Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Guest Blogger Desiree Holt - But where is the romance?

Note: Leave a comment and you might win a free ebook from my backlist.   

Okay, I’m on my soapbox. Call me crazy, but where has the romance gone in television? The good feeling? The “Oh, I love this show” feeling? I don’t know about everyone else but when I watch a television series and a couple has really great chemistry I want them together and I want them happy. I want to feel the love!!! In an ensemble series with a large cast and the story line basically about the lives of the people involved, I want one couple that’s the anchor. One couple that is sold despite everything. That you can always depend on no matter what.

I’m a romance writer right? So I want the romance! However small it might be.

Yet television seems to have this wild notion that if you don’t constantly break people up you’re not creating “conflict.” Maybe that’s because they don’t know how to write “conflict.” Or maybe it’s because they think the only way to keep the viewers coming back is to give them a weekly dose of angst.

Now I’m not saying every show ahs to have a romance. Some, like the police procedurals, aren’t even built around romance. But if they introduce couples and their private lives are only peripheral to the show, then why can’t they be happy? In love?

Oh, yeah, I know, I know, couples fight in real life and they deal with problems. That’s okay if it’s not too intrusive. But if you want to watch “real life” then tune into lone of he gazillion reality shows. Or take a look at life around you. Lord knows there’s enough angst and “conflict” to go around.

When I watch television I wan t escapist entertainment. I want to feel good. I want a break from the trash I deal with every day.

And what’s the argument when shows get complaints about splitting up key couples or not putting them together when the chemistry between them is son strong is about ignites the screen? The Moonlighting Curse. When David and Maddie got together the show tanked. Jumped the shark. Well, hell. Moonlighting was a long, long time ago and I’d like to think writers have learned a lot since then about how to do it right. How to make it work.

I must have every book written by the Dell Shannon, the queen of police procedurals. The story of the crime and the police department was primary but she skillfully wove in the personal stories of the detectives. And guess what? They didn’t break up, or if they did it was instantly resolved. They didn’t do things to hurt each other. Although I’m sure she didn’t think of it this way, her books had “strong romantic elements”.

Just like many of today’s shows, like Grey’s Anatomy. I watch shows like Flashpoint, where poor Ed has to decide between his job and his family. Why? It’s not even close to being primary to the show. Or Hawaii 5-0, where Danny and Rachel are finally getting back together and she’s pregnant with his child and he ditches her at the airport. Why? It’s not germane to the story line.

So if this bothers you like it bothers me, let me know. Let the producers know. Maybe they’ll take pity on me.

Meanwhile, here’s a taste of my new gritty erotic romance, Out of Control, where you will find romance.

Blurb:

Twenty five years ago Carrie Nolan was the only victim to survive the killing spree of a pedophile. Her life has been frozen in time, and not even a move to a distant city or a name change has healed the wounds that left her emotionally and sexually scarred. Determined finally to reclaim her life, Carrie returns to High Ridge as multi-published crime novelist, Dana Moretti, in hope of asking the questions that would lay her nightmares to rest. Sheriff Cole Landry, came to High Ridge to escape the horrors of Iraq and Afghanistan, but soon after the sexy author arrives and starts poking her nose into matters best forgotten, his town once again becomes the hunting ground of a ruthless killer. She's sure it's the same man, and he's not all that convinced she's wrong. Keeping Dana safe means keeping her close—very close—under his protection, under him. Between her sexual need for Cole and the danger lurking behind every stranger's face, her world is spinning out of control.

*****

“Can I help you?”

The deep voice that spoke to her sent shock waves through her. She whirled, her knees shaking. Oh, hell. It was him. The man in the truck. Wearing a uniform, for god’s sake.

“I have to say,” he went on, “you look a lot better when you aren’t soaked through by the rain.”

Dana’s legs were shaking, keeping time with the butterflies doing the rumba in her stomach. The first thing she thought was cowboy. He had the easy, relaxed yet alert stance she’d seen on men around horses and cattle. And his feet were shod in square-toed Western boots. She was sure his hat would be a Stetson.

But the way his eyes assessed her, the analytical gaze…military. Some kind of covert ops.

A dangerous combination in a man.

Dangerous to women. And to people who were misled by his friendly smile.

He was somewhere in his mid-thirties. At least six-four, broad shouldered, and lean hipped, the khaki of the sheriff’s uniform looking as if it were custom tailored for him. His face was all angles and planes, with deep-set, whiskey-colored eyes framed by dark brows and lashes. Even in her state of high anxiety, she couldn’t miss the sexuality that radiated from him.

The ultimate alpha male.

And trouble.

I’ll bet he has to beat the women off with a nightstick. Well, for sure he won’t have to worry about me. Oh, wait. After last night, he probably thinks I’m a nutcase anyway.

She wet her lips. “I gave my card to your…to the woman at the window. I’m Dana Moretti.”

“I know who you are.” His smile, like John Garrett’s, was professional and didn’t reach his eyes. “I’ve been expecting you. Come on.”

He swung the door wide, the muscles in his tanned arms flexing with the movement.

“If you’d identified yourself last night,” she told him, trying to keep the acid out of her voice, “I might have been more willing to accept a ride. I don’t make it a habit of jumping into trucks with strange men.”

His body brushed hers as he let the door swing shut, and lightning shot through her. What the hell? She knew what unexpected lust was. She often wrote about it, but it wasn’t a feeling familiar to her personally. Certainly not in a situation like this. Maybe this was a bad idea, after all.

“So, what kind of men do you jump in trucks with?”



Find this and other releases at Amazon and Barnes&Noble and come visit me at www.desireeholt.com and www.desireeholttellsall.com ; on Twitter @desireeholt, on Facebook: /Desire Holt.

And now an App for both Apple and Android devices.











18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks to y'all for hosting me today. Love this blog.

Vanessa N. said...

This one sounds great. I agree, that I also like romance in my tv shows. Sometimes you get hooked on the couple and can't wait to see what happens.

mythic021@gmail.com

Denise S said...

sounds great. would love to read

watchoffice123@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Hope you enjoy it. Thanks for stopping by.

PG Forte said...

I think the actors in long running TV series are the ones who instigate a lot of the break-ups. I think they get bored and want to change things up.

Having said that, however, I also suspect the Moonlighting Curse was just bad timing. That show was already poised to jump the shark. The writers got David and Maddie together as a last-ditch attempt to save it. Not so surprising it didn't work. ;)

Kind of like what's happening with Castle now. Sadly, I don't think the writers have learned anything in the intervening years.

Drea Becraft said...

I have this book in my TBR mountain I can't wait to read it soon!

Fedora said...

Ah, Desiree! I don't watch a lot of TV any more (too many books; too little time ;)) and it's true for me, too--I'm not a fan of watching people continually suffer relationship angst on screen. I know life isn't always a bunch of roses, but it isn't always only the thorns either!

Thanks for the peek at Out of Control--how yummy!

f dot chen at comcast dot net

Meg Benjamin said...

Actually, I'm annoyed by the books that break up couples almost as much as the TV shows. Long-running mystery series seem to do this a lot. Currently I'm worried Dana Stabenow is going to break up Kate Shugak and Trooper Dan (which would be better than killing him off as she did with Kate's last boyfriend).

StacieD said...

Ugh! I couldn't agree more. I hate that shows like Greys or The Vampire Diaries breaks up couples or has characters cheat in order to create drama. I wish there could be more solid couples on these shows.

geishasmom73 AT yahoo DOT com

Sherry said...

I love reading romance books but I really don't care to watch it on TV. I mainly watch shows like Criminal Minds, NCIS and CSI. I joke and tell people that I watch these and true crime shows so I can plot the perfect murder.
sstrode at scrtc dot com

Anna L. Walls said...

I think most television today sucks. There is no moral foundation to any of it anywhere. It's as if television is going out of its way to teach all of us how to be dysfunctional and disrespectful, and even down right dumb.

June M. said...

I have to agree with you. I can't think of any show that has people in stable relationships. People are always either splitting up, getting back together, etc. I guess that is why I tend to watch more shows like Criminal Minds that don't really have relationships in them. I then get my romantic fix from books, lol.

Anonymous said...

Whew! JUst siding into my chair after a long afternoon at the doctor's. Nothing major. Meg, agree with you about the Stabenow books. And yes, I agree the Moonlighting Curse was very bad timing. And I'm waiting to see how they handle the whole Castle/Beckett thing. I think the problem is most of the show runners are men.

Stay tuned because tonight I'll be picking a winner.

Anonymous said...

I'm with y'all who watch Criminal Minds, NCIS, Person of INterest, Blue Bloods, all those shows. I'm tired of investing emotionally in a relationship only to have it split up because the writers donut know what they're doing.

kelly said...

I don't get to watch much TV these days - too busy writing - but I do love some romance in TV shows. Ross and Rachel didn't last long... *sigh*

Anonymous said...

I agree. Sighing with you and thanks for stopping by. IN one hour I will ick the winner and post it here.

Anonymous said...

Okay, ladies. random.org has selected Kelly Jamieson as the winner. Kelly, email me at desireeholt@desireeholt.com and I'll let you know how to choose your book. Meg, thanks so very much for hosting me today. I loved it here. And thanks again to everyone who came by.

Sandra Nachlinger said...

Great blurb. You did a great job showing what Cole Landry looks like, as well as the alpha male aura that radiates from him. Sounds like an excellent book.
(Sorry I was too late to enter your contest! I just came across your post on Facebook's 'Leprechaun Luck' group. But I'll buy Out of Control for sure.)