90 Day Fiance--True Love or True Lust?

I love the show 90 Day Fiance and have from day one. Okay there was one season where the couples were that painful to watch, so I didn't, mostly. It is a fabulous mix of hopeless romance and cynicism (sometimes the participants, most times the audience). At it's core it's like most romance novels. People, from all walks of life, throwing caution to the wind to find true romance. Did I mention the foreigners are usually good looking and from very depressed countries? Did I also mention most of the Americans are looking to find love in the arms of a hottie with an accent? And didn't I mention that I'm sometimes cynical about these relationships? And yet, in every season there is at least one couple that convinces me they should be together, language and cultural differences be damned. So it shouldn't surprise you that on my list of romances to write there is one about a solitary man who finds his true love on a foreign dating site. He's American, she Mexican (or maybe Ukrainian) and sparks are going to fly. Of course it will be a while until that book is written, so do yourself a favor and watch an episode or three of 90 Day Fiance. You'll either love it, or hate me :)

Hooping Has Sprung

As spring has sprung I'm starting to have fantasies of getting into shape. You know, like the heroines in many of my romance novels. So a week ago I blew the dust off my hula hoop and started hooping again. In my head I imagine myself looking sleek and sexy while shedding the pounds, a la Hoopalicious in the video above. The reality is that my hoop hits the floor a lot and I'm never going to be a dance goddess, like my heroines. Oh well, I'll keep trying and maybe I find my groove.

You and I Both Love Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. And what says love more than a boy in love pursuing a girl (well, maybe a girl pursuing another girl)?  Enjoy some Jason Mraz during this month of love. You and I both deserve it (see what I did there?).

Before and After

This guy, Kumail Nanjiani, is my January inspiration on so many levels.

1. He could be two different types of heroes. The guy on the left looks like a great beta hero, fit for a chick lit type romance. The guy on the right is a total Alpha, ready to rip off my heroine's clothes. Both are yummy in their own way.

2. This guy could be the before and after in the same novel, going through a great transformation and learning a lot about himself his love and along with way. Hmm, I'll have to put that in my idea folder.

3. And lastly, this guy is totally inspiring me to get on my diet and exercise grind. It's a new year, heck it's a new decade and I need to get on it.

Thanks Kumail for inspiring me this month!

Black Love Strong Love

This Thanksgiving I celebrated by going to the movies, a rarity for me. Queen and Slim was opening and I wanted to see if the movie was as interesting as the trailer. It is. It's interesting, atmospheric and dare I say, sexy. But more than sexy, it showcases something we rarely get to see in the movies, black love. Black people falling in love. And that is powerful. Too often black folks aren't allowed to be anything but the best friend in someone else's love story (see the Hallmark Channel). But in Queen and Slim black folks get to be the love story. There's more to the movie than love, a lot more. However, I contend that it might be the love message that is its most powerful one. Do yourself a favor and go see this love story evolve.

We Belong Together

Although it's very cliched, my stories are inspired by all types of things and situations.This summer I went to Chicago to meet up with a bunch of my college friends. I had a fabulous long weekend with them, and after a while we began reminiscing about our classmates. And then we began spying on them via Facebook. Don't act surprised, you'd do it too. We landed on one classmates's page and my friend Aimee scrolled through her wedding pics. Ms. X just got married to another classmate, and get this, they'd found each other at our last reunion. Back then they ran in totally different circles but fast-forward twenty years and a hell of a lot more experience and they've fallen into each other's arms. Thus my new romance was born. It's all about Bailey and Sam, two women who were worlds apart in college who come back for their reunion and discover each other and love. I'm super excited to write this story and share it with you. Hopefully it will make you sigh as much as I sighed over my classmates' romance.

Red Light District

This month's blog post comes to you from Amsterdam. I'm here vacationing with friends, enjoying the laid back European atmosphere. I have to confess that like many folks who come to this lovely city, I've made it a point to hang out in the Red Light District. And yes, I've gone to one of those shows. And yes, it is odd to watch people you don't know getting down, (though possibly less odd than if you knew them ?). While I was sitting in the theater watching people doing the do, I couldn't help but come up with ideas for romance novels--what would happen if you met a stranger in a club, what would happen if you worked in a sex club, what would happen if you were a stripper...? So even dens of iniquity can spark the imagination and tickle my romance bone. So what has recently tickled your romance bone? If nothing has, I suggest going to Amsterdam. And tell them Mila sent you.