Mother Nature's Christmas Gift

by Rose Ross Zediker from the December 11, 2023 issue

Tagline: 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.

Observations: 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.

If you're familiar at all with Woman's World 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 Woman's World story that surprised me with a plot twist I never saw coming.

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... When will they figure it out? Who will figure it out first? How? Then, when they finally see the light, the reader is delighted right along with them.

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 Woman's World story, it can still work.

Photo by Syuzo Tsushima via Flickr Creative Commons License 

Pick Three For Love by Vicki Cox

Tagline: 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.

Observations: First of all, I love the hero's logical plan for helping his sister shop for clothes. That's a smart man, indeed. 

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. 

I loved how he asked to accompany her to the wedding...

"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.

The ending, calling back to his shopping assistant methods, was adorable.

Photo by Artem Beliaikin via Flickr Creative Commons License

A Festive Feast

 by Veda Boyd Jones from the November 20, 2023 issue

Tagline: 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.

Off the Cuff Observations: Even before I start the story, I'm feeling for Mindy, who seems to be alone on Thanksgiving.

Their banter, Sherlock Holmes-style is adorable.

Okay, she's alone by choice. I totally 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!

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.

Photo by Steve Johnson via Flickr Creative Commons License

A Sweet Deal

 by Marti Attoun from the, yes, September 18, 2023 issue

Tagline: When Caroline borrows her brother's dirty truck to haul furniture, she's in for a handsome surprise at the car wash.

Stream of Consciousness Observations: I found a Woman's World from September 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.

furry french fries - 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

fling the fossilized pizza - LOLOLOL I love the alliteration. I am delighting in the awkward moment of the heroine being caught with a very dirty car interior.

slapdash ponytail - I love her word choices.

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.

She shivered at the sound of her name on his lips. - Love it. I love seeing fresh ways of showing the physical attraction between the characters. 

She'd forgotten this surprising, joyful feeling when you're standing on the brink of something wonderful about to happen. - 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.

And when they had their first date on that same restored bench weeks later... - 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? 

Photo by David via the Flickr Creative Commons License

A Thanksgiving Surprise

by Marcella Robinson from the November 13, 2023 issue

Tagline

When sparks started flying between two longtime friends, Moira and Seth soon came to realize they would always be thankful for each other.

Observations

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. 

I've often wondered why there aren't more proposal stories in Woman's World. Maybe writers aren't submitting them. After all, you can't publish something that hasn't been submitted! 

Photo by Tomatoes and Friends via Flickr Creative Commons License

A Surprise Invitation

by Chris Maday Schmidt from the November 6, 2023 issue

Tagline: 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.

Stream of Consciousness Observations:

"I tuck a chin-length silver lock behind my ear..." -- 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.

And she's getting set up for a blind date. Fun! I haven't read one of these for a while.

"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." -- Oh, what a lovely description of the setting.

"The twinkle in his gray eyes calms my racing heart, but my pulse skips a beat when his fingers clasp my upper arms." -- Here is the physical attraction, nicely done. 

"Surely he must think I'm experiencing a midlife moment in the center of of the cul-de-sac." -- LOLOLOLOL!

"He brushes that same silver lock from my cheek and my skin tingles at his touch." -- 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 Woman's World liking a lot of that. which is why, for a while, every story had hearts leaping, soaring, dancing, twirling, etc. 

"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.

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. 

Photo by Judy Dean via Flickr Creative Commons License

Vision of Love

by Anna Kittrell fromt he October 30, 2023 issue

Tagline: 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.

Observations: 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. 

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.

If you're interested in finding out more ways to get ideas for stories, check out my book on the subject, Story Sparking: How to Generate Ideas for Woman's World 5-Minute Romances. It's available as an ebook and in print.

Photo by PunkToad via Flickr Creative Commons License

Halloween Serendipity

by Ann Llewellyn King from the October 23, 2023 issue

Tagline: With the help of some very unique matchmakers, Neal and Savannah stumble upon a chance for romance...and an otherworldly connection.

Observations: 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.

Photo by dutchmasterdutchie via Flickr Creative Commons License

The Apple of Her Eye

by T.R. McClure from the October 9, 2023 issue

Tagline: 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.

Stream of Consciousness Observations: 

I love how grandma makes the rounds, staying with different family members! What a great idea!

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.

The cute guy behind the counter smiled. -- 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."

Windblown hair -- love that.

Flirtatious farmer -- love that alliteration!

"You don't know what you're missing." -- 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.

I like that her name is a combo of both her grandmothers' names.

Well, we actually got two more mentions of "You don't know what you're missing," so a bonus!

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.

My grandfather raised dairy cows until we expanded the orchard. -- OH! This is the farm where Grandma Rose played with her friend! 

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.

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.

Fantastic story!

Photo by Jennifer Boyer via Flickr Creative Commons License

A Latte of Possibilities

by Rochelle Banks from the October 2, 2023 issue

Tagline: 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.

Observations: 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.

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. 

That being said, Ashley made the right choice. Brent was definitely more date worthy.

Photo by Lorraine C via the Flickr Creative Commons License

Love as Sweet as Honey

by Chris Maday Schmidt from the August 28, 2023 issue

Tagline: 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

Observations: 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.

I usually love Schmidt's stories, but I feel she missed two opportunities to ground the reader in the setting.

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. 

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.

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?

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.

Photo by Ben Phillips via the Flickr Creative Commons License

Labor of the Heart

by Lisa Weaver from the September 4, 2023 issue

Tagline: After her dashing date abandons her on Labor Day, Cassie is heartbroken...until a familiar figure shows up on the beach.

Observations: 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. 

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. 

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.

Photo by Goncalo Cruz Matos via Flickr Creative Commons License

A Love So Sweet

by Marcie McEachern from the September 22, 2023 issue

Tagline: When Kate delivers a loaf of banana bread to one of Cottonwood's retirees, she receives more than a simple thank you!

Observations: Other than the slight cliche of a baker heroine, this story was great! McEachern used a plot device we see often in Woman's World 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.

I liked the humor, like when he says, "...whom do I have the pleasure of being bossed around by today?"

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. 

Yes, Woman's World stories can be formulaic, but this is what the editors and readers want--the comfort of familiarity and McEachern did this very well here.

Photo by Beckmann's Bakery via Flickr Creative Commons License

Love on the Spot

by Vicki Cox from the August 21, 2023 issue

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?

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:

"You know, your favorite ice cream can say a lot about you."

Christy grinned. "Really?"

"Sure. For example, mine is chocolate, which says that I'm trustworthy, hard-working, charming...oh, and humble."

I did find myself wondering what happened to her husband--did they divorce? Did he pass away?

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 her personality. 

Otherwise, cute tale!

Photo by Ivan Radic via Flickr Creative Commons License

Special Delivery

by Crystal Moore from the August 14, 2023 issue

Tagline: Back in the beach town of her childhood, Marina reconnects with an old crush from a pizzeria...and love is on the menu.

Observations: This was a darling story, despite the somewhat purple beginning. 

...a cry of agony pierced the night.

I haven't talked about a 3-act structure in a while and this story definitely has that. 

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.

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 Woman's World 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. 

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.

Photo by Ruth Hartnup via Flickr Creative Commons License

Good Old Summer Love

by Marcella Robinson from the July 31, 2023 issue

Tagline: 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.

Observations: 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.

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.

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!

Photo by waferboard via the Flickr Creative Commons License

The Art of New Love

by Wendel J. Potter from the July 24, 2023 issue

Tagline: 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.

Stream of Consciousness Observations: I love art festivals so I'm drawn into the story. 

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?

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.

He's only submitting one drawing, so he doesn't need an entire table.

If she planned to hang it on a wall then she why did she say she'd prepare a table for him?  

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.

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.

Despite all my notes on this story, I still enjoyed it, probably because the ending was spot on. 

Photo by Communications Office via Flickr Creative Commons License

Trail to Happiness

by Marti Attoun from the July 10, 2023 issue

Tagline: When Ramona stops to smell the roses, she meets a handsome newcomer who opens the door to friendship...and a blooming future.

Observations: I wanted to highlight a few things in Attoun's story. I really liked how she described the hero:

Up close, Ramona could see handsome laugh lines radiating from his green eyes and gray streaking his wavy hair. 

This not only gives us a clear picture of Andy, just look at those active verbs--radiating and streaking. Lovely.

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."

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.

"No need to hurry. I think we can make it, even if we mosey."

I also loved how she conveyed Ramona's physical reaction. Notice how there was no electricity nor did her heart perform any tricks. 

Andy laughed heartily, bringing with it [sic] a dizzying delight that made Ramona feel like her insides were cart-wheeling.

I'm not saying don't use electricity or make your characters' hearts soar or what have you, because Woman's World 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.

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!

Photo by Larry Jacobsen via Flickr Creative Commons License

Star-Spangled Love Story

 by Veda Boyd Jones from the July 3, 2023 issue

Tagline: 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.

Observations: Cute story. I liked how the guys had Mike's back and made themselves scarce when Emily offered them all lemonade.

Photo by WTF Colorado via Flickr Creative Commons License

Father's Day Match-Up

by Kay Layton Sisk from the June 19, 2023 issue

Tagline: Jess' daughter is worried her dad will be lonely after she gets married...until a beautiful stranger appears and changes everything.

Observations: I liked this story. In it I could see many familiar Woman's World story elements. There is the matchmaking daughter. There's also the classic misunderstanding when Jess sees Claire with "another man," who turns out to be her brother. 

Sisk revealed that it was her brother cleverly by having Claire mention it out of the blue instead of having Jess having to approach the subject in a roundabout way.

However, on my second read, I wondered at this:

"C'mon, Dad. It's Father's Day, and I would love your gift to be a date with a woman you like."

How exactly would she go about doing this? If Jess had said yes to either of the ladies Laura suggested, would she then go to the lady in question and say, "Hey, you're my Father's Day gift to my dad?" 

Even though that pulled me out of the story slightly, I still enjoyed it. 

Photo by waferboard via Flickr Creative Commons License

The Most Fun in the Sun

by P.S. Murray from the June 26, 2023 issue

Tagline: A little R&R on the beach is just what the doctor ordered for busy Sally...but she gets far more than she bargained for when handsome Hank arrives.

Observations: This was a darling story. I loved the four-year-old. I loved the premise, perhaps because I lost my little one at a corn maze once and it was terrifying, so I could relate to Hank's situation.

I did wonder, however, at the the fact that they're both on vacation and there's little chance their relationship can continue. I would like to have seen that resolved...perhaps during the dinner conversation they could have discovered they live in the same city... ? Your mileage may differ.

Photo by Ronnie via Flickr Creative Commons License

Summer Loving

by Marla Zarrow from the June 12, 2023 issue

Tagline: Ellen knows never to get involved with the summer folks who come to stay in her town...until Timothy comes along.

Observations: I made an assumption reading this story that turned out to be wrong, but it provided a Teaching Moment about names for the blog, so I'll take it! 

Since Ellen had tears in her eyes when she gazed at "Jake Ellery's seaside cabin" at the beginning of the story, I thought Jake Ellery was an ex for whom she still had feelings. 

When you give a character (Jake Ellery) a first and last name, you mark them as a person of importance in the story.

For instance...

The waitress took their order.

The reader will not think this waitress is important. They are the story equivalent of a movie extra--you know, like in the credits when someone is billed as Girl with Dog.

Now, I'm going to give the waitress a full name.

The waitress, Theresa Rodgers, took their order.

The reader will naturally expect this person to have a greater role in the story because the writer gave her a full name. 

You can give a character just a first name and not be assigning too much importance to him/her, if only because it can get awkward to keep using the phrase "the waitress" over and over. But give a character a full name and that character will be expected to have a greater role than movie extra.

This also applies to the amount of physical description you give to a character. The more description there is, the more important the person.

Photo by Ruth Hartnup via the Flickr Creative Commons License

Love at First Catch

by Melanie Dusseau from the June 5, 2023 issue

Tagline: Heading to her family cabin for a long weekend, Liz sets out to fish on the lake...and reels in more than she bargained for when Bob comes along.

Observations: This story was a big bold splash of summer.  It was as if Dusseau brainstormed summer and put everything she wrote down into this story. There's the fishing and the cabin on the lake. She also repeated a sun motif throughout.

Suddenly, the fish surfaced, thrashing in a spill of sunlight by the dock.

She squinted into the sun at the sigh of an approaching boat.

The man stepped sure-footedly onto the dock, the sun lighting a glimmer in his blue eyes.

They stood on the edge of the dock grinning--like the children they once were--there in the rainbow made by sun and oil glinting off the water's reflection.

If you didn't finish this story yearning for all the joys of the summer season, you need to read the story again!

Photo by Michael Seeley via the Flickr Creative Commons License

Love to the Rescue

by Marti Attoun from the May 22, 2023 issue

Tagline: After a disastrous morning, Eleanor is about to have a muffin catastrophe at the grocery store, when a gallant stranger steps in to save the day.

Stream of Consciousness Observations: This is where I record my thoughts as I have them as I'm reading the story. If you follow this blog, you'll have noted the long gap between analyses. I'm happy to say this is because it seems as if I've burst through my two-year-long writer's block and am 25K words into a new novel. So, sorry, not sorry!

Could her morning get any crazier? Perhaps she could get hit by a meteor? -- Funny.

Oh my gosh, I have had this happen to me too, but it wasn't blueberries. It was a head of garlic that rolled under a car. I'm short with arms to match and I couldn't reach it. Luckily, I had something in my car that allowed me to bat at the garlic to get it within reach. This is what you have to do when you don't have a handsome stranger offering to help.

I love whirligigs.

LOL. She used a purple chip bag clip in her hair. That's hilarious, but I'd tell her not to worry. Men don't usually notice stuff like this.

She looked like a demented peacock! -- Also funny. This reminds me...in my Deep Dive Class, I talk about including humor in your stories along with the different types of humor that I've observed in the magazine. This is self-deprecating humor and Attoun used it masterfully here.

If she snatched the bag clip and her graying tumbleweeds... -- LOL

...one lost breath mint -- I love this tiny detail. It adds realism. We've all discovered stuff in our purses we forgot about.

Hm. I'm not sure I agree with Eleanor's assessment that his good deed deserved a cash payment. He just picked up her fruit.

"Too much to mention," he blurted. -- I don't understand this bit of dialogue. I've reread it several times and it's not clicking.

He has wavy dark hair but hers is graying. You go, cougar girl!

Again, this part of the story confused me. All of a sudden he's mentioning a flea market where he thinks he's seen her. 

Here we have a flashback to convey some backstory. Nice.

Bart's lightheartedness was contagious... -- LOL. I read this as lightheadedness.

Hm, she's baking blueberry...cupcakes? Is this a regional thing? To me, blueberries in cupcake form are muffins. 

Ah, cute ending.

Photo by Yukiko Matsuoka via Flickr Creative Commons License

Like Mother, Like Daughter

by Mary Ann Joyce and Rakel Joyce from the May 15, 2023 issue

Tagline: Jane is scared that setting up her mom with her husband's uncle was a bad idea...until she sees the sparks start to fly in the best way

Stream of Consciousness Observations: This is where I record my thoughts as I have them as I'm reading the story. In all honesty, this is usually because I'm criminally behind in my analyses.

Oh, my son's name is Brian. Great name. LOL

Ah, I have a brother in law who is uber-competitive. I wonder what board game they're playing. I love board games!

Oh, backgammon. I love backgammon! 

They're serving lemonade. This is the beverage of choice in Woman's World stories. Well, that and hot cocoa. LOL Not throwing shade here. Just an observation about how even the smallest details can set the tone of a story. 

What child doesn't want their single parent to find someone to share their life with? I am connecting with the couple here.

There's quite a bit of backstory here, which is fine. It's filling in the characters of Jane and Rose so they're more rounded. It's a bit difficult to achieve proper characterization in 800 words, but it can--and should, if possible--be done.

Oh, we're also getting a little bit about Brian and what made him husband material in Rose's eyes. This bit also gives you the motivation behind Jane's matchmaking attempt.

They have news to share? Ha! I bet we all know what the news is, which is fine. Sometimes a plot twist comes as a complete surprise, which can be so much fun. But sometimes the reader predicts, which is fine, because they usually will read on to find out if they were right or not.

A note about names that you may not have thought about...it can be a good idea, when choosing names, to vary the number of syllables and the beginning letter because otherwise you may be risking the reader getting confused. For instance, I wouldn't name two male characters Jim and John or two female characters named Lisa and Linda. I'd avoid names that rhyme or sound alike as well, like Carrie and Mary.

Aha! I was right. There's a baby on the way!

Photo credit: Mark Bonica via the Flickr Creative Commons License

Recipe for a Reunion

by Debra McNally from the May 8, 2023 issue

Tagline: When Boe's high school crush turns up at his food truck, old sparks start to fly...

Observations: I love food trucks. I love that someone put a food truck in a Woman's World story. I think the Banana Bread Butty sounds delicious, if super fattening.

Also, the Old Flame trope is always a fun one to build a story around. You can insert a little nostalgia into the story by pulling in something from your own past that you remember fondly. In this case, it was a high school cooking class. (Do they even still have these for kids these days? If not, that's sad.) 

What things from your past could you build a story around?

Photo by Whitney via Flickr Creative Commons License

Falling Into New Love

by Millicent Porter Henry from the May 1, 2023 issue

Tagline: After taking a spill on her bike, Maggie is left injured and in need of aid...and her handsome rescuer offers her more than just a helping hand.

Observations: I may be wrong but this feels like the first man-to-the-rescue story that I've seen in a bit. Man-to-the-rescue is a time-honored trope for Woman's World, but don't get your feminist panties in a twist because it's completely possible to flip the gender and write a woman-to-the-rescue story.

What's fun about this story is that it had a twist. The man doing the rescuing had an ulterior motive--he wanted to ask Maggie out. So, in a way, it was good luck that she took that spill.

Photo by Simon Lee via Flickr Creative Commons License

A "Bunny" Kind of Love

by Denice Stradling from the April 10, 2023 issue

Tagline: When a real-life Easter Bunny shows up in her yard, Emma never expects to fall for its handsome owner...or get a second shot at love.

Observations: This was adorable. The little girl was cute as can be. I loved that the matchmaker came out and confessed! I don't remember seeing that in a matchmaker story before. I mean, who doesn't love a crafty, endearing grandpa?

I also really liked this paragraph:

Just then Nick and Shelley came back, her arms full of chocolate eggs. I was still dazed by Pete's confession. And although it took more in common than a divorce, Nick had touched something in me. I had shunned even thinking about dating for the past year. But wasn't Easter a good a time as any for new beginnings?

This showed a turning point for Emma, which shows her character arc--the point where she changes from one type of person (unwilling to date because of divorce) to a new type of person (willing to take a chance on love.) And as I was just telling one of my editing clients, character development is a Good Thing, even in stories as short as these.

Photo by essie via the Flickr Creative Commons License

Airport Attraction

by Audrey Wick from the April 3, 2023 issue

Tagline: Laurel is sure her love story with Ryan is over as she steps into the airport...until a surprise visitor changes everything.

Stream of Consciousness Observations: In case you're not familiar, in Stream of Consciousness Observations, I just put down my thoughts and reactions live as I read the story.

Oooh, she's being brave about something. I wonder what it is. Is she travelling alone for the first time? First time on a plane?

She's leaving a boyfriend. Poor thing.

Ah, a workmate relationship. That's always a dicey decision. If it goes south, like it looks like it did, you still have to see each other at work everyday.

Ryan broke up with her because she wanted to make more money and see places? She's better off without him!

Yet there was one bright spot... -- What is the bright spot?

I just realized this is that classic trope from rom coms where the hero stops the heroine from leaving on the plane with a heartfelt speech or grand gesture!

Okay, pretty good speech, Ryan. I will now allow Laurel to stay with you. LOL

Photo by club ohen via Flickr Creative Commons License

Winning His Irish Heart

by Lisa Weaver from the March 20, 2023 issue

Tagline: Becca has lost several local contests to her town rival, Brody, until the luck of the Irish gifts her an unexpected win: a chance at love.

Observations: You wouldn't necessarily expect an 800-word story to have character development, but it's not that difficult to do, believe it or not. 

This is one of the things I cover in my class, How to Write and Sell Romance to Woman's World Magazine. All you need to do is give the heroine a goal and show them working towards and achieving that goal. Or show the character as having a "negative" characteristic and show them behaving in a different way. 

In this story, Becca is in denial about her attraction to Brody. She's also shy. Then, thanks to her employee's encouragement, she admits to liking him and conquers her shyness enough to flirt with him.

All the 5-minute romances will all be about finding love, but adding character development can give a story more depth. 

Photo by Melissa Hellier via Flickr Creative Commons License

Love at First Latte

by Claudia Irene Scott from the March 13, 2023 issue

Tagline: On a visit to her favorite cafe in town, Celeste never expects to find love...until a freak storm brings it right through the front door.

Observations: This story reminded me of that part in the Lady and the Tramp movie where they go to that Italian restaurant. I know. This was a coffee shop, not an Italian restaurant. They didn't kiss over spaghetti either. But it still evoked that warm romantic feeling inside me. 

There was no question of Max and Celeste connecting. It was very evident. Celeste noticed and heartily appreciated his great bod. They learned a lot about each other during their conversation too. Showing or telling how the characters are connecting is of vital importance. The editors have said lack of connection is one the top three reasons they reject a story. 

I did catch a typo...

As he took off his soaked sweatshirt, beneath which Celeste observed his taught torso.

And I wondered why he put cologne on to go jogging.

Other than that, I thought it was a charming story.

Photo by Jeremy Keith via Flickr Creative Commons License

A Wedding to Remember

by Cathy Cormany from the March 6, 2023 issue

Tagline: When her dreamy co-worker, Brent, invites her to a wedding to play the role of his girlfriend, Lindsay accepts--and has a night she'll never forget.

Observations: I can't recall ever seeing the fake relationship trope in a Woman's World story, but here it is. This is a trope that I always enjoy in novels because it's fun to see the characters struggling to keep up the facade. 

In this story, there was a tiny bit of that, but it's manufactured by Lindsay who decides it's time to take action. She tells a white lie when she says she mentioned to his mom that they had gotten to know each other in a dance class which meant they should be dancing.

There was definitely some romance going on. That scene where they move through the crowd through the French doors was reminiscent, to me, of when Maria and the captain are dancing on the terrace in the Sound of Music. It also reminded me of the moments in Regency romances when the heroine and hero kiss in the garden while the grand ball goes on inside the London mansion.  And there's nothing more romantic than the man settling his warm jacket over the woman's shoulders. 

The only niggling thing that bugged me was "his warm hand pulsing in hers." That was a strange choice of verb. 

Photo by Jonathan Day via Flickr Creative Commons License

The Perfect First Date

by Melanie Dusseau from the February 27, 2023 issue

Tagline: While trying his hand at skating for the first time in a year, rusty Ryan collides with the lovely Valerie...and it's love at first fall.

Observations: This story had me thinking two things: relatability and connection, two things Woman's World editors and readers want.

With these stories, you want the readers to relate to the characters. They should be the types of people you want as your friends and showing Ryan and Valerie dealing with their teenaged kids did a really good job of this. A lot of Woman's World readers are older, so they have their own experiences with teens and how irritated they get at everything their parents do.

As far as connection is concerned, you must make sure you show the hero and heroine associating with each other in a positive way. Dusseau showed this in quite a few ways. In this story, Valerie blushes and Ryan's heart hammers at the sight of it. They are clearly having a good time awkwardly skating with each other. They also joke around with each other. These are the ways the author demonstrated Valerie and Ryan might make a good couple.

Also, there's a teensy, tiny subplot. It's so teensy you may not have noticed it, but at the beginning Ryan and his daughter have a little conflict. She's embarrassed that he's skating because none of the other parents are. But at the end, we see she noticed that her dad and made friends with someone and she gave him her approval, signalling she'd forgiven him for the mortal sin of skating. I loved that because in an 800 word story, there's not a lot of room to include a subplot, but that's what this is and it was done deftly.

Photo by Billie Grace Ward via the Flickr Creative Commons License

Love at First Bite

by Marcella Robinson fromt he February 20, 2023 issue

Tagline: When Sue starts a job in her hometown bakery, she never expects her old flame to be there--or to find a second chance at love.

Observations: I wonder what percentage of stories have a bakery as a setting or a baker as a main character. I'll bet it's quite a few. Still, Woman's World doesn't seem to tire of this trope. There are also a ton of old flame stories too. So don't shy away from sticking with the tried and true with your own stories.

Speaking of old flame stories, there's formula for these. If you're interested in finding out what it is, check out my Deep Dive class. The old flame story is one of eight Woman's World plot tropes that I cover in that class. Click here for more info.

I only had one quibble with this story...Sue was there to meet Bethany, her new boss, on her first day on the job but Bethany isn't there and it's never explained why. 

Photo by Phil Whitehouse via Flickr Creative Commons License

A Kickoff to Romance

by Mary Ann Joyce from the February 13, 2023 issue

Tagline: When Isabelle runs into an old high school friend at an annual Super Bowl party, she finds a fellow football lover and scores a new chance at love.

Observations: It's no wonder that the editors snapped up this story. It's absolutely perfect. And of course, it's by Mary Ann Joyce. She has one of the best track records when it comes to these 5-minute romances.

What follows is a list of all the good things in this story.

Joyce starts off by describing in great detail Isabelle's guacamole football field, which is the perfect set up for her stumble later. Stumbling so the hero can catch the heroine is a well-used trope, but this is not your run of the mill clumsy trip. Joyce had laid the emotional groundwork for the fall already so the reader feels a moment of panic that the gorgeous appetizer platter will splatter.

I love the use of the word serpentine.

There are oodles of description of the hero too. He's got a "sturdy pair of hands." Those "helping hands are connected to muscled arms, attached to a well built body..." He's tall, handsome, rugged and gorgeous. "His grin is toothy and broad, like a shark--a very attractive shark who's circling now." "His dark eyes, with their heavy lids and long lashes, are still the part of him that gets me every time."

There's plenty of witty banter to show that, if they got together, they'd have a lot of fun. They both love football, even though they're rooting for different teams, and that connection is told, not shown, but it is there in the story. 

I loved the moment when Joe confesses that he always looked for her in the stands and Isabelle wryly thinks, Well, this is news. 

Photo by Justin Russell via Flickr Creative Commons License

"Jack" of All Trades

by Chris Maday Schmidt from the February 6, 2023 issue

Tagline: While fixing up her father's house after he passed, Jenna meets Jack in the caulk aisle...and gest a loving sign from above. 

Observations: On the negative side, I wondered at the hankie. The hero has dark hair, so he's young-ish and I'm finding it a little hard to swallow that he carries an actual handkerchief. 

I also wondered if this handyman just trolls the aisles of the hardware store for clients, which I guess is good business but a little strange.

On the other hand, this story had an otherworldly element to it that I don't often see--that mysterious older gentleman. I assume it's her dad appearing as an angel, which I really liked. Don't we all hope our loved ones who have gone to the great beyond are watching over us?

I also absolutely loved that she was a children's book author. That's an occupation I've not seen in any Woman's World stories. This is where research can come in handy--and by research I mean subscribing to the magazine so you can read every story. If you're familiar with what's been done, it's easier to insert something they haven't seen before. 

Photo by Nan Fry via Flickr Creative Commons License

When Love Comes Calling

by Cher L. Tom from the January 23, 2023 issue

Tagline: During a chilly weekend at her cabin, Marcie Lou receives an unexpected visit from an old friend, reigniting a love she thought long extinguished.

Theme: It's never too late.

Observations: Cher L. Tom is a former editing client and I'm so proud of her track record with Woman's World. She's flying solo spectacularly! Cher, if you're reading this, tell me in the comments how many stories you've sold.

I thought she did a great job at showing Marcie's character arc. Marcie begins the story at odds with her feelings about Ben and their last interaction. At the end of the story, she has realized she does want to pursue a relationship with Ben and welcomes him back into her life.

As I mention in my class, How to Write and Sell Romance to Woman's World Magazine, sometimes black moments don't occur in the 5-minute romances, but this story had one. it's when Marcie is making that decision...

Marcie took a steadying breath. Ben Morris, back in her life. Was she ready?

Of course, she is. 

I thought the ending was perfect too...

"...I'll trade you a slice if you set up our wood-burning stove?"

Ben's radiant smile spoke volumes. "I'm your guy."

"Yes," Marcie said, leading him inside, hand in hand. "You are."

Photo by Conall via Flickr Creative Commons License

A Love that Glows Bright

by Marti Attoun from the January 16, 2023 issue

Tagline: Nora is desperate to find a firewood delivery service for her new hearth, when a secret admirer answers the call and lights a spark in her heart.

Observations: This is a matchmaker story that I didn't see coming. I mean, I didn't realize it was a matchmaker story until the end, which is so cool! Usually I can see those coming from a mile away but this one took me completely by surprise. 

I knew Dave was the firewood guy right of the bat, and maybe that was Attoun's intention--distract us with that bit of info so we feel proud of ourselves for figuring that out, and then pow! Hit us with the info that Shirley was behind it all! 

In fact, go back and look at the first line in the story:

"Check the bulletin board, Nora," Shirley said while setting a steaming cup of coffee in front of me at the Crestwood Cafe.

Shirley is the person who set the ball in motion!

I think this just might be a great hack for surprising readers. When you have two surprises in a story, make one really obvious so that the second one sneaks in unnoticed.

Photo by Ivan Radic via Flickr Creative Commons License

When Love Comes Calling

by Millicent Porter Henry from the January 2, 2023 issue

Tagline: When her parents' pup goes into labor on New Year's Eve, Lindsey calls the vet for help...and a chance at a new romance knocks on her door.

Stream of Consciousness Observations: This is where I just jot down my thoughts as I read the story.

Okay, here's the setting in the form of the heroine's thoughts. Nice.

Her second graders would laugh when they learned how she spent her vacation.

Also, this is a clever way to communicate the heroine's profession.

Aww, the dog is about to give birth to puppies. How exciting! Also, I'm firmly ensconced in that house with the crackling fire. I probably wouldn't be as freaked out as Lindsey because animals routinely give birth without help, but I can understand if someone else got nervous.

Should she call? Doc was probably as old as Pops. 

This is a common "trick" authors use when executing a plot twist. When you have the character jump to a conclusion, the reader usually also jumps to the same conclusion. 

So she cooked up a storm on New Year's Eve even though she's alone. Personally, I might do the same kind of thing. I like to cook, even if it's just for me.

He's wearing aftershave? In the evening, on an emergency vet house call? LOL Lindsey, girl, he's gunning for you.

I'm really enjoying Lindsey's asides. ("What smells so good?" "You do." and Lucky dog.

Hm...strange that they don't talk through the entire meal. 

So he compliments her on her food and asks her out. This is a typical Woman's World HEA, however, I don't feel confident this match will last. I would have much preferred that they connect during dinner. They should be talking and laughing and discovering things about each other that make them both want to spend more time together. However, that said, the editors didn't mind the dinner silence, so there you go. :)

One Purr-fect Christmas

byDiana Hickerson from the December 26, 2022 issue

Tagline: Adopting two kittens is Gracie's one Christmas wish, until a handsome stranger steps in and snags one...and steals her heart in the process.

Observations: It can seem like an impossible task--to give the editors the same thing, but different--but it's not. Ms. Hickerson did it by taking a tried-and-true trope I've seen time and again (adopting a pet) and bringing it into the technological age. All it took for this tale was to add a live feed that showed the cats and kittens up for adoption. Voila, you've got an old trope with a fresh spin.

So if you're looking for story inspiration, just take a few moments to think about the leaps and bounds technology has taken in the past decade or so. We can now binge entire seasons of TV shows. Top tier movies sometimes never even go to the theaters. People who never took taxis before are using Uber or Lyft. Online dating is, perhaps, the premier way of meeting singles. We carry around excellent cameras for still photography and video and they fit in our pockets. And we can view the pictures and videos instantaneously. No film or film developing necessary! It's common to be able to literally see who is at your front door. You can have music play in your house just by saying "Alexa, play some jazz." The list goes on and on. 

Because Woman's World embraces characters of a certain age, take an older person and combine him or her with something "newfangled" and you've got instant conflict, a problem to solve, a character arc to complete.

Photo by abcrumley via Flickr Creative Commons License

Christmas Wishes

by Lisa Weaver from the December 19, 2022 issue

Tagline: Emma has just one thing on her wish list this Christmas: a chance to be more than friends with handsome Hunter. But does he feel the same?

Observations: I mean, it doesn't get more Christmas-y than this story. Aside from the obvious Christmas story tropes like Santa and an ugly sweater competition, there were references...

...a hearty 'Ho, ho, ho!' that has my heart bounding in a magnificent '10 lords a-leaping' impression.

"Ho-ho-horrible!"

...my smile glowing brighter than a certain famous reindeer's nose...

The only thing I wondered about is that he assumed her wish was the same as his, which was a little presumptuous, but this didn't mess up my enjoyment of the story.