Currently Working On: Keenan's Dilemma, Paranormal Romantic ComedyThere I was sitting at Borders in Tacoma, minding my own business, watching the tumbleweeds move passed the magazine section, when this clean cut young man sauntered up to the table. It had been dead in the store for the last hour or so and I was contemplating the long trip back to Portland, so I was completely surprised when he grabbed not a copy of Starsight (which young men usually grab), but a copy of The Centurion & The Queen.
I looked up at him and said, "Just to warn you, that's a romance."
He shot a quick smile my way and went back to reading the back of the book, not an embarrassed bone in his body.
A couple of ladies came up to the table and I got distracted. When I looked back, the young man was gone, so I didn't think much more of it until I heard a voice off to my side.
"Cool story. I love Roman history," he said, still holding the copy of the book.
"Me, too. The book is actually written from the Roman's point of view and a couple of the fight scene were choreographed by ARMA," I said, trying to justify why a man would want to read it.
"I'm a soldier," he said and my heart paused a moment. "I'm stationed at Fort Lewis, but I'm shipping out next week to Iraq." He handed me the book. "Can you sign this for me?"
"Sure. Who do you want me to make it out to," I said thinking it was for his girlfriend or wife.
"Make it out to me. My name's Kevin," he said boldly.
Impressed by his audacity, I took the book from him, wrote Thank you for what you do, signed it, then handed it back to him. "Here's my card; if you'll send me your address, I'll make sure you get some other books. I just want to tell you how much I appreciate what you do."
"Thanks." He flashed that wonderful smile at me again and turned to go pay for his book.
As he left, I guess I got something in my eyes; they were leaking a bit. I stopped them with a quick wipe and went onto the next reader.
Just goes to show you that romance is not only for women...if a warrior can buy a romance book, then why can't our husbands?
Food for thought...
Minnette Meador
www.minnettemeador.com
http://minnettemeador.blogspot.com
2008 Releases:
Starsight, Vol. I, Starsight, Vol. II, The Centurion & The Queen
The Edge of Honor, A Cup of Comfort for Single Mothers
7 comments:
What a sweet story. Of all the people who we most want to tell about light and love at the end of conflict (hopefully), it would be a soldier.
Minnette,
My eyes leaked too!
That's neat, Minnette. I have several male fans who I think bought my earlier books because they knew me and wanted to support me. But when one of my male co-workers bought Loki's Daughters, a Viking story, I told him I appreciated it and told him he didn't have to read it. He told me he'd never read anything just for pleasure before because his severe dyslexia made reading so difficult, he only read what he had to read, such as textbooks. But he was going to try.
He made it all the way through, only small segments at a time, but he loved it and stood in line for the next one. I thought it was kind of nice to be the first, in some respect, at least.
Leaky eyes for me too, Minnette!
I was also very touched when my two grown sons read my first book when it came out in print. One of them said, "I never thought I'd get that interested in a romance." And the other son said, "I can see each scene just like a movie in my head."
High praise from two people who would have bluntly told me they didn't like my book or, worse yet, said nothing. :)
Whatever keeps getting in people's eyes, it made it down here, too.
Do you think he'd like a Viking warrior? I'd be happy to send a book to him, or to you to put in his package.
Thank you, ladies...I'm forever amazed that anyone would buy my books to begin with, so when this happened, I was doubly surprised. I have not heard back from the young man, alas, but have contributed books through both my publishers to be sent off to the troops. It's interesting to write about warriors, but even more interesting to meet them in the flesh. :)
Minette,
This is why we write, because we never know who needs to read it.
All we can do is our best. The rest of the world doesn't operate on publishers deadlines. Some readers will carry one book around, for years. How awesome that one of your books may be carried around, by one reader.
Keep writing the good story for those that are fighting the good fight.
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