Looking for Sweet and Innocent Romantic Dialog

Cyclops · Aug 8, 2007

My WIP is more Sci-Fi, but romance is what ties it all together.
What I am looking for is well written Romance books that have good examples of sweet romantic dialog between lovers. you know, the profession of love, gentle comfort for a weeping lover, that happily ever after kinda talk.

My heroes are two teen kids, who discover each others in a dark, dangerous world (in this world, Joe McCarthy became President!). I want to portray their innocence in contrast to betrayal and dismal compromise. Its this romance (and the likable characters) that carries the story to a happy ending.

I've been searching online, and most of what I've seen makes me want to gouge my eyes out.

Are there any titles you would recommend for my research? I've never read a romance novel before. I'm outa my element here.

sunandshadow · Aug 8, 2007

Personally for what you want I would not look at romance novels; try looking at scripts of anime episodes. You can probably find them free online, and they often have lots of that cute innocent love stuff.

Robin Bayne · Aug 9, 2007

sunandshadow said:
Personally for what you want I would not look at romance novels; try looking at scripts of anime episodes. You can probably find them free online, and they often have lots of that cute innocent love stuff.

Well that's a novel idea.

Hi Cyclops! Good to see you here. :welcome:

Cyclops · Aug 9, 2007

Wait a minnit! Are we saying there ARE no sweet nothings whispered in romance novels?!!!
That there are NO dramatic and moving professions of love in a romance?
That there are no sweet moments treasured forever between the pages of a romance novel?!!!

Are cartoons my only hope? Personally I had no idea that toons had scripts published online?

sunandshadow · Aug 9, 2007

Fans often publish the scripts of anime series online, usually as part of the process of doing a fan-translation of them from Japanese to English (fansubbing or scanlation).

Personally I read only steamy romance novels (steamy ones are the ones with sex scenes). With the exception of Christian romances, most romances published now are the steamy kind, not the sweet kind; older ones more often fade to black rather than having sex scenes, but like modern steamy romance these tend to focus more on the tempestuous passionate type of love - romance novels often end when the characters can finally relax into a stable relationship, so the happy ever after part doesn't happen on screen. The characters in romance novels, whether sweet or steamy, are adults because the readers are adults and the end goal of most romances is marriage and it would seem inappropriate to show 'teen kids' getting married.

So while all romance novels have some sweet nothings in them in between the banter, insults, and bedroom talk, I figured that for the innocent teen style anime would be a more fruitful source.

Susan Gable · Aug 9, 2007

sunandshadow said:
So while all romance novels have some sweet nothings in them in between the banter, insults, and bedroom talk, I figured that for the innocent teen style anime would be a more fruitful source.

Dudes, have you all HEARD many teenagers these days? <G> Lord, I think we old folk whisper more sweet innocent nothings than most teens these days. <G>

Above all, strive for realism. It's not always the "typical" thing you think of, hearts and roses, long deep confessions of love, etc.

In my first book, the hero built a new staircase for my heroine. Not flowers. Not chocolates. A new staircase. It was a much better gift for her personally.

Susan G.

dolores haze · Aug 9, 2007

Maybe something from Harlequin's Tender Romance line?

http://www.eharlequin.com/store.html;jsessionid=7173473F0EE2486887519AC5DFBE9835?cid=227

Cyclops · Aug 9, 2007

Inspiewriter said:
Well that's a novel idea.

Hi Cyclops! Good to see you here.

Hmmm. That avatar looks familiar. Hi Back!

Cyclops · Aug 9, 2007

Susan Gable said:
Dudes, have you all HEARD many teenagers these days?
Susan G.

Romantic talk with today's teens:
"Yo. Babe!" He gritted his teeth and a semblance of a smile, revealing the spinach within.
Her giggles turned into snorts of glee as she spewed Pepsi from her nose.

My teens will be of a more eloquent breed. And there will be NO mention of a game console in his house.
Yeah, thats the ticket. Its the willing suspension of disbelief.

Jenny · Aug 9, 2007

I guess you've looked in the YA romance genre - and I don't know the newer authors - but your local library with its YA section might be your friend here. Other influences might be (and this is a weird suggestion from me since I think everyone should READ and not watch TV) movies and tv shows. When I try to think of favourite books with the sort of dialogue you're talking about, I keep coming up against the fact that the romance of it equally comes from the tension of the plot.

Since your novel is SF, Harlequin's LUNA range might have -- ha! I knew if I thought long enough I'd come up with it. What about Robin McKinley's "Beauty", the retelling of Beauty and the Beast? It's old (1978) and years since I read it, but I remember the romance - definitely sweet.
And Barbara Hambly, she has some romance in her novels. Nothing gagging, it's more about relationships.
Probably books by the SF publisher Juno??
I'm really annoyed with myself that I can't think of really good examples of what you're after. You want words that wrap the reader in love, and contrast with the darkness of the world you've created. Maybe love poetry. Dorthy L Sayers in one of her (yes, very old) crime novels uses quotes to devastating effect, and so does Anne Hepple (who I'm sure no one else has ever heard of, but I adore her "Mettlesome Piece") with (I think it's Browning) "When I was the King of Babylon and you a Christian slave".
Good luck

author_martina · Aug 9, 2007

Having a teenager I would say most of their conversations are using IM and text messages on their cell phones so unless you can write in IM abbr. they wouldn't understand. That is if you are trageting a young audience with the book or is it for adults using a young story line?

Cyclops · Aug 10, 2007

author_martina said:
Having a teenager I would say most of their conversations are using IM and text messages on their cell phones so unless you can write in IM abbr. they wouldn't understand. That is if you are trageting a young audience with the book or is it for adults using a young story line?

You're right, it's for adults using a young story line. Kids will have no idea how threatening President McCarthy will be (even though he was assassinated in the 60's), or the legacy he leaves behind.

Certainly the heroes will not have text messaging, they will be forced to run for their lives with nothing more than the clothes on their back. They will encounter a modern day Underground Railroad, and end up happy ever after. But all the techno marks of youth, will be stripped away early in the story.

Maybe I should put a romantic except in that password forum...forget the name. Its first draft, so it will bite, but you might get an idea from that.

Edit to add: Its in the "Share Your Work Forum." Password protected means I probably shouldn't post a link. I'm putting it under "Romantic Excerpt from Angelheart"

Looking for Sweet and Innocent Romantic Dialog

Cyclops

sunandshadow

Impractical Fantasy Animal

Robin Bayne

~writes for Him~

Cyclops

sunandshadow

Impractical Fantasy Animal

Susan Gable

Dreamer of dreams, teller of tales

dolores haze

international guttersnipe

Cyclops

Cyclops

Jenny

Who should be writing ...

author_martina

Cyclops