My Harlequin Moment: Michelle Monkou

My favorite Harlequin moment was in the early 80s during my high school days.  I can't remember the specific book or author, but the first time that I read one marked a transition phase in my life, as a new arrival to the U.S.

After moving to the U.S., I quickly realized that visiting countries on summer break was not the same as settling down and immersing oneself in a culture.  There were obvious external differences with accents, clothing styles, mannerisms coming from my Caribbean background, heavily influenced by British flavor.  But there were internal differences that came with feeling like an outsider and only bonding with other kids that were new immigrants.

Around this time, my mother bought several boxes of books at a yard sale and the majority were Harlequins.  As an avid reader from a very young age, I turned to books as my steadying comfort.  I didn't have to change who I was to read and enjoy the book.  I simply opened my mind and heart and let the words dispel any sad thoughts. These books were a place to escape.

Harlequins were good as chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or nacho chips (required snacks for reading).  I devoured a book within hours, loving the journey to exotic locations with handsome men falling for beautiful women.  With my pocket money, I started buying my own books and would treasure them as the pile grew on my bookshelf.  No one could borrow my books.  And heaven forbid, if they dared to dog ear a page.

As I progressed through school, my self-confidence grew.  My acceptance that we were here to stay sunk in.  I had assimilated. And my high school friends diversified, with many sharing in my book enthusiasm.  With one particular friend, we developed a routine.

I borrowed from the library mobile unit that came through the neighborhood.  She used her pocket money to buy the new releases and she had them in numerical order on her shelf. If you borrowed it, you had better return it in the same condition.

I could read at least three in a day on weekends and I was allowed to read them after I had completed my homework on the weekday. I would borrow the current and past titles, curl up with cookies, and dive into the books.    We discussed our stories with each other, much like the modern day book clubs.  If we only knew that we could have been the Oprah and "my best friend" Gayle template with our book club.  I'm sure we'd read hundreds by the time we graduated from high school.  

As I reminisce about those early days reading Harlequin, I had several favorites.  My favorite settings were Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Greek Isles, and countryside of England or Ireland.  My favorite stories consisted of farms or ranches, the opulent offices of a business tycoon, or the villa that was in a family dynasty for several generations.  The hero-types were reminded of Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, Anthony Quinn, Omar Sharif.  

From those days of reading romances, we also tried our hands at writing them.  Thank goodness, my selective memory has blocked what I wrote and where those stories may be. As I moved from high school to university, and to the professional world, I never imagined that I would write for Harlequin.  Writing was such a personal thing that sharing it, and especially with people outside of my circle, was intimidating.

I love that my mother thought I was mature enough to read a Harlequin.  And I thank her for all those days of keeping the children so that I could write, something she still does when I will be out of town for a long period. 

Simply...Harlequin rocks!

Share your favorite locales, professions, hero-types from your Harlequin experience.

Michelle Monkou

About The Author:

Michelle Monkou became a world traveler at three years old when she left her birthplace of London, England, and moved to Guyana, South America. She then moved to the United States as a young teen. An avid reader, mixed with her cultural experiences, set the tone for a vivid imagination. It wasn't long before the stories in her head became stories on paper.

In the middle of writing romances, she added a master's of international business to her bachelor's in English. Michelle was nominated for the 2003 Emma Award for Favorite New Author. She continues to write romances with complex characters and intricate plots. Visit her web site for further information and to sign up for
her newsletter at http://www.michellemonkou.com.

Having lived on three continents, Michelle currently resides in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area with her family.