The Sixth Sense

There are five senses, right? Sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. Fiction writers are constantly being told to use your senses. Good authors do when it organically fits the scene. But in romance fiction we need one more sense.
I’m not talking about anything paranormal, other-worldly, unexplained, ghostly, sci-fi, horror or fanciful. That’s a discussion for another time. I’m talking about the sense of humor. Okay, I know it’s not a sense, although the way some psychologists describe it, you’d think otherwise.
So why then, humor? If you’ve ever read various studies of what a mate wants in his/her opposite, a sense of humor ranks at or near the top. It often tops looks! Lightheartedness usually sustains a relationship (along with empathy, love, commitment). We write romance and yet one novel after another forgets to inject humor by either or both the heroine and hero. Sad.
This doesn’t mean you have to be a comedian or study humor, memorize jokes or construct clever phrases. Draw on your experiences at the least. Ain’t there always a cut-up in the crowd. Someone who found irony in something? Some joke during sex? Analogies will do nicely. Double entendres are easy. Deliberately taking the alternative and wrong meaning from something a person said. Just being witty.
Don’t overdo it, especially if you aren’t a Jack Benny, Henny Youngman, Robin Williams...
Consider a romance novel without humor. Would you ask yourself why the hell they got together? Would their life in the castle be as dreary as the cold damp walls?
When Harry Met Sally, 1989, the “I’ll have what she’s having, scene.”
https://youtu.be/F-bsf2x-aeE

Happy to announce

I'm happy to announce that I won the San Diego Book Award on June 10th 2017 for Autumn Breeze as best published general romance for this year.

I expect to be back to blogging next Sunday and every Sunday thereafter.

Thanks for your support.

RW Richard aka Bob Richard

Some men are dogs

She’s smart, accomplished, pretty, empathetic, loving, 31 and serious about getting married, an attorney and black. She’s the bachelorette on ABC’s hit show. I say black with a bravo for ABC which broke the color barrier in 2017 on this show. Whoopee. When did Jackie Robinson play ball? It’s about time. I can’t say the same for Hallmark romances, but don’t get me started.
Sometimes people watch the show to figure out who she’ll pick (she’s engaged to the mystery gentleman). Some watch to figure out who will be the next bachelor. Even though early in the show, I have a prediction. I predict Copper will be the next Bachelor. Copper is Rachel’s dog and better looking than some of the men. She doesn’t go anywhere without him which gives Copper a leg up. Some of the men are bad dogs, like DeMario. Bad dog. We’ll have to see if Rachel can find another faithful companion, best friend. Someone who gives her unconditional love. None of them can kiss like Copper. Picture that.
Here’s a peek at Rachel and some of the men on the Ellen Degeneres Show. (2017):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvwO9kv5xig

Pop quiz:

On the Hallmark premier of Destination Wedding, June 3, 2107 was the wedding sequence at the end?
A. Secretly planned by friends and family of the hero and heroine.
B. The second of two ceremonies.
C. A scene from a later time (then the one planned for the heroine's sister).
D. The only wedding that happened.