Basket of Love

by Anna Kittrell from the November 15, 2021

Tagline: A supermarket snafu leaves Tom feeling like a real turkey just before Thanksgiving...until a strike of inspiration offers him a new shot love.

Observations: I'm seeing many more "hate-to-love" stories this year than ever before. There was some real animosity in this one. These days I'm often annoyed by selfish people who think only of themselves. All you people who breeze through the door that I held open for you and don't even bother to say thank you--I'm looking at you! So I wouldn't have forgiven the guy as quickly as the heroine in the story did.

But on the other hand, nothing breaks my heart more than people who are alone during the holidays and this story plucked that particular heartstring for me. Well done, Kittrell!

Photo by evan p. cordes via Flickr Creative Commons License

Playing Cupid on Halloween

by Denice Stradling from the November 1, 2021 issue

Tagline: After agreeing to chaperone her daughter's party at school, Jenna is thrilled to find that Halloween has a treat in store for her: a sweet shot at love!

Observations: This story is a good example of a Woman's World math equation I just made up.

Things in common + prime interaction + attraction = a chance at love.

Things in common

Stradling listed these in this paragraph:

On our walk to the school, we found out that we were both divorced and loved books and movies. But spending time with our girls was at the top of our lists.

They also discover they have daughters who like to play Cupid.

Prime interaction

You see them flirt with each other regarding the costumes at the beginning of the story. After the party, they compromise on the trick-or-treating, suggested by the girls. 

Attraction

There's boatloads of it. Here are the five instances I found.

I turned to see a handsome pirate smiling at me, complete with red bandana, tricorn hat and leather boots. His eyes were the same blue as the night sky, and his smile made the concept of being taken captive seem altogether not too bad.

I laughed, thinking there was more than one way to lose one's head!

We laughed, and as I took his arm, a thrill shot up mine.

[His pirate shirt] was unbuttoned almost halfway down his tanned chest, and the contrast with the white shirt was a beautiful sight to behold.

He moved a little closer to me, and my heart definitely started a minuet.

Speaking of which, I am offering Stradling an official *Kate Willoughby Handshake for featuring a character's heart doing something original. 

*The Kate Willoughby Handshake is similar to the Paul Hollywood Handshake from the Great British Baking Show. It means the author dazzled and/or surprised me.

Photo by Bruce Matsunaga via Flickr Creative Commons License

A Sweet Love Story

by G.G. Andrew from the October 25, 2021 issue

Tagline: When her rival outsells her apples at the Halloween festival, Michelle never expects it will lead to a romantic pairing.

Observations: I can't help but notice this is another "rivals selling produce of some sort" story. Remember "In the Market for True Love?" And yet, the stories are different. In this one, I got more of a feeling that Michelle had been attracted to Sean for a while, but was refusing to admit it to herself. In the other story, I think the heroine truly disliked the hero until she talked to him. Just goes to show you, you can take similar plots and make them different enough to get published!

I liked how Sean compared the caramel with the apples to the two of them... 

"...would you like to have dinner with me? Not to talk business. Just...us."

Michelle's jaw dropped. "You and me? But we're nothing alike!"

"In personality, maybe." Sean shrugged. "But we both know that two things that seem like they don't belong can create magic together."

Clever!

Photo by nerissa's ring via Flickr Creative Commons License

Cinema Sweethearts

by Cathy Cormany from the October 18, 2021 issue

Tagline: When a stranger sits down alongside would-be mystery novelist Patrice, it could be the start of a love story she's always dreamed of.

Observations: Adorable story, set in one of my favorite places in the world - a coffee joint. Cormany shows the two characters connecting over a love of classic films. If you're in need of a story idea, you can do the same thing. 

Brainstorm 20 things that you like or that interest you. Here, I'll do it too.

1. Origami
2. Ukeleles
3. Macarons
4. The Great British Baking Show
5. Succulents 
6. Bonsai trees
7. The Gilroy Garlic Festival
8. Hot air balloons
9. Humingbirds
10. Oatmilk
11. Homemade pasta
12. Chihuahuas
13. French bulldogs
14. Hockey
15. Calligraphy
16. Romance novels
17. Massage
18. Pompeii
19. Guys and Dolls, the musical
20. Brazilian music

Now choose one of the items from the list. Figure out how two people interested in that thing might meet. Let's say I chose ukeleles. I happen to know that some libraries loan out ukeleles. Maybe two people meet at the library in search of a new hobby. Maybe the library holds a class once a week. One character just retired. The other is a widow or widower. 

Or maybe one of them played years ago and was curious if they "still had it." Maybe the erstwhile musician offers some tips or suggests they meet at the park to strum together. 

Maybe one of them wants to learn how to play happy birthday for a relative. 

Or maybe they want to entertain the people at his/her grandmother's nursing home. Maybe, by way of the convenient coincidence trope, the other person works at that nursing home and they decide to perform a duet of Christmas carols.

Let your mind wander. Keep brainstorming until you come upon an idea you really love. Don't settle for the first idea that comes up. Make your brain work harder. I find my brain is pretty lazy at first and you can see this in the ideas I came up with. The last idea, in my opinion, is a keeper. 

Photo by AUM OER via Flickr creative commons license