Beautiful People: Valentine’s Edition

Hey peeps! I found this cool new meme and since I’m a writer, I wanted to join in! It’s hosted by Cait @ Paper Fury and Sky @ Further Up & Further In. If you want to know more about Beautiful People, you can check out the FAQs page here.

beautifulpeople

So this month’s topic is about ships. You know exactly what I’m talking about: the relationships that form in your own writing. (Yes, writers ship their own characters, in case you were wondering.)

So for this one I decided to go with two of my lovelies, Maddock and Abby, who are from a fantasy I’m writing and they’re just two of my favorites (of course). I’ve never really talked about them, but here’s a little bit to know about them before I jump into the questions:

  • Maddock is part of the royal guard, but having only been enlisted for a few years, he’s not high up in the ranks. He’s got a keen eye for detail and is fiercely loyal to his comrades. He’s also kind of the gentleman (mama raised him right). He’s twenty-two years old and ready to take on the world. He can be quick to react sometimes, but he has the best intentions.
  • Abigail, or Abby for short, is a maid in the palace and has been working there since she was a little girl. She was born there and so she grew up in servitude. Her father left to find a better life for them when she was little, but never returned, and her mother died of cancer when she was fifteen. She may seem quiet on the surface, but she’s not afraid to speak her mind when it’s called for. She does have a few secrets, though, that she doesn’t want others to know.

And that’s all I want to give you because I have to rewrite my first draft (which isn’t even finished yet) and fix a bunch of things because they developed so much as the story progressed. BUT, one thing is for certain: I ship them so hard.

So, here are the questions for this month’s Beautiful People:

  1. How did they first meet? They first met in the palace when Maddock and a few members of his squadron were on their way to a meeting and Abby crashed – literally – right into Maddock.
  2. What were their first impressions of each other? Instant attraction, but not insta-love. Maddock is about a head and a half taller than Abby, so Abby thought he was a mountain and Maddock thought she was cute with the freckles across her nose and cheeks.
  3. How long have they been a couple? I think for about half the story so far? Maybe less than that. They kind of go through a lot of rough things together on the journey that they take to find a killer, so that created a bond between them. Their feelings developed over time, but they haven’t really been a “couple,” per se.
  4. How committed/loyal are they to each other? Would they break up over a secret or a disagreement? Could stress drive them apart? Would they die for each other? They wouldn’t break up over a secret or stress or anything. I wouldn’t ever do that to my babehs. I don’t know that they’re at the “dying for each other” stage just yet where they’re at in the story, but… hell, who am I kidding, of course they would! They fight alongside one another on multiple occasions and I just love how they mesh together.
  5. List 5 “food quirks” they know about each other. (Ex: how they take their coffee, if they’re allergic to something, etc….and feel free to mention other non-food quirks!) Hmm.. I honestly don’t think they do know! At least, not said in writing. Behind the scenes: Maddock knows Abby isn’t a fan of seafood and that she loves to have her bread buttered with some basil on it. Abby knows Maddock eats fast – wicked fast – because he always has to be ready at a moment’s notice so there’s not really any time for him to enjoy his meals. As for non-food quirks? Abby fiddles with her fingers when she’s nervous and Maddock hums when he’s relaxed.
  6. Does anyone disapprove of their relationship? None thus far.
  7. What would be an ideal date? A picnic on the hillsides near the palace – they’re some of the most maintained and beautiful with fields of flowers covering large spaces.
  8. What are their personality dynamics? Similar? Contrasting? Do they fight a lot or mesh perfectly? They actually mesh pretty well, which surprised even me. Where I thought Maddock would be kind of stoic, he’s actually just a very focused individual. Abby is a hard worker and strives to do the best she can in any situation, so they balance each other nicely like that. They’re actually pretty similar, now that I think about it, but not in a way that you can’t tell who’s who.
  9. What have been their best and worst moments together as a couple? Best: Their first kiss, dancing, first flirtations. Worst: Almost getting killed, Abby getting kidnapped.
  10. Where do they see themselves and their relationship in the next few years? In the next few years, they see themselves living in a nice place near the mountains. They’d have everything they could desire at this point, and possibly a child on the way.

And there you go! Writing about them makes me want to get back into writing the story and progressing the plot… or just start the revisions now, SOMEBODY HELP.

Anyway, there’s a little insight into two of my characters and their relationship together.

If you’re a writer, how hard do you ship your characters? Are they more of a tragic romance, or ones that will last forever? I want to feel the feels, so let me know!

Top Ten Tuesday: Fictional Crushes

Welcome to another Top Ten Tuesday as hosted by the lovely people of The Broke and the Bookish. Today’s topic was a freebie! Since Valentine’s Day is around the corner, I really wanted to talk about something that will just spawn all of my feels: fictional crushes. DON’T LIE. YOU HAVE THEM TOO.

So here is my list of crushes, and I don’t care if they’re taken in book. They’re mine, too.

  1. Kaden from The Remnant Chronicles by Mary E. Pearson. My bae. Seriously, I love him so much. He’s my top book boyfriend. I’m swooning just thinking about him.
  2. Aeduan from Truthwitch by Susan Dennard. Love him. New character crushes are fantastic, don’t you agree?
  3. Chaol from the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. I don’t care how much of a butt you were, you’re still in a special place in my heart.
  4. Kenji from the Shatter Me trilogy by Tahereh Mafi. Always go for the ones with a sense of humor. I wish there was a novella just about him before the events of the first book. I’d definitely read that.
  5. Gideon from Their Fractured Light by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. His awkward confidence is charming. Plus if I have a computer problem I’ll have a handy dandy dude to help me (not that I don’t already because my husband works with computers, but still…)
  6. Karou from Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor. There’s more to her than meets the eye. I have more of like a friend crush on her, but she’s still amazing and strong and brave.
  7. Flynn from This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. Such a rebel, but also has a golden heart. I love his fire and gumption and I want to have sweet nothings in another language spoken to me.
  8. Curran from the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. Alpha male, compulsive, controlling, but so, so good. Them abs, tho.
  9. Ronan from The Raven Boys cycle by Maggie Steifvater. Bad boy with a good heart? Love it.
  10. Daenerys Targaryen from A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. The Khalessi has a special place in my heart. (Though I might want to choose the show version because book version is fourteen years old where I’m at right now…)

So there you have it, ten of my fictional crushes! I’m seriously swooning just thinking about some of these characters while others just make me want to cuddle them.

Who are some of your fictional crushes? Let me know!

The Book Love Tag

Hey peeps! I’m here with another tag and since we’re getting closer to Valentine’s Day, I decided to do this tag that Anette of Anette Reads made! It’s pretty straight forward, so here we go:

1. Your favorite book couple. Too. Many. Umm… If I have to pick one couple for the purposes of this tag then I choose Cath and Levi from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.
2. Your top 3 book boy/girlfriends. 1. Kaden from The Remnant Chronicles by Mary E. Pearson. Forever. Love him. // 2. Aeduan from Truthwitch by Susan Dennard. He’s an angry ball of yesness. // 3. Curran from the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. Meeeeowwww.
3. Imagine your favorite book couple. Who would propose, and how? (If there’s already been a proposal: who would be more into organizing the wedding?) It would totally be Levi because Cath would be either too shy or just be like, “Um, so…”

So Levi would probably buy Cath some flowers, chocolates, the whole nine yards, and probably take her out to dinner. Of course he’d have gotten her father’s and sister’s permissions before this, and then when they’re out on the date (maybe a picnic at his parents’ farm?), he’d get down on one knee and ask. Cath would be so flustered that she wouldn’t know what to say. So cute.
4. Unpopular opinions time! Name a popular pairing you can’t stand. Lia and Rafe from The Remnant Chronicles. I’M SORRY. I just can’t imagine them together. Maybe it’s because my love for Kaden makes me blind. I don’t know.
5. What’s your favorite and least favorite romance trope? Favorite: Strong, masculine thief/dark type. Oh my, bring on those bad boys. (Yes, I’m one of THOSE.) // Least Favorite: The I’m-super-angry-at-the-world type that doesn’t really show much redemption or anything like that. I don’t know how to explain.
6. Do you ship non-canon couples often? Name some if you do. Lia/Kaden. Iseult/Aeduan, omgyessss.
7. Your opinion on love triangles. Go! If they’re done right, then I’m fine with them. Example: The Remnant Chronicles by Mary E. Pearson. Otherwise, I’m over it.
8. Favorite and least favorite love triangle? Favorite: Lia/Kaden/Rafe // Least Favorite: Maxon/America/Aspen. Ugh.
9. Sometimes romance just isn’t the way to go. Favorite friendship? Kenji/Juliette. I love them together! They’re great friends to one another, I think.
10. What’s your favorite scene with your bookish OTP? Probably when Cath is reading some of her fanfiction to Levi and they end up falling asleep next to each other and sharing a sweet little kiss that Cath wasn’t sure if it was real or not.
11. Imagine your favorite book couple again. Who’s most excited about Valentine’s Day (either ironically or genuinely)? Genuinely: Levi. Ironically: Cath. Hands down. Oh man, Cath would be like, “Can’t we just stay in?” And Levi would be like, “No! Cather, we have reservations. We’re going.” With the biggest grin on his face.

There you have it! I think that that pretty much covers my thoughts and feels on some book love related things.

If you want to do this tag, please feel free to do so!

Who are your OTPs and who do you think would ask who out on a date? Let me know!

Happy Valentine’s Day

Well, the title states it, but I’ll say it again: Happy Valentine’s Day! This is the day when love is most abundant in the air, Hallmark sells a crap ton of cards, flowers are given to many, and chocolate is much celebrated.

Ah, love. It’s a wonderful thing, really. When I think of love I think of my favorite types of books or movies that incorporate love into their stories. I’m a romantic at heart, so feeding into that love is something that I look forward to expectantly in what I read or watch.

So, for today’s topic I wanted to give you guys a list of some of my favorite couples from books and movies/TV shows that I think are worth checking out. If you love love, then I suggest these various things:

Books

  • Meghan and Ash from The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa. They have such a strong relationship that builds as the series progresses and I love the dynamic between them. Plus it has faeries, which are some of my favorite beings to read about, so that’s a plus. But these two battle together and overcome many trials together, though not without difficulty, of course.
  • Maxon and America from “The Selection” series by Kiera Cass. Though I’ve only read the first book I know the ending because it was spoiled for me, but I still love the dynamic between these two. They bring out the best of each other, which does include vulnerabilities, and I really like that about their relationship.
  • Jubilee and Flynn from “This Shattered World” by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. Love, love, love these two so much. A captain and a rebel end up falling in love with one another, though neither of them really admits their feelings to the other. As the story progresses they really become close and know that they are willing to risk their lives for one another. I really loved their story and how they worked together, and how their affection for one another grew over time rather than developed right away.
  • Hazel and Gus from “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green. This book was full of heartbreaking and heartwrenching moments, but I loved the relationship these two had. They weren’t just cancer kids, but they had a relationship that grew over time and you could really see their feelings for each other grow in that time.
  • Eleanor and Park from “Eleanor & Park” by Rainbow Rowell. Such a cute book. Such a good story. These two grew into a relationship together and that’s what I love about books like this: it’s not just insta-love, it’s a growing, flourishing relationship with one another. These two dealt with a lot of stereotypes and obstacles, but they overcame them one by one.
  • Cath and Levi from “Fangirl” by Rainbow Rowell. Again, so cute, love this book so much. These two were so different from one another but I think that that was what helped to bring them close together. They’re definitely one of my top OTPs.
  • Elena and Stephen from “The Vampire Diaries” series by L.J. Smith. I haven’t read these books since high school but I remember how much I enjoyed reading about their relationship and how they complimented one another throughout the series rather than completing each other. It was really great to read about and how much their love for one another extended.
  • Miaka and Tamahome from “Fushigi Yuugi” by Yuu Watase. These two went through SO MUCH over the 18 volume span of this manga series. I love them so, so, sooooo much. As my favorite series I couldn’t help but grow with them and love them and watch as they grew together in many ways and how their love for each other grew throughout the series. Truly awesome.

Okay, I could go on and on, but I think that’s a good chunk of a list for now. Now some books I haven’t read yet but have seen the film version of that book, or otherwise, so I’m going to list some of my favorite movie couples that I love:

Movies/TV Shows

  • Noah and Allie from The Notebook. If you love love then you’ll love this movie. Seriously, it tugs on all of the feels you could ever have. My mom watches this movie religiously when it’s on (I’m not kidding) and I love it as well. The relationship these two form, though very rocky, is strong and full of passion. It’s based off of the book by Nicholas Sparks.
  • Landon and Jamie from A Walk to Remember. Again, this tugs on the feels so much. Bad boy meets good girl and bad boy falls in love with good girl. So cute, so cheesy, but so good. Really, these two are a great couple together and it’s just… oh, just watch it. This is also based off of a Nicholas Sparks book.
  • Simba and Nala from The Lion King. Okay, why wouldn’t I throw these two in here? They’re childhood (cubhood?) best buds who grow up together, but get separated, find each other, fall in love, have a falling out, but still love each other and save their kingdom together. I mean really, if they aren’t on your OTP list, put them there.
  • Ron and Hermione from the Harry Potter series. Yes, we love them. Yes, they’re awesome. And of course they make my list (I’m still only on book four, so I have to base this opinion off of the movies). Obviously based off of the books by J.K. Rowling.
  • Emma Swann and Hook from Once Upon a Time. I love this series so much, but I’ve seen how these two act toward each other and omg it’s awesome. It feels like authentic love and I love that about them. Also Mary Margaret and David from this series, too, makes me happy. Love them together.
  • Jamie and Claire from Outlander. Though I’ve only seen the first episode (this lack of cable thing is killing me) I loved them together and I obviously know what happens between them because spoilers on the Internet are extremely hard to avoid. But anyway, these two are just so… perfect together. This is also based off of the book series by Diana Gabaldon, and I do have the first book, I just have to, you know, read it.
  • Bones (Temperance) and Booth from Bones. They’re always picking on each other and always getting under one another’s skin, but they also work well together as a team and I know that they have feelings for one another as the series progresses. I’ve watched this on and off for a few years, but now I’m trying to catch up on Netflix.
  • Richard Castle and Kate Beckett from Castle. They’re so goofy together and know just the right buttons to push to get under each other’s skin, but they also know how the other works and can trust the other to lead them through any given situation.

Okay, a list of eight each, I think that’s good. So those are some of my favorite OTPs and movies/books/TV shows that incorporate love in some way, shape, or form within them. If you love love, then I definitely suggest checking them out.

What are some of your OTPs? Either from books, movies, and/or TV shows – let me know!