Turner Classic Movies, Here I Come!

As I walked the perimeter of the viewing deck of the Empire State building, taking dozens of photographs of the sunset and praying I wouldn't lose my kids in the pressing crowd, I thought of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan's first meeting in the movie Sleepless in Seattle. I love the classic romanctic films and Sleepless in Seattle is on my list of top 25 favorite films.

I also wondered why a woman who loves romance and love as much as I do, doesn't enjoy reading romance novels? Strange, I know.

Personally, I hope I have a happy ending because I'm a very romantic woman! My novel, A Decent Woman, could have two endings - a happy ending and a not so happy ending, depending on how you look at it and how you view life. I leave that up to my reader. We all come away with what we come away with by the lenses with which we view life. Like art, literature is subjective.

I find it interesting that I adore great romance novels and classic films like When Harry Met Sally, Anna Karenina, An Affair to Remember, Amelie, Like Water for Chocolate, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Under The Tuscan Sun, Gone with the Wind, You've Got Mail, Casablanca, The African Queen, The Philadelphia Story, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Tess, A Room with a View, Shirley Valentine, Eat, Pray, Love, and Mansfield Park, to name a few, but I don't enjoy reading romance novels. Strange. I don't know why that is. I enjoy reading chick lit, however, if it's witty, real-life and well-written. I suppose I want love, angst, longing and drama along with a believable, realistic ending. The Holiday, Chocolat, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Love, Actually, Something's Gotta Give, Tristan & Isolde and Bridgit Jones's Diary are other films I love and can watch over and over.

Maybe I shy away from reading romance novels because I'm too much of a realist. A happy ending every single time? That would get old, wouldn't it? If you already know the ending, why bother and I have very little time to read while I'm writing my novels. I want to read a taut, witty and intelligent story set in an exotic country or a city and time period I know nothing about. Let's face it, not everyone has the happy ending all nicely tied up like a box of chocolates and a spray of Chanel perfume. But then again, in this economy where people are suffering financially, losing jobs, their homes and livelihoods, maybe a little romance is a good thing.

Any suggestions on a great romance film or romance novel? I just realized that my list included 27 titles and I wasn't even finished :)

Peace and love,
Ellie