And they lived happily ever after

I have a book due in this week, so endings have been playing on my mind a lot recently.

A few years ago I received several Amazon reviews that all said they loved the stories but found the endings too rushed…so since then I’ve worked hard on trying to give my endings their proper weight and make then truly satisfying and sigh-worthy.

I’ve been turning to films to give me inspiration and these are the three particular film endings that I love this week (and, yes, you’re right, this selection does change with remarkable regularity to suit my mood). :-) But each of these endings is perfect in its own way, and each leave me with a big smile on my face and an utter sense of well being.

1. When Harry Met Sally
This is one of my all-time favourite movies. And one of my favourite tropes—Friends to Lovers (well, enemies-to-friends and then friends-to-lovers, but let’s not split hairs). Harry’s declaration at the end of the movie when he realises he’s in love with Sally is pitch perfect and wins Sally over utterly (as it should). This scene never gets old.




2. Northanger Abbey
When Henry Tilney arrives at Catherine’s hometown of Fullerton to apologise and make amends for the terrible treatment she received from his father, and she tries to apologise to him for having been so foolish and says, she deserved such discourtesy… He turns to her and says, “No! The discourtesy was all his.” Look, go and watch this short clip (if you’re stretched for time, move to the 2 min mark) and you’ll know what I mean. But…it’s all in the turn of his countenance.

Also, the kiss at the end is the sweetest kiss ever. :-)



3. Notting Hill
As a rule, I’m not a fan of the public declaration…but William Thacker, if he wants to win the girl, has absolutely no choice but to ask the question publicly at the Anna Scott press conference. And he does so in his usual bumbling but charming way, and, seriously, does anyone have a bigger smile than Julia Roberts? I think one of the elements that make this scene work so well is the reaction of all of William’s friends who’ve helped him get to the press conference in time—it’s such joyous ending.



As I said earlier, these are my three favourites today, but I’m always searching for wonderful endings. Do you have a favourite movie or book ending that makes you go gooey every time? I’d love to know.

Tέλος, Fin, نهاية, The End- and a giveaway to celebrate!

Oh, the joy, the sweet, perfect joy of writing 'the end' of a book. I have literally, only minutes ago finished the second book in my Weddings in Westchester series and I couldn't be happier.

(Actually, I was probably at my happiest when my husband's cousin arrived with this little beauty to celebrate - thanks, Maria!).

It's not that I didn't love the story or my characters, it's more that I was so anxious to give my characters Erin and Nick their happily ever after that I was racing to make sure they got it.

If you slide your gaze right you'll see the first in this series The Bouquet List which has been out on the shelves for a couple of weeks. Some of you will know that my husband is Greek and we've spent quite a bit of time in Greece. Added to that, one of my favourite movies of all time is "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," so I guess it wasn't a surprise that the Katsalos family who run a wedding business in upstate New York paid me a visit.

Here's a little run down of the characters in first two books of the Weddings in Westchester series to get you acquainted:

Pia Katsalos - wife to Mano and mother to Nick, Ari and Yasmin. She's had enough of her life at the        Aegean Palace, the wedding hall she's run with Mano for the past 40 years. She's gone back to Greece until either the Palace starts making money, or Mano agrees to sell.

Mano Katsalos - horrified that his wife has left home, he leaves their three children to run things until he brings their mother back. First to look after the Palace is:

Yasmin Katsalos - mushroom expert with purple hair and a diamond stud in her nose, and survivor of dengue fever. Yasmin's back home to work on her "bouquet list" (the list you make when you realise you're not going to die) and number five on her list is having a fling with a guy who is a tall, dark, handsome guy who is totally out of her league. The person who fits that bill just happens to be:

Lane Griffiths - restaurant renovation expert who's been charged with turning "the Palace" around. He couldn't possibly fall for Yasmin becuase he's the best friend of:

Nick Katsalos - brother to Yasmin, mathematician and general heart breaker who will have his very own story in book Two! (I know that to be true because I've just written his story!!) Nick is challenged to take the success of the Palace to a whole new level when he enters a wager with the daughter of his family's greatest rival. That person is:

Erin O'Malley- eldest daughter of the O'Malley family, Erin needs to prove that she has what it takes to run her father's business and that involves beating the confident and calculating Nick.

To celebrate endings, and the release of The Bouquet List.  I have two e copies to give away for commenters who can tell me something they can't wait for.