Rebecca Gomez Farrell

I hate chick flicks. It’s rare that I’ll believe two people can fall in love within the course of two hours—it doesn’t matter how much time has passed in the plot. It’s just not long enough for me to believe the characters can form a lasting connection, that the sticky threads of love have had time to wrap around their hearts and build a cocoon binding them together. Colin Firth is hot, but I don’t believe a few short, awkward dates were enough for Bridget Jones to fall in love with him. Kristen Bell is adorable, but I can’t bring myself to watch a single film she’s done since Veronica Mars went off air.

I have a secret, though. I can’t sit through 120 minutes of Katherine Heigl modeling bridesmaid dresses, but I’ve been watching General Hospital since I was five. That’s right, the woman who hates chick flicks has watched a long-form version of them nearly every day of her life. I may scorn the romance plots of movies as flighty and lacking in substance, but if I try to recall memorable fictional romances, the first images that pop to mind are those of couples I’ve watched on General Hospital. Brenda Barrett smiling at Sonny Corinthos through the rain. Jason Morgan sweeping a distraught Robin Scorpio off the stage. Frisco Jones kissing his new wife, Felicia, and walking through an arch of crossed swords.  

As a writer, I’ve figured out that my soap opera habit is actually an asset. They have taught me the importance of building to a memorable, emotionally resonant moment. Because of their serial nature, soap operas can create an enriching history, making the audience feel as though they truly know the characters. We are there when the first thread of interest weaves around a pair, maybe when they meet while singing karaoke at the local bar. We watch as the relationship progresses over cups of coffee and shy glances at the nurses’ station—more and more threads binding the two hearts closer together. We rejoice when lips finally lock or vows are taken, because we’re invested in the relationship. We’ve seen every thread appear that built that cocoon, and when the characters break through it and emerge as a couple, it’s our victory, too.

Soap operas have taught me that building a relationship through little moments is essential if I want my readers to fully appreciate the big moments. I want to take them on a journey through the stages of intimacy along with my characters. Someday, if I do it well, maybe my scenes will come to mind when my readers are asked what their most memorable fictional romances are.

What romantic relationships in television or film have stuck with you through the years? Do you appreciate a gradual, long-simmering relationship or do you prefer couples that waste no time going after what they want?

Bio:

Rebecca Gomez Farrell is a proud Californian presently living in Durham, NC. Her wanderlust has been somewhat sated by all the fantastic food and cocktails in the area. She writes about that food and drink on her blog, The Gourmez. When she’s not indulging her senses, she’s crafting fantasy or horror. Her romance novella, Maya’s Vacation, is available from Astraea Press, and she has short stories published in Bull Spec, Flashes in the Dark, and various other publications. You can also read her television