Romance Awareness Month - Creative Date Nights

It's Romance Awareness Month and so far I've talked about how the little things count when it comes to romance, and alternative dinner venues. This week, I turn to alternative ideas for date night. Sure dinner and a movie is a wonderful date night, but there are so many other creative options out there.

Here are just a few:

Visit a planetarium. If you're lucky enough to have a planetarium where you live, this is a perfect romantic date. What's more romantic than gazing up at our amazing universe (or a scientifically created replica) with the one we love? Some planetariums have concerts. Those are really fun!

Take in a free outdoor play. Summer is a great time to enjoy the warm evenings with a little Shakespeare in the Park.

Baseball anyone? If your city has a major league team, or even a minor league team, take him out to the ball game. Have some peanuts and Cracker Jacks! Maybe you'll catch a foul ball as a memento.

Take a stroll. With the lingering light summertime offers, you can take a stroll hand-in-hand in your favorite park, along the river, or along the beach. Watch the sun set and the stars come out.

Take a drive. Put on your favorite tunes, map out some back-country roads and take in the scenery. Maybe you'll stumble across a charming restaurant for an impromptu dinner or drink.

Park. Come on, you remember parking, right? Cuddle up with your honey in some dark, out-of-the-way place. Just be careful out there! You don't want to get arrested for indecent exposure. Nothing douses a hot date like finding yourself and your honey in the clink.

Visit an amusement park. It doesn't have to be Disney World or Universal Studios to be fun. Some communities have local amusement parks with games, rides, those yummy, but oh-so-bad-for-you, funnel cakes. Throw caution to wind and eat all those artery-clogging foods, hold hands on the ferris wheel, take home a five foot teddy bear, because everyone needs a five foot teddy bear in their life. Be a kid again.

Go for ice cream (or gelato, or frozen yogurt). If you can ride bikes or walk to the ice cream shop, even better. Order different flavors and share.

Go out for a progressive dinner. Have drinks at one spot, appetizers at another, entrees at another, and dessert at yet another. If they're all within walking distance, enjoy a stroll between courses.

Go bowling. Midnight or Disco bowling is even better. Get your groove on with some disco music and a mirror ball. And nothing says cool like a pair of bowling shoes.

What are some of your alternative date night ideas? And don't forget to check my Facebook page for this week's giveaway.

Romance Awareness Month - Alternative Dinner Venues

It’s Romance Awareness Month, and this month I’m blogging about all things romance. Going out for a candlelight dinner for two is always romantic, but what about shaking things up a bit? Go for something off-the-beaten path. Here are five alternatives to the candlelight dinner for two.

1. Cuddle up for a night-time picnic. We’ve all had picnic lunches at the park, or by the lake, but what about at night? Put together a simple picnic basket, with cheeses, fruit, a crusty bread, wine or champagne, and of course chocolate. Toss down a blanket at your favorite park, or better yet, in your own backyard. If it’s chilly, cuddle up and listen to the night sounds and gaze at the stars.

2.  Enjoy a beach bonfire built for two. After a romantic dinner out, have desert on the beach next to a roaring fire. S’mores are perfect. Be sure to check local laws. Nothing is less romantic than spending a night in jail. 

3.  If you’re lucky enough to live on the water and have a boat, take the boat out and drop anchor. Dine on your favorite portable foods like fried chicken, potato salad, and chocolate cake. If you don’t have a boat, a dock will do just fine. 

4. Up on the roof. If you live in a city high-rise, dine on the roof, with the lights of the city spread out around you, and the sounds of traffic far below. 

5.  Take in an outdoor concert. Many concerts in the park allow patrons to bring food, so pack a cooler and a blanket for a little dancing beneath the stars.

Let's hear you ideas for alternative dinner venues. Two lucky commenters will win a free eBook of Ship of Dreams. 

Romance Awareness Month - It's the Little Things That Count

In honor of Romance Awareness Month, I’m blogging about ways to add a little romance back into

your life. Last week, I talked about the little things that show you care. I thought I'd continue that topic today.

We often think in grand gestures when we want to show our significant other how much they mean to us. Grand gestures are wonderful, but it’s the daily gestures that show you care. Here are five ways to make the little things count.

1. Give a gift just because. It doesn’t have to be a diamond necklace. It can be a jar of bath salts for her, or a cool gizmo for him. You might even see something among the impulse items at the register. Was he complaining the other night about never having a flashlight handy when he needed one? Grab one of those super-bright LED flashlight key chains. She loves to cook and always complains about not having the right food processor attachment. Pick one up for her. 

My husband loves peanut butter more than life itself. He could eat it every day if I let him. We love the all-natural peanut butter, but the oil separates from the peanut butter, and it’s hard to mix it up. I came across a really cool Peanut Butter Hand Crank Mixer in a cooking magazine, so I ordered it and gave it to him as a gift-for-no-reason. He loved it and thanked me for my thoughtfulness.

2. Guys, encourage a girls’ weekend away, or even a girls’ shopping day, and when she comes home surprise her with a clean house. You’d get lucky that night for sure! 

3. Girls, suggest a poker party for him and his buddies, then make gourmet subs or pizzas for the party. Bonus: after you feed the guys, you can go indulge in a hot bubble bath and a glass of wine for a little me time.

4. Ask your significant other how their day went, then stop what you’re doing and actively listen. Ask questions, offer suggestions, and just generally show you’re interested. 

5. Offer to give a foot or shoulder and neck massage. Guys, you see where this is going, right?

What little things do you do to show that special someone you care?

Don't forget to check my Facebook page for this week's giveaway!

August is Romance Awareness Month

August is Romance Awareness Month – the month to add a little romance back into your life. Whether that means special date nights with your significant other or curling up with a romance novel or romantic movie, set aside some time to focus on romance. I blogged recently about some of my favorite romantic movies, romcons, and classic romantic novels, just to give you a few ideas. 

I thought Urban Dictionary had the best definition of romance: 

True romance is doing something special or unexpected for someone you love, even though you don't have to. Romance isn't a greeting card, it isn't Valentine's Day, it isn't a box of chocolates, and it certainly isn't a dozen roses (unless you like that sort of thing). Real romance is not what modern society has been taught to think it is. Real romance isn't manufactured. It is completely individual. Romance is for showing the person you love that you're thinking about them. It shouldn't feel forced. There are no limits to romance; it can be shown by a handwritten note, by going for a walk, or even by making someone a sandwich. Romance is something simple and sweet that reminds your partner why they fell in love with you in the first place.

So, in that same vein, let's talk about some ways to add a little romance back into your life. Romance authors like writing about creative ways the hero and heroine can show how much they care for each other, and it’s often the little things that count. For instance, actively listening to your significant other is a perfect way to show you care. So are simple gestures. If you’re making yourself a cup of coffee, ask your SO if he’d like one too. And don’t wait for special occasions – stash a greeting card in a drawer or under a pillow for him to find, just because.

In Rescuing Lacey, the heroine shows her attentiveness to the hero’s interests when she gives him a beautiful watercolor set. In return, he shows he’s paying attention to their conversations when he gives her a very meaningful Christmas gift. 

Sometimes showing your love means giving, what looks like to outsiders, to be a very unromantic gift, but the gift means the world to the recipient. A friend once gave his wife a humidifier. Most people laughed it off, but to his wife, who’d been suffering with asthma related to the dry climate where they lived, cried over his thoughtfulness.

But showing how much you care doesn’t always have to involve gifts. During Thanksgiving dinner, in The Promise of Change, the hero notices the heroine is cold, and without prompting, rises from the table to get her a sweater. It’s all about attentiveness and genuine concern.

This month I’ll be blogging about all things romance. So stay tuned. And I love to hear your ideas for showing your significant other that you care.

I'll also be giving away print copies of my books, so check out my Facebook page for weekly giveaways!