Favorite Couples
I wanted to write this blog for Valentine’s Day, but time got away from me so you’re getting it now! These are my favorite couples (canon or not—yes you read that right) from books, television, movies and animation. Generally, I enjoy these couples because of how they enhance each others best characteristics, challenge each other to grow, and how they function as a unit to each other and those around them. With that in mind, without further adieu, enjoy:
UPDATED FOR 2016
Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy (Pride and Prejudice): I feel like this one needs no real explanation, but I like it mostly for how their relationship develops and Darcy continues to surprise Lizzy and the reader.
Hermione and Harry (Harry Potter): I’m
very aware this one isn’t canon, but even JKR thinks it should have been. And I’ll stand by that in my grave. They challenged each other in and out of the classroom, were always there for support and comfort, and noticed each other in ways others did not. Plus Harry would be dead 100x over without her x)
Katniss and Peeta (Hunger Games): Honestly, I’m in this one mostly for Peeta. He makes Katniss a better person throughout the series and he’s devoted to her regardless of her complicated feelings. I was still left feeling this was a bit one-sided, though.
Persephone and Callum (Naughts and Crosses): In a world where social standings are turned on their head, these star-crossed lovers struggle at every turn starting with their unlikely friendship. It hurts so good.
Sophie and Mina (Far From You): No spoilers but this one WILL make you cry. By the time we meet these characters, Sophie is suffering to accept Mina’s death. The short time they had together, though, while tragic, was magical.
Clarke and Lexa (The 100): These two are the best kind of bickering lovers. Both 
girls are incredibly stubborn and motivated by their deep need to protect the people they love. Even still, they desperately want to be together no matter how much it frustrates them. Naturally, this causes some *ahem* tension.
Kate and Jack (LOST): Although the intrusion of Sawyer complicated matters, they fought for each other and really only opened up to one another. Throughout the show, they stood by the other’s (good or bad) decisions. Oh, and he died for her so…
Snow White and Prince Charming (Once Upon a Time): To start, they rubbed me the wrong way for being too cliche, but their development has been touching and hopelessly devoted to seeing each other succeed. Much like Lizzy and Darcy, but in a fairytale retelling where they’ll always find each other.
Connor and Oliver (How to Get Away With Murder): Although Connor is probably the most promiscuous person on this list, he has a lot of insecurities that Oliver fixes with one sweet smile. Despite being polar opposites, they make a lovely couple and have changed each other for the better.
Rachel and Ross (Friends): It had its up and down moments, but overall this was a tantalizing relationship that came together with beautiful symmetry. Besides, who doesn’t want to marry their high school sweetheart?
Neytiri and Jake (Avatar): Given that Jake and Neytiri were from different races to start (and the Pocahontas parallels), I loved seeing his shift in motivations, her focus on his development, and their mutual fight for the planet they loved.
Evey and V (V for Vendetta): Yes, their relationship is complex with a touch of Stockholm syndrome, BUT a girl with no passions found her purpose and a vengeful man found reason to love again.
Allie and Noah (The Notebook): The greatest love story of all time. Period. A classic teenage dream come true and even though they were apart for years, true love always finds a way. Noah wrote their story and it brought Allie back to him. After all, it was never over.
Eve and Walle (Walle): What is cuter than robots in love? And robots that rarely speak and only do so in each others names. They went all over the galaxy for each other. Eve went rogue. Walle was squished. Plus, the little spark kiss? Instant classic.
Katara and Aang (Avatar: The Last Airbender): I had no qualms about this pair being young or slightly separated in age. They were always very mature, loving and thoughtful—perfect role models for young viewers. And in the end she helped him become the Avatar.
Korra and Asami (The Legend of Korra): As the Avatar after Aang, I had very high expectations for Korra. She struggled a lot in life and love, but after much soul searching, she finally found happiness with one of her best friends. After all, the hero always gets the girl!
Nala and Simba (The Lion King): They were betrothed and that was gross! But 
together these childhood friends found each other exactly when they needed to in order to have good conquer evil. Just in time to feel the love tonight.
America and England (Hetalia): The sexual tension is unbelievable! These personifications of their respective countries have a very special relationship indeed 😉
Honorable Mentions:
Lucy and Mr. Tumnus (Narnia)
Amy and Sheldon (The Big Bang Theory)
Piper and Leo (Charmed)
(All of Miyazaki’s pairings but mostly) Sophie and Howl (Howl’s Moving Castle)
Who are some your favorite couples? I’ll bet a missed quite a few that I love, so feel free to leave your beloved pairings in a comment!
The 7 Line Wip Game
Thanks very muchly to @markedforpower for tagging me in this blog game. You can visit her blog to read the excerpt she shared from her awesome Urban Fantasy.
You can read the post I did for this game for my MG Epic Fantasy here.
Rules say: Go to either page 7 or 77 of your manuscript. Count down seven lines and paste the next seven lines in a post. After that, name seven more authors to come out and play.
This piece is from page 77 of my current project, a YA Alternate History Mystery, However Improbable:
With his arm outstretched, he offered the scroll. So I took it. It was certainly not forged. Or at least it looked authentic enough to me. There was the Royal seal on the bottom left, and a masthead atop the page from the contest production company: Templar Productions. The clue read: Follow the Yellow Brick Road.
“Not a damn idea of what it means,” Simon said.
“It’s from Le Magicien d’Oz.” I knew I sounded annoyed with him, so I brought it down a notch. “The Wizard of Oz. It’s a book by a writer in the French Territories.”
I hope you enjoyed that little teaser! Now I’m just going to tag people I know who are working on wips and from there, if you’d like to particpate, feel free! Leave your blog link in my comments so people will know where you were tagged!
Cover Do’s and Don’ts
My newest blog over at There And Draft Again is up for your reading pleasure! I don’t typical deal with the art end of stories, but many of my fellow writers seeking to self-publish do so I thought this would be a great topic to write on. I focus on the Do’s and Don’ts of fantasy book covers.
I apologize for not posting often, I’ve gotten very busy with work and editing my current project. I have so many blogs to share with you people! I hope to get back on a biweekly schedule soon.
Obligatory HP Book Cover
Enjoy the read and share your favorite or least favorite cover designs!
Guest Post: Boundaries in YA
Today I have a wonderful guest post by Louise Gornall about a topic I feel doesn’t get much focus in the children’s lit community. Where do you draw the line for edgy content in young adult novels? Here’s what she had to say:
I want to talk about boundaries in YA. Why? Because I was recently having a chat with someone who was shocked to discover that my teen characters like to drink, swear and generally get up to no good. This person actually said I wouldn’t have thought people would like their teens reading about “that sort of stuff”. Well then I got to thinking, what is so wrong with writing some real life rebellion into my characters? Are teens really reading anything in stories that they haven’t already learnt at school, at the movies, at Brad McSexy’s Friday night Keger?
I’ve read a lot of YA Contemp. I’ve met teens that carry guns, cut themselves and spew f-bombs. Teens that have sex. Teens that drink till they puke out of their noses. Teens that commit crimes. Teens that have been raped by other teens, but the whole time I’m reading I’m thinking these are so much more than adolescent, angst ridden stories. They are relatable. Survival guides. Distinctly not manuals on how to misbehave and f@%k up your adolescence, but a place where things you’re not sure you’re allowed to talk about in real life are talked about at length. I recently read a story in which a fourteen-year-old was raped. She says nothing about what happened to her and ends up on this self-destruct downward spiral. Obviously I would want my fourteen-year-old to come to me in the event of such a tragedy, but if she couldn’t I would want her to read this book and learn how much worse things can get when you don’t talk about “that sort of stuff”.
So, what do you guys think, is there a line in YA? I see ‘there are no boundaries in YA’ advice all the time, but then I saw a query for erotic YA sink like the Titanic last week. That’s right, I said erotic YA. Chew on that for a second…leaves an icky taste in your mouth doesn’t it? Is this the line?
Louise is a YA writer from that place they call the U.K. She loves books and movies and Marvel comics and when she grows up she wants to marry Orlando Bloom. You can connect with her on twitter @Rock_andor_roll
Pitch Wars Mentee 2014
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