Never Say Never

There are certain plot devices that I tend to shy away from as a reader and a writer.

Not too many months ago I told a friend I would never write a book with a secret baby or a marriage of convenience and don’t read books with those two plot lines either, and let’s add pregnant heroine to the list too.

I had (and still have) issue with the idea that a hero can forgive a heroine for keeping his child from him, especially for years… I just can’t get over that.  That’s a personal feeling, but obviously I am in the minority because secret baby books abound.  (Also, I have trouble with a heroine getting pregnant because after having just been pregnant last year I feel there is NOTHING sexy about pregnancy.  BLECH.  Again, I know, personal preference).  Now, I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to delve into writing a secret baby story, but I did recently read one and it didn’t totally turn me off.  I think part of the reason was she only kept it a secret for a few months, not YEARS.  Point being, as my Mom always likes to tell me, never say never.

I once said I would never stay living in Missouri after my family moved here when I was in middle school.  Guess what, seventeen years later, I still live in Missouri.

Anyway, I have been wrestling with this never say never because I recently revisited the very first novel I ever wrote.  I love my main characters, adore them, have created many a sequel for them to show up in.  But, their story sucks.  I was twenty when I wrote it and it’s full of external conflict, crazy plot twists, and a really wimpy hero (sorry, Gabe).

So, I wanted to rewrite it, but I needed to pretty much rework the whole plot and the idea that came to me and stuck was a marriage of convenience idea.  But, I kept telling myself no.  I can’t write a marriage of convenience.  I don’t like them, don’t think they’re believable, I said I’d never write one!

But the idea wouldn’t dislodge and as I did some reading, I realized there is a contemporary, believable way to make a marriage of convenience work.  Especially with the little twist my main characters have going for them.

Any plot device, any story, anything can be good if the writing is good, if the characters are believable and lovable, and if you can make the reader so lost in the world you’ve created they forget to think about their reality.

Now, I still don’t think I’ll ever write a paranormal, but I’m not saying never!