What do flight simulators and suits of armor have in common? (Melissa Robbins)

As someone who writes stories from World War Two, I do loads of research. All writers do. We’re walking encyclopedias and that’s why we’re awesome at pub quizzes or maybe it’s because writers also love to read.

For my latest book, my hero’s last name is Ruggles. To get the name I combined rugged and Biggles. Rugged because my teen is a rough and tumble kind of kid. Bigglesworth aka Biggles is my favorite literary pilot who has many flying adventures. Later on in my story, I needed to know the history of flight simulators. Did they even exist in WW2? Oh yes they did since 1910, but I discovered that in 1912, a William Ruggles(!) invented the Ruggles Orientator, a flight simulator. Is that fate or what that I created a name that actually exists and belonged to an inventor of a flight simulator?

But just because I’m writing a story that takes place in WW2, doesn’t mean my research won’t go beyond the 1940’s. Two of my older gentlemen flew in WW1 so I have to know some bits about that timeframe, especially the planes. And just last week, I found myself looking at suits of armor to determine if a girl could hide an item inside one.

Even when you think you have researched all you need for your story, you haven't. Just this morning, before I realized I had to write my blog post, I was researching bodies of water in northern England for a place to hide a rowboat and hopefully avoid beach minds. 

Faces of The Bones in the Box (Melissa Robbins)

When I saw this month’s topic, I envisioned showcasing my Murder Decoded ensemble cast.  Who doesn’t like oodles and oodles of cute guys as my pilots?  However, my secret identity, as a mom who is sewing costumes for a local children’s theater production my daughter is performing in, has left little time to write and search for perfect pictures of my ensemble cast.  Most of the pictures I have are real pilots, WAAFs, and actresses from the 40's.  Instead, I introduce you to two new faces.  Last month, I finished my short story, The Bones in the Box and submitted it to the third Sisters in Crime Guppies anthology.  Cross your fingers, they accept my story. 

 My heroine, Charlotte “Charlie” Graham finds a Nazi skeleton in her grandmother’s cedar chest.  How did he get there? Who stabbed him?  Nanny Vic?  Ashley Greene has that beautiful girl next door look that is just perfect for Charlie. 

When I decided to write The Bones in the Box, one of my critique partners pleaded and begged me to use Tom Hiddleston.   I obliged because Tom could easily portray my Tom Montgomery’s enthusiasm.  Perhaps he is a little too enthusiastic about the Nazi skeleton.  Yes, they share the same name.  ;0)  Charlie enlists the Edinburgh University graduate student to help sort through her grandparents’ house they abandoned in 1945.  Can Tom’s WW2 expertise help Charlie solve a seventy-year-old murder?   

Biggles: A Literary Adventurer (Melissa Robbins)

Movie still from Biggles:Adventures in Time

One of my favorite literary characters is Major James Bigglesworth aka Biggles.  I first discovered him in a campy 80’s movie, Biggles:  Adventures in Time when I was a kid.  I loved the movie then and since it came out the same time as Top Gun, it only fueled my pilot obsession.  I have since watched it as an adult and cringed, but who can resist a pilot? The first time I saw the movie, I had no idea that Biggles was a literary character.  The English books weren’t found on my Maryland library shelves.  With the joy of the Internet, I now have five Biggles books, three are 1940’s editions. 

Biggles was created by WW1 pilot, Captain WE Johns.  Through many, many books (101), Biggles has flown in both world wars for the Royal Air Force and any time a flyer is needed to save the day (secret air service and air police).  Many of the original stories were first published in flying magazines in the 30’s, but became so popular, they were published in book form too.      

  In every book, Biggles gets himself and his friends in some crazy and sometimes hilarious situations.  With the ones I’ve read, the bad guys are German or sympathizers, with one in particular, Biggles’ nemesis, Erick Von Stalhein.  The Germans really hate Biggles since in every book he steals one of their planes (or car or motorcycle) and uses it against them.  He’s quite fluent in German.  If Biggles isn’t rescuing his mates, they’re rescuing him!  “Biggles is facing an execution.  Let’s torpedo the sub he’s on.”

Now this being a romance blog, many of you may be wondering does Biggles breaks women’s hearts.  It’s quite the opposite.  Biggles fell madly in love with a French girl, but she turned out to be a German spy and her actions almost killed his entire squadron.  Still in love with her, he never loves again.   

Even in the most harrowing situations, there’s humor. I still laugh out loud when Biggles, Ginger, and Algy are naming their spy planes in Biggles in the Baltic.  If the scene wasn’t three pages long, I would post it here.  They call themselves the Boomerang Squadron, because a boomerang whirls out, strikes, and then whirls back home again.  This causes them to give their planes Australian names and after much debate Dingo, Didgeree-du, Willie-Willie, and Duck-billed Platypus are chosen. Sadly, the four planes don’t survive to the end of the book, but Biggles and Company destroying a plane or four is par for the course for them. 

My pilot character Connor (Cheeky Pilot) started reading the books as a teenager.  He joins the RAF because of Biggles. Connor's sister, Wren receives a Biggles book as a gift from her boyfriend and they use it to send coded messages to each other.  

This blog post made me realize that sometimes when we like a literary character that we also have to consider the supporting cast.  They give us a glimpse of how our hero reacts to things.  Where would Harry Potter be without Hermoine and Ron?  

A dream vacation involving planes and trains, but maybe not what you think (Melissa Robbins)

               In a couple of years, I turn 40.  Leaving the kids with the grandparents, my husband and I will travel to England to celebrate.  It will be a marvelous time to go, the 70^th anniversary of the VE Day and 75^th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.  It would be cool to stand in some of the places my characters have stood.  Some must-sees on my list.

Royal Air Force Museum – oh yeah, first on my list.  Not only do they have planes, but entire exhibits devoted to the Princess Mary’s Royal Air Force Nursing Service and Americans in the RAF.  Since one of my heroines is a PM and one of my heroes is an American RAF pilot, my husband will be dragging me out of those rooms hours after I go in. 

Hastings – Although the village of Sandwick-on-Sea and Thaddington Hall, where my characters reside, are made up, Sandwick has a striking resemblance to the town of Hastings on the southern east coast of England.  I would love to walk the hills and piers. Hopefully with no barbed wire and land mines on the beach.

Battle of Britain Memorial – not far from Hastings, near Dover.  Looks a lot like the Vietnam Memorial, with its wall of names. 

Imperial War Museums – All of them if my DH will let me, but definitely the ones including Churchill’s War Rooms and IWM Duxford, which was an aerodrome  for the Royal Air Force and then the Yanks (Mighty Eighth Air Force) took over.  Lots of planes.

The Blitz Party – This will take some planning, but I would LOVE to attend one while in England.  The Blitz Party is held one night once a quarter.  EVERYONE dresses up in 40’s clothes.  I don’t think you can enter the party without looking like you stepped out of WW2.  Google The Blitz Party and you’ll see loads of people dressed up from previous parties. 

 Train stations fascinate me.  Paddington Station would be cool to visit.  I had a Paddington Bear when I was a kid.  Waterloo Station would be another on my list.  I am curious to see how much it has changed since the war. 

  Of course, there are the usual tourist stuff, like the castles, Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, Trafalgar Square, etc.       

Whose with me?

Knights of the Air Bubble Dancing with a Khaki Whacky (Melissa Robbins)

      I have three bookshelves in my library related to writing and WW2 and picking just one book that helped me with my research proved difficult.  You’ll just have to humor me as I share my top four. 

 Women at War:  In Uniform 1939-1945 -  I always consult this information rich book about the different branches English women served during WW2.  I particularly review the chapters on the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force and the Princess Mary’s Royal Air Force Nursing Service.  Not only is there information and photographs on the historical aspects, but several women include their experiences, all different.  Some humorous.  Some heart breaking. 

The Few:  The American “Knights of the Air” Who Risked Everything to Save Britain in the Summer of 1940 – This book shares the trials of some of the American men who flew for the Royal Air Force before the U.S. got involved in WW2.  These men, who defied U.S. neutrality laws, could have been fined $10,000, arrested by Federal agents, and thrown in prison.  This info led to some great backstory for my main character Wren Buchanan and her brothers and insight into their personalities and what they would do to help England. 

Keeping Watch:  A WAAF in Bomber Command – Just one of the many memoirs I have on people during WW2.  Although my characters belong in Fighter Command, Pip’s experiences lend for some great possible story fodder, like convincing a pilot to let her fly with his crew in a Lancaster bomber (VERY illegal for a WAAF to do).  He made her wear a helmet to hide her curls!  Of course she threw up in the navigator’s handkerchief.  When she returned it all boiled, washed, and ironed, he asked her out on a date.      

FUBAR: Soldier Slang of World War II - As the title reveals, a great book on a language in itself, especially when reading the memoirs.  The book, in dictionary format, lists military slang for the U.S., Britain and her commonwealth countries, Germany, and Japan.  Some so naughty I can't share them on the blog and some quite common these days. I'll leave you with my personal favorites from the book which are SNAFU, army dick, ruptured duck, basher, jankers, khaki-whacky (ahem, Vivian) and bubble dancing.

  

My Leather Novel Journals (Melissa Robbins)

       When Penny mentioned ways to store and keep track of all the materials and information, I thought, “Aha!”  I’ve wanted to show these to the WARA members, my leather novel journals.  Binders that keep track of all the material I amass on WW2 and my characters fill my shelves and are useful and practical, BUT not very pretty.  I wanted something I could use to combine notes, sketches, and photographs.  Something my characters could very well carry around themselves.  Yes, I could go out a buy a leather journal, but there was something about creating my own from scratch. 

               I got on YouTube and figured out how to bind books.  I now know what those bumps are on the spines of old leather books.  I picked up the real leather, embroidery floss, and drawing paper at the craft store (on sale).  The hardest part was making sure all the holes lined up correctly, but the process is relatively easy.  If you can sew with a needle and thread, you can bind a book.  

                The fun part was selecting all the embellishments that reflected my main characters.  Steampunk elements were perfect for one hero and I created the wings from various jewelry parts.  That book stays closed with a purse snap.  My second book reflects my hero and heroine.  The pocket watch compass and gold heart-shaped locket are items near and dear to their hearts. 

  Here is a page out of one of them.  I used the photo corners my grandmother used for her albums to hold a photograph of Veronica Lake who my heroine resembles.  I also included information about her, a sketch of her in her nursing outfit, and a list of all the parts of her service dress as well.  Summer and winter dress were different.  Don’t want to mix them up. 

               The book also contains copies of pilot logbooks and combat reports, pictures of pilots working and at leisure, scene ideas, and pretty much anything related to my stories.  

Dousing myself with that well water from a surprising source (Melissa Robbins)

I have enjoyed reading fellow WARA members’ takes on this month’s timely topic.  I have to admit that some of my best ideas hit me while I’m in the shower.  Sitting on the ledge and dressed in his full RAF uniform, Connor pitched his story idea while I showered.  He probably relished the fact that I was naked, but he kept his remarks to himself. 

However, for the first two weeks of September, the showers failed me.  I struggled with my stories and word count (only 1000 words and that’s bad for me.)  Some experts say that your characters know their stories better than you and you should let them lead the way.  If I left Connor to his own devices, his story would make erotic romance read like a children’s book.  Quick!  Someone douse him with that well water.  On the FAR end of the spectrum is sweet and shy Carrick, my YA hero.  I know where I want him to go, but the settings stop me writing his story.  He isn't as loud as Connor either.  My poor Wren is stuck in the middle, wanting desperately for me to send out queries.  Just read my post on that subject!  Shiver. 

During Labor Day weekend, a friend and I experienced the insaneness of Dragon Con.  I hoped the time away from writing would refresh my well and I would come back ready to write.  See word count above.  Yeah, that didn’t happen.  Two weekends ago, I did not get up at 5 am during our first cold snap to write and chose to stay in my bed and snuggle with my warm husband. 

Soon after that, that same friend found a group wanting to do Steampunk costumes for next year’s DCon.  The idea sparked my creativity.  I love Steampunk and many of those costumes that have vintage military aspects.  I could incorporate many of the items from Connor and my stories since, of course, I would be a Steampunk pilot.  After sketching the costume all day, I woke up the next morning at 5 am and FINALLY figured out my Connor chapter I’ve been struggling with.  I moved on and wrote an 'almost kiss' scene, 700 words the first day, 600 words the next, and 400 after that. I finished that chapter yesterday.

So when you least expect it, that refreshing well may just appear out of nowhere and douse you with water.  Be ready.

My Top Five Writing Influences (Melissa Robbins)

5.  Men in Uniform – Stop giggling.  It’s not what you think.  Okay, maybe a little, but I get so inspired when I read stories of the brave men and women who fought during WW2.  My Wren story came about when I read about wireless WAAFs in Scotland.  This dashing fellow is Sid, an amazing Royal Canadian Air Force pilot, who was an ace and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar.  His ‘wolves’ were some of the best pilots in the war.  He crashed into the sea in 1943 soon after achieving the rank of Wing Commander.  Sid wasn’t married that I found, but I wonder if he had a girlfriend.  Was he ever in love with a pretty nurse or WAAF?  It’s those ‘what ifs’ that writers love so much. 

  4.  Bookstores – When I was a kid, my parents, avid readers, always took me to this amazing used bookstore called The Book Alcove.  The shelves were so chaotic, it was like a maze.  I LOVED it!  If you Google “Book Alcove” and Maryland, you’ll find a youtube video of the store and you will see what I mean.  Just imagine what it would be like as a child in that store.  Walking through a bookstore inspires me.  It's a shame so many stores are closing.  I see all those books and wonder if my book will ever grace those shelves.  I immediately want to rush home and work on my story. 

3.  Books – Reading as always inspired me to write.  After reading Treasure Island, I became obsessed with pirates.  In junior high school, I started, but never finished, a time travel pirate YA.  A critique partner thinks I should go back to it.  Who can resist a handsome young blond pirate?  What is it with me and blond heroes?!  I also wanted to write a sequel to Treasure Island where Long John Silver returns and drags Jim, a 20 something guy, back to the island for more treasure and adventure.  Of course, I’m  Annie, the granddaughter/niece/daughter of Captain Flint is Jim’s love interest, not that he could handle the fine American lady who hides pistols under her petticoats when she isn’t sneaking around in breeches and carrying a sabre.

In high school, I started reading Agatha Christie and my love for mysteries was born.  I created a Scottish whodunit with ghosts and a family curse.  Didn’t finish that one either.  :0( 

2.  My grandfather – Comer aka Papa Steve was an awesome man and I adored having him as my grandfather.  The grandkids enjoyed his silliness and loved it when his mischievousness got him ‘in trouble’ with my grandmother.  I imagine my love and obsession with WW2 and the 30’s and 40’s is from listening to his stories.  Papa Steve didn’t have to fight in the war.  He was so good at his job in a furniture factory that the government wanted him to stay, but Comer enlisted in the Army infantry anyway.  He fought in Italy for over a year before getting injured by shrapnel in the neck and sent home.  It’s funny to me how much Papa Steve, a blue-eyed, naughty, motorcycle riding, southern blond with a preference for brunettes is like my character, Jack.  (Not that my grandmother would have EVER rode his motorcycle.)  My grandfather even sent my grandmother coded messages using bible references.  My Jack would be impressed.

1.  My critique partners – As previously mentioned above, I wrote stories since childhood, but I never told anyone I was writing.  It was a secret passion of mine I kept hidden from the rest of the world.  I don’t think my parents even knew.  I became a MUCH better writer when I started showing my work to fellow writers who encouraged and helped me perfect the craft.

Ain't Misbehavin' (Melissa Robbins)

Mistakes in writing.  Made them and some I didn’t know I did, but today, I am posting about the mistakes our characters make or letting our characters make.  I can’t remember where I found it, but someone wrote don’t ‘parent’ your YA characters.  As a parent, I need to allow my kids to fail so they learn from their mistakes.  In my crazy mind, my characters are like my kids, so the same theory applies to them, and like my kids, some misbehave more than others (more about that in a minute.)   Think back to many YA characters.  Where were the parents?  Would you let your kids get away with many of the ‘adventures’ those kids got into?   You wouldn’t have much of a story if your characters did what they were supposed to do.  My husband said he could never be a writer because he couldn’t imagine his characters to doing stupid stuff.   

            So what is a writer to do?  Let your characters fail, even if it breaks your heart to see them hurt.  We have all screamed at the TV, “Why did you do that!?”  Use those emotions you feel toward your characters’ feelings.   There’s that GMC (goals, motivation, and conflict) rearing its ugly head.  It is times like this that I prefer mystery writing over romance writing.  I want my characters to be in love, not fighting or apart because of some world war, but that stuff really happens/happened, so you have to do it. 

            Back to my characters misbehaving.  Reminds me of the B-17 ‘Ain’t Miss Behaven’ (there were several ‘Ain’t Miss Behavens’ by the way). It’s funny to me how characters can take on lives of their own.  Not parenting them can be rewarding.  They know better than us, sometimes, but then as parents, I mean writers, we have to interfere when things get really out of control and nudge them in the right direction.  I have one pilot (not my hero) that’s so naughty, he corrupted my heroine and I had to rewrite an entire chapter and one scene.  I know what you’re thinking.  That corruption could be good story telling, but no, they both carried on completely out of character.  Okay, maybe my pilot acted like he feels (he can’t help it, he’s wicked that way), but not my heroine. 

            That’s the joy of storytelling, unlike real life, even if our characters do major mistakes, they get giant do-overs.  In the end, it all works out for our characters.  At least, I hope it does.  Torture your characters, but for the sake of my heart, give me a happy ending. 

**side note – The B-17 ‘Ain’t Miss Behaven’ of the 452^nd bomber group was named by the pilot Oliver Wright, because of his newly marital status just before the crew went to England.**

Why yes I do have action figures for my characters. (Melissa Robbins)

I have been looking forward to this post.  As a quirky person, I have an assortment of quirky things in my writing area.  You’ll have to forgive me.  I can’t share just one.  

First, I have Connor’s plane complete with noseart and markings.  I assembled and painted the Spitfire myself.  Yes, Connor’s kite is missing a wheel, courtesy of my six year old son who played with it.  The boy loves planes as much as his mummy.  I didn’t glue the wheel back because there is a scene in my second story (written before the damage) where Connor has to land his plane on one wheel.  And yes, here are my characters as action figures (sort of).  I assembled and painted my little Connor, Jack, and Wren, too.  I love how Jack has his coat slung over his shoulder all cheeky like.   I’ve resisted playing with them to act out scenes.  Are you wondering why Jack, who is U.S. Army Air Force, is wearing Royal Air Force blue?  Yeah, Wren was wondering the same thing.  ;0)  Looking at this Wren makes me laugh.  This figurine is a lot calmer than Wren was in the scene.  She wanted to strangle and hug her brother at the same time.    

            Near the plane, I display pilot wings, like Jack would have worn, in an antique printers’ tray.  

    Here are 1940 editions of Murder on the Orient Express and Biggles – Secret Agent.  In my first story, Wren carries around the Christie paperback in her gas mask bag and it helps her solve an important code.  Wren uses the Biggles book to communicate code messages with a certain pilot.  Biggles inspired my flyboys and is probably the reason I have a fascination with pilots.  That and watching Top Gun at a tender age. 

  

     What we were talking about?  Pilots.  Right.  Here is my bulletin board for inspiration and distractions.  On top, we have Jack’s Bacon and Connor’s Raven noseart.  Between them, I have my own propaganda posters.  The British government created a ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ one.  ‘Keep Calm and Write On’ was something Fran told me and it’s become my mantra ever since.  The blue ones are real signs from WW2.  I also have some sketches of my favorite boys (Jack, Connor, and my YA brothers, Dermot and Carrick.)  Oh look!  Who is that devilishly handsome man in the RAF uniform?  That would be Rupert Penry-Jones from Charlotte Gray.  If you want to know what Jack looks like in RAF blue, there you go.  Except you need to muss up his hair a bit.  Those pictures are SO distracting!  Sigh.  Where was I?  The black and white photo is of a real WAAF who reminds me of Wren and below that is a wireless patch she would have worn.  Underneath that is a fortune from a cookie I received recently that reads, “Bide your time, success is near.”  The image of the RAF ranks and insignias helps a lot determining which rank to use. 

  

          Adjacent to the bulletin board, is a nifty WW2 calendar a writer friend gave me for Christmas. Each day has a significant event that happened during the war.  Funny thing though, I was SO busy drooling over the bomber squadron for January that my friend had to point out the events.  I hadn’t noticed! 

            So there you have it, my collection of quirky items.  I also have a shelf full of WW2 books. 

Nose Art: Research or a Distraction? (Melissa Robbins)

This is a timely post to say the least. All four of my kids (8,6,4,2) are home from school for Spring Break and as I write this on Thursday, I haven’t seen the sunshine since Sunday. That’s four days of straight rain, people. This ain’t Seattle. Rain and four kids stuck inside equals a BAD spring break. Anyway, knowing all four would be under foot, I’ve made a point get up at my usual 5 am writing time and really focus on writing, not email or Facebook. It worked. I managed to meet and surpass my writing goals without taking time away from my children.

Those same four crazy kids certainly help my imagination. My eldest struggles with reading and writing so we have focused on that this week. Emma has such a vivid imagination and we worked on characters, a setting, and a plot for her story about a pink otter, a mermaid, and a princess who floats on a large leaf boat, traveling the high seas. Although, I discovered she would rather be a director and act and leave the script writing to the professionals.

On Wednesday, my kids and I visited our Museum of World Treasures. Growing up in DC, I’m a wee bit spoiled on the whole museum thing, but my kids loved it and being that my story takes place during WW2, that section of the museum is my personal favorite. However, my American and English characters cringed when my four year old daughter informed me the German naval officer’s uniform was her favorite. A German? And a sailor at that. My RAF flyboy, Connor stomped off to pout. There is also a display of a dispersal hut with two airmen mannequins. One of them wears the Army Air Corps patch on his shoulder. My son has the same patch on his leather jacket, a gift from my father, who is as big of a WW2 nut as I am. Duncan must have forgotten or didn’t realize his patch used to belong to a pilot. His blue eyes lit up and I was like, ‘That’s it!’ That is the look I want to give to my flyboys in my story, because they love flying so much.

I have said it before on this blog that drawing affects my writing. My sketches inspire my creativity, but they can also be a distraction. When I should be writing or critiquing a fellow writer’s work, I’m sketching. My latest deviations have been nose art for my pilots. I got a new set of illustration markers and coloring with my kids makes for a great activity. Did I mention it has been raining all week?

Anyway, researching nose art has been uber fun. Those flyboys were so creative and naughty and the artists really were considered the most essential members of a squadron. Did you know that Walt Disney himself created the Flying Tigers emblem? The Royal Air Force didn't showcase nose art as much as the Yanks did, but as Connor would say, “If that ruddy Jerry can have Mickey Mouse on his plane, I can have a raven.” He is referring to Adolf Galland, one of Germany’s top aces. I’m sure the two have dogfighted on occasion.

Drawing the nose art has been a creative experience for me since it was considered an expression of the pilot’s personality. I tried to reflect the cartoonish style of the 40's. So here is my latest deviation from writing. I have several sketched out, but these are the ones colored.

“Bacon” – 1^st Lieutenant Jackson Spencer, P-40. Bacon is Jack’s beagle. It’s my favorite of the lot. Snoopy wearing his pilot helmet and goggles was a popular nose art figure, but I wanted to be original with Jack’s.

“Raven: Harbinger of Destruction” – Flight Lieutenant Connor Buchanan, Spitfire. A fellow writer friend came up with the raven for Connor since he hails from Maryland (half English), but also because of all the war mythology and the Tower of London attached to the raven. The ‘harbinger of destruction’ is funny to me because not only does Connor destroy German planes, but he’s very rough on his own.

“For King and Country”- Squadron Leader Basil Godfrey, Hurricane. I like this one on so many levels. Plus the Grim Reaper appears less creepy wearing a Union Jack cloak versus a black one.

“Spyder” – Pilot Officer Johann “Spyder” Snyder, Hurricane. There are conflicting reports as to how Spyder earned his nickname. Did his squadron leader not want to use Spyder’s German name or it is because Spyder is so handsy with the ladies, it’s like he has more than two hands???

“Rosie” – Flying Officer George Rosegate, Spitfire. The fox was Connor’s idea. George is too modest and shy to put a fox on his plane, but Connor knows how sly George is on the inside. The rose in the fox's mouth represents his hidden romantic side.

Best Blues, Dress Whites, Fatigues. It's All Good (Melissa Robbins)

Isn't he quite the dish? More about him later.

If you ask my husband, he will tell you he's the romantic one of our twosome, so maybe Reed should be the one to write this post. I will share with you one of his favorite movie lines, “Well, there's the usual things: Flowers, chocolates, promises you don't intend to keep.” Those are the words spoken by Cogsworth in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. I hope I'm not ruining the movie for you, but the Beast 'gives' Belle the library, because Lumiere noticed Belle's interest in books. I think that's the best way someone can be romantic, just by listening and knowing what the other person wants or enjoys.

For example, for Christmas one year, I received two Transformer toys from Reed. Now, you might be wondering why on earth would my husband give me those toys. Reed remembered a story I once told him about how much I wanted a Transformer when I was a kid, but I never received one because they were for boys. Reed actually tried to find the one I wanted, but couldn't find it.

Just last Christmas, a writer friend of mine told me about a present she received. She always wanted a strand of pearls, but being so short, strands are always too long. Her boyfriend bought a strand of pearls, took it to a jeweler, and had the jeweler shorten the strand for her. Is that not the sweetest thing ever?

So obviously listening skills are high on my list. :0D I'm also with Theresa with the 'helping me with things.' Ages ago, Reed and I worked on a church service project. It was the third time we had done anything remotely together in a group setting. I was struggling putting leaves into a trash bag. Reed came over and helped me by holding open the bag. It was a simple gesture, but I definitely took notice. I think we starting dating a week or two after that. First, I had to insult his truck for that date, but that's a story for another blog.

What other romantic ideals do I have? Some of my friends mock me for my obsession, I mean love of men in uniform (military). I could blame the fact that I grew up near the U.S. Naval Academy (dress whites *swoon*) or that my dad took me to see Top Gun when I was a pre-teen. I claim research purposes, but I have no idea why I start giggling when I see a sergeant in Air Force fatigues at Walmart (They're all over the place around here!) or about pass out at seeing Rupert Penry-Jones in an A-2 flight jacket. Oh lord have mercy! Shh, don't tell my husband. By the way, if I could FIND a screen shot of Rupert in that jacket, it would be right here!

**edited** Look what Rox found for me! Okay, so RPJ isn't wearing the A-2, but it's leather and it's Rupert. Do I hear any complaints? (crickets chirping) I thought so. I left the handsome guy at the top, who was a real WW2 pilot. I don't know his name and I hope he survived the war. I call him Sean Finnegan and he's one of my pilots. The sweet one, the yin to Jack's naughty yang.

Is it the hero aspect of a man in uniform we find so attractive? They are real life heroes, rescuing the damsel and everyone else. My grandfather may not have survived WW2 if one of his fellow soldiers hadn't dragged him to safety while his own arm was injured.

I'll leave you with a funny romantic story I found while researching for my WW2 stories. I am so stealing this idea. An Royal Air Force bomber pilot by the name of Moose (He was big and Canadian – go figure) who after a bombing run did what they all did and asked the controller (who happened to be a WAAF, like my Wren!) for directions home. Then, Moose proceeded to argue with Bobby over the airwaves about the directions she gave him. They married in 1946 and had five kids. Makes you wonder if they still argued over directions through the years.