I was looking for inspiration when I read Krista’s post about Will and Hanna from The Engagement Plot. She mentioned the sparks and conflict between them, and how it made for characters close to her heart. I started my new romance, Anchored, and I think I need to start over because I’m just not feeling it. The story in my head is amazing, and the characters dynamic, but the POV (point-of-view) needs to change, I think. It reminded me of my first romance, Entrusted. The fireworks between Ben and Jenna were so fun to create and share with readers.
I thought I’d write today about that first love. As I work on making my new characters, Jordyn and Spencer sizzle, I wanted to remember where it all started for me as an author, Jenna and Ben. Writing wise, they were my first love!
They were opposites, too. Jenna was a spontaneous sort, leaving Youngstown, Ohio for the mountain village of Speculator Falls in the Adirondack Mountains after one phone interview. Ben spent his summers in the mountains and considered the rural county with no stoplights home. Jenna was the new senior center director, Ben vowed after losing his grandfather to never set foot in the center again. Jenna came to a council meeting with a laundry list of items to update the center when Ben had only months before managed to close it down. They were so fun to write!
Entrusted/Surrendered Scribe Media
I loved Jenna and Ben so much that the rest of the series was a bit harder to create. Although readers ate up Entangled, I struggled with Carla and Will. I had more fun with Wayne and Trish in Engaged, but they were more like Ben and Jenna. I also was able to feature them and other characters from Entrusted in that last book in the series.
Now I’m in a new series based on a family of sextuplets living in another part of Upstate New York. New characters to come alive as I highlight my hometown of Corning, New York. Jordyn Collins is the oldest of the six siblings, and “The Collins Six” stay in the headlines in part to tragic circumstances. Each book in the Surrendering Opinions series will feature a sibling searching for a love as deep as what their parents shared, a first and only love.
Jordyn feels responsible for her father’s well-being and the welfare of her siblings, even though they are well into their twenties. That’s enough pressure to stay busy, but she also works at the same television station where her mom worked as a reporter. Jordyn’s given a new opportunity that should be exciting, but there’s a challenge at almost every turn. It seems as if her new colleague, Spencer Hart, is behind all the conflict.
Starting over I think will give me the gasoline to pour on the romantic flames. Spencer and Jordyn, like Ben and Jenna, are strong characters on their own. Together, I hope they become a force.
I also started thinking about real life, or as close as my love life could be as a little girl. The first crush I remember was watching The Waltons, and
The Waltons, pixabay image
thinking John-Boy made an attractive guy to think about. Before I married my husband, there were others like C. Thomas Howell, Shaun Cassidy, and of course high school and college dates/relationships, but I definitely found an only love with my husband.
What is the first romance you remember reading where you loved the hero and heroine? Who was your first celebrity crush?
Julie Arduini loves to encourage readers to surrender the good, the bad, and ---maybe one day---the chocolate. She’s the author of ENTRUSTED: Surrendering the Present, as well as ENTANGLED: Surrendering the Past. The last book in the series, ENGAGED: Surrendering the Future, is coming soon. She also shares her story in the infertility devotional, A WALK IN THE VALLEY. She also blogs every other Wednesday for Christians Read. She resides in Ohio with her husband, two children, and chocolate stash. Learn more by visiting her at http://juliearduini.com.
Hi Julie, I remember reading Brock and Bodie Thoene’s Zion series and loving Moshe and Rachel, and David and Ellie. Two great couples who had chemistry and seemed ‘real’ to me. Hmm, I’ve always liked Matt Damon…
Blessings:)
Hi Julie! As a German immigrant, struggling to learn a new language and new culture, I do not remember any celebrity crushes; except maybe Christopher Plummer in the Sound of Music. My parents nor most of my friends did not have a TVs until the 1970s. The first Christian novel I read was Christy by Catherine Marshall. The story was more about her teaching experience than the romance. Interesting thoughts. Best wishes.
I’m not sure I can recall the first romance where I loved the hero and the heroine, however I vividly recall that my first celebrity crush was Kirk Cameron. I remember my friends and I all had pictures of him hanging on our walls during our teen years!
“The Collins Six” sounds like a great series! I think Moshe and Rachel and David and Ellie were the first two great couples I remember reading as well. Loved their stories and the love they both shared! As for celebrity crushes, I didn’t really have some. I guess the closest thing was probably growing up watching Star Trek: The Next Generation and thinking Will Riker was pretty awesome LOL
I watched Star Trek and Emergency growing up but didn’t have any crushes. I think Jannette Oke was the first Christian author I read.
My most memorable is Pride & Predjudice, maybe because I have read it at least once or twice a year. Darcy was my first crush. I don’t remember my first Celebrity crush, but I used to have glossy photos of many actors/actresses. When growing up, we found addresses where you could request a free photo of them. Too bad that I didn’t keep them!
Me too!!
I remember reading one particular book over and over again… not the title though. It was a historical fiction, the characters were Indian and it was written for teens. It was a sweet and brave story and I must have thought it well written because I kept it for years. It probably disintegrated in my hands!
Great book, and characters! Thanks, Wemble!
Christy was a great novel. I really enjoyed that one. Thanks, Renate!
I remember a Kirk Cameron poster as well!
LOL, I remember Will! Too funny, Melanie!
I do enjoy Matt Damon movies!
I loved watching Emergency back in the day. I think Janette Oke was my first Christian author as well. Thank you for reading, Diana!
So many sparks in Pride and Prejudice! Wow, I bet you had a great collection of photos!
I have a book like that. The pages are pretty yellowed, but I still reach for it every once in awhile!
I don’t remember the couples but I remember reading Eugenia Price’s novels and wanting to go to St. Simons Island. Bode and Brock Thoenes are great memories! My teen crush was Ricky Nelson and he was even married then, too! ( early sixties) I’m old!
Shaun Cassidy for sure!
My first celebrity crush was Paul McCartney.
I don’t remember my first, but my celebrity crush is Ryan Renyolds.
I don’t think I read any of those novels. I remember watching re runs with Ricky Nelson and then it hit me, his kids are my age!
Ah, Anitra, that was my crush after John-Boy Walton!
Paul has always been my favorite. I’d love to see him in concert.
My sister and I have followed his career since the show, Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place. My husband enjoys Sandra Bullock, so the Proposal was a fun movie for us to watch.
I believe my teen crush was Elvis. I loved both his looks and his singing. To this day, I enjoy attending Elvis tribute artist’s concerts. His songs would tug at my heart. Some of my favorites are Love Me Tender, The Hawaiian Wedding Song and Can’t Stop Falling In Love.
My mom told me her “John-Boy” was Elvis. I bet those tribute concerts are fun!
Celebrity crushes – my girls and I call them our “Chris-es”….Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pine, Chris Pratt. Hee hee hee. We also have a Chris in our family so must include him on the list….
Some of Lori Wick’s books were my first romance type books. I can’t remember the character’s names. As a teenager without a TV in the house, I had to rely on my friends to tell me about the hot TV stars. Scott Baio and Shawn Cassidy were heart throbs back in my day.
I love Lori Wick books! I devoured them. We must be around the same age, my teddy bear, still alive, is named Chachi after Scott Baio. LOL!
I think one of the first Christian fiction romance series I read years ago was Lauraine Snelling’s Red River of the North. So I’d say the couple in that one would be Roald and Ingeborg Bjorklund, even though they were already married. It’s a wonderful family saga that highlights the children as they grow into adults as well. I fell in love with each character because they became real to me. I may just have to re-read that since I loved it so much :-)
First celebrity crush? I don’t know if he would be considered the first since I can’t really remember who was, but Spock from Star Trek (the original). My dad was a huge fan and watched all the shows and movies back in the 70’s. I don’t know why Spock stuck out to me but he did, lol! Then there’s the 80’s shows and I think Tom Selleck would stand out as the one I had a crush on the most in Magnum P.I. (still do to this day, lol). There were of course many 80’s shows that I had a crush on the hero; Don Johnson who played Sonny Crockett on Miami Vice, Jan-Michael Vincent as Stringfellow Hawke in Airwolf, Erik Estrada as Ponch in C.H.I.P.S., and the list goes on. To me, the 80’s had awesome shows :-)
Hm….let’s see…my hubby is my love at first sight :) really! And I don’t really have a celebrity crush…but I love cowboys :) in the books LOL
I love cowboy heroes, too. I love that your hubby is your love at first sight!
I have not read that book, I need to check that out!
You are right, the 80’s did have awesome shows!
I think there’s like six books in the series and the first one starts with the young couple mentioned above immigrating from Norway and eventually settling in the Dakota Territory. Each book highlights how they struggle to tame the land and features the children as they grow . Then there is three books after that featuring the oldest son Thorliff as he makes his own way in the world & love (Return to Red River).
I know that sounds like a lot of books, but I read them all and was so anxious for the next one. Like I said, it is a great family saga series. Each book pulled me in and I wanted to know how things worked out for each member of the family. :-)
Yep, I definitely need to add that to my to-read pile! Thank you, Trixi!
Pride and Prejudice it is. You won’t know my celebrity crush. He’s a Nigerian, as I am.
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