Writing a romance

I mentioned some time ago that I had started somehow, and I’m not quite sure how, to write another story simultaneously to me writing my next novel to be published, Magick. I remarked that although it might seem odd to be writing two very different books at the same time, in actual fact when I got stuck on Magick, which was my main project, swapping to the other meant I kept writing, while thoughts were mulling about my difficulties with plot, character, themes etc..

This other story which is about a man called Theo, is really light-weight, and I had never intended it to be anything more than a bit of recreational writing; it’s a romance and although I do have romantic aspects to some of my books, none of them could be described as pure love-stories… However, the Theo story seems to be that. It’s fairly obvious from the beginning what is going to happen, older divorced woman with two teenage children unexpectedly has an ‘interlude’ with a younger very different man, Theo; she also starts to go out with a more suitable boyfriend but obviously the attraction to Theo is stronger… there are difficulties, misunderstandings, confusions etc… You get the picture?

I read through what I had written last night, about 30,000 words, and i must admit, I was drawn into it, and did engage with the different characters, the woman’s friends, the people she works with, the people at the pub, her children and their various problems… and I did wonder whether to take time off from my other writing, and once Magick is published, to finish Theo and maybe see whether that’s worth publishing too. It is lightweight, maybe it is predictable, but maybe it might be an enjoyable read if someone wants those things, romance and predictability?

… I must have a think… but whatever the eventual outcome of the publishing question, I think I will finish Theo’s story!