FLIPPING THE SCRIPT: OLDER WOMAN, YOUNGER MAN ROMANCE
I've been a fan of the romance genre since the first time I started reading my mother's Harlequin novels when I was ten. Like any young, adolescent girl I was drawn to the older, mature hero who knew just what to say to sweep the heroine off her feet. And to this day I am still a fan of the older man, younger woman romance. It just appeals to me in a way I probably will never be able to fully explain.
But like most things in life, eventually you branch out and discover new things. Believe it or not the same thing happens with writing. Especially when life hands you just the right inspiration. For me this bit of inspiration came from my favorite soap opera, General Hospital. The lone ABC soap now, it has been a part of my life ever since I can remember.
Well ladies and gents, meet Ava Jerome and Morgan Corinthos, collectively known as Amor.
This controversial couple lit up my television with undeniable chemistry and sex appeal. Morgan Corinthos is the youngest son of daytime's leading mob boss Sonny Corinthos and Carly Jacks. Ava Jerome is the half sister of rival mob boss Julian Jerome. Ava and Morgan's sexy hook up began when Morgan (who was married to Ava's daughter, Kiki,) was dumped by his wife for his brother! Yes. Isn't that all kinds of juicy?
Anyway, Morgan sought refuge with Ava who had just been rejected by her daughter's father because he was in love with her niece, Sam. Did you get all that? Yeah. Messy isn't it? What it all boils down to is Morgan had sex with his mother-in-law, Ava. When everyone in Morgan and Ava's lives found out, the shit really hit the fan but it didn't matter. What had started out for both of them as just a rebound fling to cope with their disappointing love lives soon blossomed into real love and many steamy nights and mornings full of passionate romance.
In the character of Ava you have a sexy, vivacious 40 something year old woman who knows just what she wants and is not afraid to do whatever is necessary to get it. With Morgan you have the typical young man trying to find his place in the world while being all too confident in his burgeoning sex appeal.
As I continued to watch the relationship of these two characters unfolding on my screen I started to think about writing a new story. I knew my heroine's name was going to be Ava naturally and as thoughts swam around in my head the first line of Dirty Little Secrets was born. As I continued to write I soon had created a super sexy romance featuring an older widowed mob wife and a younger, virile man. And to think this all started from watching a soap opera. Thanks General Hospital.
What are some things you have seen on TV or read about that have inspired your writing?
