the previous books to see what I'd already told readers about him. I discovered a throwaway line in the first book (where Grinch didn't even appear) spoken by Ryan. "I told Grinch not to use his kid's birthday as his password." <br /><br />So there I was, having to figure out a way to have my romance hero have a child, but not a wife. I like including children, but they can't be miniature adults, and you can't forget they're in the book. Danger in Deer Ridge ended up with two children as major players; Both Grinch and Elizabeth were single parents. Grinch got custody of his four-year-old son after his wife died, but he hadn't seen the boy since she'd taken him from him 3 years earlier, so he was clueless as a father. Elizabeth, on the other hand, was an excellent mother and has to show Grinch how to deal with children. Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-90071223129494067002015-08-14T08:40:22.015-06:002015-08-14T08:40:22.015-06:00All great points, Diana. No character, human or an...All great points, Diana. No character, human or animal, should be a momentary convenience or scene filler. Fiction (even fantasy) must parallel real life in ways that allow the reader to connect with the story. Hence, we include children (and pets) in our stories because they are a fundamental part of life -- not accessories to be discarded when no longer needed.Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16056682992943171805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-76724399607370548262015-08-14T08:08:39.514-06:002015-08-14T08:08:39.514-06:00My biggest pet peeve is when a character, especial...My biggest pet peeve is when a character, especially a cop or detective, is given a child and then the child just conveniently disappears with no explanation as to where they are or who is taking care of them. I critiqued a romance story once and told the author she should be sensitive about introducing the woman's kids to the new flame. Lust at first sight is one thing, exposing your kids to it is something else. Her reply was that in Romance novels the kids are just an accessory, like a purse. My advice? Don't accessorize with children. They don't have to be in every scene, but I agree with your advice. If you are going to have them in the story, utilize them to effect rather than an afterthought. They aren't puppies. It also bugs me when characters have pets but are never home to take care of them either. :)Diana Hurwitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18216220574149672733noreply@blogger.com