Lynne Connolly, author of the newly released and very yummy Met by Chance (Samhain, 5 Feb 08), gives us two stories and two prizes! Isn’t she a grand cupid? So read on to learn more about Lynne’s views on lurve – the fictional kind and the real.
It’s all about the romance, baby!
At one point, I wrote under two pen names, worried that my readers might get confused. Duh. I needn’t have worried and I’m now back to good ol’ Lynne Connolly, my real name.
Because although I write about vampires, and I write about Georgian ladies and gentlemen, they have one thing in common: they all fall in love, at least they do in my books. I don’t do fated mates, I don’t do sex-instead-of-love, it’s all lurve.
So my vampires meet a mortal and fall crazy in love. What with vamps living for five hundred years and mortals living for around 80, they have a problem (because conversion can only be done at the expense of the vamp’s life). But they will learn to cope with it, and they will stay in love. That’s a promise.
Or a Georgian earl will meet and fall in love with a woman. But she’s a courtesan, from a different world, and she can’t enter his respectable world. They will cope with it, even if it means he’s ostracised from society. Promise.
Love can make problems as well as solve them, but my couples stay together because they choose to, not because they are biologically compelled. Not that I don’t enjoy the occasional fated mates story, just don’t write them, that’s all.
Love is…
Remember that old cartoon strip? It got on my nerves after a while, but at first it was cute.
Love comes in so many different ways. Mine wasn’t the instant ‘falling in love’ story, but it was most definitely the real thing.
We hooked up in college and because we couldn’t afford to marry, we didn’t. But ten years later we were still together. You know that thing about long-term romances not lasting? They lied. Ours did. We had our separate careers to pursue, so we got fast cars and commuted. For years.
Then I came to the end of a contract and we realised time was passing us by. So I decided I would give up work to have children and go back again when they were a bit older. Although if his contract had finished instead of mine, it might have been the other way about, and I would only have taken maternity leave. And we married, telling each other it was convenience and to legally safeguard our children without having to make complicated legal contracts.
But the childrens’ births meant I had to give up work for good, because the pregnancies made my arthritis worse and I couldn’t guarantee any employer would get a decent amount of work from me.
So I stayed at home. No way did he bargain for that. But he stayed, worked and looked after all of us.
That, to me, is love.
What kind of love do you like to read about? What kind of love do you live? Comment here and you could win an ebook download of both either Sunfire and the first Triple Countess book, Last Chance, My Love (or if the winner already has it, the next one in the series). 
Hmm, Lynne, that’s difficult.
I LOVE May December romances (though please not a hero who is 30 years older, gets a bit disturbing when he’s around 70!). However not the other way around, I know at the moment December – Mays are all the rage, but not for me.
I also do love me some plus sized heroines, but not the ones who are riddled with complexes. I would enjoy reading about a truly sensual and self-confident Ruben-esque woman.
In general I can say that I have a big weakness for slow paced, small town contemporaries with lots of character driven scenes and a slow build up of passion, but when they come together it’s most often (for me) more erotic than your average erotic rated novel.
What I would love to read about … I am mixing in a lot of favorites here: Turn of Century setting (imagine Elizabeth Peters style) a very dedicated couple that leads kind of a Bohemian life (as far as that’s possible in a monogamous relationship). Arts and silent movies, see voyages to different corners in the world, and for once in my life I would love to read a truly gripping love scene that happens in a bath tub. There’s so much potential and so far the best one happened in a contemporary Linda Howard novel (and it was a shower, too). The couple is truly committed to each other, but they do have their struggles to overcome. A strong hero who isn’t a bully and who exudes subtle “alphaness” instead of overblown CEO mentality. A likewise strong heroine who truly enjoys being a woman (including the frills) but also is a true companion and friend to her husband.
Ya know, this is getting very long but I need to add one last thing. I recently watched PS I LOVE YOU (again), absolutely adored it, and I started thinking that what a pity it is that there are so few truly nice alpha heroes in beta clothing. Men who don’t look back on a tortured past, men who aren’t damaged by some long ago female vamp. They enjoy life, they have a more interesting profession than being a CEO or security specialist and have an outgoing non threatening “air”. Stef Ann Holm does some very good examples of such heroes. They are really nice and adorable without loosing any sexiness, charisma or charm.
Ok, end of story 🙂
I am with you about a lasting kind of a love and that is the kind that I live. In books, it is what I imagine happening even when the ending is a happily for now sort.
Hi Lynne, well I like reading a myriad of stories, but I really enjoy the “friends to lovers” stories. I feel that when it happens, it really is love. Not some crazy lust we have to or we’re going to die thing. It’s real, lasting, and they’ve got a good relationship. =) Happy Valentine’s Day!
I read… pretty much any and all romances with the exception of inspirationals and most ‘secret baby’ stories. Nothing against them, just not my cuppa. As long as it well-written (obviously, a very subjective parameter) I enjoy all sorts of romances–action, suspense, sweet, erotic, paranormal *shrug*
But most definitely, the ones that I keep coming back to are the ones where the little things make me believe these two people are going to stick together for the long term. It doesn’t have to be the one big gesture (though sometimes those are nice too), but the many little things that say, “I love you, I pay attention, I know you.”
I live love each day. My hubby makes me laugh, treats me like a queen, showers me with tender respect, and raunchy humor, and is an absolute wonderful role model for our two sons. We compromise, laugh, love, and respect one another.
As for what I like to read, pretty much anything. Genre-wise, my faves are contemporary, romantic suspense, and historicals. Theme-wise, I love friends-to-lovers, military/law enforcement, married couples overcoming adversity, and almost anything in between.
I definitely want to believe that the HEA will last, and that this is a believable ending for the H/H.
I love paranormal romances. I understand about the long lasting love. My dh and I have been together 25 years. The first four years we lived at opposite ends of Florida and saw each other maybe 3 times a year. We got married after college, had babies and figured we would have a grand time growing old together. Then at 35 we found out that the lifesaving operation my dh had at 5 had given him hep C, a horrible disease. We are together and cherish each day as our kids get ready to start college and we hope for a cure before it is too late. If I had to do it again, I would in a heartbeat. I wouldn’t want to miss out on a day of this.
I like to read about romances far away from my daily life; historicals, paranormals, fantasy,time-travel, suspense…
It nothing wrong with my daily life, I have lived with a loving husband for over 30 years and he adores me and our two wonderful daughters, but when I grab a book I will dream away from struggles with health problems, bills and an old house…
LOVE the premise Woohoo Vamps and man am I digging the Lestat pic that was such a great movie!
I like shapeshifter, vampire, SciFi and gay erotica. Paranormal storylines also run right up there as my favourite style. But it is mainly the story content that I enjoy. I refuse to read rape scenes and have been known to stop reading a series or an author for that reason. I really enjoyed Thomas Keneally’s The Power of One but Tandia put me off ever reading anything further by him.
I love paranormal romances, but the best stories have strong females in them! I love dramatic passionate romances, but the stories have to be compelling and exciting in order to keep me interested.
I love paranormal romances. I wanted you to know that I loved Sunfire. I Reviewed read and reviewed it for FAR! The book is AWESOME and a keeper on my book shelf! Thank you so much for
writing it!!
I love to escape into the fantasy world of romance stories, all different genres and storylines, just depending on my mood. I might not believe in soul mates in reality, but love reading about them in romance books, love humor, and love conquers all is a favorite too.
The love I live is about kindness, compassion, humor and lots of shared memories of a great life that has given us two amazing sons.
I like to read abou love between two people that overcome an obstacle and find that they really like the other person. I like the hero to be surprised by the heroine-either in her assertiveness, her attitude, or her antics.
Lynne,
I have only read the excerpt from Sunfire but I am hooked! Very enjoyable. I look forward to more!
I might have discovered a tiny continuity error. Pedantic, but as one concerned with zippers and buttons it sprang out at me.
Best,
deb
sunfire is fantastic. I seriously need the updated one.
With me, I’ll enjoy just about anything (with exceptions due to writing of course)except mysteries. I love the ability to jump into different character’s lives and situations. Sometimes thats way over-the-top paranormals to the everyday problems to not so normal (hee hee)of contemporary to the trials and tribulations of the past and trips there. As long as the writing can keep me entertained I will devour the story.
I haven’t been lucky enough to be able to find the love of a significant other in my life just the wonderful love of my family and what I live through vicariously in the books I love to read.
I love romances. but it’s got to have a happy ending.
I read every thing from Lori Foster to Lora Leigh with Christine Feehan, Stephanie Laurens, and Shannon McKenna all being favorite authors. I suspect you would be a perfect fit. I would love to read one of your books.
A serious book-a-holic;
Sandie E.
I like to read about a nice romance between 2 people that can survive the differents events that test their relationship.
I like romances with a bit of drama to them where though the 2 characters have problems along the way they are faithful throughout their journey and end up happily committed to each other in the end.
Your article made me think of a lot of things. Hmm…I love obstacles to be overcome in a romance, maybe it’s trials, age, or unexpected events.
The love I like to read are the ones with happy endings.
Bath tub love scenes – oh yes, I’m with you there. I actually do quite a few of them, because I love me a deep bath with a few bubbles, and a hunky male waiting to bathe me!
Chris – the very best to you and your husband. I hope you get through that horrible illness to a fulfilling old age.
Linda – I’m with you on rape scenes. I’ve written two people who are raped, but in both cases it’s the real deal, the nasty violation it is in real life, and also in both cases I didn’t write the actual rape – there was no reason to do it, because I wanted to explore the consequences, not the act itself.
Everyone – thank you for your lovely comments about Sunfire. Icefire, Ryan’s story, is coming soon, but I haven’t had a release date yet. Moonfire, Jake’s story, is with EC and I’m waiting to see what they think. Gosh, you’ve given me food for thought! Very interesting and most of your comments go along with how I feel, too. A fulfilling story about a relationship that will last and enhance the lives of the people involved. Whichever genre I write, I always try to do that.
I like to read about love overcoming obstacles, real or imagined, to arrive at the HEA.
I believe in the fated kind of love and happily ever after. Me and my hubby met each other and just knew right away that we were meant to be together. We married a month to the day from when we met. We had 9 1/2 wonderful years together full of love and happy memories before he passed last October. Don’t think I’ll ever find what I had with him again.
I enjoy paranormal romances, but I like the may-december romances also, particularly older woman/younger man. I am unmarried, but… there is a certain someone in the office where I work who is about 10 years younger than I am, and I am pretty sure he’s waiting for me to say or do something to show interest so he can ask me out. At the moment, the romance of a novel is even a bit less suspenseful than that of my own life! (who knew that would ever happen, and I’m 39!!). Wish me luck, I’m very nervous about it…
I like all kinds but I enjoy paranormals best. I like something different partly because I’ve been reading regular romances since I was 12 so now 35 years later I’m still liking them. Everyone tells me you know how it will end but I say it’s the journey that’s interesting. How can one get tired of hearing someone say they love you. Also, I like the committed couples, ones who are not destracted by others. I really get upset when there is a stupid misunderstanding and they can’t get it cleared up quickly. Don’t be going off and marrying other people. And I lose interest in a story if it’s just sex; there has to be love involved too. I was married for 20 years before my husband passed away and we had a very good marriage. We did most things together and I thing that helps. If you have too many outside distractions or friends your relationship will suffer. He’s been gone for 8 years and I still have not met anyone that compares so I consider myself lucky to have one great relationship in my life.
I love most all kinds! Love to read! Keep up the great work!!!