\"Writing.Com
*Magnify*
SPONSORED LINKS
Printed from https://writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/4905-Hard-Romance.html
Romance/Love: February 29, 2012 Issue [#4905]

Newsletter Header
Romance/Love


 This week: Hard Romance
  Edited by: Fyn Author IconMail Icon
                             More Newsletters By This Editor  Open in new Window.

Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

The power of love to change bodies is legendary, built into folklore, common sense, and everyday experience. Love moves the flesh, it pushes matter around.... Throughout history, "tender loving care" has uniformly been recognized as a valuable element in healing. ~Larry Dossey

To feel keenly the poetry of a morning's roses, one has to have just escaped from the claws of this vulture which we call sickness. ~Henri Frederic Amiel

The I in illness is isolation, and the crucial letters in wellness are we. ~Author unknown, as quoted in Mimi Guarneri, The Heart Speaks: A Cardiologist Reveals the Secret Language of Healing

I am at the moment deaf in the ears, hoarse in the throat, red in the nose, green in the gills, damp in the eyes, twitchy in the joints and fractious in temper from a most intolerable and oppressive cold. ~Charles Dickens



Word from our sponsor



Letter from the editor

In a 'typical' romance, sometimes either he or she will get sick. The healthy one bills and coos, provides chicken soup, a comfy blanket, aspirin and an understanding attitude. Fast forward a couple of years and sick as a dog she will take care of the house, the kids, the shopping regardless of how sick she might be until she collapses and only then does the other half wake up and offer some haphazard 'care.' He meanwhile, will take to the couch, watch and/or sleep through hours of infomercials whining for orange juice, or somesuch. Stereotypical, yes, but all too unfortunately, there is always a grain of truth beyond the stereotype.

Real 'romance' is more than the romantic evening out (or in), the flowers or the sweet note. Real romance is the other half who will sleep on the couch so their snoring doesn't disturb you once you have stopped hacking up a lung long enough to actually get to sleep. Real romance is the never empty glass of OJ, the scrambled eggs brought to you in bed even when you insisted you weren't hungry which taste like ambrosia, and the guy who gets up in the middle of the night to bring you a cool cloth for your forehead or runs to the corner store for more (pick one or several) OJ, tissues, medicine or 'whateverelse' will make the endless night more tolerable.

Real romance is the guy who'll do the laundry, hug you when you so 'need' a shower and tells you he loves you when you are at your most unlovable. He/she is the romantic one who will bring you clean jammies, warm your bathrobe in the dryer for when you do get that shower and hang close when you are unsteady on your feet so you shouldn't slip and fall. Real romance is getting you the latest edition of People or Hunter and Hunting just because. It is cooking what-ever seems faintly appetizing and then cooking something else when the first try didn't work. It is fixing up a tray just to make you feel special, not complaining about eight hours straight of the military channel or HGTV, and being calm and supportive when there is absolutely nothing they can do at the moment to make you feel any better but hang in there, hold your hand and empathize.

Double pneumonia is the worst! Well, no, it isn't actually. There are lots of things far worse illness-wise. But when you are in the middle of it, it SEEMS that way! Kudos to all the other halves who nurse, coddle, pick up after, take care of and are sweet to their loves who are sick, miserable, smelly, cranky, unlovable and ridiculously helpless!

Our characters need to be real. They do get sick. They are allowed to be selfish, think they are the only ones on the planet to have ever been this sick, and not wish what ever it is they have on their worst enemy. Why? Because it makes them human; it makes them real and accessible. Whether real or imaginary, characters or real life people, beginning to feel better REALLY makes you appreciate how good you really do feel when you aren't sick!
Trust me; I'd happily give birth to quadruplets--all at the same exact time!--rather than go through this again.

The words are beginning to go blurry on me. Forgive me if I promised you an editor's pick in this newsletter and I didn't put you in. I'll make up for it, but at this point, I just need to get it done so I can collapse back in bed.





Editor's Picks

Some of the winners from the recent Quill Awards!

Image Protector
FORUM
The Writer's Cramp Open in new Window. (13+)
Write the best poem or story in 24 hours or less and win 10K GPS!
#333655 by Sophurky Author IconMail Icon


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1761045 by Not Available.


Retired Founder, Rising Stars Program Open in new Window. (E)
Celebrating Emerging Writers from 2007-2018
#1177922 by GabriellaR45 Author IconMail Icon


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1395561 by Not Available.


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1812273 by Not Available.


Image Protector
STATIC
Why Am I? Open in new Window. (E)
A man questions his creation.
#1826773 by Liam Author IconMail Icon


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1765885 by Not Available.


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1760939 by Not Available.

 
Submit an item for consideration in this newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Word from Writing.Com

Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
         https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Don't forget to support our sponsor!



Ask & Answer

Mara ♣ McBain Author IconMail Icon said: Your NL about Valentines Day made me laugh. The main character in my novel things of the day as just another excuse to get laid. LOL Those are the words of his wife of twenty years. To each couple it is different. My hubby's birthday is the 17th do we usually combine the two and go out to dinner. This year we are going to a comedy special and dinner which I think is perfect. You have to be able to laugh to stay married.

Annette Author IconMail Icon writes: Love the quotes and the little story about you and the husband discussion Valentine's Day. Brought a smile to my face ... and actually makes me want to do something sweet for Valentine's Day for hubby. I usually go with your husband's opinion on the day.

And did you?


*Bullet* *Bullet* *Bullet* Don't Be Shy! Write Into This Newsletter! *Bullet* *Bullet* *Bullet*

This form allows you to submit an item on Writing.Com and feedback, comments or questions to the Writing.Com Newsletter Editors. In some cases, due to the volume of submissions we receive, please understand that all feedback and submissions may not be responded to or listed in a newsletter. Thank you, in advance, for any feedback you can provide!
Writing.Com Item ID To Highlight (Optional):

Send a comment or question to the editor!
Limited to 2,500 characters.
Word from our sponsor

Removal Instructions

To stop receiving this newsletter, click here for your newsletter subscription list. Simply uncheck the box next to any newsletter(s) you wish to cancel and then click to "Submit Changes". You can edit your subscriptions at any time.


Printed from https://writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/4905-Hard-Romance.html