What About Me...

Two posts in one day!! It's A Miracle!!! 

I probably won't continue on at this pace but I felt like I should introduce myself a bit to those who don't know me well.

And maybe surprise those of you who DO know me.

As I said in my intro, I've been thinking A LOT about the past, who I've been, what I've done and what I always imagined I would be doing.

There have been a LOT of lost dreams. I never played at Veteran's Memorial Auditorium in the finals of the Iowa 6-On-6 Girls Basketball Tournament.  I never moved to California or even applied for admission to UCLA. I've never been to Greece. I've never gotten married. I never kissed or even DATED my life-long crush. And, while it's too early to say "never", I'm fairly certain I won't become a singer, high school science teacher or doctor in this lifetime.

Lest you feel I'm wallowing in "Never-Land", I've also lived a pretty awesome life. I've got a fantastic, beautiful daughter. I have a loving, wacky family. I have the BEST friends a person could wish to have. I've even owned my dream car!! (Miss you, Dom!!)

Yes, the past 39 years have been a trip. Some has been wonderful, some stressful and the best parts were surrounded by paperback romances.

Yes.

That is the real point of my rambling. I love romance novels!!

Even as a child, romances were my thing. Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, The White Cat... I could spend hours reading and re-reading my favorites.

Then one hot, summer day, my life changed.

I was a normal 10 year-old girl visiting Grandma and Grandpa Harwood in Redfield, IA.  Grandma always said there were too many druggies hanging out at the city park to go there and play (seriously, that's what she said!) so I stayed in her yard.

Now, please remember that this is 1981. Cable was something only found in the homes of "rich people". There weren't video games, DVD's, iPods or computers to take up the spare time. There was no community swimming pool. My bike was at home -- and I couldn't have ridden it, anyway.  (Druggies, remember?) What toys were available were geared towards my younger, male cousins. Not a Barbie in sight! 

Yep. I was BORED -- in all caps!

I tried crosswords and word searches. Eh. I looked through magazines and newspapers. Nothing interesting.  I even tried to read the TV Guide! Not the most riveting of works for a 10 year-old.

I sat there on the sofa, sighing. Now what?

Then I saw it. There!  On the end table! A little white book!!

I knew what it was -- I'd seen hundreds of them lining the walls of Grandma's bedroom.  It was a Harlequin Presents romance. I picked it up, read the back and thought, "Sounds like Cinderella." 

I opened the cover and found True Love from page 1. 

Over the years, I've developed quite a collection of favorite titles. Some I have read so many times that I've practically committed the entire book to memory.  Others I only know by the hero's name. Still others I have sitting at the ready - waiting for me to be tempted into slipping between the pages.

I've learned a lot from romance novels but the most important lesson is this: love isn't perfect.  Sometimes it's destructive. Sometimes it's selfish. Sometimes it's down right inconvenient. But somehow, with patience and strength, love can find a way. 

That's what I'm going to write about here.  My love for romances. My hopes for the future. I may review some stories or even write a little romance of my own.

Somewhere along the path, I'm sure I'll find my way.

Thanks for reading,

Deenie