As usual, I have very little on my mind besides coffee, Clive Owen/Richard Armitage and napping.
But this week, I have startled myself with my productivity, and have realized, yet again, that many of my books share one underlying theme: The Freedom Of Choice (not Devo, damn your earworm!).
My heroines always have to decide for themselves what they want, not be guided by anyone, even if it’s the super-hawt hero. And they usually decide to take a risk, to stretch beyond their own comfort zones, to get what they secretly desire (hint: It’s the super-hawt hero).
I wrote this earlier this week:
“What would you like me to do first, Christian?” she asked, leaning in to whisper in his ear. He held himself rigidly pressed against the back of the divan, hard and unyielding.
“This is your challenge, Violet,” he replied in a low voice. “You decide.”
She pondered for a minute. What did she wish him to do to her? That would work as a starting point, wouldn’t it?It had to. Because sitting this way, without moving, was making her legs cramp, and leg cramping was not conducive to seduction, at least as far as she knew.
So–what issues push your buttons? If you’re a writer, have you identified your themes? If you’re a reader, what themes pique your interest the most?
PS: Yeah, random hawt-guy pix. What about it?
I think my heroines have free choice too. They decide what they want to do– especially in the end. Do they want to be with sexman or not? hehe
I love your little snippet!
And btw isn’t the random hawt-dude Chris Cornell? sooo sexyy!!
Kira:
Sexman! Love it. Yes, it is Chris Cornell. Le swoon.
Who’s the guy in the box?
Nice excerpt, by the way.
I think abandonment and betrayal are recurring themes in my stories. Usually the heroine’s family betrays or abandons her and she must survive on her own (until the hero enters her life). This is odd to me, because nobody abandoned or betrayed me. All I can figure is that it comes from the times my dad had to be away for a long time.
OK, I love this post. Exercising freedom of choice. Particularly in the Regency. That’s just so Wollstonecraftish, and yet, this freedom could/can be exercised in a million small ways that don’t have to be big like the right to vote.
Diane, it’s fascinating to see how your mind works. I like seeing how you analyze the why behind your stories, and this is the perfect example of it.
So–I can exercise my free choice and choose between Clive and Richard? 🙂 (I think I especially enjoy reading stories where a heroine who maybe never had the chance to choose before learns who she really is and what she really wants…)
Lovely post! If I am free to choose, between Clive and Richard…It’d be Richard forever! BTW, it’s his birthday today ( 8/22 )! Happy birthday Richard! And happy weekend to all of you, R.R. readers!
Diane:
The guy in the box is Aidan Turner, of the (new to the US) BBC series Being Human. He’s a werewolf who’s trying to stay on the blood-wagon.
Yum!!!
Diane, it’s fascinating to see how your mind works. I like seeing how you analyze the why behind your stories, and this is the perfect example of it.
Ha ha, Keira. I think it is fascinating THAT my mind works at all!!
Seriously, this is what you get after a career in mental health! Self analysis is a as ordinary as breathing.
I love the topic of freedom of choice – a story with those elements is always of interest to me. I love the show Being Human, and I think Aiden Turner is gorgeous. He’s the vampire in the show, not the werewolf – throw in a ghost and you have a great group of roommates :o)
Barbara:
Right, I *meant* vampire, duh. Thanks for coming by and confirming the hotness of Mr. Turner!