The Bravery of Falling in Love
Whee! I’m so
excited to be doing a post for the Read a Romance Month event. I’d seriously like to thank Lucy Monroe for asking me aboard–she’d contacted me to say hello and to let me know she liked the work, but recommending me to participate in this was really amazing of her.
excited to be doing a post for the Read a Romance Month event. I’d seriously like to thank Lucy Monroe for asking me aboard–she’d contacted me to say hello and to let me know she liked the work, but recommending me to participate in this was really amazing of her.
I’m very honored to be involved with such a superlative group of writers as a secondary author– I literally “squeeeeee!!”d when I got the e-vite, so this is a big furry deal for me.
And the topic—“Celebrate Romance”—is
truly one of my favorite things to talk about ever.
truly one of my favorite things to talk about ever.
But the questions… uhm…
Well, when you get to them, you’ll
see. Numbers two and three were
pretty easy—I could do that.
see. Numbers two and three were
pretty easy—I could do that.
 |
| (This is Amy, on a plane alone, which is about the extent of her daring-do!) |
But number one?
“Describe the most daring,
adventurous, or inspiring thing you ever did.”
adventurous, or inspiring thing you ever did.”
Hahahahahahahahaha!!!
Okay—people who know me know I’m not exactly a “running into a
burning buildings” kind of person.
No, no, I’m very aware that when it comes to physical heroics I have a
very thin grasp of space and time, and it’s best to let the experts handle
things like delivering children or saving people in mortal peril. A beloved friend recently called me a
“were-Tardis”—which I’m pretty sure means that one minute I look like a
perfectly ordinary human and the next minute I’m someplace I’m not supposed to
be, knocking things over with my prodigious… uhm… base.
burning buildings” kind of person.
No, no, I’m very aware that when it comes to physical heroics I have a
very thin grasp of space and time, and it’s best to let the experts handle
things like delivering children or saving people in mortal peril. A beloved friend recently called me a
“were-Tardis”—which I’m pretty sure means that one minute I look like a
perfectly ordinary human and the next minute I’m someplace I’m not supposed to
be, knocking things over with my prodigious… uhm… base.
So, uhm, I could write the essay
about celebrating romance and everything, but how am I supposed to answer that
darned question?
about celebrating romance and everything, but how am I supposed to answer that
darned question?
 |
| (This is Mackey, who is brave enough to stand up in front of thousands, but has a tough time talking about hisown heart.) |
Well, when have I felt bravest in my
life?
life?
I seem to remember feeling brave when
I tried out for multiple sports in the eighth grade. I mean, I sucked at all
of them, and the other girls made fun of me unmercifully, but, you know, I
tried. But that’s not particularly
courageous, is it?
I tried out for multiple sports in the eighth grade. I mean, I sucked at all
of them, and the other girls made fun of me unmercifully, but, you know, I
tried. But that’s not particularly
courageous, is it?
I felt brave when I passed my test
for my driver’s license! I mean,
it was the fourth try and everything
(see that whole space/time continuum problem I mentioned earlier). And I kept trying for that, right?
for my driver’s license! I mean,
it was the fourth try and everything
(see that whole space/time continuum problem I mentioned earlier). And I kept trying for that, right?
Oh—I know! I felt brave when I stood up in front
of a classroom for the first time.
I’ve always had sort of a sweet, round face and a Minnie Mouse voice, and
standing up in front of those kids?
It was terrifying. I was
horrible. After the first month,
the little darlings staged a riot to get rid of me. I felt really brave when I went back and stood up in front of them
again. I gained some presence, I
learned from my mistakes, I went back the next semester to teach seniors, some
of whom were nineteen years old to my twenty-three. I improved. I gained confidence. I got my credential.
of a classroom for the first time.
I’ve always had sort of a sweet, round face and a Minnie Mouse voice, and
standing up in front of those kids?
It was terrifying. I was
horrible. After the first month,
the little darlings staged a riot to get rid of me. I felt really brave when I went back and stood up in front of them
again. I gained some presence, I
learned from my mistakes, I went back the next semester to teach seniors, some
of whom were nineteen years old to my twenty-three. I improved. I gained confidence. I got my credential.
So that was sort of brave.
 |
| (This is Deacon whose luck is so bad he’s brave just for getting out of bed.) |
My first book was self-published for kicks—that didn’t feel
brave at all, in spite of the sort of risqué content, and I was frankly
surprised when complete strangers read it. And really destroyed
when they ripped it apart for the editing. So, you know, I edited the second one better. And the third. And the fourth. And by the time I got picked up by a
publisher, I was, well, at least unembarrassing
in terms of self-editing. I
understood that editing made a story clearer, and I should be open to
input. For the most part, I don’t
make my editing staff gnash their teeth upon seeing a submission, so that’s
something.
brave at all, in spite of the sort of risqué content, and I was frankly
surprised when complete strangers read it. And really destroyed
when they ripped it apart for the editing. So, you know, I edited the second one better. And the third. And the fourth. And by the time I got picked up by a
publisher, I was, well, at least unembarrassing
in terms of self-editing. I
understood that editing made a story clearer, and I should be open to
input. For the most part, I don’t
make my editing staff gnash their teeth upon seeing a submission, so that’s
something.
And when I lost my teaching job (my second teaching job, but the first one
is a whole other story) well, I didn’t go back into teaching, but I did manage
to haul myself up by my bootstraps and go into writing, and that was sort of
brave. So was learning to speak in
front of grownups as opposed to high-school students during conventions. So, I guess I’ve done a few brave things.
is a whole other story) well, I didn’t go back into teaching, but I did manage
to haul myself up by my bootstraps and go into writing, and that was sort of
brave. So was learning to speak in
front of grownups as opposed to high-school students during conventions. So, I guess I’ve done a few brave things.
In fact, looking at that first
question that I was supposed to address later, it seems like the core of my few
acts of bravery sits at the core of what I believe there is to celebrate about romance.
question that I was supposed to address later, it seems like the core of my few
acts of bravery sits at the core of what I believe there is to celebrate about romance.
See, the thing I love the most about romance is that the entire
idea of two people meeting, falling in love, finding the best of each other,
planning a future—even one in the afterlife—contains the most incredible hope.
idea of two people meeting, falling in love, finding the best of each other,
planning a future—even one in the afterlife—contains the most incredible hope.
Life isn’t easy. We are knocked down on our asses time
and time again. We try, we fail,
we get hurt, we fail, and somehow, we get up and do it all over, sometimes
twice, sometimes thrice, sometimes a hundred times over. Sometimes standing up and getting back
on the horse, or on the soccer field, or in the car, or in front of the
classroom, or in the work force, or face-to-face intimate with a lover when we
have only been hurt before—that is
the bravest thing we can ever possibly do in our entire lives.
and time again. We try, we fail,
we get hurt, we fail, and somehow, we get up and do it all over, sometimes
twice, sometimes thrice, sometimes a hundred times over. Sometimes standing up and getting back
on the horse, or on the soccer field, or in the car, or in front of the
classroom, or in the work force, or face-to-face intimate with a lover when we
have only been hurt before—that is
the bravest thing we can ever possibly do in our entire lives.
And people do it. They do it every day. They hold another person’s hand and
hope that their faith is well placed.
They reveal themselves one layer at a time to someone who may or may not
be exposing their true selves as well, and they hope their hearts are in good hands.
hope that their faith is well placed.
They reveal themselves one layer at a time to someone who may or may not
be exposing their true selves as well, and they hope their hearts are in good hands.
My God, that’s incredibly brave.
 |
| (And this is Dex and Kane, who are brave for thinking of a different tomorrow) |
I don’t know how we do it.
I had enough trouble just teaching,
learning to drive, being a parent, learning to love, being part of the human race.
learning to drive, being a parent, learning to love, being part of the human race.
So that’s what we celebrate when we
celebrate romance. We celebrate
small acts of personal heroism that make the world turn with hope.
celebrate romance. We celebrate
small acts of personal heroism that make the world turn with hope.
A romance book is like a heroes party
for those who dare to love.
for those who dare to love.
***
2014 Questions:
1 – Describe the most daring, adventurous
or inspiring thing you ever did.
or inspiring thing you ever did.
Heh heh—I think I covered that.
2 – Tell us about your journey to
becoming a writer. (How did you decide
becoming a writer. (How did you decide
to get started? Did you always know
or was there a specific moment when you knew?) I actually sort of covered that as well—but I should add
that I’ve been telling stories since I was a kid. I told them to my stuffed animals, to my friends, and, as a
teacher, I told them to my students.
I told the kids about my weekend or my own children, and then I turned around
and showed those same students how the masters told their stories. I have
old manuscripts meant for Harlequin that were written over twenty years ago,
that I never submitted—but writing something with romantic content just never
stopped happening.
or was there a specific moment when you knew?) I actually sort of covered that as well—but I should add
that I’ve been telling stories since I was a kid. I told them to my stuffed animals, to my friends, and, as a
teacher, I told them to my students.
I told the kids about my weekend or my own children, and then I turned around
and showed those same students how the masters told their stories. I have
old manuscripts meant for Harlequin that were written over twenty years ago,
that I never submitted—but writing something with romantic content just never
stopped happening.
Writing was who I was—getting published was just sort of celebrating
that.
that.
3 – Tell us about The (or A) Book
That Changed Your Life. (Why?)
That Changed Your Life. (Why?)
I think the book that changed my life
the most was The Hero and the Crown by
Robin McKinley. It taught me that A.
The heroine could have red hair, B. She could fight the dragon alone, C. She
could fall off the horse and get back on, and D. She was allowed to have a
complex, dreaming heart. I owe a
lot of whatever bravery I have to that book—thanks Robin!
the most was The Hero and the Crown by
Robin McKinley. It taught me that A.
The heroine could have red hair, B. She could fight the dragon alone, C. She
could fall off the horse and get back on, and D. She was allowed to have a
complex, dreaming heart. I owe a
lot of whatever bravery I have to that book—thanks Robin!
Drawing – Since this post has the
opportunity to be seen by a lot of people who might not have ever heard of me, I think I’ll offer one
of my previously released titles from my backlist to two different lucky
commenters. You can find my
backlists here at Dreamspinner
Press and Riptide
Press. (Note—I have two
upcoming releases on those websites—those are not included in the
contest.) I’ll announce the
winners on my August 11th blog post at www.writerslane.blogspot.com
opportunity to be seen by a lot of people who might not have ever heard of me, I think I’ll offer one
of my previously released titles from my backlist to two different lucky
commenters. You can find my
backlists here at Dreamspinner
Press and Riptide
Press. (Note—I have two
upcoming releases on those websites—those are not included in the
contest.) I’ll announce the
winners on my August 11th blog post at www.writerslane.blogspot.com
Recommendations – Oooh… this is the
fun part. I love recommending
authors to people! In the M/M
subgenre, you can’t get better than Mary Calmes, Rhys Ford, Kaje Harper, Jordan
L. Hawk, K.J. Charles, and Andrew Grey.
fun part. I love recommending
authors to people! In the M/M
subgenre, you can’t get better than Mary Calmes, Rhys Ford, Kaje Harper, Jordan
L. Hawk, K.J. Charles, and Andrew Grey.
Bio –
About Amy Lane: A squirrel-brained motherof four, Amy Lane enjoys knitting, reading, music, movies, and the company of
her beloved Mate. She lives in a crumbling crapmansion in a colorless Nor Cal
suburb, with her family, cats, and an emotionally stunted Chi-who-what. She
doesn’t keep house, manage money, or organize anything important, but she can
knit a sweater while reading a book in front of the television. If you ask her
a question, be prepared to pull up a chair–and duck! You never know what’s
coming out of her mouth. She writes to silence the voices in her head.
Website: https://www.greenshill.com
Twitter handle: @amymaclane
And don’t forget to join my Facebook Group, Amy Lane
Anonymous!
Anonymous!
When you least expect it, something happens and the Hero comes out in all of us. It just doesn't hang around for the biography later. Moms are heroes. Teachers are heroes. Folks that spins their dreams into reality are the bravest heroes of them all…because they went THERE. 🙂
Thank you for a wonderful post! You are definitely a hero in my book for following your heart and for giving us all those beautiful characters and stories.
Loved your post! Thank you!
Can i say thank you for the simplest of showing that being brave doesnt have to be something dramatic and internationally reconised but something simple, personal, because there are time i forget that just walking up to someone and asking for help can be an act of bravery for me.
Thank you for this, sometimes its the nicest thing in the world to know that what your doing is an acomplisment even if for others its just normal.
I love reading your posts and blogs. I think you're brave every day!
Thank you for the great post! Sometimes being a hero comes naturally and sometimes it's necessary. Bravery can be found in many small things that are so easily overlooked.
Love this. I really just discovered the m/m genre this year and am in love. You are in my top handful of authors, so I really appreciate your recommendations for others to read as well!