I love a road trip. Some mornings when I’m driving to work, I wonder what would happen if I just kept heading down the highway instead of taking that exit. I love the open road, I love seeing new things, things you can’t see from the air. It’s nice to not have to go through security, and to have more room to spread out. I love the camaraderie of being with my husband and son. My husband always makes it special, stopping for snacks and for lunch. They’re always better if we’re not trying to meet an impossible deadline. So it makes sense I would want to send my characters on road trips.
It’s a fun way to isolate them, to have them on their own against the world, to be able to concentrate on the growth of the relationship, pushing them closer every chance I get.
Even though Road Signs is a straight contemporary romance, I’ve seen the theme in my other books as well—my hero and heroine in Hot Shot are trekking down a mountain after being separated from the fire crew, my hero and heroine in Don’t Look Back are crossing Africa on their own after being separated from their team. In Sunrise Over Texas, the hero and heroine are crossing the wilds of Texas to the safety of civilization.
In Road Signs, I wanted to give two best friends the push they needed to turn from friends to lovers, and what better impetus than a road trip on Thanksgiving weekend, when they can’t get a flight or a room at a decent hotel and have to share, while money’s running out, the kinds of things that can make or break a relationship. It was fun throwing things at Cam and Willow to see what would make them stick together.
Do you like road trips or would you rather just get to your destination? Do you enjoy road trip stories? Best friend stories? What draws you to them?
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13 comments:
Thanks so much for having me here today, ladies!
Oh, I love road trips, too! Something about starting up in early morning, before there's a lot of traffic, when everything's still all dewy and sparkly...and hopeful. The anticipation. The excitement!
Congrats and Best Wishes on Road Signs! Have fun with Release Week!
Oh, I love driving, even though we seem to spend more time flying these days. I love to see the landscape change and to listen to music on the iPod and to just chill out. Thanks for joining us today, MJ!
Thanks so much for coming by, Taryn! You described it PERFECTLY.
Meg, I'm trying to see if the dh wants to drive up to MN this summer. My dad has a place up there, and we have a new-ish car.
Yes! I love a roadtrip, and roadtrip stories. I especially like them when the H&h are on the lam or running from danger. The close quarters of a car, the confinement of a motel room...
Norah, yes!! I love the element of danger. My characters aren't in danger, but they're racing the clock, which is also fun :) And they're on a very tight budget.
Well, you know I love a good road trip, having just made the two-day trek back from your house. :) I've driven tons of places, even from Nashville to Tacoma, WA -- four days in the car. But I love stopping at interesting spots along the way.
I love road trips May through September! We do one every summer when we head east to visit my family and each year we pick a different place to visit. It's such fun revisiting places I saw as a child.
I love road trips! And now you've made me realize that's a constant theme in my stories (even tho' they're historical)! Wow!
Wish I could head out for a road trip now...convertible, meandering through little towns, eating a diners. Fun. And relaxing. Sometimes the best vacations don't have an itinerary.
Great post!
Welcome back to the Naughty Nine MJ. Road Signs sounds great, and I love all the things you mentioned especially the close proximity. What could be better for a romance? I like road trips too, especially to new places. Must write more of them. :-)
I confess, I like road trips a lot better in fiction than in real life. :) I'm programmed to fall asleep after 30 minutes in the car... :(
Adrienne, that sounds like so much fun!
Jennifer, I used the theme in my historical, too. It's a great device to move the plot forward!
Thanks, Kelly! I want to road trip up to the Black Hills after seeing Deadwood. Also, to Nashville. Ahem.
Natalie, LOL! I have a hard time falling asleep in the car. Lucky you!
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