Favourite Couples

I write romance, and as I'm currently having a bit of a confidence crisis with my latest WiP I've been thinking about my favourite couples.

Now, I can't think of any in books that I like that much. You know, the couple that you route for. The one you "ship". Apart from maybe Darian and Ash from Glitterland. And there are definitely none in films. But TV shows... TV does good with the couples. I guess it's because it can be stretched out more than in films, explored more, unless of course the film is a romance (which, to be honest, I don't tend to watch). A good couple has a will they/won't they on/off thing going on. I also have to like both characters. But there has to be something more. Some chemistry. Something that'll suddenly get me on board that ship.

So, here are my faves.

1. Ste and Brendan from Hollyoaks. Hollyoaks is pretty good at having couples I like - Darren & Nancy, Dennis & Blessing (that moleman speech?), Paul & Mercedes, Carmel & Jim, Grace & Esther... But Stendan are the best. Ok, I'm not good with the whole domestic violence thing, but Brendan's tragic past and Ste's acceptance... I just love them. They were tragic and romantic and funny. Stendan in Dublin still makes me blub. The couple had a tragic ending with Brendan taking the wrap for his sister's murder of their nasty peodophile dad and ending up in prison, but the ride was great.

I'm going to link to music vids in case you're not familiar with the couples. Watch them. Even if you are familiar.

Stendan

2. John and Aeryn from Farscape. He's a human. She's an alien. He's a scientist. She's a soldier. Farscape is probably my favourite TV show of all time anyway - it's full of strong female characters and I absolutely adore Aeryn. They were on and off. Lots of tragic little moments and will they/won't they. But they get a happy ending. Complete with baby.

John & Aeryn

3. Seth and Summer from The O.C. AKA Summereth or Sethummer (according to Seth!) He's a nerd. She's one of the popular kids. It's classic. The O.C., like Farscape, is chock full of strong women and Summer is one of the best. She has brilliant character growth throughout the series, and she's also hilarious. They will they/won't they throughout but end up married and have baby bunnies. It's all good.

Seth & Summer

4. Percival and Gwaine from Merlin. AKA Perwaine. I'm cheating with this one because they weren't shown as being a couple, but we all knew they were totally doing it. I watched the whole series of Merlin for that one forehead touch moment, I swear. Tragic end, poor Percival was brokenhearted.

Perwaine

5. The newest one! Sienna and Trevor from Hollyoaks. I said Hollyoaks did good couples didn't I? They get two in my top five. Their story is still ongoing, but already we've had on/off will they/won't they moments, and lots of chemistry. He's a bad boy with PTSD. She's posh, with a tragic backstory and mental health issues. I don't know how their story's going to end. But I'm onboard the ship for the ride.

Trienna

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A good couple has to be worthy of a montage. I can just about envisage one for Rowan and Daniel from my own Shuttered. I can definitely imagine one for Liam and Jimmy from mine and Liz Powell's Otherworld - they have all the hallmarks - on/off, will they/won't they, chemistry and tragedy. I'm not sure about my current WiP, but I'm working on it.

(You can buy both Shuttered and Otherworld from Amazon, plus various other online bookstores, or direct from the publishers.)

The World is Made up of Boxes I Don't Fit In.

I've just been out on a walk with my dog and, as dog walkers know, you usually see the same few fellow dog walkers and you have to stop and have a chat and let your dogs have a play. There's one guy with several Jack Russells who I often see and the dogs have to sprint over to say hello (and they're adorable). I saw him just now and we were having a chat and got talking about work and he said to me, "I can't place you." Meaning, he couldn't work out what I did for a job. I get this a lot - people not being able to place me, as if everybody fits neatly into a box. I've had a similar comment from another old dog walker. I guess it's because I'm (reasonably) young, I rarely wear make-up, I don't mind looking like a scruff or bellowing across the field for the dog, I don't mind wearing wellies and getting wet. I don't have children, I'm clearly not pregnant and I'm always on my own. I'm reasonably intelligent, yet I have a farmer's accent (not that farmers aren't intelligent, but whenever books/film/TV wants to portray a stupid, working class person, they usually get given a west country accent).

When I say I work in an office, it surprises people. I don't know if they were expecting 'kennel worker' (done that) or 'house keeper' (done that, too) or, I don't know. Farmer. Horsey person. I have no idea what's expected of me.

And it got me thinking about other things. How I am and what I like in general often surprises people. I don't fit with people's perceptions. I remember having The Shanklin Freakshow playing quite loudly in my car, pulling up to park and, when I turned the engine off and got out, having a guy come up to me to ask for a light. When I said I didn't smoke and had no light, he accused me of lying and said, "You can't listen to music like that and not have a light." I'm not sure what the implication was!

I watch Hollyoaks. Apparently, that surprises people. I have tattoos - again, something that's given people pause. I loved the OC. I hate horror films but love Most Haunted, or documentaries about autopsies. I listen to opera and classical music. And I bloody love Robbie Williams's 'Candy' song.

I have been to watch Shakespeare plays and cheesy musicals and The Circus of Horrors.

my eye

Psychics can't read me, Derren Brown can't fool me. I've got green eyes, along with the other 1-2% of the entire human population. I'm INFJ, says Myers-Briggs. I'm a supertaster, and I'm immune to the common cold. My surname is so rare that there's apparently one Tett per million people in the UK.

I don't smoke, I don't drink. I'm agnostic, anti-social, too-honest and too-angry. I love making people laugh. And I'm a blue belt in karate.

I have been called weird. And quirky. And "Not like anybody else I've ever met," but doesn't everybody think they're different? We're all special snowflakes.

The world is made up of boxes that I don't fit in ~ I Keep Myself to Myself by The Boy Least Likely To