Sunday, June 7, 2015

HAPPY ENDINGS TOUR: KEEPING IT HAPPY IN FICTION BY CATHERINE ANN GREENFEDER

  
WELCOME TO RWA/NYC’s HAPPY ENDINGS BLOG TOUR!
June being the month of Brides,
we thought it apropos to talk about Happy Endings. 
Visit us daily this week and learn what some of our members think about the much sought after and often elusive “Happy Ever After.”



I became a fan of romance novels for many reasons including the sensual portrayals, the blend of historical facts with fiction, strong heroes and heroines, and the happily ever after endings. 

However, when I began writing my romance stories, I wasn’t sure of the characters and conflicts until I got into the stories and worked on them awhile, allowing my characters to develop, the plot to take shape, the historical or paranormal elements to blend in with the fictional worlds, and the sensual or sexual tension to contribute enough spice and interest.  I did know the formula called for a happily ever after for the hero and the heroine. It’s the one part of plotting I felt sure about, but getting to the happy resolution would require a heck of a lot of work on the part of the main characters. It had to be both satisfying and believable and fit the storyline of the particular novel.

My western historical romance Wildflowers took place in 1848 during the westward expansion with the heroine and the hero overcoming obstacles along the trail toward Oregon. Their happily ever after would take many conflicts and a few hundred pages before they achieved their tender happy moment at the end.

Sacred Fires involved soul mates reunited in the attempt to stop a crazed cult with mob connections and discover stolen ancient artifacts in Mexico.  The couple find their happily ever after when the crimes are solved.

The heroine of Angels Among Us is guided by her guardian angel to uncover the mystery of her parents’ deaths. Not only does she heal from past grief but finds love and happiness as she uses her psychic and artistic gifts.

Most recently my two young adult novels, A Kiss Out of Time and A Dance Out of Time, feature a ghost hunter who must resolve her own inner conflicts in order to uncover the reasons for the hauntings she is trying to stop. Along the way she learns to accept her gift and find romance.

Keeping it happy in fiction is not an easy task when you need to be real as well. I think the journey must also be satisfying and filled with interesting plot twists, captivating characters, and strong conflicts which are resolved before the sense of happily ever after. ♥


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Catherine Ann Greenfeder is a published author of five novels and is currently working on a women’s fiction novel.  Visit her at http://www.catherinegreenfeder.com/. 


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