Valentine's Guest Blog: Valerie J. Patterson

My Valentine's Romance event continues with erotic romance author Valerie J. Patterson!

Romance Is What You Define It To Be.

As little girls we dreamed of our very own prince charming charging into our lives on his steed and sweeping us off our feet for a one of a kind love-affair of the heart and the loins. Okay, so maybe the dreams of a perfect sexual love didn’t come along until we hit our teens—or later—and we were more aware that there was more to our prince charming than his steed!

It’s the idea of this type of romance that provides plenty of ideas for writers to create a story of romance and love. Books provide an excellent escape for us, allowing us to watch as a heroine is swept off her feet by a dashing and charming hero, flawed as he may be.

Valentine’s Day affords every woman the opportunity to be part of her own romantic fantasy. Hopefully, her prince is not only willing to participate, but is also struck by Cupid’s arrow, which transforms him into the romantic you always wanted him to be. If you’re like me, you’re married to—or dating—a man who’s romantic. Here’s an example of the romance in my life:

The rain fell in a gentle shower. The type of shower that was soft to the ear, cool to the touch, and carried with it the subtle aroma of newly bloomed spring flowers. A full moon lit up the night sky, its golden hue shining brilliantly amidst the glittering stars. He held out his hand to me. “Want to go outside?”

“In the rain?” I asked.

“In the rain.”

I smiled. “Okay.”

He led me off the porch and onto the driveway. He took me in his arms and held me gently. “Let’s dance.”

“Here?”

He smiled. “You can hear the music in the rain.”

My heart sang. I moved closer, pressed my ear to his chest, and closed my eyes. Our bodies moved in perfect time with the rhythm of the rain. I was in heaven in his arms, and he knew he’d scored big romance points.

My husband is a romantic at heart. When he took me outside to dance in the rain, I knew I had the most special husband on the planet. For Valentine’s Day, he’s no less romantic. Last year he planned a weekend getaway and secured tickets to my all time favorite pastime: Professional Bull Riding.

Because of this romantic nature of his, he provides me with plenty of fodder for my books. All of my heroes have various traits of my husband’s. Not just personality traits, but also physical ones. Things about him that turn me on turn on my heroines as well. I get my greatest smiles when a reader writes to ask me about my heroes and wants to know if they’re fashioned after anyone I know.

Sean Myerson—the hunky detective and sexy husband of Ashlynn Myerson, the lead characters in my new series released by BookStrand—has many of my husband’s personality traits. He’s exceedingly patient, slow to anger unless someone has done or said something to or about his wife, and delivers the kind of kisses that leave his wife breathless and craving intimacy.

Sean and Ashlynn have the type of relationship that pulls a reader out of her stress-filled day and makes her simply sigh and think of her own prince charming—even if he can be a frog once in a while!

Just like real life, my characters have their moments of imperfection. But when it’s all said and done, and the day is winding down, romance creeps back in to stoke the love between them.

Romance in a relationship is what you define it to be. It can be a dance in a soft spring shower or a weekend getaway to a PBR event. It can be a box of chocolates and a touching card. It can be a carriage ride through the park or a jog through the park with your significant other. This Valentine’s Day find romance where you can. Who knows, it might just surprise you, and knock you off your feet.

Bio:
Valerie J. Patterson and her husband Steven make their romance in a quaint corner of Southwestern Pennsylvania. She’s been living her dream of being an author for nearly a decade. You can find her books published through Asylett Press, BookStrand, and Eternal Press. Valerie’s latest release is Honor Thy Neighbor, which is book one in the Myerson Mystery Series. BookStrand is releasing this fabulous story in paperback this month. Be sure to check it out at: http://www.bookstrand.com/user/278670 . Please stop by Valerie’s blog at: http://valeriejpatterson.wordpress.com/ and say hello. She enjoys hearing from readers.