Writing Characters in Love :: Giveaway draw

Yay! Thank you to everyone who entered last weeks Giveaway for The Cold Kiss of Death and for helping to get the news out. At the end of this post are the details of this week’s giveaway : -)

But first …

We’ve had more celebrations in our house this week as it was our wedding anniversary! Hubby and I have been married for sixteen wonderful years : -) We spent a lovely day together taking it easy, reading, walking our dogs, going out for a romantic meal and reminiscing about our lives together and ultimately about how we met.


Like a lot of other folk, we met through work. We both worked for the same retail company, both of us had been there for about a year, and we were both store management. Similar jobs, similar interests and similar working hours; so far, so normal . . . except we didn’t work together, we actually worked [and lived] 400 miles apart! Luck, or fate, or serendipity sat us next to each other on an Interpersonal Skills Course LOL! And we put those skills we learnt to good use over the next year as we got to know each other, [it was a heck of a commute] fell in love and reorganised our lives so we could be together. *Big Happy Sigh*

Which brings me to: Writing Characters in Love …

I love reading romances [paranormal or otherwise : -)] and one of the things writers have to do is find a way for their romantic partners/lovebirds to get together and stay together until they reach their Happy Ever After [i.e. The End of the book : -)] Making our Lovebirds work/attend college/live next door is an easy and natural choice, as is having friends or family introduce them, or even letting them see each other across a crowded room and exchange phone numbers, after all that’s how a lot of real-life couples meet. Then there’s getting our lovebirds together through some something that gives them a mutual goal: like a hobby or evening class, or saving the local school from closure, or even a holiday [or if you're like me - a murder always works well *g*].

Harder to pull off is the ‘chance meeting’, partly because fiction needs to make sense, and while coincidences happen in real life, they are often seen as less than stellar plotting. So in fiction ‘chance meetings’ are hardly ever what they seem. [frex: when Joanne Baldwin meets a stranger on the road in Rachel Caine’s Weather Warden series] But even in real life it’s rare for a chance meeting to result in two people spending enough time together to fall in love without some outside force ‘forcing’ them to pair up [The film Forces of Nature with Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock is a good example of a chance meeting] unless both partners making a deliberate effort to see each other again.


But if our lovebirds meet, fall instantly into attraction/love and decide they’re going to make a go of it [much like hubby and me : -)] then their journey to ‘The End’ will be a relatively uneventful series of ‘dates’ that are much more interesting to the ‘datees’ than to those reading about them, plus the journey is likely to be over pretty quick, so what’s needed in fiction is some conflict.

BRANDED BY FIRE :: BERKLEY BOOKS :: July 2009



Though DarkRiver sentinel Mercy is feeling the pressure to mate, she savagely resists when Riley Kincaid, a lieutenant from the SnowDancer pack, tries to possess her. The problem is not simply that he pushes her buttons; the problem is that he’s a wolf, she’s a cat, and they’re both used to being on top.

But when a brilliant changeling researcher is kidnapped from DarkRiver territory, Mercy and Riley must work together to track the young man—before his shadowy captors decide he’s no longer useful. Along the way, the two dominants may find that submitting to one another uncovers not just a deadly conspiracy, but a passion so raw that it’ll leave them both branded by fire…


If you’ve read any of Nalini Singh’s books, then you’ll know she’s a master at writing romances and in Branded by Fire she’s got two characters who, while attracted to each other find reasons to deny that attraction [adding that necessary conflict ; -)] but because they end up working together, [meaning there’s no chance of walking away and letting the attraction fizzle out] the attraction deepens and they’re soon clashing and rubbing each other the wrong, or more likely the right way, to their exciting Happy Ever After.

Giveaway Draw


So for a chance to win a signed proof copy of The Cold Kiss of Death* [not released until the 16th July] along with a copy of one of Nalini Singh’s books** leave a comment telling me your favourite pair of ‘Lovebirds’ from film, television or fiction.

ETA: My own favourites are Eddi McCandry and the Phouka from War for the Oaks: Emma Bull :-)

Again you can give yourself more chances in the metaphorical hat by spreading the word about The Cold Kiss of Death and the giveaway on your LJ, Blog, twitter, myspace, facebook wherever, just paste the link [one extra entry per link]to where you’ve posted back in the comments.

Draw is open to anyone, anywhere until end of Wednesday, 13th May everywhere. Prizes not claimed within 7 days will be drawn again.

Good Luck!!

* ETA:inlcuding a signed copy of The Sweet Scent of Blood if you haven't read it :-)
**Visions of Heat or Mine to Possess [unsigned].

x/posted to http://suzannemcleod.livejournal.com/ leave a comment here or there to enter.

35 comments:

Rylie said...

My favorites are Elizabeth and Darcy, from Pride and Prejudice.

Tez Miller said...

Lurr and Ndnd, rulers of the planet Omicron Persei 8, from Futurama. I love their witty married people banter :-)

Maria Zannini said...

Well first of all...congratulations! Happy anniversary!

I'm still living 300 miles away from my husband, but at least now we get to see each other more often.

Favorite lovers?
I liked Mal and Inara from Firefly.

donnas said...

Congrats!

I have to agree with Rylie. My favorites are Elizabeth and Darcy. I love their story and re-watch or read it everytime I want a classic love story. For something more modern though I love Eve and Roarke from the In Death series.

Suzanne McLeod said...

Rylie: *nods* Elizabeth and Darcy are one of the great romances :-)

Tez: I haven't seen Futurama, but I love witty banter, so now I'm wishing I watched more TV :-)

donnas: Eve and Roarke, I love how Nora Roberts keeps their relationship growing [and of course, Roarke is *hot*] :-)

Suzanne McLeod said...

Maria: Thank you for the congrats, and I thought of you and your husband :-) Mal and Inara are one of my favs too, a brilliant conflicted relationship [which JW does so well] :-)

Unknown said...

CONGRATS!!

My favorite love birds are Edward & Bella from Twilight.

Unknown said...

Posted the contest link on my sidebar:

http://bridget3420.blogspot.com

EJG said...

Happy Anniversary!!

My favorite from TV would have to be Ross & Rachel from Friends.
eg672(at)hotmail(dot)com

Suzanne McLeod said...

Bridget: Thank you :-) Edward and Bella, great choice - I watched the movie the other night for the first time, I really enjoyed it and I loved Robert Pattinson! [Although I wasn't quite sure about when he was doing the climbing trees bit].

EJG: Thank you :-) Yay! another Friends fan *g*

Anonymous said...

My faves are Bones and Cat from the Night huntress series by Jeaniene Frost.

delitealex

Suzanne McLeod said...

delitealex: Ooh yes! Cat and Bones are brilliant ... *whispers* ch 32 *g*

Unknown said...

Well, my favorite couple would have to be Yvaine and Tristran from Gaiman's Stardust. I have personal reasons for that though that make me all warm and fuzzy inside.

Now for the boring stuff:
--Blogged about it here: http://wisb.blogspot.com/2009/05/sff-links-sorta-bimonthly-may-batch.html
--Tweeted it here: http://twitter.com/shaunduke/statuses/1756445191
--And it ended up on my Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=645337942&v=feed&story_fbid=102282824337&ref=nf

Thanks!

Mishel (P.S. I Love Books) said...

I'm so glad you and your hubby got to spend a nice anniversary together!! Congrats btw =D

I love S.M.D.'s ^^^ choice. I haven't read Stardust yet but I thought Claire Danes was oh so adorable in the movie and I actually felt her emotions while watching it!!

I think off the top of my head my fave lovebird couple would be Zsadist and Bella from the BDB series. I love how perfectly they compliment each other. I remember reading a scene about them (I think in the Insider's Guide) in a doctor's office. The doctor noticed how different the couple was but how Bella seemed to calm the beast within Zsadist. Definitely sticks with me =D That and they are explosive together lol

I posted a link to the contest on my sidebar as well.

Thanks so much Suzanne!

Meg B said...

Congrats on 16 years. Also, Happy Mother's Day. My current favorite lovers are Judd and Brenna from Caressed by Ice.

Caffey said...

Happy Anniversary! Its beautiful to celebrate it with having that day together. Ours is 26 years next month.

I loved Lucy and Dezi from I Love Lucy. Too I'm reading a paranormal now and love this couple, Claire and Gideon from MARKED BY MOONLIGHT by Sharie Kohler

Your book looks fab! Glad to find out what I'm missing!

Lisa F. said...

One of my favorites in film was Joseph Fiennes as William Shakespeare and Gwyneth Paltrow as Viola De Lesseps in Shakespeare In Love.
Favorite Television couple Paul and Jamie in Mad About You.
Book Couple would have to be Eve and Roarke.

Unknown said...

My favorites are Romeo and Juliet, Elizabeth and Darcy, and Buffy and Angel. There are many others that I love too, but I didn't want to list them all, that would take to long.

Adelina said...

My favs are Kate and Curran from Ilona Andrew's Kate Daniels series. I love these books. Magic Strikes was AWESOME! Can't wait for the next one!

Blodeuedd said...

I really have to go with Lizzy and Darcy too, I just fall on loev every time with them :D

Liyana said...

My favourite pair of lovebirds have got to be Jace and Clary from The Mortal Instruments Trilogy. I read the series only this year, but it was amazing! (:

loony_balooga_91@hotmail.com

Erika said...

Since you are giving away a Nalini Singh book, I'm going to go with Judd and Brenna as my favorite couple

Suzanne McLeod said...

S.M.D: Thanks so much for the shout outs :-) And great choice with Yvaine and Tristran, I'm a big, big fan of Neil Gaiman :-)

Mishel: Thank you for the congrats :-) Claire Danes was brilliant, wasn't she? I so loved the film. I don't know Zsadist and Bella from the BDB series, so will be interested to look them up, and thanks for the link :-)

Suzanne McLeod said...

Meg: Thanks for the congrats :-) I have read CBI yet, but having 'met' Judd and Brenna in Nalini's other books I'm going to look out for them :-)

Caffey: Thanks for the congrats, and congrats on 26 years! Yay! Will chack out Sharie Kohler as she's another new author to me :-)

Suzanne McLeod said...

Lisa F: Thanks for dropping by and Eve and Roarke ... Definitely a great book couple :-)

book_lover6983: Buffy and Angel! Great choice, and I know what you mean about having too many favourites to list *g* A lot of mine are turning up here :-)

Adelina: Magic Strikes was AWESOME, I reached the end and went right back to the beginning and read it again *g*

Suzanne McLeod said...

Blodeuedd: P&P for the win :-)

Liyana: I haven't read TMI series yet [it's on my wishlist :-)], but I've heard a lot of great things about it :-)

Erika: Judd and Brenna's story sounds like a great one, and definitely one I need to check out :-)

Kyesha said...

One of my favorites would have to be Eve Dallas and Roarke from the "In Death" series.

tetewa said...

I'm enjoying Booth and Bones from the series Bones!

Mardel said...

my favorite lovebirds ever are Westley and Buttercup from the Princess Bride (film and book)

Anonymous said...

My favorite right now is Jaenelle and Daemon from the Black Jewel Trilogy. It's such a delicate balance to find someone to accept you completely for all of your scary faults xD

Suzanne McLeod said...

Kyesha: thanks for dropping by, and Eve and Roarke are a great couple :-)

Tetewa: I love the way Booth and Bones are together, and it's great to see David Boreanaz in something different to Angel :-)

Mardel: The Princess Bride is one of those all time classics, brilliant :-)

ChiChai Hana: Jaenelle and Daemon are such a beautiful couple, and I love Anne Bishop's Jewel books :-)

Wendy said...

I've got to go with Kate and Curran because I SO love those two!

Wendy said...

By the way, everyone should read Magic Strikes, ESPECIALLY the bathroom scene! *g*

Suzanne McLeod said...

Wendy: Kate and Curran rock! as does that bathroom scene ... *g*

Suzanne McLeod said...

This weeks contest is now closed and Random.org has drawn no. 21. The winner is ...

book_lover6983: Congratulations!

Please email me at contest [at] spellcrackers.com with your details.

Thank you to everyone else for taking part and leaving your favourite 'lovebirds'. Remember to check back for the next contest [goes live later today] for another chance to win more goodies :-)

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