Where To Next?

April 8, 2021 Jaycee Weaver34 Comments

I find myself fantasizing about locations lately—specifically getaways. See, this August marks my twentieth wedding anniversary. We haven’t gone anywhere without the kids for longer than a weekend, but this year we decided to plan a *real* vacation, just the two of us. And after being cooped up for over a year with hardly more than a date or two, we’re beyond ready to see some sights beyond New Mexico and get a little *us* time.

We’ve been dreaming and searching and building a budget, reading blogs, oohing and ahhing over pictures. Trouble is, we have a few ideas where we don’t want to go (ahem, a cruise, no can do for this girl), we just haven’t been able to decide where we do.

I’m asking you to help us figure out where to go!

The options are limited to mainland USA (at least this year) and neither of us want to visit anywhere too people-y. I adore beach and mountain retreats equally, and while we want to spend some quality time relaxing sans kids, I know we’ll also want to do a little sightseeing. After all, this shutterbug just got a new phone with a ridiculously awesome camera, so you know I’ve got the itch to go somewhere Instagram-worthy LOL!

My research endeavors so far have filled up a bucket list it’ll take two lifetimes to complete (and you should see my outside-the-US list!). So far the top contenders are somewhere in the Florida Keys or the Couer d’Alene/Yellowstone area. We’ve also drooled over places such as Glacier National Park, islands off the coast of Georgia, Cannon Beach in Oregon (with a tour of the Goonies sites!), and of course, Hawaii (which is sadly out of budget ha ha). As you can see, our tastes are all over the map.

I’ve been traveling virtually the past year to some wonderful places via Christian and Inspy romances, but so far nothing has leapt off the page as a getaway locale I’m just dying to see. What about you? Have you traveled anywhere recently, either in reality or in fiction, that stands out as an ideal romantic getaway? I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions!

You can bet I’ll be doing my research after I scour your comments for new ideas, and chances are very, very high that if I can’t visit in real life, I just might have to take a virtual trip. So be sure to leave the title if you suggest a spot you read about even if you haven’t been there in person! I might even send future characters off to a fantasy locale based on your suggestions! I mean, what else is a girl who writes supposed to do?

Thanks in advance for all the amazing suggestions I know you’re sure to come up with, I’ll be responding throughout the day. And though I’m limiting the number of giveaways I’ll be doing this year, I’ll make an exception if YOUR suggestion ends up being our anniversary getaway destination! Winner will be notified via email as soon as we make a reservation. You can follow me on Instagram to find out where we chose to go this summer! Are you planning to go anywhere exciting after the restrictions lift? I’d love to hear about your plans as well.

Through Thick and Thin

August 4, 2020 Jaycee Weaver33 Comments

Today’s my nineteenth wedding anniversary, and I can honestly say we’ve been through thick and thin, both literally and metaphorically. 😉

It’s funny, because when I started creating the header graphic for this post, all I had in mind was the title. I originally intended to focus on book length—you know, thick books and thin books. Ha ha, I know, right? And then I realized the date of the post and my brain took off in a whole new direction.

It happens. I do have the attention span of a sugared up toddler loose in a children’s museum, after all.

Thinking about sticking together through the thick and the thin, a lot of memories come to the surface. Nineteen years (twenty-one total) means a lot of memories. Some exquisitely wonderful, some complicated and painful. Most somewhere in between. All part of a long, sometimes crazy, love story that hasn’t finished being written yet, and at the same time provides plenty of fodder for stories.

Which brings me back to thinking about books, of course.

Life is busy. And not just for me, but for all of us. We’ve all got our ways to decompress and escape the world for a little while. If you’re here, I’m guessing your method of choice is reading. It’s a lifelong love for me, one my family has had to learn is a part of keeping me sane and, well, me. But lately, I just can’t dedicate the brain space and time required by a thick book when the sheer width (or more accurately, the status bar on my kindle) overwhelms me. Even if the book is lovely with dozens of 5-star ratings, more often than not, I need the story to just get down to business already. For the love of books, y’all.

Bring on the thin books, baby. I’m talking under 250 pages. 175 is optimal. Novellas? Yes, please. Something I can read in a day or two tops. Kind of like taking a weekend getaway versus a two-week extended trip. Sure, the long trip is memorable, but it takes a ton of planning, costs a fortune, and is often more stressful than restful before it’s over. But weekend getaways can be spontaneous, restorative, and uncomplicated fun! Are you getting my metaphor?

Now, in some circles, thin books (AKA novellas and short reads) get a bad rap. I hear a lot of people claim that they don’t feel a shorter tale allows for the proper length to dig in and really develop the characters or their story. I disagree. All the way back in high school English class, we learned the key elements of proper story structure: the exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, moment of final suspense, and resolution (or denouement). In romance there are a few tweaks, but those key elements remain, and word count and page length don’t always mean a better or more satisfying tale.

In my opinion, it’s all about the author’s ability to craft feelings from words throughout those key plot points. I’ve read numerous short stories that have made me laugh more, cry harder, and empathize with the characters than books double in length.

It’s probably why out of the nine books I’ve published, 5 have been novellas (with half a dozen more in the works). They’re fun to write, honestly, because they sharpen your storytelling skills by forcing you to get right into the tale and keep things moving at a good clip. In romance, they’re even more fun because you have a limited amount of words to prove to the reader that the relationship is going to work, how, and why! Thick books are great, sure. But those thin ones deserve a little spotlight too because they prove an author’s adaptability.

In fact, many of our Inspy Romance authors here have some thin books out that have been magnificent! I’ve been working my way through their back lists ever since joining the gang a year and a half ago. I’ve still got a ways to go (I mean, come on. There are over two dozen of us!), so instead of recommending book titles to you in this post, I’d like to turn the tables and ask YOU for recommendations.

What 200-ish page books or novellas have you really enjoyed recently? I love talking books, so tell me why you’re recommending that particular thin book. Bonus if it’s from one of our fab authors here at IR—because through thick and thin, we’re all here at Inspy Romance together and we love contemporary romance! I can’t wait to read your recommendations and chat with you in the comments. 🙂

And if you’re looking for a novella to read, I’d like to recommend my book Adrift, which is always free on all retailers. You can also get a free novelette by signing up on my author newsletter!

Real Life Romance · Romance Tropes

Friends-to-More is the Best Romance Trope (and here’s why!)

March 13, 2020 Jaycee Weaver43 Comments

If there’s ever been a romance trope more thoroughly beloved than friends-to-more, I’ve got the wrong data. Poll after poll shows above and beyond that this is one trope we romance readers will never, ever get enough of.

Now, I’m well aware that the actual term for this trope is friends-to-lovers, but sometimes “lovers” has a much different connotation than we as Inspy and/or Christian romance readers would give it, so I’ll stick with friends-to-more.

Why do we love this trope so very much? I look forward to reading your thoughts in the comments below, but I’ll share a few of mine first.

Friendship makes for the strongest basis of any relationship. Solid, lasting friendships are build on a history of laughing together, facing life’s everyday challenges together, respecting each other’s differences, supporting one another with unconditional love and acceptance simply for who that person is. Sounds like the perfect foundation for a lasting marriage, too, huh?
Friendship doesn’t blind you to the other person’s faults. When it comes to new love, it’s all too easy to see past a person’s flaws because of those rosy-colored, heart-shaped glasses we’re wearing. With friends, we see plenty of flaws and imperfections and choose to accept them—maybe even appreciate them—because you know the other person complements you because of them.
Friendship builds intimacy. In friendships, we’re more likely to be vulnerable with what we’re going through and how we feel about it. Friendship feels safe, so it’s easier to come unguarded into the relationship without fear of rejection.
New awareness changes everything, which means hello chemistry! That spark of new awareness, the hope of new love, the fear of love remaining unrequited…in other words, all the feels. This trope has more potential for emotional entanglement as a reader than any other, in my opinion.
Other tropes can join in the fun and only make the story richer. Think of all the fun an author can have with this trope. I mean, add unrequited love or marriage of convenience, and BAM! you have a whole new aspect to what some consider an overused trope. (Overused my foot. I say unlimited potential!) Think of the possibilities!

It’s kind of funny how much I love this trope, actually. Up until the past few years, I never really considered my husband to also be my friend. In my head, it sounded sappy and weird, and I already have a best friend who has filled that role for far longer. A while back, though, I realized that I’ve been living a reverse of my favorite trope. After twenty years together, my husband and I still have our separate interests and hobbies. We fully support and respect and adore each other, even if our likes and dislikes don’t often overlap. We complement each other in the best of ways and are a unified team. And finally, it’s hit me that he is also my very best friend.

Best friends are the ones we run to when life is tough. The ones we call first with good news. The ones we laugh with and sometimes laugh at, but only because teasing brings us closer together. Best friends aren’t afraid to tell us when those jeans do make our butt look big, but the history and trust between us removes the sting of uncomfortable truth. Best friends pray over each other. They listen to the rotten day we had and offer up comfort—a joke, a hug, or reassurance.

When I’m writing, I don’t set out to write a trope specifically. The characters usually develop organically in my head first, and then the plot sort of fills itself in from there. But I’ve noticed a trend in my stories for those friends-to-more stories.

My favorite that I’ve written so far is Love, Laughter, & Luminarias. Nina and Garrett have been friends since high school. Their teasing relationship often feels more like siblings at times, until witnessing Nina chase down a shoplifter opens his eyes to a whole new side of his friend. The experience rattles Nina, who begins to seek God in her life for the first time. Her best friend’s faith and willingness to go along with whatever zany plans she comes up with sparks a whole new appreciation for the dependable book nerd.

While I don’t consider it my best work, What Could Be holds a special place in my heart as my debut novel. In it, single-dad Josh and slightly-naive daycare worker Brynn build a friendship over several months. There’s a bit of a love triangle in this one, as Brynn seeks God’s will regarding the steady relationship she’s increasingly certain isn’t the right one and the feelings she keeps denying for the man she never expected to care for.

Another one is What Makes a Home. Free-living artist Jobie and computer engineer Caleb form an unlikely friendship after he buys a rundown house across the street. Spending time together renovating his home parallels the work God is doing in Jobie’s life. While neither intends to fall for the other, unexpected issues arise for fledgling believer Jobie, and Caleb’s steadfast friendship and care become the foundation for a new kind of relationship she’s never known before. How can she not fall for him?

Now, while I argue that friends-to-more is the very best romance trope, I will admit I love variety. I also love stories that turn stereotypes on their heads and face unexpected challenges. And I haven’t really met a trope I don’t like so long as it’s done well. What about you? Do you agree that this is the best of all, or do you have a special favorite? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Remember—all comments this month get extra entries into our annual InspyRomance Birthday Bash!