tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063187048225909672024-03-17T20:03:28.417-07:00Writing for Woman's World MagazineInspiration, advice, and story analysis
for those who wish to sell romantic fiction to Woman's World MagazineKate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.comBlogger735125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-24065278358203603112024-02-10T18:17:00.000-08:002024-02-10T18:17:00.127-08:00Snow Men<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0sYG64SGnsI36Z5-EvwP-8L40mEwdUdz0h1u-JQTNUCG48wKHw4efMPkonqkRay-U91oOs0hRJTxyM-dnLg9NAVDzssPj6JG_VuR73hlL7bZ4_BG8m3SNPgLNJIgF8eABRCdSR0IJ6MUaJlqPvYK9JtYO7P6MCNJ-MfMCKrgtMsGAY2GTatXyZKfxwx0/s800/snow%20delete.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0sYG64SGnsI36Z5-EvwP-8L40mEwdUdz0h1u-JQTNUCG48wKHw4efMPkonqkRay-U91oOs0hRJTxyM-dnLg9NAVDzssPj6JG_VuR73hlL7bZ4_BG8m3SNPgLNJIgF8eABRCdSR0IJ6MUaJlqPvYK9JtYO7P6MCNJ-MfMCKrgtMsGAY2GTatXyZKfxwx0/s320/snow%20delete.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />by P.S. Murray from the January 29, 2024 issue<p></p><p><b>Tagline</b>: When Selina called a number on a flyer tucked under her windshield wiper, she never imagined that it would lead to a winter romance.</p><p><b>Observations</b>: This story had a lot of things I like to see in a Woman's World story, but it really focused hard on the hero. During the course of the story, we see Dane and all his good qualities.</p><p>He's shown to be a good uncle, helping his nephew out with his side gig. We see him complimenting the kid. We see his playfulness and humor in the snowball fight. At last, we see his unwillingness to do a good deed when he cuts down the dangerous branch on her tree. He's also a "tall good-looking man."</p><p>All of this gives us a chance to develop a crush on him along with the heroine, Selina, because Woman's World stories --indeed all romances--focus on escapism. Readers wnat to live vicariously through the story, experiencing the giddy feeling of falling in love or, in the case of Woman's World first meet stories, finding someone who just could be The One. Never lose sight of that when you're writing.</p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo credit: Via Flickr CC License, Nomadic Lana</span><p></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-79370353908878734072024-02-07T18:14:00.000-08:002024-02-07T18:14:41.149-08:00As Sweet as a Macaron<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdMy8NBHoGfsqb2TumQc-vDK7OOwPYNeEFlM9Zl07-hyKYxEdtYFeSo2bePv41OaGcGZVtNWM85C5s2nA1bpyjEH0T2WXlpHt10ndsXBGo-UDnhUWHgGG9terpHsAU_lvWmb7Kqt731D4k-Tn5zyNo9sRfs3KCd-nUR2KHic4RtwrjJbTeT-3qF-b-rA/s799/macaron.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="799" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdMy8NBHoGfsqb2TumQc-vDK7OOwPYNeEFlM9Zl07-hyKYxEdtYFeSo2bePv41OaGcGZVtNWM85C5s2nA1bpyjEH0T2WXlpHt10ndsXBGo-UDnhUWHgGG9terpHsAU_lvWmb7Kqt731D4k-Tn5zyNo9sRfs3KCd-nUR2KHic4RtwrjJbTeT-3qF-b-rA/s320/macaron.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />by Audrey Wick from the 1/22/24 issue=<p></p><p><b>Tagline</b>: When Rayna takes a French cooking class, she never expects to whip up romance...until she meets the handsome chef and sparks fly.</p><p><b>Observations</b>: This was a charming story. I love cooking and am a genuine foodie. I love watching cooking shows. <i>The Great British Baking Show</i> is a fave of mine. I imagine Ms. Wick likes macarons and perhaps even makes them. Or, if she's like me, she wants to try her hand at them one day. To be honest, I've even had daydreams of starting a macaron making side gig, selling at farmer's markets and online. Probably never gonna happen, but it's fun to daydream.</p><p>The thing is, you can take one of <i>your</i> daydreams, and turn it into a <i>Woman's World</i> story. I talk about this at length in my book, <i>Story Sparking: How to Generate Ideas for Woman's World Magazine 5-Minute Romances</i>. (If you're interested in buying the book, the link is down below.)</p><p>For instance, let's say you thought it might be fun to be a blackjack dealer. Maybe your heroine's friend owns a catering company or is a party planner. She needs someone to help her with a casino night and your heroine has played blackjack in the past with her late husband, so she knows the game. Her friend is desperate, so she volunteers to help. One of the guests has never played before so she teaches him some tips and tricks her late husband taught her. One thing leads to another and they make plans to see each other the next weekend.</p><p>Now, I have to tell you, I also used another story sparking idea in that story outline, above. Look at your own life. What is going on at this moment? At this moment, I'm at the Red Rock Resort outside of Las Vegas, so when I asked myself, what kind of kooky, out of the norm daydream/interest could I use as an example for this blog post? Blackjack dealer!</p><p>Try it yourself. Try either method--current events in your own life or a hobby or interest--and see if you can come up with a story plot. Do this often and it will get easier. The more you brainstorm story ideas, the better you'll get at them. </p><p>To buy <i>Story Sparking: How to Generate Ideas for Woman's World Magazine 5-Minute Romances,</i> <a href="https://amzn.to/49tgvM2" target="_blank">click here.</a></p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo credit: Takeshi Kuboki via Flickr Creative Commons License</span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-40302511038303463272024-01-29T12:42:00.000-08:002024-01-29T13:40:40.168-08:00Romance Ahoy!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBeep43_e9h8SkRkWoIkqBE3EJRsYxaDk2o5tsE6GQwfX97-uZfjmJd-ZXU_HbXjcJfmi0FOumsW0nqf6Gahlu-xB3YEpOaburygc3FTYgPen1vSajkOK0xMZL4E2XrxIrSsmNmDUxg_v7UxhurKanujxom1V0RHJMk3lDZ1gSK9LncYEHL23WxcXk_HM/s800/shrimp%20delete.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBeep43_e9h8SkRkWoIkqBE3EJRsYxaDk2o5tsE6GQwfX97-uZfjmJd-ZXU_HbXjcJfmi0FOumsW0nqf6Gahlu-xB3YEpOaburygc3FTYgPen1vSajkOK0xMZL4E2XrxIrSsmNmDUxg_v7UxhurKanujxom1V0RHJMk3lDZ1gSK9LncYEHL23WxcXk_HM/s320/shrimp%20delete.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />by Wendel J. Potter from the January 15, 2024 issue<p></p><p><b>Tagline</b>: When Miranda's friend invited her out to the local seafood restaurant, she never imagined she'd end up catching feelings for a new man.</p><p><b>Observations</b>: I liked this story. I like the meta aspect of the heroine being a budding romance author, even if I wondered if Miranda had a day-job, because graduating from college to be a romance novel writer is ambitious and risky. I identified strongly with her writer's block and the fact that she has a writer buddy to help her through the tough times. Also, Shrimp Boat Charlie's sounds like the kind of restaurant I want to go to.</p><p>However, other than Naomi saying at the beginning that she might be able to help Miranda figure out what the perfect man looks like, it wasn't crystal clear that this was matchmaker story. Miranda might have wondered if her friend Naomi might be interested in Charlie for herself, but she didn't. This is a very nit-picky point but I would like to have seen some other clue that Naomi meant for Charlie and Miranda to meet. Maybe Naomi could "suddenly remember" she had somewhere else to be. Or maybe Naomi could have been engaged.</p><p>Another small point--it's my nature to focus on the tiny details--Charlie would most likely not refer to his son's teacher by her first name.</p><p>But otherwise, great story!</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Yoppy via Flickr CC License</span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-56807615727072418882024-01-23T17:01:00.000-08:002024-01-23T17:01:42.139-08:00Love on Ice<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLLfImVsga-daV9yuwKAK8KvhCLMiAmtjPG9iAFuEmSKS0S179x1UXtSzqDrKa0MGEw08vygkttGxmmbkwvukVM6WBfK3b6AoHgPkIIwtERNNJjQFngNyJAOWQZ1Ed62ZZeLFPZaRUQfxFzEkn1BNXcA6POnjJq7dSMjBPWLk9Al1v8F19idRetlw5nY/s623/apple%20delete.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="623" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLLfImVsga-daV9yuwKAK8KvhCLMiAmtjPG9iAFuEmSKS0S179x1UXtSzqDrKa0MGEw08vygkttGxmmbkwvukVM6WBfK3b6AoHgPkIIwtERNNJjQFngNyJAOWQZ1Ed62ZZeLFPZaRUQfxFzEkn1BNXcA6POnjJq7dSMjBPWLk9Al1v8F19idRetlw5nY/s320/apple%20delete.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />by Rosemary Hayes from the January 8, 2024 issue<p></p><p>Tagline: When Jacqui had to help cover a shift at the cafe, she never imagined that her heart would be warmed with love on such a chilly day.</p><p>Observations: I adored this story! The more I read, the more things I found to love about it.</p><p>I loved the heroine's go-to attitude... <i>I wasn't going to let a little snow stop me. Sara couldn't do her shift at the cafe today and Alex would need help.</i></p><p><i>"...this cafe used to be my uncle's DVD rental store a long time ago."</i> -- Ah, the memories! I remember Blockbuster used to be a regular stop on my errands. That is, until I discovered Netflix would deliver to my mailbox. Gamechanger. I should have invested right then and there.</p><p><i>"Flat white?"</i></p><p><i>"How did you guess?"</i></p><p><i>"My hidden talent."</i></p><p>This reminds me of that movie <i>Chocolat</i>, where Viv's special talent is know which chocolate is someone's favorite.</p><p>I was quite surprised she was the boss. It's very rare for someone to get a plot twist in without me seeing it in advance. This was so nice!</p><p><i>It was like a scene from a movie. I gazed at him, he gazed at me. Sparks flew. --</i> Note the short sentences. Great choice. Moves us along their emotional arcs at a snappy pace.</p><p>Hayes calls back to the hidden talent comment, which is always nice. It's like an inside joke for the readers to enjoy too.</p><p>I also like how he brought photos for her to see. She would definitely love to see what her cafe looked like before she took over, not to mention the fact that it brings them a bit closer together.</p><p>I thought the ending was perfect. It even gave me chills. Excellent.</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Bill McChesney via Flickr Creative Commons License</span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-68659075029332305432024-01-17T17:34:00.000-08:002024-01-17T17:34:48.507-08:00Serving up Romance<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAihMvC6HSQKuEMMUxUPIN3tJC4SE5E5iNwFhBHGSfX7rMCpXtRHlGmMBWaSlSGxkGSchv21qNlxDfHgE_FLpAdvGuJlRlFHB4V1MC9dBGcdAImzf-_SQbXYQ8XcEg3uuwRHjNoysm_b5pyA_vQPl4qwAUIupEbDLrrWeI6YFgD3yeZp0vrB2ppUyG4o/s800/new%20years%20delete.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAihMvC6HSQKuEMMUxUPIN3tJC4SE5E5iNwFhBHGSfX7rMCpXtRHlGmMBWaSlSGxkGSchv21qNlxDfHgE_FLpAdvGuJlRlFHB4V1MC9dBGcdAImzf-_SQbXYQ8XcEg3uuwRHjNoysm_b5pyA_vQPl4qwAUIupEbDLrrWeI6YFgD3yeZp0vrB2ppUyG4o/s320/new%20years%20delete.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />by Christine Greifzu from the January 1, 2024 issue<p></p><p><b>Tagline</b>: When Jessa's sister asked her to help with her catering company on New Year's Eve, she never guessed what might be in store at midnight.</p><p><b>Off the Cuff Observations</b>: So we start off with a paragraph of information to ground us in the time, the date, the situation/problem. Greifzu does a good job of including some of the info in dialogue which can be difficult to make sound natural, not stilted.</p><p>Aww, her boyfriend dumped her three weeks before Christmas. Here is where we feel for the heroine and connect with her. On a side note, I hope she hadn't bought him a present!</p><p><i>When he got closer, she gazed into the bluest eyes she could ever recall seeing. -- </i>It's funny...I never notice eye color. Ever. I know, I'm weird.</p><p><i>Cody checked in on Jessa every so often to see if she needed help.</i> -- What a nice guy!</p><p><i>After their first date a few days later, Jessa knew it had been worth the wait. She and Cody had incredible chemistry, and he turned out to be an amazing kisser. The New Year was going to be </i>magnifique. -- I like this epilogue-ish type ending. I liked the call back to the kiss that never happened and the reference to her being a French teacher. It's little details like this that make a story nice and tight and connected.</p><p><br /></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-34832922533075362962024-01-06T16:44:00.000-08:002024-01-06T16:44:27.404-08:00Black Friday Tussle<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_Ii2gofvVH2EyTl3674MezQm6cLh3rr1CO9GNq4TiZ2RxrRiTwc6pXR497zkPSCBMYu6yJZUAxIehgkJCNBE-nh6mmtWanTOOA8XpyCe7WR2rg7Ah2MAWNa7vjJaOiVW04uaRiEH0pSZegOR1Oy7GJkryYrHSKpPRKNm3uJYbNFCy6NVI3cLsQGdRWw/s799/pumpkin%20delete.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_Ii2gofvVH2EyTl3674MezQm6cLh3rr1CO9GNq4TiZ2RxrRiTwc6pXR497zkPSCBMYu6yJZUAxIehgkJCNBE-nh6mmtWanTOOA8XpyCe7WR2rg7Ah2MAWNa7vjJaOiVW04uaRiEH0pSZegOR1Oy7GJkryYrHSKpPRKNm3uJYbNFCy6NVI3cLsQGdRWw/s320/pumpkin%20delete.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />by Melinda Cherry from the November 27, 2023 issue<p></p><p><b>Tagline</b>: A heartbroken Dana found herself injured amid Black Friday chaos, but she was in for a surprise when she later stumbled upon true love.</p><p><b>Observations</b>: I clearly need a better organizational system. I keep finding my <i>Woman's Worlds</i> out of order! My apologies for this Black Friday story analysis coming so late.</p><p>I can't recall ever reading a Black Friday <i>Woman's World</i> story before, so that's refreshingly new. I was surprised to see the extent of the heroine's injuries and that she went to the ER. I think in the past, <i>Woman's World</i> shied away from too much drama or danger, but the new editors are more open to expanding the magazine's range a tad.</p><p>This story hit a lot of emotional buttons. Obviously, there was a sense of wistfulness about missing her beloved late husband. We were warmed by how her family rallied around her in her time of need. I had some personal experience with that myself right before Christmas. I went into the hospital with a big kidney stone problem along with a bacterial infection that spread to my blood. During my six-day stay, my family were there, bringing me things from home, including yummy things to eat, keeping me company, and in the case of my sister, giving me a full body massage. I'm a very lucky woman, as is Dana, the heroine of the story.</p><p>The last emotion this story highlighted was hope. The security guard proves that he would fit right into Dana's family as a caring and thoughtful man.</p><p>Well done, Ms. Cherry!</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by browniesfordinner via the Flickr Creative Commons License</span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-32491353632131839822023-12-30T09:24:00.000-08:002023-12-30T09:24:19.991-08:00Mother Nature's Christmas Gift<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPenYp8GLvOAMopEQ2myfLxVPHp-5BUENR5dyNY27Zp7eKEAiytf-kDpuUaD4ohbNejp0s_2nVLPLZOq67o9puawDxMRO8_I35r_YD0DGZWWXhYd_bMgvdk2FhZrqd0kr_ZbBuRgWMI8T1wHSLNU_zxH50kGzUF8GhyU-cu1NSGF4PqXtiX7YtcH1mbc/s800/airport%20delete.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPenYp8GLvOAMopEQ2myfLxVPHp-5BUENR5dyNY27Zp7eKEAiytf-kDpuUaD4ohbNejp0s_2nVLPLZOq67o9puawDxMRO8_I35r_YD0DGZWWXhYd_bMgvdk2FhZrqd0kr_ZbBuRgWMI8T1wHSLNU_zxH50kGzUF8GhyU-cu1NSGF4PqXtiX7YtcH1mbc/s320/airport%20delete.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />by Rose Ross Zediker from the December 11, 2023 issue<p></p><p><b>Tagline</b>: When the weather delayed Gabby's flight and made her miss a Christmas party, she soon met a handsome stranger who turned the delay into a sweet miracle.</p><p><b>Observations</b>: This was a lovely story. I always worry when the story is set in an airport, because the chances the hero and heroine will live in the same city are very low.</p><p>If you're familiar at all with <i>Woman's World</i> romances, you will have right away recognized that the handsome stranger she meets in the airport is, in fact, the man she was being set up with. In a novel, you might not want a plot twist to be so obvious. That's why they call them twists, right? Usually the intention is that the reader is blindsided with new information that completely changes the story. And I have seen many a <i>Woman's World</i> story that surprised me with a plot twist I never saw coming.</p><p>However, in an 800-word matchmaker story, it's pretty near impossible for the readers not to guess who's going to fall in love. But the great thing is it doesn't matter. Yes, I knew he was The Intended One the minute he appeared, but the fun of these kinds of stories is seeing the characters themselves discover the plot twist. Tension and anticipation builds in the reader... <i>When will they figure it out? Who will figure it out first? How?</i> Then, when they finally see the light, the reader is delighted right along with them.</p><p>So, don't worry about your plot twists being obvious. If you can make it a true twist and surprise everyone, more power to you, but if you can't, know that in a <i>Woman's World</i> story, it can still work.</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Syuzo Tsushima via Flickr Creative Commons License </span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-13789819013200193622023-12-28T08:12:00.000-08:002023-12-28T08:12:17.178-08:00Pick Three For Love by Vicki Cox<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNOsLLHc-1fv9qBqA9n8i0MZralhUoaHwkn288IJ2LG6gjek7XzdinXLkbMt-9NlYIWxhqmK9m_26YtLJG0gC1D998F_fgCO020k-T1aU__Wninvj7hS3R105T-94Kz4u3HPAVRd3_n-9Sb_obVXAfShBmP2IBGpvy8Jhdj5HOJGXCtGIgTIZYifyGG8/s799/clothes%20delete.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNOsLLHc-1fv9qBqA9n8i0MZralhUoaHwkn288IJ2LG6gjek7XzdinXLkbMt-9NlYIWxhqmK9m_26YtLJG0gC1D998F_fgCO020k-T1aU__Wninvj7hS3R105T-94Kz4u3HPAVRd3_n-9Sb_obVXAfShBmP2IBGpvy8Jhdj5HOJGXCtGIgTIZYifyGG8/s320/clothes%20delete.jpeg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br />Tagline</b>: When Andrea Jenkins went shopping for a dress to wear to a wedding, she never expected that while on her hunt, she'd also find true love.<p></p><p><b>Observations</b>: First of all, I love the hero's logical plan for helping his sister shop for clothes. That's a smart man, indeed. </p><p>I like how he offers to fasten the necklace around her neck. It's usually a pretty intimate thing for a stranger to do, but there's a spark here and she was having trouble. This was a clever way of advancing their relationship. </p><p>I loved how he asked to accompany her to the wedding...</p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">"If you arrived on the arm of a handsome man and danced with him throughout the evening, those questions should disappear. I have not one, but two arms and am a handsome man," he said, his grey eyes twinkling.</span></p><p>The ending, calling back to his shopping assistant methods, was adorable.</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Artem Beliaikin via Flickr Creative Commons License</span></p><p><br /></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-92180645644078739182023-12-09T17:37:00.000-08:002023-12-09T17:37:00.253-08:00A Festive Feast<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5yA0HyChAgnfmQWk7uj7xKY6Gbz7faD1o4ze5pqMay13t2HXmdBheqa9-WQS6nE4W2DCVdZJAOfA7hrsXhcv-eLGA-wXHeTq7SNC4zgaUa0S48yQo534mh13JXIWSNgyFaNZ7IQMh27k5NYMGYQUMLIRxT7hxElrIivtjQaUCB2VgroA95ivCnDVuOsY/s800/turkey%20delete.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5yA0HyChAgnfmQWk7uj7xKY6Gbz7faD1o4ze5pqMay13t2HXmdBheqa9-WQS6nE4W2DCVdZJAOfA7hrsXhcv-eLGA-wXHeTq7SNC4zgaUa0S48yQo534mh13JXIWSNgyFaNZ7IQMh27k5NYMGYQUMLIRxT7hxElrIivtjQaUCB2VgroA95ivCnDVuOsY/s320/turkey%20delete.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> by Veda Boyd Jones from the November 20, 2023 issue<p></p><p><b>Tagline</b>: Mindy neer thought that her trip to the store to buy a frozen turkey dinner for one on Thanksgiving might lead to happily ever after for two.</p><p><b>Off the Cuff Observations</b>: Even before I start the story, I'm feeling for Mindy, who seems to be alone on Thanksgiving.</p><p>Their banter, Sherlock Holmes-style is adorable.</p><p>Okay, she's alone by choice. I <i>totally</i> get that. We are always hosting Thanksgiving and my house is noisy and crowded and I'm usually so relieved when everyone goes home. I'm now actually envious of Mindy!</p><p>This was an adorable story of two people who were alone by choice on Thanksgiving and decided they're rather have company after all. Loved it.</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Steve Johnson via Flickr Creative Commons License</span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-51566775688223663122023-12-07T17:13:00.000-08:002023-12-07T17:28:56.748-08:00A Sweet Deal<p> by Marti Attoun from the, yes, September 18, 2023 issue</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCEDhZ_vmI1wV1jKAX1JgN09WD7CWk0nB7Yt86DvL8xQeHgoMk86EgHNc0p49Y_xzborM56eaoND4KCrUVKxJ2N5S9Z_gCC9UoomkC0jZTeVtlH4wj231abe-Kj0oNqPanQ3E0nQq7O5lK3aI9LHJs9VYhBZK9WDMV50ZUuJS9MZlYn_81tEc9Usn54cc/s799/bench%20delete.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="799" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCEDhZ_vmI1wV1jKAX1JgN09WD7CWk0nB7Yt86DvL8xQeHgoMk86EgHNc0p49Y_xzborM56eaoND4KCrUVKxJ2N5S9Z_gCC9UoomkC0jZTeVtlH4wj231abe-Kj0oNqPanQ3E0nQq7O5lK3aI9LHJs9VYhBZK9WDMV50ZUuJS9MZlYn_81tEc9Usn54cc/s320/bench%20delete.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b>Tagline</b>: When Caroline borrows her brother's dirty truck to haul furniture, she's in for a handsome surprise at the car wash.<p></p><p><b>Stream of Consciousness Observations</b>: I found a <i>Woman's World</i> from <i>September</i> tucked in a pile of crap on my desk. UGH! Needless to say, I'm very behind in analyzing these two stories. Here are my off-the-cuff comments and observations on the first story by one of my favorite WW authors, Marti Attoun.</p><p><i>furry french fries - </i>I've found petrified french fries in my car before. Usually they're rock hard. I think my dog ate one once before I could take it from him. LOL</p><p><i>fling the fossilized pizza - </i>LOLOLOL I love the alliteration. I am delighting in the awkward moment of the heroine being caught with a very dirty car interior.</p><p><i>slapdash ponytail</i> - I love her word choices.</p><p>There's a paragraph of telling-not-showing which I think is a useful tool with Woman's World stories. You want to show the couple connecting and at times, the easiest way is to summarize all the things they talked about.</p><p><i>She shivered at the sound of her name on his lips. - </i>Love it. I love seeing fresh ways of showing the physical attraction between the characters. </p><p><i>She'd forgotten this surprising, joyful feeling when you're standing on the brink of something wonderful about to happen. - </i>Haven't we all felt this? This is a great moment when the reader can identify with the character in the story and live vicariously through them, which is kind of the whole point of these romantic tales.</p><p><i>And when they had their first date on that same restored bench weeks later...</i> - Okay, the whole story was fantastic until I got to this part. I am assuming they reenacted her grandparents' cheese sandwich and gingersnap picnic on the bench, but that wasn't made clear. Did something get edited out? </p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by David via the Flickr Creative Commons License</span><br /></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-71401880356618661822023-11-29T11:38:00.000-08:002023-11-29T11:38:00.140-08:00A Thanksgiving Surprise<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkKVZqodIsUAyKfAkkalVLHHrTOghF9grMopkW8jl8Yq8VWb0ZLxeW14-2qV-4XtAVlFGHqu8IdcBYo-pF9qngDNf9S4Q-r666NMa7VDTVVo8Rkmusktnt19jgAZhkuyT3Ak0bM2y8OFTSJN_a-flqrx6exr-rUS9NXa4beFcrfKuHykig6ndVR-FisQ/s800/pie%20delete.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkKVZqodIsUAyKfAkkalVLHHrTOghF9grMopkW8jl8Yq8VWb0ZLxeW14-2qV-4XtAVlFGHqu8IdcBYo-pF9qngDNf9S4Q-r666NMa7VDTVVo8Rkmusktnt19jgAZhkuyT3Ak0bM2y8OFTSJN_a-flqrx6exr-rUS9NXa4beFcrfKuHykig6ndVR-FisQ/s320/pie%20delete.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br />by Marcella Robinson from the November 13, 2023 issue<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Tagline</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">When sparks started flying between two longtime friends, Moira and Seth soon came to realize they would always be thankful for each other.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Observations</b></p><p>This was charming. I loved Moira's confidence. Robinson clearly showed their relationship and how easy their interactions were. The horse joke in particular shows how they share laughter together and he's not above being teased. I also think it's heartening to see two divorced people get a second chance. </p><p>I've often wondered why there aren't more proposal stories in <i>Woman's World</i>. Maybe writers aren't submitting them. After all, you can't publish something that hasn't been submitted! </p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Tomatoes and Friends via Flickr Creative Commons License</span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-65085383671342447682023-11-25T07:59:00.000-08:002023-11-25T11:37:52.661-08:00A Surprise Invitation<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfklDcA5QUOZvdk7EUcvTT7yOBKXK61vf6baC878-hATP_IdBoq8bBHUzqNOMvqd_5eo6qU59vcVGByooQfUPU8WDZX0clw4uFHqjE6P9a98BkNQoiZU1iZ0dBjCjqjuhcSlmmMiEHL3J5wRcHFez11oe8ITJzbwpXccIRkSvjXEBPnmIRrfFt2L53gpY/s799/forest%20delete.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfklDcA5QUOZvdk7EUcvTT7yOBKXK61vf6baC878-hATP_IdBoq8bBHUzqNOMvqd_5eo6qU59vcVGByooQfUPU8WDZX0clw4uFHqjE6P9a98BkNQoiZU1iZ0dBjCjqjuhcSlmmMiEHL3J5wRcHFez11oe8ITJzbwpXccIRkSvjXEBPnmIRrfFt2L53gpY/s320/forest%20delete.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />by Chris Maday Schmidt from the November 6, 2023 issue<p></p><p><b>Tagline</b>: When her friends set her up, Maggie didn't expect to meet with the handsome clerk from the farmers market...or for it to become true love.</p><p><b>Stream of Consciousness Observations</b>:</p><p><i>"I tuck a chin-length silver lock behind my ear..." -- </i>She's an older heroine. :) She's also a female. It's nice to have the gender of the main character identified right off the bat.</p><p>And she's getting set up for a blind date. Fun! I haven't read one of these for a while.</p><p><i>"I step off the covered deck where I'm surrounded by juniper, pines and oak tress adorned in autumn yellow beneath an evening sky streaked with orange." </i>-- Oh, what a lovely description of the setting.</p><p><i>"The twinkle in his gray eyes calms my racing heart, but my pulse skips a beat when his fingers clasp my upper arms."</i> -- Here is the physical attraction, nicely done. </p><p><i>"Surely he must think I'm experiencing a midlife moment in the center of of the cul-de-sac."</i> -- LOLOLOLOL!</p><p><i>"He brushes that same silver lock from my cheek and my skin tingles at his touch."</i> -- Schmidt is really pouring on the physical reactions. This is the sixth instance of some sort of reaction from Maggie and I seem to remember <i>Woman's World</i> liking a lot of that. which is why, for a while, every story had hearts leaping, soaring, dancing, twirling, etc. </p><p>"So what's say we skip the whole awkward blind date thing and catch dinner at the lodge down the road?" -- Oh, golly, this seems rude to me. The neighbors have prepared a meal for them. I see later in the story that Schmidt shows Maggie growing as a character when she asks him to share her casserole at her own home, so I understand why she chose to have them decline dinner at the neighbor's. Okay, wait a second. I just thought of something. Maybe, once the neighbors see that their "evil plan" has worked, they might not mind.</p><p>Cute story! And a great example of an evergreen story too. Evergreen stories are stories that can be slotted in at anytime during the year. Sure, there is a mention of pumpkin bread and autumn yellow, but those tiny details could be easily changed. Keep in mind that evergreen stories are valuable to the editors because of their flexibility. </p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Judy Dean via Flickr Creative Commons License</span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-62327212069013906202023-11-21T07:53:00.000-08:002023-11-21T07:53:14.204-08:00Vision of Love<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2jlCKaMjftiTfHhyphenhyphendIEARMH0HadUddTgdfv2qXd_RSTsR6jkPKW6k_YKGbaxKCJBMpH9JUfOxFmmZ1FbtyXsUkWeT3AqRHC7QLBu_8CoKzfQw8SFrFMvMP7ajHxud81FW6dv1gSx_B_ZFBvAkYSI_xZaZ5dLMh0VKBuVrqkivU96LMBRWuA4S4dpmO2w/s640/crystal%20ball%20delete.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2jlCKaMjftiTfHhyphenhyphendIEARMH0HadUddTgdfv2qXd_RSTsR6jkPKW6k_YKGbaxKCJBMpH9JUfOxFmmZ1FbtyXsUkWeT3AqRHC7QLBu_8CoKzfQw8SFrFMvMP7ajHxud81FW6dv1gSx_B_ZFBvAkYSI_xZaZ5dLMh0VKBuVrqkivU96LMBRWuA4S4dpmO2w/s320/crystal%20ball%20delete.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br />by Anna Kittrell fromt he October 30, 2023 issue<p></p><p><b>Tagline</b>: When Ally took on the job as a fortune teller at a local Halloween festival, the true love sh found was something she never could've predicted.</p><p><b>Observations</b>: I wanted to touch on Ally's character arc. She is acting as a fortune teller at the Halloween festival to raise money for a recreational center for local youth. But in comes an old flame from high school, whom she dumped because an uperclassman asked her to prom. She's mortified when he asks for a palm reading. She offers a look into the crystal ball instead. He doesn't let her get away with that. He puts a fifty in her donation jar which pretty much forces her to do the palm reading. </p><p>She's scared. She's embarrassed about what happened all those years ago. But she ends up apologizing for her actions. And then she gets the guy! It's never a bad idea to show one or both of your main characters growing and changing in some way. In fact, this could be a good way to spark a story idea. Think of a mistake the character has made and in the course of the story show him/her learning from it or finding redemption, like Ally did.</p><p>If you're interested in finding out more ways to get ideas for stories, check out my book on the subject, <a href="https://amzn.to/3GbfgVl" target="_blank">Story Sparking: How to Generate Ideas for Woman's World 5-Minute Romances.</a> It's available as an ebook and in print.</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by PunkToad via Flickr Creative Commons License</span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-19360398220988964742023-11-15T11:22:00.001-08:002023-11-21T07:53:36.318-08:00Halloween Serendipity<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFHW2WA3lcgtFMDV-ojImWBqSSXsSumD1mf6IwhN_eVPuAbtLuNRndtK3DdXwGmnZo9rYIVR1gQTINzegU1ZcXR1XLtmmlwnamM1hgRnpmyhlB2KkqeFsYPqUaY8vuqZp4IjjJkpbWLIcWZfdPchGNlm4rhHwbB4ph7I_huZG-DXwa9D3kS4Sh_Boum68/s800/tin%20roof%20delete.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFHW2WA3lcgtFMDV-ojImWBqSSXsSumD1mf6IwhN_eVPuAbtLuNRndtK3DdXwGmnZo9rYIVR1gQTINzegU1ZcXR1XLtmmlwnamM1hgRnpmyhlB2KkqeFsYPqUaY8vuqZp4IjjJkpbWLIcWZfdPchGNlm4rhHwbB4ph7I_huZG-DXwa9D3kS4Sh_Boum68/s320/tin%20roof%20delete.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />by Ann Llewellyn King from the October 23, 2023 issue<p></p><p><b>Tagline</b>: With the help of some very unique matchmakers, Neal and Savannah stumble upon a chance for romance...and an otherworldly connection.</p><p><b>Observations</b>: I really should have caught on earlier that Martha and Howard were ghosts because of the tagline, but I didn't and was just hopelessly confused as I read this. I think this just isn't my type of story. Even after reading it a second time, knowing they were ghosts, it felt disjointed. Your mileage may vary.</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by dutchmasterdutchie via Flickr Creative Commons License</span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-29295511551954743972023-11-11T11:15:00.001-08:002023-11-11T11:40:13.577-08:00The Apple of Her Eye<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichbBIN4cHdOwn_9mwI1rw0fwhfdKlp_BaQ39XbCLxg5Xdk2uH9pM8LoXA5O-2OrqMz0FGokND_5qgb0Ky1SKByPdprtJDDV8vqiCdMxPfdbBOEOXbYrV-X16j4RJkzXpdsFbH1BbG1wlijXvFLCBMqyc5K_P91c2a4ybs3gF9WbaaeOGaoBxA41_mvgU/s800/apples%20delete.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichbBIN4cHdOwn_9mwI1rw0fwhfdKlp_BaQ39XbCLxg5Xdk2uH9pM8LoXA5O-2OrqMz0FGokND_5qgb0Ky1SKByPdprtJDDV8vqiCdMxPfdbBOEOXbYrV-X16j4RJkzXpdsFbH1BbG1wlijXvFLCBMqyc5K_P91c2a4ybs3gF9WbaaeOGaoBxA41_mvgU/s320/apples%20delete.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />by T.R. McClure from the October 9, 2023 issue<p></p><p><b>Tagline</b>: Grandma Rose had a craving for apple butter, but Rosemary never imagined her hunt to please her grandmother could lead ot a meant-to-be love.</p><p><b>Stream of Consciousness Observations</b>: </p><p>I love how grandma makes the rounds, staying with different family members! What a great idea!</p><p>Oh, I love roadside fruit stands, especially the ones in Hawaii! I discovered apple bananas at one of them. If you've never had an apple banana, you must try them. The roadside ones are better than the ones in the grocery store.</p><p><i>The cute guy behind the counter smiled.</i> -- Ah, I'm finally finding out the narrator is a woman. If you're writing in the first person point of view, it's a good idea to let your reader know as soon as you can if it's a man or a woman. In this story, it could have been back when Grandma Rose said "Thanks, honey." She could have said, "Thanks, Rosemary."</p><p><i>Windblown hair</i> -- love that.</p><p><i>Flirtatious farmer</i> -- love that alliteration!</p><p><i>"You don't know what you're missing." -- </i>We have the second mention of this saying. There should be a third one at the end of the story to adhere to the loose rule of three.</p><p>I like that her name is a combo of both her grandmothers' names.</p><p>Well, we actually got two more mentions of "You don't know what you're missing," so a bonus!</p><p>He takes her hand. Hm. I know this is a common occurrence in Woman's World stories, but to me, this seems like too intimate a gesture for the situation. If a farmstand guy reached for my hand, even if he was cute, I'd think it was a little weird.</p><p><i>My grandfather raised dairy cows until we expanded the orchard.</i> -- OH! This is the farm where Grandma Rose played with her friend! </p><p>Oh, this is a tiny mistake...he said Gram had finished the batch of apple butter, but when they go into the house, it's bubbling on the stove.</p><p>It's the same picture! Oh, that's excellent. I didn't see that coming. I thought she'd find out through conversation or meeting the grandma whose name is Olivia.</p><p>Fantastic story!</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Jennifer Boyer via Flickr Creative Commons License</span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-23924807254697376742023-10-19T13:21:00.001-07:002023-10-19T13:21:00.151-07:00A Latte of Possibilities<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrYYgMJNXtujJ9-2BoNMp2mfDVxt0jDFshyphenhyphen7TOumr_2UAxmgfmHrrWYOLS-1tAMUFqD9IR0N74YG2gNcyRVZei7JbIySA2pL3W-Zzv3KtPYtVw1LW7bi9JMJY_ABSgP1QQ3bDi4tUSiChwmyFzhmO3MmbtplrAWriXJ9zHKvIHSF6lJEUYIFrR66SNXdw/s800/latte.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrYYgMJNXtujJ9-2BoNMp2mfDVxt0jDFshyphenhyphen7TOumr_2UAxmgfmHrrWYOLS-1tAMUFqD9IR0N74YG2gNcyRVZei7JbIySA2pL3W-Zzv3KtPYtVw1LW7bi9JMJY_ABSgP1QQ3bDi4tUSiChwmyFzhmO3MmbtplrAWriXJ9zHKvIHSF6lJEUYIFrR66SNXdw/s320/latte.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />by Rochelle Banks from the October 2, 2023 issue<p></p><p><b>Tagline</b>: As Ashley stepped into the coffee shop to meet an online date, she never could have imagined she'd find true love with a totally different man.</p><p><b>Observations</b>: First of all, I loved the punny title! Being a barista myself, I could identify with the setting of this story, even if pumpkin spice lattes are not my go-to drink.</p><p>I haven't seen a blind date story in a while so this was refreshing. The bad date was kind of funny. The guy was painfully awkward. and although the single man being a mama's boy was meant to be a negative, I'm at the age where my mother really does need me sometimes and seeing a man being devoted to her isn't necessarily a negative. </p><p>That being said, Ashley made the right choice. Brent was definitely more date worthy.</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Lorraine C via the Flickr Creative Commons License</span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-55442095993911373402023-10-16T13:14:00.001-07:002023-10-16T13:14:28.372-07:00Love as Sweet as Honey<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZ4wKScDd29Uc0dzf_1fpUK4BQWh2xxCu9cltTQVkgEsYv9XBj_ZSBuyabX6gjmc96LnJ2uZCNkMvgh1Z-57YZymO6VVROseAuXzd4nt6rRhlY8VzELHUcvxwGzDnarElj0GMGoJKYN9JpHtLzMA8eZk5BFIrCQBfwbJPNpdRUnrapmgicAlV9yVdhNY/s799/honey%20delete.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZ4wKScDd29Uc0dzf_1fpUK4BQWh2xxCu9cltTQVkgEsYv9XBj_ZSBuyabX6gjmc96LnJ2uZCNkMvgh1Z-57YZymO6VVROseAuXzd4nt6rRhlY8VzELHUcvxwGzDnarElj0GMGoJKYN9JpHtLzMA8eZk5BFIrCQBfwbJPNpdRUnrapmgicAlV9yVdhNY/s320/honey%20delete.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />by Chris Maday Schmidt from the August 28, 2023 issue<p></p><p><b>Tagline</b>: Honey Lambert's life is full of all work and no play...until a handsome stranger sits down next to her and fills her world with new possibilities</p><p><b>Observations</b>: First of all, sorry about the late analysis of this story. I don't know where this issue was hiding, but I just now found it.</p><p>I usually love Schmidt's stories, but I feel she missed two opportunities to ground the reader in the setting.</p><p>Honey Lambert owns the Honey Stand. We don't get any description of the Honey Stand, so my brain provided me with an image of a side-of-the-road honey stand. Later, near the end of the story, we find out that the Honey Stand has a back room and a shop floor, which suggests it's in an actual building. This came as a bit of a surprise, causing me to revise what I'd been picturing in my head. Any time this happens to a reader, they're pulled out of the narrative which is something you want to avoid if possible. </p><p>After getting ice cream from the ice cream truck, Honey sits at a table with a massive umbrella. Usually ice cream trucks are mobile, so it's a little coincidental that there happens to be a table there. Also, all the ice cream trucks I've ever encountered sell pre-packaged treats like Big Sticks and Push-Ups, not scoops of ice cream or sundaes.</p><p>Unless, and this is probably the case, in this story it's a food truck ice cream truck, the kind of food truck that is parked in a semi-permanent location. If this is the case, I want this to be clear so I can really picture the scene and so I can be jealous of the heroine because who wouldn't want to be in front of a food truck specializing in ice cream?</p><p>Your experience of the story might have differed, and obviously the things I mentioned didn't bother the editors, but regardless, clearly establishing your setting is always a good idea.</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Ben Phillips via the Flickr Creative Commons License</span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-21484993953627288622023-09-29T15:10:00.000-07:002023-09-29T15:10:05.534-07:00Labor of the Heart<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZ_EnjbP5XzpZHW-wUiBsRi0GFHf0IbaoOejzYTqDPOqF1_EkXGPiBDPBvwLg9Z3klf5Ja_cfbMI93rZ5PlLrMh_DMXyBMcpf73g-BipYNmZaKtVa1mqTprWOpTg1tWK5JZXsJqBE7Bdq9Q7MawxFNad6YnBiJmvXsO4zuSWia-gcIip9ebHqT0zf4eU/s799/sandcastle%20delete.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZ_EnjbP5XzpZHW-wUiBsRi0GFHf0IbaoOejzYTqDPOqF1_EkXGPiBDPBvwLg9Z3klf5Ja_cfbMI93rZ5PlLrMh_DMXyBMcpf73g-BipYNmZaKtVa1mqTprWOpTg1tWK5JZXsJqBE7Bdq9Q7MawxFNad6YnBiJmvXsO4zuSWia-gcIip9ebHqT0zf4eU/s320/sandcastle%20delete.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />by Lisa Weaver from the September 4, 2023 issue<p></p><p><b>Tagline</b>: After her dashing date abandons her on Labor Day, Cassie is heartbroken...until a familiar figure shows up on the beach.</p><p><b>Observations</b>: I had mixed feelings about this story. It's definitely well-written, as Lisa Weaver's stories tend to be. I liked the sandcastle competition--that's an event that I would love to go to, in person, someday. I wrote one into one of my novels, too. </p><p>However, at the end of the story when he proposes and she accepts, I didn't feel like it had been earned. I didn't quite believe that they'd made that strong of a connection. The reason why he disappeared was a solid one: his brother was in an accident and in his rush to get on a plane, he'd left his phone behind. These days, it's easy to believe that he did not have her phone number memorized so he could call from some other phone. </p><p>However, we only got a couple of paragraphs about how they met and got to know each other, and that wasn't enough for me to believe they were ready to get engaged. I love an engagement as much as the next gal, but this one didn't feel justified.</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Goncalo Cruz Matos via Flickr Creative Commons License</span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-3510411814591631432023-09-25T15:11:00.001-07:002023-09-29T15:40:22.167-07:00A Love So Sweet<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBmOEgqtequVq5BPkt557EUSZG6Y7kWSxpW0601oiC0FF3jh2n509A5SaJ19A3HONPaCtzfv182CJ9hPd8OODRIyAgNTssFcVK3tJeHGBRlLmWB-s6n6zjuTtiErk2Zs9haa40_i8WZ_f3pA43o5TXF825szJwKdWyUA4l4_X5EV52MwEvwoURmCT3o8/s800/banana%20delete.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBmOEgqtequVq5BPkt557EUSZG6Y7kWSxpW0601oiC0FF3jh2n509A5SaJ19A3HONPaCtzfv182CJ9hPd8OODRIyAgNTssFcVK3tJeHGBRlLmWB-s6n6zjuTtiErk2Zs9haa40_i8WZ_f3pA43o5TXF825szJwKdWyUA4l4_X5EV52MwEvwoURmCT3o8/s320/banana%20delete.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />by Marcie McEachern from the September 22, 2023 issue<p></p><p><b>Tagline</b>: When Kate delivers a loaf of banana bread to one of Cottonwood's retirees, she receives more than a simple thank you!</p><p><b>Observations</b>: Other than the slight cliche of a baker heroine, this story was great! McEachern used a plot device we see often in <i>Woman's World</i> stories--the mistaken identity. Here, Kate sees a man on a ladder and thinks it's Teddy Jacobs, friendly neighborhood senior citizen. Instead, it's his young, handsome (and single!) namesake. This plot device is tried and true and definitely one you should put in your toolbox.</p><p>I liked the humor, like when he says, "...whom do I have the pleasure of being bossed around by today?"<br /></p><p>There's a solid black moment when the hero kind of slams the door in her face, which due to some good writing and timing wasn't as harsh as it sounds. The heroine thinks she'll probably never see this guy again. But, surprise, he's actually not just visiting his grandfather, he's moving into town and starting his own business. </p><p>Yes, <i>Woman's World</i> stories can be formulaic, but this is what the editors and readers want--the comfort of familiarity and McEachern did this very well here.</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Beckmann's Bakery via Flickr Creative Commons License</span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-73598485389254898572023-09-13T11:42:00.001-07:002023-09-13T11:42:10.659-07:00Love on the Spot<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbKsD3iJZaW5J7p0i8WQ2L_ubDkVep6ymPBKthKl7U-N7QOThrkShB5oPzIQvNrOJXV_Sh0PVDZvAaIey8S1Muo0dvsDNqM4WvjeJztRqIZJ7C5Lsx7ZJiogSbj8mCOeYNKo5p2-CVw4dBlbgbcdiy5MakKzaDmTnyzMwn46evyP0JEqdkdn8st1vJvs/s799/lawnmower%20delete.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbKsD3iJZaW5J7p0i8WQ2L_ubDkVep6ymPBKthKl7U-N7QOThrkShB5oPzIQvNrOJXV_Sh0PVDZvAaIey8S1Muo0dvsDNqM4WvjeJztRqIZJ7C5Lsx7ZJiogSbj8mCOeYNKo5p2-CVw4dBlbgbcdiy5MakKzaDmTnyzMwn46evyP0JEqdkdn8st1vJvs/s320/lawnmower%20delete.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />by Vicki Cox from the August 21, 2023 issue<p></p><p>Tagline: When her lawn mower quits, Christy Mills needs help...but when Robert shows up to fix it, could he fix her broken heart too?</p><p>Observations: I really enjoyed the humor in this story. The running joke about the monkeys and the machete was cute. The hero was witty elsewhere too, like here:</p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">"You know, your favorite ice cream can say a lot about you."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Christy grinned. "Really?"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">"Sure. For example, mine is chocolate, which says that I'm trustworthy, hard-working, charming...oh, and humble."</span></p><p>I did find myself wondering what happened to her husband--did they divorce? Did he pass away?</p><p>I also wondered why, when she confessed that her favorite ice cream flavor was butter pecan, why he didn't tell her what that flavor said about <i>her</i> personality. </p><p>Otherwise, cute tale!</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Ivan Radic via Flickr Creative Commons License</span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-27886312389040735402023-08-31T08:19:00.003-07:002023-08-31T08:19:25.264-07:00Special Delivery<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-pmyoN-v0fcObr0rY3EIA1ADoYWW1cwqR1t1ENcETwS3DqgN_x7mQVCtIrME2Uidwaj1OS55thClXmmKd5Gey7s1k1O5cFQWo6_-PhFKatt0nF6aNydDn5DF-v42eV5EtAz6Dh9ak-RLeqNaFKZ3zRteRz7WtVPLXupvEWDtCZ4p0D6ifxdNpeq87pg/s800/pizza%20delete.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-pmyoN-v0fcObr0rY3EIA1ADoYWW1cwqR1t1ENcETwS3DqgN_x7mQVCtIrME2Uidwaj1OS55thClXmmKd5Gey7s1k1O5cFQWo6_-PhFKatt0nF6aNydDn5DF-v42eV5EtAz6Dh9ak-RLeqNaFKZ3zRteRz7WtVPLXupvEWDtCZ4p0D6ifxdNpeq87pg/s320/pizza%20delete.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />by Crystal Moore from the August 14, 2023 issue<p></p><p><b>Tagline</b>: Back in the beach town of her childhood, Marina reconnects with an old crush from a pizzeria...and love is on the menu.</p><p><b>Observations</b>: This was a darling story, despite the somewhat purple beginning. </p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">...a cry of agony pierced the night.</span></p><p>I haven't talked about a 3-act structure in a while and this story definitely has that. </p><p>Act 1, we're introduced to Marina and her situation. She's coming off a break-up, she's at a beach rental she came to as a child, she had a crush on a pizza guy one summer and she's very sunburned.</p><p>Act 2 we meet the pizza boy, all grown up. We get information about how old they are--something I really appreciate when I'm reading <i>Woman's World</i> stories. Because they welcome adult protagonists of all ages, it's difficult to fully picture the characters if the author doesn't tell us how old they are. The same story can read very differently if it's about twenty-somethings vs seventy-somethings. </p><p>Act 3, surprise! He returns with aloe gel, like the hero he is. And he asks her out. I liked his little jibe about red being her color. I always love humor in the story.</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Ruth Hartnup via Flickr Creative Commons License</span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-45198835562019300102023-08-09T09:58:00.002-07:002023-08-09T09:58:00.140-07:00Good Old Summer Love<p>by Marcella Robinson from the July 31, 2023 issue</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6VtYVGX2s8-_3JES3tB6eGXIrmEQFxhX1H3YvQDimdB7c5cA858LLKebku-enOJNcrCTlXWeLZE1xYO8SjcrL8lfvf7hLqvJDlswM2E3H9okbpYhCiUyO-grlJOSkhdWQz_3VhP8nmCvz_qQYkdsY6bCqRyN0n_jKgHMuri9rJFVLsAp6GmG8oEYM2zk/s800/diner%20delete.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="800" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6VtYVGX2s8-_3JES3tB6eGXIrmEQFxhX1H3YvQDimdB7c5cA858LLKebku-enOJNcrCTlXWeLZE1xYO8SjcrL8lfvf7hLqvJDlswM2E3H9okbpYhCiUyO-grlJOSkhdWQz_3VhP8nmCvz_qQYkdsY6bCqRyN0n_jKgHMuri9rJFVLsAp6GmG8oEYM2zk/s320/diner%20delete.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><b>Tagline</b>: When Gloria misses her exit during a storm, she stops at a local diner...and gets the surprise of a lifetime when her first crush steps out to greet her.</p><p><b>Observations</b>: I thought this was a charming story. Robinson does a great job connecting the reader to the heroine, Gloria, by showing Gloria doing something we've all done--missing a freeway exit. We immediately identify with her. Then look at this next paragraph.</p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lately, if she wasn't skipping by an exit, she was making a wrong turn. Yet she was filled with a sense of pride for venturing out on her own after her divorce.</span></p><p>Here, Robinson shows us that Gloria isn't a basket case. She's gotten past her divorce and is ready for the next phase in her life, which is perfect timing, right? Because Gloria is in the right frame of mind, we readers will be more willing to believe that a real relationship will grow between her and Ethan. Granted, this is a subtle detail, but if you lay the groundwork for the happily-ever-after properly, when the story is done, the reader will feel more confident that the couple will end up in love and they'll feel those feel good endorphins kick in, which is what we want!</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by waferboard via the Flickr Creative Commons License</span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-78524482463372103302023-08-02T09:18:00.004-07:002023-08-02T09:21:03.414-07:00The Art of New Love<p>by Wendel J. Potter from the July 24, 2023 issue</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1uId0ySrY5L-lJpHekX01fdXvUMx_WJdrfrIZEBW9VKvapND5ZVv2ioDq3KOE8qAajwUlbYEZELaVuAT8H7nXugecha1cQF35o-_8sK6e9BXBgia_hRSlb__jTf0-ku34mDFW6B3iqAFIQQR-YK8sZse9Zbwf5dFoy9vcwYwkoGGNl2fIUU768OM45iA/s799/art%20show%20delete.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1uId0ySrY5L-lJpHekX01fdXvUMx_WJdrfrIZEBW9VKvapND5ZVv2ioDq3KOE8qAajwUlbYEZELaVuAT8H7nXugecha1cQF35o-_8sK6e9BXBgia_hRSlb__jTf0-ku34mDFW6B3iqAFIQQR-YK8sZse9Zbwf5dFoy9vcwYwkoGGNl2fIUU768OM45iA/s320/art%20show%20delete.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><b>Tagline</b>: All set up for her annual art festival, Delaney is excited for what's in store...but she never expects a handsome newcomer to steal her heart.</p><p><b>Stream of Consciousness Observations</b>: I love art festivals so I'm drawn into the story. </p><p>Delaney has clearly attended college in the past, but we're not told how long ago. I have little idea of how old our heroine is. The only clue is that she's finding this dark haired man attractive and thinks he's a possible love interest, so she could be mid-twenties to mid-thirties?</p><p>Oh, the money from the art sales goes to needy kids? That's admirable, but the sign she hangs should state that. Money going to worthy causes is a powerful promotional tool. Talk about that rather than the fact that it's a silent auction.</p><p>He's only submitting one drawing, so he doesn't need an entire table.</p><p>If she planned to hang it on a wall then she why did she say she'd prepare a table for him? </p><p>I'm confused as to why the drawing had to be covered until noon. What reason would Eric have? Her surprise and delight would be just as vivid no matter when he showed her. And why would she allow him to keep it covered in the first place? The passers-by would be unable to bid on it which defeats the purpose of the show.</p><p>Oh, I love the black moment, where Eric thinks she has a problem with his drawing and then she quips his own comment from the beginning of the story of her flyer leaning to the left. Genius! That's a black moment and bookending put together. Great job.</p><p>Despite all my notes on this story, I still enjoyed it, probably because the ending was spot on. </p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Communications Office via Flickr Creative Commons License</span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-59411236111562767192023-07-21T12:19:00.002-07:002023-08-02T08:59:14.620-07:00Trail to Happiness<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwsiIu6uChTdeTfhOW9MtLvXnD2gwdoghL4VmblG-cnYFEdye8og_s5RqQ02P0z4a3ZkdXY8o5WCcwaiKwv4258MbDOTTcKWoNPo_aufomQLTQzkKcTDwyP7Z_l-UMas1vBlNReZaTyAS3BfqNbURVC51LYVLVrBlCnVsTjCyFUUpRITh_Aho_DBNLoj0/s768/roses%20delete.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="576" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwsiIu6uChTdeTfhOW9MtLvXnD2gwdoghL4VmblG-cnYFEdye8og_s5RqQ02P0z4a3ZkdXY8o5WCcwaiKwv4258MbDOTTcKWoNPo_aufomQLTQzkKcTDwyP7Z_l-UMas1vBlNReZaTyAS3BfqNbURVC51LYVLVrBlCnVsTjCyFUUpRITh_Aho_DBNLoj0/s320/roses%20delete.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br />by Marti Attoun from the July 10, 2023 issue<p></p><p><b>Tagline</b>: When Ramona stops to smell the roses, she meets a handsome newcomer who opens the door to friendship...and a blooming future.</p><p><b>Observations</b>: I wanted to highlight a few things in Attoun's story. I really liked how she described the hero:</p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Up close, Ramona could see handsome laugh lines radiating from his green eyes and gray streaking his wavy hair. </span></p><p>This not only gives us a clear picture of Andy, just look at those active verbs--<i>radiating</i> and <i>streaking</i>. Lovely.</p><p>She also used the bookending technique, which is mentioning something at both the beginning and end of the story to bring the tale full circle and give the feeling of closure. You'll see in these first and last sentences of the story, she tied the story together using "moseying."</p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ramona set off at her usual moseying pace on the trail circling Brookfield Lake: slow enough to admire the roses cascading over the fence at her favorite lake front cottage.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">"No need to hurry. I think we can make it, even if we mosey."</span></p><p>I also loved how she conveyed Ramona's physical reaction. Notice how there was no electricity nor did her heart perform any tricks. </p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Andy laughed heartily, bringing with it [sic] a dizzying delight that made Ramona feel like her insides were cart-wheeling.</span></p><p>I'm not saying don't use electricity or make your characters' hearts soar or what have you, because <i>Woman's World</i> loves that. However, in my opinion, a little extra effort in the originality department can make a big difference. Small choices, made consistently in a story, can move a story from the ordinary category to the extraordinary category.</p><p>In fact, I challenge you right now to brainstorm some ways to convey a positive physical reaction that does not include the heart or any electrical impulses. I know you can do it!</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Larry Jacobsen via Flickr Creative Commons License</span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-406318704822590967.post-69749733020207056992023-07-17T11:10:00.001-07:002023-07-17T11:10:00.157-07:00Star-Spangled Love Story<p> by Veda Boyd Jones from the July 3, 2023 issue</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JEGoOwrz7dITD1OG8En3sSszIKcN2qtsS3tSlXhfSw7peGR8zZ_uzFOUZtGIKUKzFX2ykieqJvz1HNlyEb5xZUGrP-3fBdx8_4yyhIyS1uOK1aRM7Rr5JkYAm5jRJfQkYBcYZV3qREzUmbO9w-Db2eV2E5wiam_WyiLEmnsZ_Cr0PJtdNdMEWAmjAdg/s800/flag%20delete.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JEGoOwrz7dITD1OG8En3sSszIKcN2qtsS3tSlXhfSw7peGR8zZ_uzFOUZtGIKUKzFX2ykieqJvz1HNlyEb5xZUGrP-3fBdx8_4yyhIyS1uOK1aRM7Rr5JkYAm5jRJfQkYBcYZV3qREzUmbO9w-Db2eV2E5wiam_WyiLEmnsZ_Cr0PJtdNdMEWAmjAdg/s320/flag%20delete.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><b><p><b><br /></b></p>Tagline</b>: Mike is entranced but intimidated by his beautiful new neighbor, Emily, until a chance opportunity finally brings them face-to-face for the first time.<p></p><p><b>Observations</b>: Cute story. I liked how the guys had Mike's back and made themselves scarce when Emily offered them all lemonade.</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by WTF Colorado via Flickr Creative Commons License<br /></span></p>Kate Willoughbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08923324775303769386noreply@blogger.com3