Dear Friend,
When talking with someone you care about, what name do you call them, other than their given name?
Likely, you’re calling them honey, dear, or another endearment. According to Google, “Pookie,” “Sugar Lips,” and “Sweetie,” are other names people might use.
In the romance world, characters often have special names for each other. The names run the gamut from dear, love, and honey, to babe, sweetheart, sunshine, and lover.
The context also changes the meaning. For instance, a friend told me that her husband calls her “dear,” but when he’s making a point, it could be framed differently. For instance, “You’re wrong, Dear.” Sarcasm, irony, and mocking might be meant by that one small word.
In “Murdock Mysteries,” the Captain at a police station is a crusty old coot who sometimes calls the most unlikely people “Sunshine.” He might talk to a hardened criminal or a reporter who has crossed him too often, but his ironic use of the word “sunshine” always makes me laugh.
In my Louisa’s Vineyard series, lovers use their own particular terms of endearment. Some words are agreed upon, like when Will expresses his total dislike for being called “Sweetie.” Louisa incorporates that into how she responds to him and never calls him sweetie.
Will’s endearments for Louisa have an element of possessiveness. He calls her “my love,” or “my darling.” When she’s said something that impresses him, he calls her, “my brilliant darling.”
In one situation, David, Louisa and Will’s teacher and friend, becomes engaged to another character after being a widower for several years. (slight spoiler alert!) His life had been so lonely, and he felt so unloved, that his fiancée’s and his lovemaking includes endearments of “honey, love, my love, sweetheart, and darling” in a short time. He becomes emotional.
“Hon,” or “honey,” “love” or “my love”, with an occasional “darling” appear to be the most frequently used endearments among my characters.
However, the most unusual endearment that I’ve included in The Greatest Thing is “rowboat.” I’ll leave you wondering about what that refers to!
My message is that most any term can be used in both a positive, endearing way or with a sarcastic, ironic tone. In my books, terms of endearment are spoken in a loving context. Context is all important!
For instance, just by adding a question mark at the end of “I love you,” you change the meaning – Oh, dear! – to “I love you?”
That doesn’t sound like a happy ending!
NEWS!
The Greatest Thing is in final edits. I plan to launch the book with pre-orders by the end of June! The Greatest Thing’s front cover is completed (with a few changes that make all the difference) and you can see it by clicking here !
PS If you haven’t been with me since May 2023, you might like to see some of my earlier blogs. You can access them, ten at a time, by clicking “Shelley’s Blog” on the toolbar (just hit “previous” at the end of each ten blogs.)
QUESTION: Do you like to pre-order books? Please answer in the comments section below.
May all your endings be happy!
Hugs,
Shelley Sommers
