This week: Scottish Romance Edited by: StephBee - House Targaryen  
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Gosh, where did March go? In my neck of the woods, (SoCal) March came in like a lion, but is leaving like a lamb. We got a lot of rain, and now we are out of the drought. Exciting news!
I tried to research some firsts for April and I came across some interesting firsts, but nothing in the way of “romance.” In 1889, aluminum was first patented for commercial use. Important, but not terribly romantic, right?
April is National Pecan Month. Who doesn’t love a tasty nut?  Pecans have more antioxidants than any other nut. They’ve been proven to reduce heart disease and lower cholesterol.
I’d also like to give a SHOUT OUT to National Library Week which is 7-13th of APRIL. This year’s theme is “Libraries=strong communities.” Melinda Gates is this year’s National Library Week Honorary Chair.
Question for you: How many of you still check out books from the library?
April is also National Poetry month, so I thought I’d highlight some romantic poetry around the site in my editor’s picks this month.
While researching ideas and topics, I discovered its National Scottish-American Month. Um, I thought, rubbing my chin, Scottish romances are very popular and they haven’t really gone out of style. The Outlander series is a reflection of their popularity, so I thought I’d explore the genre of Scottish romances and what their appeal is to the romance reader.
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Here’s the visual: Tall and well proportioned. Muscular, with long hair, blonde or strawberry blonde, light blue or green eyes, with a hearty smile and a resounding laugh. He’s not afraid to wear a kilt or show off his family’s tartan. The Scottish highlander is the ultimate alpha male. He’s proud, fearless, and loyal. He’s also kinda dirty (like mud and dirt – think Mel Gibson’s William Wallace). So what’s the appeal?
As I researched the appeal of the Highlander, I discovered that this is a genre of historical romantic fiction which hasn’t really lost its appeal through the decades. Perhaps it has something to do with the environment? Scotland is a rugged, timeless beauty, with lavish moors and green country sides (curtesy of the rains). The land itself is resilient, which is a reflection of the people who live there – resilient, tough, and robust.
Throughout history, the Scots have had to fight terrible odds, and they do so with an unbounding amount of courage. For the romance writer, this is a great recipe for conflict.
What I found appealing, as a reader, is that Scottish women tend to be as strong, robust, and resilient as the men, and the men aren’t afraid to show their appreciation for a strong woman. Both have loyalty to each other, their family, and their clan.
Some readers say the appeal of the highlander is his accent or his kilt, but I’d like to think those qualities are second to the strength of character the highlander possesses.
Of course, the series, “Outlander,” has been tremendously popular, with a World War II nurse traveling back through time and meeting the ultimate highlander – Jaime Frazier. It’s been on for 4 seasons now. The casting department excelled with their casting of Sam Heughan as “Jaime.” Perhaps the series appeals to its viewers due to Claire’s strength, and the fact that Jamie appreciates her strength. Or maybe it’s the sex scenes. 
Ultimately, I think the appeal is the characters, their will, their determination, their resiliency which offers the reader/viewer “hope” that love wins out in the end.
Perhaps, the appeal of Outlander deal with the fact that’s it’s a little of everything: romance, time travel, history, fights, and conflict. And it’s that the stuff which makes stories classics?
Question: Do you watch Outlander? Why or why not? Have you read the book series?
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Feedback from my Romance/Love NL DTD: 27 FEB 2019:
BIG BAD WOLF is hopping 
I'd recommend looking at "Villains By Necessity" by Eve Forward. In it, you have Sam, an Assassin, who finds himself traveling with a druid named Kaylana, and as time passes, starts to care for her, and tries to express his feelings, but something always prevents him from telling him - nervousness, the chuckles of their other traveling companions (who are all, as the title suggests, "Villains"), or outside forces. Then there's Fenwick, a "Hero" born of a line of "Heroes", who at one look through a scrying mirror ends up desiring the druid, and does whatever it takes to try and take her for his next "Love Interest".
Thanks for the recommendation!
halloween20
I love the topic of this month's newsletter. It really connects with me and inspires me. My whole life, I've considered myself a beast. I'm not even looking for a beauty; I just want to be allowed to follow my dreams without judgement. Sometimes, the beauty that can save the beast isn't even a princess.
Thanks so much for sharing. I agree – sometimes it’s not a beauty that helps us, but finding hope, inspiration or motivation in the situation around us.
StephBee - House Targaryen is a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. Her short novella, “Night of Magic” is now available through Prairie Rose Publishing. Can Finn save Aithne from Samhain’s magic?
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Romance/Love: March 27, 2019 Issue [#9453]
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