I can vividly remember writing my first novel. I was in seventh grade, around twelve I think. There was this cute boy in my class who was new in town, lived right around the corner, and OMG- he rode my bus! Squee! Of course I was in braces, rolling the cuffs of my jeans (because that’s how we “rolled’ in the late Eighties!) and while I could talk to my horses until I was blue in the face, I could NOT get up enough courage to say more than three words to this boy (his name was Todd). And every time I did say something I botched it up until I know the poor kid thought I was somehow mentally disabled.
But- When I became so frustrated with the mess I was making with my hypothetical love life- because I just KNEW we’d be perfect for each other if he only knew me!- I wrote a wonderful little novel where I finally got to take my foot out of my mouth and show Todd what he was missing!
Of course by the end of the novel the heroine version of me had realized he was much too boring for her, and she’d moved on to some other guy more than likely based upon an eighth grader I vaguely recall having a crush on for some miniscule period of time. As middle-schoolers often do.
Ah, but I was hooked! I realized then and there that I could fix all the world’s problems (as I saw them anyway) with a giant literary band-aid. Favorite author not finishing a series fast enough? Well I’ll write my own sequel! Evil troll classmate steal my boyfriend? Ooo! I’ll get her back for that!
Of course, now that I’ve moved along in maturity- a little anyway- I’ve realized writing a novel doesn’t always quite work like that. But in many instances it does. Isn’t that why we love romance novels? In real life people don’t do and say what we want. They don’t react or think the way we’d like. And let’s face it; life rarely goes by the script. It ad libs. All the damn time! But in my novels, the hero and the heroine always wind up together. It might not be smooth sailing-but the boat always reaches a safe harbor.
So what were YOUR firsts? When did you first discover the power of romance in YOUR life? What was the novel that introduced you to this amazingly versatile genre?
Although I am not a writer, my avid love for the romance novel began after my Aunt took me to the moveie theater to see the Re-release of Gone With The Wind in 1967. I was 9 and my Aunt said the book was even better, but long.
I didn’t care how long it was, I couldn’t put it down.
I was hooked and still read the book at least once a year.
Thanks for the sharing of your first novel. I was sweet and a part of most every girls life.
I’d have to agree that Gone With the Wind is a classic romance. Rhett Butler is probably one of the best examples of the ‘bad boy’ hero. And who couldn’t adore Scarlett’s spoiled, head strong, totally flawed and yet utterly lovable self? She’s the ultimate heroine. Keeps screwing it up and yet keeps slugging along. What about the ‘sequel’ written several years ago about Scarlett’s adventures in Ireland and eventual return to Rhett? Although it doesn’t have the same true historical ‘flavor’ of the original- I’d have to say its on my list of great ‘love triumphs’ stories.
My first “novel” (I think it was about 10 pages) was about my collie, Lady. Fortunately, I’ve moved on since then. 🙂 Note to Darlene: GONE WITH THE WIND continues to be my all-time fav novel. My older sister lent it to me when I was 10. I stayed up for 2 days and 2 nights, devouring it. I’ve been in love with Rhett Butler ever since.
Do you still have a copy of that first lovely Lady the Collie story? When I have a dry spell and nothing seems to work and the characters don’t cooperate at all, I still go back and pull out my old tattered box of (sometimes even handwritten!) manuscripts. I read through them, laugh a lot, cry a little, and then sometimes the muse opens up a whole new can of worms.
Hi Kaitlin,
Yes, believe it or not, I still have the story about Lady, although the paper is crinkled and frayed. I also remember reading the sequel to GONE WITH THE WIND. SCARLETT, I think it was called? Did not have the same magic for me as the original. But I still love the characters!
I remember reading the sequel to Gone with the Wind and thinking that it was a wonderful book, but also feeling that it could have been just as great had it been a stand alone original. She wove a terrific story, but her characters seemed to be a whole new cast. And I’m glad to hear you kept the Lady story. I always hate to hear that people have thrown away those early ones.