Favorite Tropes to Write

Favorite tropes. We all have them, love them, search them out in books.

Coming from someone who is both a reader and a writer, writing the tropes is maybe even more fun than reading them. Setting up that long play enemies to lovers where the vampire falls in love with the vampire slayer. Yes, I'm rewatching Buffy for the fashion and perfect Halloween vibes.

But, one of my all time favorites is: forced proximity.

It doesn't have to be as grand as straight up enemies to lovers, but just two people who aren't close (maybe even dislike each other) being forced to spend time together.

Emily Henry's latest book, Funny Story, really did this trope so perfectly. Their exes dumped them and got together, so the two exes moved in together. Forced roommates is the ulitmate proximity, and it was so fun to watch unfold!

Since all things come back to my own writing because this is my blog and I probably should relate back to it, I've been reworking my Adult Fantasy THE ETERNAL NIGHT SOIREE with forced proximity in mind through a forced couples spending time together situation.

Six characters are compelled against their will by Lord Umbra to court each other as couples for two weeks, then attend a Grand Ball where they will choose to enter an Engagmenet or suffer consequences. It's been super fun to work on, and I'm really excited to share a snippet of when the couples are first paired off by Lord Umbra's compulsion. This scene features Orb, a protagonist who arrived in Nyxville with no memories as the eternal darkness set in, and Aura, the town librarian who loves vampire romance novels to escape from her Ma's unsettling visions.

...

“Hello darling,” Orb smiled.

A furrow appeared between Aura’s black eyebrows as she studied him.

“Perhaps I can convince Fig to give me fangs, if that would make our partnership more agreeable.”

At this, Aura swatted him away, but the flush in her cheeks crept down her neck and colored her chest.

“I suppose my romance obsession was better when there were not actual vampires stalking through my town,” Aura sighed.

“Are you certain? Perhaps Clove would be agreeable to trading dates. Then all of your wildest dreams could come true,” Orb winked, but his chest pounded while he awaited her response.Even though this was a silly game, he wanted Aura to choose him.

Instead, Aura rolled her blue eyes. “Extremely unlikely. I saw the way she was practically salivating over him.”

“Could you blame her?” Val, the golden haired vampire, walked towards them with no expression on his face.

“Oh, but, my sweet, it is only because she does not know you to be the lowest order of parasite like I do,” Clove batted her lashes while her red gown shed wilted rose petals with every move she made.

“Could you four quit flirting? We need to strategize for our next moves. Because it certainly…”

The beautiful silver haired witch — Della — trailed off, her silver eyes turned dark and glassy. Her bottom lip hung slightly open as she spoke one more. “We certainly should be planning our first date. Time is of the essence.”

Aura scoffed, but when she opened her mouth to respond, Orb’s stomach sank. “Quite right. We must complete the first date before the Inaugural Couples’ Meeting with Lord Umbra.”

“Indeed,” the massive elf named Opal offered Della his arm, and together they climbed down the glass steps of the castle.

“Come, my love, let us engage in a memorable first date whilst we get to know each other,” Clove looked like she was going to be physically ill as Val led her down the stairs and towards the red and white food stalls.

Yet again, the compulsion affected each one of them. Except for him. Orb didn’t know what it meant, but he refused to believe it was not important.

Aura was trembling, her wide glassy eyes refusing to blink. Not wanting to frighten her further, he gently laid a hand across her shoulders.

“Tell me. What would your dream first date be? And please don’t spare any extravagance. If ever there were an occasion to go completely over the top, this is it,” Orb smiled gently when Aura blinked and met his gaze.

At least her eyes seemed clearer now.

“I know exactly what we should do.”

Orb didn’t offer his arm, and Aura didn’t wait for him as she hiked up the long drape of her dress and skipped down the glass steps gracefully.

At the bottom, she turned back to face him, her lip quirked to one side mischievously. Grinning, Orb ran down the stairs with far less grace, skidding over the last step before catching himself on the slick railing.

“Good boy,” Aura purred.

“Now, tell me about this dream date. Do be as specific as you can, I want to really see the picture of what you intend for us to do.”

“I have something in mind. But I’m not sure we should, yet,” Aura narrowed her eyes and rested a hand on his forearm.

Lifting an eyebrow, Orb said, “I like where this is headed.”

“The place I want us to go is way off where no one else will hear or see us. It’s dark and smells of lavender and well read books.”

“I am loving where this is going,” Orb replied, grinning widely now as Aura leaned in closer to him. The heat of her skin made his breath hitch in his chest.

“It’s also where my Ma is because it’s her house. I really need to check on her, and since we’re compelled to spend time together, this is how we’ll spend our first date.”

Orb’s far too vivid imagination immediately crumpled. Of course he was silly for believing they could share a romantic first date when they were not even a real couple, and one of them was being compelled into spending time with the other.

Still. Could they not at least make the most of it?

Aura’s eyes danced with amusement while she watched the realization sink in. And, so as to play his role well, Orb held out his arm and smiled.

“Meeting your Ma on our first date will be an incredible honor. Shall we go make her acquaintance?”

That at least earned him a giggle and Aura’s arm. They were mostly silent as she led him through town, talking only to point out various buildings they passed. The library where she worked.

The black particles which had been coating everything were completely gone. Only the sky remained black.

As they turned off of the main road onto a narrow dirt path lined in green shrubs, Aura picked up the pace, dragging him along at her fast clip.

The houses lessened as they wound further down this path, until only one small blue cottage remained where the path turned into a wild, overgrown garden.

It was quite like a fairytale, and Orb instantly felt at home in this place.

“I know it’s not that impressive,” Aura shuffled her feet in the thick moss that now spread under their feet.

“It’s magnificent. Though I did expect far more lavender,” Orb said.

Neither of them spoke for a moment, and Orb was about to offer to give Aura some time alone with her Ma when the wooden door swung open.

A woman with long black hair and bright orange lips stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips.

“It’s happened, hasn’t it?” The woman said, tilting her head at them in a manner that was eerily similar to Aura’s.

“Something has happened, yes,” Aura replied, closing the distance between them. “Did you know?”

“Of course I knew,” the woman replied. “Who’s this?”

“My date,” Aura replied.

“Better get inside. Much to catch up on,” the woman waved, and Orb hesitated only a second before hunching to enter the short door.