Anytime a person puts words on paper for others to read, words to be devoured by thousands, then this person/writer is offered a huge opportunity to offer insights to the reader. As a writer, I like to think I provide my readers with something besides entertainment. It’s not as if I want to actually teach, or preach to my audience, but if I can add some bits of wisdom that my readers can pick up by osmosis, I believe it adds value to my work.
Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not as if I purposely come up with these consequential lessons to layer into my stories. Nope, they just happen. Sort of like little lessons happen in life. Most of the time, it’s not until after I finish a book that I even notice these bits of wisdom and their value that are peppered throughout my stories. But since they are there, it suddenly occurred to me that I should bank on them. Use them to tempt my readers to pick up a Christie Craig book. Because let’s face it, not only am I offering entertainment, but I’m offering education. And it’s painless, not like algebra or anything, you won’t even realize you’ve been educated.
So here goes. I’ve come up with five things that you’ll learn in Don’t Mess with Texas. And believe me when I tell you, there are many more life lessons to be found in this book.
- Never, ever feed a dog broccoli.
Poor Dallas O’Connor, my hero, learns this lesson during a very inopportune time. Think: first make-out session with the very hot and sexy Nikki Hunt. What’s even worse is that at first, Nikki blames Dallas for the obnoxious smell.
2. Don’t ever joke about killing your ex . . . especially in front of witnesses.
To be honest, Nikki wasn’t really even joking. But come on, she was just blowing off some steam. She couldn’t hurt anyone. The woman uses no-kill traps for the rats that think her art gallery is a haven. Needless to say, when you have two people willing to testify that you said you were going to kill your ex, and then his body is found in the trunk of your car, it doesn’t look good.
3. In the right situation, vomiting on someone can endear them to you.
Hey…it worked for Nikki. Seriously, when she lost her cookies all over the Dallas’s Reeboks, she was pretty certain he wouldn’t want to have anything to do with her. But when she went ahead and lost a second serving of cookies on his chest, she was surprised he didn’t belt her. But oh, no, that just made him more determined to prove her innocent. And right after he took a shower, he started working on that.
4. Bed bugs are nasty little creatures, but they can come in handy when trying to get someone to fall back in love with you.
Tony O’Connor, Dallas’s brother, and a secondary hero in Don’t Mess With Texas, has a problem. Nine months ago he and his wife had a serious and heartfelt life crisis. The pain of it broke their hearts and tore them apart. He wants her back. She says she wants a divorce. But Tony can’t give up that easy. If she’d just spend some time with him, he knows he could seduce her back into his life and bed. He needs a good reason why he must move back home with her and he needs one fast. And bed bugs just happen to be the first thing that pops in his head.
5. Love is fun and exhilarating and can make you laugh so hard you pee in your pants, but it can also make you feel as though a pit bull just used your heart as a chew toy.
I’m a firm believer that love should be fun. And when I’m having fun, I laugh. So I make sure that my characters’ journey into love involves a lot of laughter both for them and for my readers. Ahh, but like most good romance novels, there are always those scenes that yank on your heartstrings. And Don’t Mess With Texas will take you from laughter to possibly even a tear or two.
In all Christie Craig books you’ll find the motto that I, and my characters, live by. If you can laugh at it, you can live with it. Happy Reading. And now I’m going to ask you guys. What life lessons do you learn by reading romance novels?
[Ed. Christie is offering a giveaway today, prize to be announced – surprise! So leave a meaningful question or comment for her to be in the running!]
I agree that a sense of humor and the abiliity to laugh are so important. I think the bedbugs idea is brilliant since so many people are terrified of them.
Oh yeah, those bed bugs are scary little creatures. I’m a firm believer in laughter. Thanks so much for stopping in.
CC
Oh, love should definitely be fun. Laughter keeps you younger, healtheir and just plain happy to be around. A sense of humour is a trait I look for in characters, and in the people I surround myself with in real life. If I can read a story and laugh out loud, snort, or otherwise show some emotion, then that means I am connecting with the story.
Hi Na S,
Thanks for stopping in and I’m with you. Laughter is a must in this life. And I have tendency to hang around people with zany personalities who love to laugh. My hubby won me because of his sense of humor.
Thanks for stopping in.
CC
I love a fun read and the humor! When I do have those reads, I can’t help laughing out loud or even just giggling to me and there’s been many times in the evening I would end up reading parts to hubby or telling him you got to read this part, this part! He has a huge sense of humor too and I even remember the day we met in college and he had me laugh when I first met him. He told me too, to never complain about the too many books around. He says its just one life, have fun!
Cahhie,
Gotta love those guys with a sense of humor. Thanks so much for stopping in. Your hubby sounds great.
CC
I finished reading your book last night and laughed a lot. My brother has a Bull Dog named Penelope that has personality like Bud so Bud was endearing to me in the story. I also loved the grandmother and her crew.
Thanks for writing stories with such a great sense of humor.
Hello Christie,
I love stories with humor mixed in between the sheets. Your top 5 got me intrigued now so will be searching for your book. Love the cover – it insinuates playfullness!