I don’t know about you, but I have always been a sucker for a good coming-of-age love story. There is something sweet that happens when love is shy—when two people are trying to make sense of romantic feelings for the first time.
Of course, this is not limited to youth. Young or older adults who have fallen in love know that age does not insulate them from that same tender awkwardness. They would probably tell you the shy love experience actually keeps them feeling young.
Yeah. I know. I’m a guy, and guys should never admit to liking love stories. Well, this guy happens to be confident in who he is as a tender warrior. Those who believe that tenderness, emotional expression, and respect for deep intimacy have no place within masculinity do not know what it truly means to be a man. Consider the ancient code of the Samurai (Bushido), or the medieval Code of Chivalry. It is time for modern men to return to following the honorable ways of the holy warrior, which includes respecting women and holding true love in high regard.
Lest I digress—and I could certainly go off on a masculine tangent right now—I will simply say that real men have no problem admitting their enjoyment of love in all of its wonderful manifestations. (If you are one of my male readers, I recommend checking out the Art of Manliness website for further exploration.)
As a writer, it is fun for me to include romance in my stories. I get to sort of revisit my own past experiences, add insights from my current journey, and vicariously live new adventures through my characters.
In Planet of Eden, Jay, one of my main characters, must explore newly awakened feelings of love with a young woman he sees as just too perfect. Have you ever been there? Ever find yourself falling for someone you think is way beyond you—smarter, better looking, older, more experienced, more successful? Can love overcome those concerns? What about the reverse—younger, less experienced, not as successful? Is love not powerful enough to bond two people no matter what their backgrounds?
In Planet of Eden, Jay struggles with these questions like the rest of us. Worse, though, he has to seek answers while feeling trapped in a very unusual—okay, alien—setting. Have you ever gone through a love experience that didn’t feel at least a little “alien?” To me, that’s part of what makes it adventurous and fun.
During his journey of discovery, Jay comes to realize that his concept of love has always been flawed. True love, he learns, is not the complicated thing we wounded human beings often make it out to be.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, New International Version)
That is the true definition of love. Pretty simple, right? If we made that our foundation, we would see all the questions and doubts we have easily fade away. Perceived differences would no longer matter so much. Instead, our focus would be on what unites us.
Jay’s shy love experience is one of several subplots in Planet of Eden. For me, it was probably the most fun to write. Yeah, I’m a born romantic, and I just can’t seem to help it.
Planet of Eden Update
“Project Eden” has not been idle. I have several queries out to agents. Two of them already responded with “thanks, but no thanks.” So be it. As an author, I expect more rejections. I remind myself, though, that J.K. Rowling, creator of the $7.7 billion Harry Potter franchise, was rejected time and time again before a publisher finally—and reluctantly—took on her first Potter book. Do you think there have been a bunch of agents and publishers out there who have been kicking themselves in the derriere for the past 20 years for missing that opportunity? Yeah.
I’ve been told, “It just doesn’t fit our current needs at this time.” Okay. And your “needs” are?
I guess the hardest thing for me about rejection isn’t the rejection itself. I expect that to come sometimes. The hardest thing is when someone does not even give me the chance to show what I’ve got. Dig a little deeper and you might just find a gem. Invest a little time and investigate. In this case, skim the manuscript a bit and get a feel for the writing style and flow. An elevator speech is not enough to go on.
Oh, well. It’s all part of the process, friends. During this journey, I’ll share all the ups and downs with you. In the end, Planet of Eden will be a success story. And it will be a fun day when people are knocking down my door to publish the next Dan Whicker novel.
Now, back to the grind. Stay awesome. Seek love. Be an excellent you!
4 comments
Always great to hear your updates and insights Dan!
I was reading a personal growth book recently, and the author said something that I turned into a daily affirmation: I am water moving around my obstacles. Most of the time, we want to push aside the things that block us or slow us down, or we want God to just remove them from our path. But stones in a river can be helpful. They slow us down when we’re moving too fast. They redirect our course. Stones provide a path for others when they cross our flow, keeping them from being swept away by our intensities.
I suddenly felt led to share that with you. Thanks for following!
I agree with you about men today needing to live by a code of honor. Too many guys are just out for themselves. It sounds like your one of the rare ones. Keep it up! Great post! -Kat
Thanks! I’m planning to write more about that in upcoming posts. The subject touches me, too. I’ve met so many women who’ve been hurt by bad relationships with guys who don’t know how to treat them like the royal sisters they are. Real men treat women with the highest respect. That’s one of the messages I put into Planet of Eden. Thanks for the comment…and compliment!