Mortal-Supernatural Romance

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starrykitten

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I'm listening to the first book in Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series now (so please no spoilers!) and it's brought up a question I've had for a while.

In movies/books/etc. where someone supernatural falls for someone mortal, it's always clear why the mortal falls for the supernatural. But I don't usually feel satisfied with whatever explanation there is given (if any) as to why the supernatural falls for the mortal.

Does this bother you? Do you feel like you need to know, or do you just accept that as part of the genre? Is there any work that does it well?
 

DeleyanLee

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Depending on what genre the book is, how much it matters to me how much it gets spelled out.

Most of the mortal/paranormal romances I've read are Paranormal Romances, which gets more of an allowance because, well, it's Romance. As I'm reading, I do want a sense of the hero & heroine falling in love, whether or not they completely understand why. It doesn't bother me much because, frankly, does anyone really know why they fall in love? Most people aren't that self-aware. Not to mention all that kind of reasoning takes the oomph out of the emotion, and emotion is what I read Romances for.

I can't think of a Horror novel (though I don't claim to be widely read in the genre, sorry) where there was such a romance. I haven't read the Meyer's Twilight series because I am bored spitless by vampires, so can't comment on that.

For me, it all depends on how important it is in the story that it gets known and how the author handles it. I certainly wouldn't want a scene-chewing Paranormal Romance situation in a Horror novel (or any other genre for that matter), lemme tell you.
 

veinglory

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I am not sure why they wouldn't. Or why a person would fall for someone "because" they are supernatural, which surely must have as many down sides as up? I think the assumption is that this is still an interpersonal relationship where two individuals fall for who each other is, not what they are?
 

NeuroFizz

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Do the supernatural beings have an emotional attachment that is similar (or identical) to human love? Are they monogamous? Are emotional feelings of attraction driven by reproductive urges? My only problem with supernatural beings in fiction (and movies) is we give them so many human emotions and human-like behaviors as a default. Even if they learn about human emotions and behaviors, their sensory systems may not be set up to get the same gratification from human intimacies. That's what stalls me here, and what I see as a (worthwhile) challenge to this kind of writing--an opportunity for great storytelling innovation. Even if you are talking about a humanoid with supernatural abilities, I would prefer to not see so much human-ness on the inside.
 

veinglory

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I think that in a 'romance' story they must be at least as human as is required for romantic love, which means yes--pretty much human.
 

Pike

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I'd say it depends on the supernatural being. Vamps and weres in most stories were once human so it doesn't seem like a stretch. And Fizz's analysis is rather compelling. Biochemistry plays such a stilted role in attraction. We don't think about why we prefer blondes over brunettes, or curvy over thin, we just do. Not to mention pheromones (if I'm not mistaken). And the highly attuned senses of a supernatural creature might pick up on much more then any normal would.

I liked this post! Gave me some wild ideas.
 

Amynta

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Yeah, that's one thing that has bothered me about such stories, especially with Twilight.

It has made me think about my own story, which does have that premise of superhuman man/human girl. Although we are told the story through the human girl it's clearer why he's interested. He wants her because she's human, she's what he wants to be again. If he can't be human he wants to love human.
 

HoraceJames

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It's hard to get a driver's license or major credit card (or the deed to the old mansion you're haunting) after you're dead, so perhaps there could be a practical element involved. A haunting of convenience.

I find dark lust more believable than dark romance, I guess.
 

DeeCaudill

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I've always struggled with the Vampire-human relationship. Humans are the food source for vampires, but you don't see me falling in love with a pot roast...
 
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Kerr

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Humans are the food source for vampires, but you don't see me falling in love with a pot roast...

I disagree too. I always fall in love with pot roast any time I make a perfect batch. And I don't want to eat the whole thing at one sitting. I want it to last for a couple of meals. And if humans didn't take the time to become friends with dogs and cats, we'd probably be serving them up instead. Some humans do. So what's wrong with a slightly chubby vampire who enjoys gourmet. Vampires should come in all flavors just like humans. And it's not much of a stretch from there to imagine one making friends with its meal and wanting the meal to go on and on.
 

DeeCaudill

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Fair enough, Kerr.

So long as there aren't several hundreds of pages of "Will I eat the pot roast or will I put it back in the fridge?" agonizing and over-analyzing. That definitely wears me out as a reader.
 

Gillhoughly

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There was a wildly popular genre writer who was hot in the 80s.

She was the ONLY big name in the genre at that time. All other books were compared to hers. She had film deals; she had clout and $$$$$$$$.

I thought her stuff stunk. I still do. I tried reading her other books, thinking it was just the genre, but nope, her writing was just as horrible in those, too.

All I could figure was she'd struck one of those Good Vs. Evil Faustean deals to get the fame and the big bucks. Twenty years later her books STILL stink.

But back in the 80s, after throwing another-tree-died-for-this-crap opus across the room I wrote my own book to show others how it SHOULD be done.

Which launched my own career in the genre.

That's one way of dealing with the frustration.

If something bothers you, then write your own book dealing with the issue.

It's what I once told a guy who took the trouble to write me a "fan" letter to to inform me that I'd destroyed the genre. I never heard back from him but the other month just sold another book. It'll be out in 18 months. So much for his opinion.
 

Captain Howdy

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I disagree too. I always fall in love with pot roast any time I make a perfect batch...

which reminds me of another fun Exorcist moment.

Mommy Chris is tucking chubby cheeked Regan to bed. Regan asked if Chris is going to marry potty-mouthed movie director Burke Jennings. "But you like him don't you?" asks little Miss Regan. "Yeah, but I like pizza too," rationalizes Mom. "Doesn't mean I'm going to marry one"

now what was the question?
 

Captain Howdy

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There was a wildly popular genre writer who was hot in the 80s...I thought her stuff stunk. I still do.

really really wondering who Gillhoughly is referring to and wonders if it's in fact the same person who has inspired the Captain to write his epic Twisted Oaks...cause I figure this stuff is so bad I ought to be able to do something at least equally as bad.
 

Kris Ashton

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My first published novel, Ghost Kiss, is about this very thing. I used loneliness to explain the supernatural being's interest in a mortal. He's stuck in a timeless black limbo and she is the first thing that appears to him in over a century. She's stuck in a failing marriage, so they both have a form of loneliness in common.
 
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