Guest blog by American author Joanne Tropello

Today, I'm really pleased to welcome to my blog, American author, published with Astraea Press, Joanne Troppello.

Joanne Troppello is an author of romantic suspense novels. She has published three books: Shadowed Remembrances, Mr. Shipley’s Governess and Bella Lucia. Currently, she is working on her new writing project, The Paradise Redeemed Series. Joanne is married and loves spending time with her husband and family. She enjoys interacting with readers at The Mustard Seed Blog

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Hi Joanne, what Makes a Love Story Great?

Plain and simple, the formula for a romance novel is man meets woman and they fall in love. Of course, they run into various obstacles along the way, but there is always a happy ending. However, what sets a romance novel apart and makes it irrefutably memorable?
Think about one of the most dramatic love stories through the ages—Romeo & Juliet, young love of the forever kind. Yes, this story ended tragically, but it shows the ingredients of a great love affair. Even death could not keep them apart.

Let’s look at a more contemporary example, The Notebook, by Nicholas Sparks. Two young people experience a passionate summer romance and life threatens to pull them apart. The heroine goes away to college while the hero enlists in the army. The hero wrote to her but she never received his letters and she thinks he doesn’t want to be with her. She gets engaged to a man from an affluent family and finally, circumstances bring the hero and his heroine together again. They marry and have a family, living a good life. Eventually the heroine has dementia and her loving husband stands by her, trying to help her remember the happy life they had. Even when she has lost her mental capacity, he stands by his wife. They die together in their sleep. Now that is a true testament of an everlasting love affair.

So how do you create such an unforgettable love affair that breaches the limits of the run of the mill romance novel? You start by thinking outside the box. The formula is the same, but you need to make the plot your own. I write inspirational romance, so I bring an element of faith into my stories. In my opinion, that adds the cement to hold the romance together. If a couple wants to weather the storms of life, they need a higher power to give them the foundation to succeed. I believe that foundation is God at the center of their relationship.

Now, I don’t want to get too preachy here—and I never do in my books either because I believe in real life. Not everyone believes the same way or has a strong faith in God, yet many people experience a great love affair in their lives. So, even if you don’t add an element of faith to your novels, you too, can write a memorable love story.

Your hero and heroine need to love each other unconditionally. That is real love. They love body, soul and spirit, every part of each other. A great love affair is one that begins in the realm of friendship or at least intellectual or emotional connection, before any inkling of physical intimacy enters the picture. Passionate connections are wonderful, but passion eventually fades. When it lessens, what remains? That agape, unconditional, love remains. It’s a love that knows no bounds. They overcome hurts and offenses and learn to forgive. It’s not about winning, but learning to compromise and serve one another’s needs first. A great love affair turns from friendship into a passionate love with your best friend. Physical intimacy obviously comes into play, but depending on the type of genre you write in, will determine the amount you show the readers.

Your novel may not span the length of your hero and heroine’s years like in The Notebook, but you need to convey the same sense of long-term commitment. Your readers must get the sense that your characters are in it forever. However, if you write a sappy romance novel, most readers won’t appreciate that and it won’t be a memorable love affair. In real life, we face problems. Make your novel real and add reality to your story. If you do that, it will be believable and readers will relate. Own your own story. If you believe the love affair you are creating, your readers will believe it too.

Currently, I’m enjoying the release of my newest book, Bella Lucia, and I’m busy making the rounds in my blog tour. I mentioned two great love stories—Romeo & Juliet and The Notebook. What is your all-time favorite love story?


Joanne Troppello
Joanne Troppello is an author of romantic suspense novels. She has published three books: Shadowed Remembrances, Mr. Shipley’s Governess and Bella Lucia. Currently, she is working on her new writing project, The Paradise Redeemed Series. Joanne is married and loves spending time with her husband and family. She enjoys interacting with readers at The Mustard Seed Blog.

You can purchase Bella Lucia by clicking here

After being married for six years, Gwen and Lucas DeStefano are dealing with the pain of a childless marriage and trying to trust God for their future. On a weekend getaway to the Poconos, they attempt to relax and renew their marriage, but witness an event that turns their lives upside down. They see a body dump in the woods while they are on a hike and their lives become entangled in a web of suspense and God’s ultimate blessing in the form of a little baby girl, named Bella Lucia. Will Gwen learn to trust God with childlike faith and wholeheartedly accept His plan?

Det. Marc Abrams is assigned to the murder investigation of Sabrina Reysen and he will do whatever it takes to find her killer. He has his suspicions and is pleasantly surprised when he meets Samantha “Sam” Collins, the attractive US Marshall assigned to protect one of the witnesses in this case. Will Det. Abrams find the killer before it’s too late and is the attraction between him and Sam strong enough to survive?

Helllooooo, I'm back!!!!

After ages and ages away, I'm finally back again in the blogosphere. I know that isn't world shattering info for most of you but it's a huge step for me because I've been away so long. I've been doing other things like writing, mainly. But also helping to set up another blog of pocket novel writers called thepocketeers.blogspot.com.

I have really missed doing my own blog though, so here's a new post to start me off again and my mission is to blog regularly and hopefully about interesting stuff! So, here goes.... Over Easter, I visited Jane Austen's house at Chawton in Hampshire. It really is a fantastic small museum which has been beautifully looked after. The village it is in has barely changed since Austen's time and being inside that superbly proportioned house surrounded by things like a patchwork quilt which was worked by Jane's own hand really did make her era come alive. I was struck by how modest the house was in comparison to the people Jane often wrote about. Here was not a country estate, or even a small stately home. It was just a reasonably generous family home which she shared with her sister, mother and family friend. Even though she was earning something from her books, she still had to accept the loan of this house from her brother and moved many times in her life, being at the mercy of others to house her and her dearest relatives. There was no room for dances or grand dinners and Jane must have felt very much the poor relation compared to her brothers some of whom had done really exciting things around the world in the navy or had been given the advantages of a large country estate.

I often think that seeing where someone lives tells you so much about them. The thing I loved most was a tiny little wooden table at which Jane purportedly wrote. This was placed next to the window and it was lovely to think of her scribbling away and watching the world pass by her door - a world about which we still love reading today.

Here are two photos of such personal things that I thought they were rather touching. First of all some babies bonnets lovingly and delicately worked by ladies of the day, all the more poignant because Jane died unmarried and childless. Secondly a patchwork quilt, still vibrantly colourful with fabric that may have been worn by Jane herself.

Bad blogger 'fesses up

Oh dear, I have been such a bad blogger lately. I only have two excuses, but they are good ones. The first is that I and a number of other pocket novel writing friends have started up a blog called thepocketeers.blogspot.com. It's been great fun and has really geared up now. At present we are doing an advent calendar of all our favourite heroes. It's been difficult to choose which ones to post because they're all lovely in their own ways.

The second reason for not being a regular blogger is that I have been so busy writing and reading. On the writing front, I was asked to come up with a 25,000 word novella for a deadline which was six weeks away. Then, just as I was about to settle down to write it within a timeframe I felt comfortable with I was told that the deadline was being brought forward. Aaaargh! Well, I did manage to come up with it earlier but was biting my fingers that it wasn't good enough. I was sooooo relieved when it was accepted, over the moon in fact. I have to say to any aspiring writers that when you make it and are commissioned to produce writing to order this is one of the things you have to cope with. There is though a real sense of satisfaction. Also, I've been working on my People's Friend serial and have sent off instalment three with both fingers and toes crossed. I have also been working on a novella set on a desert island which has been particularly good to write in these cold, chilly winter months in London! I was also commissioned recently to write a short story which I have sent off and am waiting anxiously to hear on. So, I haven't been sitting on my laurels. And that's my excuse folks!

I do hope everyone else's writing is going well.

Catch up....

I haven't blogged on here for ages for various reasons. The first is that my husband has left me..... well, for the moment anyway. He's gone abroad to work and I shan't see him for ages so all is eerily quiet. Writing is a good time filler for these long, cold evenings and I shall be able to use the extra time wisely. I've got a lot on the go at present - a novella which had a deadline of 30 November but my editor has asked me to have it in earlier eeeek! Then there are edits to the 3rd instalment of my People's Friend serial set in Sorrento, Italy. Just before that I'd finished the dirty draft of a pocket novel which will have to stay on the back burner whilst I finish off these other things. But that's a good thing as it's as well to leave time between doing the first draft and editing it. Then you come back and read it almost as if it's been written by a stranger and you can be more objective about your own faults and what needs fixing. So, busy, busy. Missing my husband terribly but at least I'm keeping occupied!

Twist in the tale stories .... how to write one

We're talking womags here, women's magazines. They are a great place to try and showcase your fiction, or to sell an idea that isn't big enough for a novel or a novella. And one of the most interesting stories to try is a twist in the tale. Now, I'm no expert because I've tried and failed many a time. But I do like to read them and am always intrigued about how authors manage to come up with such clever blind alleys and passages down which they lead a reader and then surprise them in the end. It's a bit like pulling a rabbit out of a hat. Well, someone who has had success with them, Diane Fordham has posted on her blog, just how she crafts one. It's great stuff, so here's the address to put in your browser http://dianefordham.blogspot.com/ so you can have a go yourself. A number of UK mags take them such as 'Take a Break's Fiction Feast. They're very popular so good luck at creating your own twist in the tale!

Festival of Romance, the RNA blog and my new book....

Oh dear, I have been a bad blogger of late. Blame it on the time of year because everything gets so busy once the kids get back to school etc. My big news is that 'Tango at Midnight' is out at last in large print. It has a lovely cover and will now go into libraries. I know libraries are suffering at the moment but I think they're a wonderful resource that should be protected and am more than happy that my taxes should go to preserve them. My other news is that I was featured on the Romantic Novelists Association blog with a photo taken by my super teenage daughter who is a talented photographer, particularly of portraits.

The last thing is that I have finally booked for the Festival of Romance which is taking place in Hertfordshire on 21 and 22 October. I have a feeling in my waters (hmmm, not too sure about that phrase!) that this is going to be a big thing in years to come. It is the first event in the UK specifically for readers of romance. In the US there are similar events with huge followings. There has been so much work and energy put into the Festival that I expect great things. Well done to Kate Allan who has worked so hard to make it a reality. Just post this in your browser to find out more http://festivalofromance.co.uk

Now the holidays are over......

First of all, many, many thanks to author Freda Lightfoot and the Romantic Novelists Association for interviewing me on their blog - just type this address in to access it http://romanticnovelistsassociationblog.blogspot.com/.

Now the holidays are over, boohoo. But, aren't they marvellous for our writing. I always go away with good intentions and take all my writing stuff, notebooks, ipad, keyboard, files for keeping bits and pieces so that I can remember locations. Sometimes I write like a demon. At other times I just gather info and photos. This holiday was spent at a very generous friend's tiny house in Spain they have just bought near Roses and El Bulli the once famous restaurant now temporarily closed. They bought it from an elderly couple and it hasn't been refurbished in years. Imagine our dismay to get there to find that not only did we have to negotiate very narrow, windy, hilltop roads with sheer drops into the sea but..... there was no water. I say no water but actually there was water in the well, but the level had fallen below the pump. For the first few days, in temperatures in the high 30's we managed with bottled water and humping huge bottles of seawater the ten minutes' walk from the sea so that we at least had water to flush the loo. Once however we had got hold of a couple of buckets, we started drawing water up from the well. Boy, was that hard work! I have never sweated so much and never appreciated a running tap so much. We also ran out one evening and I was concentrating so much on not spilling any, and not slipping I didn't realise how dark it was getting. I suppose my imagination ran wild, particularly as I had just read a very gruesome Stephen King story about a man who chucks his wife down the well. When I heard a noise behind me, I nearly had a heart attack. It could have been one of the wild boars who will reputedly sometimes fall down wells if the covers are left open.

We survived in the end and in fact it was a rural and out of the way idyll overlooking a beautiful bay where the swimming was superb. It would be a superb setting for a novel and I know I'll use it one day. I might however go at the beginning of the summer when the well is full, rather than at the end of it!