Love at the Winter Fair

by Fallon Stone from the February 21, 2022 issue

Tagline: Abigail is in dire straits at the frigid winter festival she planned, until a handsome delivery truck driver arrives to heat things up.

Observations: I have stated in my class, How to Write and Sell Romance to Woman's World Magazine, that an excellent way to write short is to omit description. I mean, the priority is to tell a romantic story and if I'm given a choice between solidly establishing a connection between the characters and describing the park they're in or the heroine's outfit, I'll choose establishing the connection every time.

However, that's not to say that you shouldn't include description of the characters or the setting at all. This story proves that you can do both. Fallon does an excellent job setting the scene in the town square while at the same time and even though the hero and heroine didn't spend that much time together, you can feel the spark is there nonetheless. 

Photo by Maria Ziesche via Flickr Creative Commons License

The Mint Chip Affair

 

by Mary Ann Joyce from the January 31, 2022 issue

Tagline: An odd request brings strangers Bruce and Jolene out into the winter night for some ice cream...and into each other's hearts.

Observations: Admittedly, I'm a little hazy on the difference between the third-person omniscient POV and a story that switches between different character's third person limited POVs. I'm leaning more toward omniscient with this story, just because we are seeing the story unfold without really delving too deeply into any of the characters' minds. But please, feel free to correct me in the comments.

To be clear, this is not head-hopping. Head-hopping, I think, is third person omniscient done badly. This is not that. Third person omniscient is a legitimate, time-honored way of telling a story that just isn't as popular now as it used to be. In fact, when I read a fully third-person omniscient book, it feels old-fashioned and strange. 

Regardless, I felt no abruptness at the changes. Everything felt very smooth.

We start out with Bruce. We then switch to Mimi for one brief paragraph. Next, we're with Trudy, the friend, who gets her granddaughter involved by asking her to get some of the mint chip ice cream. We swiftly transition to the granddaughter, Jolene as she heads to the store. We then are with Bruce and Jolene at the store, and at the end, we see all four together. 

I've spent quite a while analyzing the transitions, trying to see if there are any tricks I can point out. And I really can't see anything in particular, which is why writing is an art, not a science. Let me know if you spot something in the comments.

On a side note, I adored the spy talk. So funny.

Photo credit: CeresB via Flickr Creative Commons License

A Cut Above

by Vicki Cox from the January 17, 2022 issue

Tagline: After an at-home haircut gone terribly wrong, Sam Johnson is embarrassed to be entering a salon for the first time. But fate has a plan for both his hair and his love life when Shelly, his hairdresser, arrives to give him a new shot at love.

Observations: This was a darling and original premise--the home haircut disaster. The mutual break-up-by-text was novel as well. I am always preaching the value of showing the hero and heroine having things in common, but usually it's walks in the park, cannoli and candlelight and that kind of thing. Even though break-ups are never pleasant, this is still something solid the two can connect over. Also, they both chose to look at the bright side of it, saying it was the best thing that ever happened to them. Like last week's story, Sam got a new start in life with a new job and a change in location. 

Another thing I wanted to point out about the break-ups was the texting aspect and especially the fact that he had a ring in his pocket evokes some real sympathy for the character. When you feel bad for the character, you naturally begin to root for him, so the happy ending of them going out for coffee is that much more satisfying.

Also, if you haven't seen the news, check it out! 

Photo by Nenad Stojkovic via Flickr Creative Commons License

Let It Snow

 by Karen Thurber from the January 10, 2022 issue

Tagline: Caught in her first snowstorm, Sarah is unsure of what to do ,until handsome Ben shows her the ropes...and offers her a new chance at love.

This photo is not Vermont. It's of some kind of Hello Kitty place in Japan, but it looked so wintery and whimsical, I couldn't resist it.

Also, I announced a new thing here on the blog. Check it out here.

Stream of Consciousness Observations: 

• So this is a fresh start after a rocky breakup story. Life changing moments are often a good basis for a story because you have a character evoking change in their own life, a very positive thing, something you admire him/her for. 
• She's never seen real snow... I can buy that, if she's lived in Florida all her life. However, she just up and moves to Vermont, sight unseen? That is a little cray cray, in my opinion. 
• "But something important was missing: love. Not just love, but love with someone thoughtful, fun, handsome...expectations only a fairy godmother could fulfill." Hm. I don't think she's asking for a whole heck of a lot, actually. But all of that is relative. What one person considers fun, another person thinks is torture. But I'm getting super picky here.
• A lost dog--a tried and true Woman's World trope.
• She puts on a jacket, but no snow boots, which I assume she doesn't wear inside the house just chillin'. 
• He gives her his gloves as a welcome present. He is thoughtful, I'll give him that, but I'm thinking her hands would be swimming in them... I must be in a mood. I'm definitely over-thinking things.
• Snow angels...another good trope for the magazine.
• The condo complex's power nearly always goes out during a snow storm? Did her real estate agent know/communicate this? I mean, I don't live in Vermont, but how often are there storms? How often would you have to abandon your home and hunker down in the community center?
• I liked the ending, bringing it back to her fairy godmother thoughts.
• Overall, it may have been my mood, but so many things jumped out at me.

Photo by Tomohiro Otake via Flickr Creative Commons License

Kicking Off Forever

by Marti Attoun from the January 3, 2022 issue

Tagline: After a devastating breakup, Bev is in no mood to celebrate New Year's Eve, until rugged Sam steps in to ring in the holiday with a bang.

Observations: There were a lot of things I loved about this story. First, how about that picture of the cowboy boots in the magazine? I found it refreshingly different from their usual picture and maybe even a little sexy!

I adored the idea of the New Year's Eve Boot Drop. So very original! I also loved that they had an Ugly Boot Contest and that Attoun described several of the entries...

• shiny orange go-go boots with "Bye 2021" and "Farewell" on them.
• gaudy striped booties
• cowboy boots festooned with rhinestones
• hip waders covered with stickers of champagne bottles and noisemakers

I loved this simile, "A handsome single guy at the Red Oak Grill is as scarce as caviar." In my Writing and Selling Romance to Woman's World Magazine class, I suggest one of the ways to make your story stand out from the crowd is to add one really prime simile. This is a very good example. I like how there's a contrast between the rural town down-to-earthiness described and ritzy caviar.

I also loved the little detail of the vintage Dr. Pepper clock in the cafe and how charming the town seemed. 

This was another excellent story from a seasoned WW pro.

P.S. Don't miss the announcement post below!

Photo by Jeremy Jenum via Flickr Creative Commons License

THE WW BLOG AWARDS

Hear ye, hear ye! Let it be known that I will henceforth be bestowing quarterly awards of excellence to the Woman's World stories I read. There will be virtual badges for each award in case the authors would like to post on social media. 

Here are the categories. Best of luck to all the writers!

A Matchmaker Christmas

from the December 20, 2021 issue by Diana Dario

Tagline: Tired of being set up by her friends, Isabelle is dreading yet another holiday meetup...until Sean arrives to make her season merry and bright.

Observations: I thought the idea for this matchmaker story was cute and original. I'd never seen a story built around a silly party game. And maybe the editors hadn't either! 

Again, putting on my analytical reader hat, I found myself wanting to know more about Sean, specifically in two places:

Isabelle kept a smile plastered on her face as her friend Marie told her all about her soulmate-to-be: Sean. 

And later in the story:

As the party continued, Isabelle got to know more about Sean, and the more she learned, the more she liked.

Both places provided an opportunity to give us readers more details about Sean. As a busybody matchmaker myself when it comes to Woman's World stories, I want to judge for myself if he's a good match for our heroine, Isabelle, and personally, I didn't have enough information to do so. Ultimately, that can be a deal-breaker for me with these stories. Do I believe the couple are a good match--yes or no. 

Photo by hairyhenderson via Flickr Creative Commons License

The Greatest Gift of All

from the December 13, 2021 issue by Marcella Robinson

Tagline: Despite the busyness of hosting a Christmas carnival, Jen and Colin find a moment of quiet to feel the magic of love in the crisp air.

Stream of Consciousness Observations: 

1. Love the horse's name.
2. Oh, I have ridden in a horse drawn carriage decked out for Christmas and that was really fun. I'll bet a sleigh in the snow is that much more wonderful.
3. He brought her cocoa? Aw...a thoughtful man. 
4. Okay, so a friends to lovers story.
5. I really love this description, "...there was something about a sleigh, decked out in all its festive glory for the holiday season--evergreen boughs, red velvet bows, and twinkle lights--that drew people in," but that's a little awkwardly structured.
6. Hm...who is Sadie to Colin? Is he a single dad? This can't be a case of mistaken identity where the woman thinks the little girl is his daughter and it turns out she's his niece, because it's been established that Sadie has known Colin for "many years." 
7. He carried an eight year old up a hill in the snow. He must be a big strong man.
8. Oh wait. "...next year Sadie's father can take the reins?" Hm. So maybe a niece then? Still not clear on the relationship.
9. He asks if she has time for one more ride...with him. Nice. He's making his move!
10. Wait...their anniversary??? Hold on a second. They're a couple already? Is this a plot twist the author put in their on purpose? Probably.
11. Okay, we finally find out Sadie is their granddaughter. Wow. I was picturing two people in their thirties. 
12. Cute ending, calling back to the bucket list.

My personal preference would have been to know their ages and their marital status right up front. The story reads very differently if you know their a happily married couple than if you think Jen is hoping Colin will wake up and smell the coffee. With the former, the entire time I was reading, I would have gotten the warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you come across love that has lasted through thick and thin. With the latter, my brain had to do a one-eighty (twice). This very likely could be because I'm not just reading for enjoyment, like most of the WW readers. I'm analyzing every component as I go, so maybe that's why I reacted negatively to the plot twist. Let me know in the comments what you thought.

Photo by rickpilot_2000 via Flickr Creative Commons License

Love's Missing Ingredient

by Beth Pugh from the November 29, 2021 issue

Tagline: Needing the secret add-in to his late wife's famous potato salad, Frank feels both out of luck and lonely...until Ivy shows up with a cure for both.

Observations: This story is a good example of showing a character growing and changing. Frank starts out missing his wife, but gradually, we see him decide it's time to move on with his life. I'll break it down for you.

How Pugh showed him missing her:

1. "Glancing at the wedding picture above the light switch, Frank shook his head. Sarah's death had broken his heart two years ago. He missed her so."

2. He wears his wife's apron.

How Pugh shows him making the change:

1. Frank notices Ivy's eyes, tan skin and chestnut hair.

2. He makes Ivy blush and finds that satisfying after having not affected a woman that way in so long.

3. His heart rate increases as he notes her perfume.

4. "...her sweet smile sending his pulse soaring."

How Pugh shows he's completed his arc:

1. "Taking a chance, Frank turned to Ivy, his confidence bolstered by her warm gaze. 'What about you? Would you like to share a sandwich?'"

2. "A date? His breath caught at the levity of those words. Was he ready? Maybe, maybe not. But it was time to try. Sarah would have wanted it that way."

3. There's the ubiquitous tingly physical contact.

4. "After walking the ladies home, Frank returned to the kitchen, an extra pep in his step. As he savored the perfect potato salad, he felt thankful and full of hope."

So as you can see, even in a short 800-word story, you can show character growth.

I do have to admit I was a bit confused as to the timeline of this story. I started out thinking it was dusk on Thanksgiving day because Iris says, "Happy Thanksgiving, Frank," and "...he knew the grocery store had closed already. The shortened Thanksgiving hours guaranteed as much." But then later, he asks her to share that sandwich and Ivy says she and her niece are having a movie night. Maybe I was the only who was confused by this, but I do think this makes the case for having someone else read your story before you submit. Just one more pair of eyes on it can make a big difference.

Photo by Robert Judge via Flickr Creative Commons License

A Holiday to Remember

by Cher L. Tom from the November 22, 2021 issue

Tagline: When Marcie gest stuck waitressing all alone in a snowstorm, dreamy cafe regular, Les, steps in to help...and cooks up a steamy recipe for love.

Observations: I am so proud of Cher. I have edited three of her stories now and this is the second one to get published. It seems weird--not to mention redundant--to analyze a story I've already analyzed in minute detail, so I will just say, this story had a fun, small town cafe feel to it and you couldn't help but feel Marcie is one of those waitresses who welcomes you to her cafe like you're one of the family.

Congrats, Cher!

Photo by Corey Taratuta via Flickr Creative Commons License

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

All Fired Up

by Shelley Cooper from the October 4, 2021 issue

Tagline: When Samantha meets an unwitting carjacker rustling around in her back seat at the grocery store, she never expects that, to atone for his "crime," he will make her the best meal of her life...and cook up a steamy new chance at love.

Observations: Well, I'm not sure how this issue got buried, but better late than never.

I have been the perpetrator of this particular crime! Many years ago, I had arrived at my car and was confused as to why my key wouldn't unlock it. This was way back when you actually inserted the key into the lock. LOL I realized it was not my car, just a lookalike, when I noticed someone sitting in it!! I was so embarrassed! What are the chances that two twin cars would be parked on the same residential street?

I talk all the time about showing the hero and heroine connecting. It's a critical element that you cannot skimp on in a Woman's World romance. In this story after the meet cute, Cooper shows them sharing bits of her personal lives with each other. In addition, these are humorous, self-deprecating stories, which also show the reader that these two don't take themselves too seriously. 

Photo by Bradley Gordon via Flickr Creative Commons License

Love Under the Stars

by Marti Attoun from the September 27, 2021 issue

Tagline: On a visit to her town's drive-in theater, Connie's memories of her old love are made new again when she runs into her high school sweetheart.

Stream of Consciousness Observations: 

• I love the name Junie. It reminds me of the children's book series, Junie B. Jones.
• Ah, a drive-in theatre. We're jumping right in with a big dose of nostalgia! I remember going to the drive-in with my parents. My sister and I would wear our pajamas and always fell asleep shortly after the movie started. The jammies was a genius idea by my mom and dad, for obvious reasons.
• Five bucks for a carload? That seems very low.
• "Cotton-candy Connie?" HILARIOUS
• More hilarity: "Nope. You can't fire someone when you're laughing."
• I kind of wish I knew how old Junie was. I'm trying to figure out just how precocious she is.
• No one sat outside their cars when I went to the drive-in. And blankets? Maybe drive-ins in other parts of the country are on grass fields. The ones I went to in Los Angeles were all asphalt. This doesn't surprise me; the LA River is all concrete.
• 50-cent burgers... Again, are the brothers Greenwood trying to make a profit or is this like a town-building venture?
• I do love the name of the drive-in though. The Starlight Drive-In. I can almost picture the mid-century modern sign. Edited to add - Look, I did find a photo of a mid-century modern sign of a Starlight drive-in. What are the chances???
• Perfect ending with the perfect amount of warmth and possibility.

Photo by Patrick Feller via Flickr Creative Commons License

Ingredients for Love

by Lisa Weaver from the October 11, 2021 issue

Tagline: Tasked with uncovering the secret to her handsome neighbor's prize-winning chili, Emma finds herself in a steamy romance.

Stream of Consciousness Observations:

• Aha. It's a matchmaker story. 
• "You want me to do what?" -- Immediately, I'm curious what her grandmother asked her to do and I want to read on to find out.
• "I'm not asking you to steal Anthony's recipe. I just need you to gather...intel." -- LMAO. Grandma is a hoot.
• "Anthony Figoli was a hot pepper away from beating me last year at the Great Chili Cookoff." -- Again, Grandma is slaying me.
• Who doesn't love a firefighter?
• Oh, it's the grandpa's recipe. I sense a secondary romance in the works.
• Ha! I was right. Grandma has a crush on the recipe owner.
• I love being surprised and I wasn't expecting for the grandfather to be wanting Granny's chili secret. Nice!
• "If she's as lovely as you are..." Okay, just how old is this firefighter? I don't see anyone under the age of 60 or 70 using the word lovely to describe a woman.
• Cute ending! He tells her the secret is a pinch of sugar. I actually add pinches of sugar to a few of my recipes. :)

Photo by Jake Przesbo via Flickr Creative Commons License

In the Market for True Love

by Alyssa Symon from the September 20, 2021 issue

Tagline: When fellow farmer and foe Eddie winks at her across the stall at the farmers market, Kathleen senses something new growing between them.

Observations: This story used a trope that I remember Alex Pollock saying she wanted to see more of...enemies to lovers. The key to this type of story is to move from the character "hating" the other person to deciding they might be a potential mate. It's hard to do in 800 words but obviously possible.

First you establish the reason for the animosity. In this story, Kathleen and Eddie had rival farmers market businesses. But as the story progresses, we see her feelings going back and forth, moving from negative to positive. Here's a breakdown:

• Negative: She notices the crowd across the way at Eddie's stall and hopes his squash are underripe.
• Negative: "...as much as Kathleen loathed the way his business took away from hers..."
• Positive: "...she couldn't help but admire the view [of his body.]"
• Positive: "He had that intoxicating smell she adored, the earthy aroma one acquired form picking beans and digging up tubers."
• Positive: Flustered, she flushes when he winks at her.
• Positive: She giggles when he suggests their situations will reverse next Saturday.
• Positive: Her heartbeat quickens when Eddie rubs a smudge off her face. 
• Positive: She gets butterflies due to his proximity.
• Positive: She accepts is dinner invitation.

Interesting to see there wasn't really too much negative, right? So, to write an enemies to lovers story, start out with the reason for the animosity and spend the rest of the time showing the feelings change over time. In this story, only a day passed, but you could easily make the story cover a longer span of time.

Photo by Gemma Billings via Flickr Creative Commons License

The Sweetest Love of All

 by Marcella Robinson from the September 13, 2021 issue

Tagline: After swooning over ice-cream stand owner Rich all summer, Ellie is sure it will come to nothing...until one fateful cone changes everything.

Observations: In my class, How to Write and Sell Romance to Woman's World Magazine, I give you a bunch of ideas on how to keep your story to 800 words. One of those ideas is to keep physical description of characters to a minimum, but this story had an unusual amount of description--of Ellie, of Rich and of the park itself. (I enjoyed reading those details and the lovely feelings the park description evoked.)

You never want to sacrifice character interaction/connection for the sake of character physical description. It's much more important to show your characters talking, laughing, sharing ice cream, sharing stories, etc. than it is to tell the reader they both have brown hair. However, I didn't see any sacrifices made in this story. There is still plenty of on-the-page interaction. We see them connecting in so many ways...

• the smiles exchanged
• the inside joke about him eating his profits
• the date they make to meet in a week
• his thoughtful observation that she liked sprinkles
• their conversation about their respective businesses
• finally, their hands touching

This last thing--Ellie putting her hand in his--let's look at this more closely. There are 11 stages of physical intimacy. Stage four is hand to hand/arm. Four! (Stage 1 - Eye to body, Stage 2 - Eye to eye, Stage 3 - Voice to voice.) In this excellent article on the subject, they say:

The first three stages could happen quickly, but you don’t want to immediately rush into touching a stranger’s arm, or hand.

You’ll need to continue the conversation, take the time to get to know each other and build up your connection and friendship before you start touching.

Rushing through the steps of physical intimacy can be creepy--in real life and in fiction. Make sure your characters have conversed, gotten to know each other and built up their connection and friendship before they start touching. I'm not talking about catching someone to prevent them from falling, accidentally reaching for the same head of lettuce and that type of thing. I'm talking about intentional touching. Don't rush it or you risk making the reader (or editor) feel uncomfortable.

Photo by Elsie Hui via Flickr Creative Commons License

Love on Labor Day

by Mishael Austin Witty from the September 6, 2021 issue

Tagline: When a dashing captain saves the day at her company's holiday boat party, Becca finds that a new chance at love is on the horizon.

Observations: This was a classic misunderstanding story--Becca meets the captain of the boat and has no idea he's actually the owner of the company she works for. 

Notice how Jack intervened when Becca's little boy was getting out of hand. It's critical to show the hero and heroine connecting somehow, and if the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, then the way to a woman's heart just might be through her child. LOL 

Overall, cute story, but here comes a purely personal opinion that you are more than welcome to disagree with. In the past few years, sexual harassment has been prevalent in the news, so I might refrain from a boss/employee story just because of that. No doubt, real life boss and employee relationships can turn out to be happily-ever-after ones, and no doubt Woman's World readers (and the editors, for that matter) are well aware that dating your boss might not be the wisest idea. But even so, I would steer clear of this kind of story, especially if you're a new writer who hasn't sold to them yet. You might have better odds choosing a plot that isn't (potentially) controversial. :)

Photo by BluEyedA73 via Flickr Creative Commons License