Thursday, June 4, 2009

Is Your Life Like a Romance Novel?


Someone asked me this question recently, and it made me pause and think...is it? The first thing I did upon hearing the question is snicker. Of course, it isn't! I have a temper, and when hubs leaves me a mess to clean up, I grumble. This last weekend, I watched hubs install a transmission on his truck, his hand slipped and the wrench hit it. He yelled at me to go away, and blamed me for his owie, because I was watching him. Men! humph! I wake up with bad hair, and yes, I've been told I snore. I'm sure hubs forgot to mention that I snore rather lady-like, but I do. My kids are...well, normal kids.

I didn't want to give up on the thought that my life could be a romance novel, though. So, I gave it some thought. I found the similarities, and I bet, if you all thought about it, you could find the "romance novel" in your life, too!

After twenty years, hubs still gives me butterflies and smiles at me with one corner of his mouth lifted that gets me each time. He pulls the car around when its raining, so I don't get wet. When the kids get mouthy, he says "Don't talk to my wife that way." *grin* That is much more romantic than saying, "Don't talk to your mom that way." When around others, we still gaze across the room at each other to make sure we are still together. We still have that whole...its us against the world thing going on.

Yep, my life is like a romance novel. Is yours? Tell me what you do for each other that resembles a romance novel...

I also want to plug my new book coming out TODAY. Yes, I'm so excited! Betraying the Prince is a mainstream romance and can be bought at Red Rose Publishing.



Betraying the Prince by Debra Kayn
Red Rose Publishing


Blurb:

Raised by the Prince of Antaka, Celina Rodriquez, is forced to leave the island and live life in America. Refusing to follow in the footsteps of her mother, she promises herself she will not fall for the charms of any American.


When Drake is asked to teach the Antakian princess the way women in California live, he thought he'd be busy teaching her about movies, yachting, and the local fashion.
Instead he finds himself losing his heart to a woman who swears she has sexual moves that will rock his world, and thinks nothing of walking around naked.
Will Drake succumb to her wicked ways?

20 comments:

  1. When the kids were small and my life was a long round of domestic tedium - my husband did the ironing. Not because I asked him to, or because he had run out of shirts, but, "Because I know you hate doing it."

    If I sit on a separate sofa from him he asks, "What are you doing way over there? Come and cuddle me."

    He holds my hand over the table in restaurants, and not just to gross out our grown up kids [although it's pretty effective].

    When either of them says, "Oh, get a room!"
    Husband says, "Great idea - and as this IS our room, you two can go home now so I can be alone with my wife."

    Not bad after twenty nine years.

    -I'm also a little confused here - Who's Debra Kayn??

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  2. Anita,
    Debra is a Red Rose author with a book releasing today. I've added a bigger copy of her cover so everyone can celebrate with her.

    Debra,
    Recently, my life has been anything but a romance novel...more like a medical mystery, but I have to give my husband his due. He cooks, cleans, does laundry,and is easy to live with (most of the time). As for romance...I think I've shared before that as soon as he opens his mouth, all romance dies on the spot. Some of his more memorable statements to me when we were dating..."Your thighs are larger than most women I've dated." And the famous..."My friend told me that I had to lower my dating standards, so..."

    I spent most of my time analyzing his statements before I react, or he'd be dead by now. *lol*

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  3. Congrats Debra. Interesting premise for your book. Where is Antaka located?
    Cheers,Rayka

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  4. I think if my life were like the novels I write, I might never get anything done - sigh - I'd be too busy mooning over the man in my life - LOL.
    As it is today, I think it's the little things that send my heart into overdrive. The little note taped to the door that welcomes me back after a trip; morning tea in bed; getting my car cleaned while I am out of town.
    Cheers,
    Rayka

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  5. In 2003, my life was more of a Robin Cook thriller, only nobody was killed. Just medical emergency after medical emergency...

    Hubby did suggest taking me to a movie last week, when we realized the older kids could watch their little brother after we put him to bed! So he tries, once in a while:)

    Great premise for a book! Putting it on my TBB list right now!

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  6. Is my life like a romance novel? Well if it was like the books I write my DH would be in trouble...lol...but seriously..after 38 years of living with the same person day after day...night after night has been a challenge on both ends...my temper and grudge holding, his temper and jealousy...but through it all I must say...he does try to be romantic in little ways like...picking flowers out of the neighbors yard to bring to me as an I love you...surprising me with a weekend getaway at a bed and breakfast...always holding my hand when we are in public...taking very good care of me with all my medical problems...I have to say he has grown into the best romance hero that I could never write about...if that makes any sense...anyway...good luck with your book! It sounds very inticing!
    Brenda

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  7. Anita- I love the embarrassing the grown kids statement! lol All four of my kids are teenagers...they run if hubs and I even come within 2 ft of each other. Of course, we do our best to make them scatter, lol. Btw, I'm Debra Kayn...it is very nice to meet you. I have a blog if you would like to get to know who I am a little better. I'm really just a small town farm wife, raising kids and animals who loves to write. ;-) www.debrakayn.blogspot.com

    Rayka- Antaka is a fictional island in the middle east. :-)I had great fun designing this island for the story. I needed a Prince who set all the rules, and ran a very strict household with his many children...and he needed an island to control. The book takes place in both, Antaka and California, U.S.A.

    Molly- Trying to be romantic counts. We all know it is so hard in real life to slow down and write those little notes, plan those date nights. I know, I am guilty of getting caught up in real life, too.

    Brenda- Wow...38 years, congratulations on that. I'll be celebrating 20 years on the 16th of this month. All those years together and I'm sure you have some stories to tell. Good and bad...isn't that always the case. I still remember when I was 20 years old and told my hubs that he better shutup or I'd have my brother's beat him up when we were arguing one time. He's 11 years older than I am, and he just stopped and looked at me like I was the most immature person he knew. (I probably was, lol)

    Ginger- Thanks so much for having me here today. :-) So, you have one of those husbands who don't think before they open their mouth? Me, too! Goes great with my temper, lol. Aw...men, we really do have to love them.

    Thanks for the comments on my book, I'm very excited about it all. :-)I'll be popping in and out today to chat with you.

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  8. Ok, I can't let this slide. Did you all read my comment to Anita?

    lol

    I said, "I'm really just a small town farm wife, raising kids and animals who loves to write."

    See how silly I am! I bet I have the National Enquirer pounding on my door in the morning asking to see my animals who know how to write.

    *shakes head and wanders off chuckling*

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  9. Well, I am married to a very unromantic man. He doesn't hold hands, doesn't sit on the couch with me, doesn't cuddle, doesn't say "I love you." Yep, I'd like more 'romance' in my life, but I don't have it so bad. As I told a friend, I'm able to write, and do writing conferences, I haven't *had* to work during my marriage, which is a good and bad thing, and I went to college a couple of years ago and got my A.A. and I'll be able to get my B.A. when I don't have so many distractions. So, it's exactly what I'd call a romance novel, but it ain't bad.

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  10. My husband isn't very romantic either. No hand-holding, cuddling, or 'I love you.' But after 27 years we've been through a lot of life together. Several moves, the loss of our farm and subsquent finacial disaster, the near loss of our youngest. It's not the stuff of romance novels, but knowing you don't have to go through this stuff alone is what matters most. He hasn't bailed, he doesn't drink, he never lies and he works hard. For me, most days that's enough.

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  11. Kathy and Anna-

    It is the little things that count. Real life is so tough and can be downright cruel, but having someone beside you that understands what you are going through is a huge thing, even if they are not holding your hand. :-)

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  12. Sometimes being married to someone who isn't "physically demonstrative" is like a virtual relationship on a computer. We all know the person is there, cares, and offers support, and that's what matters most. When my husband talks, I just have to dig deep and find what he is really trying to say. The problem comes when you just can't find another interpretation...like what else could he mean when he pointed out the size of my thighs? *lol*

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  13. Hello Debra, Greetings from sunny England - and I don't get to say that often. Ginger's author introductions are always interesting, so I wanted to learn more about you. With four teens and amenagerie when do you find time to write??? I'm in awe.
    And I shall go and have a look at your blog as well.
    Congratulations on your book and the best of luck with it

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  14. Ginger- I bet he likes bigger thighs, and was in shock. That's what I tell myself about my body...I'm not walking around bumping into anyone and hurting them. I just bounce off of them. lol

    Anita- Hello! I'd love to share some of that England sun. Here in NW Oregon we are cloudy...again. How do I find time to write? Well, I don't require a lot of sleep, lol. Most of my writing is done after everyone goes to sleep. Plus, my kids are all older now (19,16,13,13)and that makes it so much easier.

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  15. Dear Ms. Kayne,

    The National Enquirer here... i'm interested in interiewing your animals that write. What are they currently working on? Do they have an agent? How do they feel about the emergence of e-publishing as a threat to the traditional print industry in today's media marketplace? How do they hold their books without opposable thumbs?

    And as for you, how did you come up with the idea for "Betraying the Prince?" I started it this morning and it ROCKS!!!

    Sincerely,
    Fiona Vance :-)

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  16. Yeah, my life is exactly like a romance novel. It's just that I've been stuck in the parts where the heroine faces trial after trial...for the past 40+ years. LOL!

    --Lisa
    http://authorlisalogan.blogspot.com

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  17. I have to tell you all, Fiona is another author who has a release today at Red Rose Publishing. She sent me an email exactly like she posted here, and I was flipping though my emails without looking who they were from. You all should have seen my face! I thought..."Oh, no! They found me!" lol Thanks for the laugh, Fiona!

    Hi Lisa! Nice to see you over here.:-) Isn't that life though? We see a short story with ups and down, throw some romance in, and at the end of the book, you get a happily ever after. Hon...your life book isn't finished, yet! ;-)

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  18. Hi Debra, Chiming in late, but wanted to wish you the best with your new release. The story sounds wonderful! I'm a big fan of princess stories :-) My husband is one of the not very romantic ones, but we've raised two kids and he's dependable, at least when the big sports games aren't on. Can't complain! All the best with your "Prince," Deb! And thanks, Ginger, for bringing us this entertaining interview!

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  19. Hi Debra,

    My life is more like chick lit. There's me as the quirky heroine, an amazing cast of characters and some 'oh no she didn't' romantic follies =giggle=

    This is first thing I've read this morning and now there's a smile on my face and hope in my heart (those chick lit novels end in love-of-my-life glory, right?)

    Debra, I can't tell you how much I enjoyed reading this post, the comments, and sharing in your story! High-five the hubs for me. He's very cool...and you, my friend are a star.

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  20. Hi Pat, thanks for stopping by. I have a thing for princess stories too, but they've got to be real women first. No hoity toity, afraid to get dirty types for me. ;-)

    Shirin- Yep, Chick Lit's have to end with a double rainbow! Thanks for the support, my friend. :-)

    Ginger-Thank you so much for having me over here. I've had a blast. Your followers are wonderful, and I felt right at home chatting with you all.

    Now, I'm going back over to my blog in a few moments, because I'm pushing aside the writing, the excitement over having a new book released and talking about something important in my life...cookie dough! Yep, raw cookie dough, do you eat it or not. (shh...it's eatable...trust me!)

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