Romantic Settings

 Romantic Settings

by Sharon Bryant

Magical romantic moments can take place anywhere, but sometimes a special place or type of setting strikes us as being particularly romantic.

When I think of romantic settings, beautiful sunny beaches with breaking waves creating their own rainbows, snow covered cottages with warm log fires,  and beautiful old cities like Rome and Kotor come to mind. I also think of the majestic fjords of Norway, the beauty of Cradle Mountain in Tasmania and the lush tropical islands in the South Pacific.

The Role of Settings in Romance Novels

Of course, great romance novels can be set anywhere, but the places where your characters meet, interact and fall in love should enhance their experiences and the vicarious experiences of your readers. For example, in Jane Eyre, Thornfield Hall's gloominess is used to magnify the reader's understanding of the extent of Mr Rochester's depression before he met Jane. It is also used to heighten Jane's shock and sense of betrayal when she finds out that Mr Rochester is already married. The house provides a sense of menace that heightens the reader's experience.

The atmosphere created by a place or item can change depending on the time of day and the emotions your characters are experiencing. For example, in "The Scoundrel's Daughter", Anne Gracie uses a beautiful kidskin bible with a mother-of-pearl cover to heighten our understanding of Alice's past marriage. She was devastated when she discovered her husband's infidelity. and now, many years later, she is gradually moving on from this. Older, wiser, penniless and widowed, Alice feels comfortable regifting the barely touched bible to her new goddaughter, Lucy. "Now it seemed a perfect gift, releasing her from the unhappy memories it evoked and entering a new beginning with a new owner."

Sometimes, setting is used to stop your characters reaching their goals such as when forced proximity is used to keep the hero and heroine together. In Michelle Douglas' "Secret Fling with the Billionaire",  Cleo dives into a canal boat to escape the press and has little choice but to accept Jude Blackwood's offer of refuge. She finds her growing feelings for him much harder to keep to herself. At other times the setting symbolises what is about to happen such as when Mr Rochester first proposes to Jane in a rising thunderstorm.

Settings and the Psychology of Love

Settings and how we react to them influence our life experiences. Psychologists talk of a "psychology of love setting" as a specific environment conducive to the development of romantic feelings. Physical intimacy, novelty, deep conversations, shared experiences and positive feelings all play a part. Each of these features in great romantic novels.

Valentine's Day has just passed. I hope you had a lovely day. Did you go somewhere special and romantic with a partner, friend or family? If yes, where did you go?

What is your favourite romantic setting - your special place where you experience romance?

I love to love: My husband and I still celebrate Valentine's Day.

I love to laugh: Romantic comedy is one of my favourite genres.

I love to learn: More about the world and the people in it.

Miranda's Christmas Musings!

 Tra la la la la, la la la la...! 

Dearest readers (I've got this mad impulse to say 'Dearest gentle readers', imitating you know who - Lady W I'm looking at you), it's been a while! So here I am to spread a bit of Christmas cheer. 

Somehow or other Life seems to have gotten in the way of my reading this last month, which is when I start glomming everything with words in the title like Christmas, season, holiday, merry, mistletoe, sugar plum, holiday, etc. So - le sigh - I haven't read as much as I normally have. But never fear! I have suggestions on top of suggestions for you, and I suspect I'm going to be reading Christmas books all January... Oh the bliss.

First up in my Christmas suggestions is One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery. This is gorgeous. The story of widowed mum Julie whose adult children decide to skip Christmas at the family holiday house - and Julie's thrilled. Because unbeknown to said children, she's got a much younger boyfriend she's planning on getting to know away from family eyes. But best laid plans and all that, suddenly everyone decides that they will get together. So what will become of Julie and Heath, still feeling their way? So much Christmas gorgeousness in this one, and some very relatable funny family moments.

Picture credit: amazon.com

The Christmas Cottage by Sarah Morgan (or in the US, The Holiday Cottage) is a charming book about fairly uptight, work-focused, affection-starved Imogen having a bombshell dropped at her feet. A literal gasp-worthy bombshell. Trust me, it's a lot. But, you know, it's Christmas, and the warm fuzzies of the season plus a very handsome vet (and a dog) do help defrost her. So heart-warming, I loved this book.

Picture credit: amazon.com.au

Anne Gracie previously published her novella Wish Upon A Christmas Candle as The Virtuous Widow, but she's revamped it so beautifully I think you need to read it all over again. A lovely story about a widow and her child, and the stranger that changes their lives. Miracles truly happen at Christmas. And just look at that gorgeous cover.

Picture credit: amazon.com

I always read Debbie Macomber's annual Christmas book, and A Christmas Duet played out beautifully. (See what I did there?) Such a tender story about a woman working out her dream. Delightfully, her sister also has her own romance. Bonus! There's music, hot chocolate, hot guys, and lots of Christmas cosiness here. 

Picture credit: amazon.com

All I Want For Christmas by Karen Swan was the first I've read by this author. It was actually an impulse borrow from the Christmas display in my local library. Don't know about you, but I adore my local library! Happy to report it won't be my last by Karen Swan. A fab book set in Copenhagen (which is what caught my interest in the first place), with a mystery about a newly discovered painting and a will-they, won't-they romance. And just wow, the stunning cover is what initially caught my eye. So glad it did.

Picture credit: amazon.com

The Merry Matchmaker by Sheila Roberts takes a leaf out of Jane Austen's Emma. Widowed Frankie can't stop trying to matchmake everyone around her - with, cough, wildly varied results. So many merry mishaps and mistakes! And my goodness, who's waiting patiently for her, right under her nose? A book with a huge heart.

Picture credit: amazon.com

I know we're all time poor at Christmas, what with extravaganzas to attend, shopping, things to bake, decorations to put up and such. So why not grab an anthology, so you can read a slightly shorter story and still keep that Christmas vibe happening? 

I recommend:

12 Tropes of Christmas is an absolute treasure trove of Aussie authors married with 12 popular romance tropes for your delectation, such as friends to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, jilted bride. You name it, this anthology has got it, plus Christmas. It's just so much fun. I can't pick a favourite, it was fantastic to happily submerse myself - then discover a brand new fave trope I didn't even know I loved with each new story. And, you're welcome. You're going to love these festive romcoms.

Picture credit: amazon.com

Mistletoe Season has another three short stories to get you into the Christmas spirit. Look, you deserve a break from all your busy-ness. Sit down, grab your beverage (which might well be a iced something for Aussies, or a hot something for the northern hemisphere, or something with a kick in it, um, just because), and have a bliss bomb pick-me-up with this book. The stories are wonderful.

Picture credit: amazon.com

For those that enjoy an inspirational Christmas romance, Finding Love At Christmas is perfect. 12 Christmas novellas with faith at their hearts, including fan favourite authors Toni Shiloh and Jan Thompson. So very lovely. 

Picture credit: amazon.com

Last but definitely not least, the Aussie anthology A Country Farm Christmas is just endless delight. Beloved Australian authors Lily Malone, Penelope Janu, Stella Quinn and Pamela Cook have teamed up to bring us Christmas stories from Australian country farms. And if you missed last year's A Country Vet Christmas with the same fab four authors plus Alissa Callen, simply choose both books to discover your new Aussie favourite. Win, win, win, win, win - win, win, win, win...

Picture credit: amazon.com

What a swoon-worthy line-up of festive fare to keep you going over the holidays. I could go on, I've got - counting - approximately 25 other books to come, including the much-anticipated Must Love Mistletoe by Kelly Hunter. I'm settling down now in my happy place to read, with Christmas lights twinkling in the background, tinsel everywhere, and Christmas cards on display. Quite frankly, I can't think of anything nicer. 

Picture credit: amazon.com

Happy reading, lovely readers. I wish you a merry Christmas and a safe and wonderful new year filled with books, books, and more books. And chocolate, of course. Be kind to each other and hug your precious ones. See you next year!

With much love from Miranda xxx

Love to Love:

Believe it or not, I love reading cosy crime as well as romance at Christmas. I can happily suggest for your enjoyment: Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret by Benjamin Stevenson, Murder Under the Mistletoe by the Rev. Richard Coles, and The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose.

Love to Laugh:

At little videos of cats climbing the Christmas tree...and the trees 'fainting'. I used to find Christmas tree branches down and baubles all over the house when I had my beloved puss. 

Love to Learn:

What you're reading, especially if it's a festive romance! Please report back! 

Nurturing the Muse

 by Enisa Haines

Life in all its manifestations, with daily obligations and constant demands on our time, most often comes with no guarantee of 'happy ever after'. So, too, for a writer and the inner source of inspiration that fuels their creativity. 

A fickle creature is the muse. At times she eagerly inspires me to bring the story playing in my mind into vivid life on paper. At others she hides out of reach, unwilling to appear. It could be because life interrupts with unexpected happenings - emergency surgery for a life-threatening head injury from a car accident, a marriage breakup, the unexpected passing of a brother, those are a few of my experiences.  Or it could be an issue with the story I'm writing. There's a block that won't go away no matter how many times I sit down to write so I feel discouraged and a growing frustration so the story waits unwritten. 

When creativity refuses to cooperate I know my muse is still there. It's just asking for some nurturing before inspiration sparks to life. How we nurture differs for everyone and countless articles written discuss the ways, some I've listed below:

• Meet with other writers - whether a writers' conference/retreat, a writing group or critique partners, there's creative energy in abundance that's sure to inspire.
• Read a genre you don't write - and so stretching your imagination to other styles of writing.
• Carry a journal - the muse can appear in times both expected and unexpected.
• Go to a public place such as a cafe - watching and listening to people, seeing how they interact can inspire new scenes and characters 
• Catch up with friends - conversations can bring inspiration
• Clean and clear your writing space - uncluttering does wonders for imagination 

I've had great inspiration from each but for me evoking ideas and emotions is best achieved by:

Immersing myself in nature - taking a walk through the bushland around where I live or simply gazing through the window and watching the rain relaxes my mind and gets my creativity flowing.

Meditating (with lit candle, and crystal) - starting my day by focusing on breathing, , on being mindful and aware, brings a state of calmness and clarity that helps my mind stop wandering and instead concentrate, increase productivity. 

Being grateful - I always feels good when I've got to the end of a writing session and words had flowed, and acknowledging that with thanks feels even better.

Are there times your muse needs nourishing? How do you bring your muse to life? 

Love to love: listening to rock ballads. I'm visualising stories as I listen to the words.

Love to laugh: at the funny antics of characters in romantic comedies. 

Love to learn: all things writing.