The Ninety Percent Solution

Beauty said to Beast on their twentieth anniversary, “When I first met you, you were a beast. Now, you’re a monster.”
There are many studies on this issue. I’ll use the most inflammatory. 90% of couples don’t like each other, because I want to make a point about writing romance.
In a romance novel, both hero and heroine must be precocious enough to figure out why this won’t happen to them. Why? Because your audience wants that happily ever after to really be happily ever after and even after that. The characters both need moments in their arc to say, act or think why they want to marry each other.
We know physical attraction or chemistry isn’t enough, because time changes the body.
We know similar interests isn’t enough, because people grow or change.
IMO, your hero and heroine most also be so decvoted to the idea of service. “I want to make Susie happy and it will be my life’s goal to make her feel special every day of her life.” What can I do for her next? What can I say to her next? It’s my belief that you have to dig deeply to find out what makes them feel that way. Qwhat in their background and nature makes them commit to their mate as if a zealot. Thoughts? La Vie en Rose.
The hero and heroine just get that they are as perfect for each other as could possibly be. They thank God or the universe for they’re great fortune.
La Vie en Rose, Edith Pief, 1946.


https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KIo9jh6M5YZCkAU9P7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTBzYmZpbnA0BHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDMjU-?p=la+vie+en+rose+edith+piaf&vid=56a4a1946e2a77757394b38c84768336&turl=https%3A%2F%2Ftse4.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOVP.EcWWmuP0crz3V9gPXTTV2gDyDw%26pid%3D15.1%26h%3D240%26w%3D242%26c%3D7%26rs%3D1&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D0feNVUwQA8U&tit=Edith+Piaf+-La+vie+en+rose+with+lyrics&c=24&h=240&w=242&l=186&sigr=11b24ci1o&sigt=1160398f2&sigi=12rnqevi1&age=1245371350&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av&fr=vmn&tt=b

English lyrics by Mack David

Hold me close and hold me fast
The magic spell you cast
This is la vie en rose
When you kiss me, Heaven sighs
And though I close my eyes
I see la vie en rose
When you press me to your heart
I'm in a world apart
A world where roses bloom
And when you speak
Angels sing from above
Every day words
Seem to turn into love songs
Give your heart and soul to me
And life will always be
La vie en rose
I thought that love was just a word
They sang about in songs I heard
It took your kisses to reveal
That I was wrong, and love is real
Hold me close and hold me fast
The magic spell you cast
This is la vie en rose
When you kiss me, Heaven sighs
And though I close my eyes
I see la vie en rose
When you press me to your heart
I'm in a world apart
A world where roses bloom
And when you speak
Angels sing from above
Every day words
Seem to turn into love songs
Give your heart and soul to me
And life will always be
La vie en rose

Michelle Pfeiffer is white gold

Name dropping in novels:

I was chastised for comparing my current naughty, kick-ass heroine to a young Doris Day (physically although my character has an inner good girl wanting to come out) in my latest WIP.

Many readers weren't born when Doris sang and acted her way into our hearts. Does this mean we should dumb down to our larger audience? No. Keep it spar, of course. It's one thing to reference, but turning your contemporary novel into an historical treasure hunt puts the reader off focus and seeking Google or Bing if they continue to read at all.

Why are young men singing about a still lovely 57 year old actress?

MICHELLE PFEIFFER.


Michelle is one of the most beautiful actresses to ever grace the silver screen and the idea of challenging your audience and/or paying homage to a striking woman seems obvious.

There are other theories.

Blog 97ZOK presents two:

"No person’s name has been mentioned this many times in music since Jason Derulo couldn’t stop saying his own in 2011.

Michelle Pfeiffer isn’t promoting any movies at the moment, so why does she seem to be the ‘Pop Music Muse of the Moment.’ Here’s why.
 

Let’s start with “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars (‘Pfeiffer drop’ at :17)
 

"“This hit, that ice cold… Michelle Pfeiffer, that white gold.”

"There are two reasons for this particular name-dropping. The first one comes from NationalAve.com:

… a reference to a religious movement growing rapidly in the music industry: Pfeifferism. [This movement along with the Flat Earth society will get you a cup of coffee.] For those who aren’t in the know, Pfeiffer is a religious practice that entails worshipping the Almighty White Fox, Michelle Pfeiffer – star of such Hollywood hits as Batman Returns, Scarface, and Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen. While it is unclear how this movement started, many point to Pfeiffer’s “Most Desirable Female” MTV Movie Award nomination as the true beginning of the Pfeifferism movement.

… and the second reason comes from USA Today:

… seems to be describing Pfeiffer’s feisty Elvira Hancock from “Scarface.” By “white gold” could they mean cocaine? Would make sense, considering Hancock’s a drug addict.
 

"The second ‘Pfeiffer’ name-dropping comes from “Riptide” by Vance Joy who’s opening for Taylor Swift’s World Tour. (‘Pfeiffer drop’ at 2:12)

… “Closest thing to Michelle Pfeiffer that you’ve ever seen.”

Vance Joy told Buzzed that his ‘Pfeiffer dropping’ was inspired by her Catwoman character in “Batman Returns” and specifically THIS scene.

Catwoman comes back to her apartment after being thrown out the window by Christopher Walken and she goes mental. Her apartment’s all pink and beautiful, and kind of creepy and infantile, then she just smashes it all up and spray paints stuff and transforms into Catwoman. It’s this really kind of sexual scene; it’s amazing."

RWR: Okay, interesting ideas, but after reviewing the two songs' videos and lyrics it's predominately obvious to me that the men idolize women and in particular, Michelle Pfeiffer.

Riptide by Vance Joy  2013 Pfeiffer's name drop at 2:12 evokes obsession:

 

Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars (‘Pfeiffer's name drop’ at :17). Compare to: Standing on a Corner, Watching all the Girls Go by for intent: