My Harlequin Moment: Joanne Rock

For a Harlequin author, any mention of a favorite Harlequin moment brings to mind that all-important sale call catapulting an unpublished writer into the exciting realm of published author.  But I'm not going to write about all the ways I adore the writing career that started with that particular Harlequin moment.

Instead, I thought about this idea as a fan since long before I wrote for Harlequin, I was a reader.  And I don't read romance just for the "romance."  I read it for the triumph over conflicts.  The relationship discovery involved in seeing what makes two people right for each other.  And, oh yes, that all important first meet between the hero and heroine.

It's that moment in my own life that I'd rank as my personal favorite Harlequin moment.  Not the obstacles in our romance or even the getting to know you phase, but the time I first met my husband.

It happened during college.  I was working on a communications major and at the start of each new semester I liked to sit in the front of the room, glasses on my nose and "A" student attitude in place.  Even my wardrobe reflected who I was.  A product of the eighties dress-for-success era, I never showed up on campus in sweats, preferring my hounds tooth plaid skirts and cute sweaters.  

And yes, my wardrobe is relevant.

Because my first glimpse of my husband, while seated in the front row of a mass media class, was ten minutes after class began when he strolled through the door wearing his wool overcoat over a pair of hospital scrubs.  With sunglasses.  He headed for the back of the room and remained there for the rest of the semester.  Now, I can tell you, I rolled my eyes at this entrance.  The guy was clearly not my type.

But over the course of the next few media classes, I noticed the mystery man always had something to say and it was usually something sharp.  Often times, it was also amusing. A few weeks into the semester, I noticed I'd begun to actively look for this guy's arrival to class.  At first I told myself that I was only curious to see what new thing he'd dig out from under his bed to wear each day.  Pajama pants.  Baseball pants.  A troll doll with purple hair pinned to the overcoat.  He was a total character.  And, I had to admit as the weeks rolled on and he brought up smart things in class day after day, he was also a very smart guy.  I had no choice but to admit I'd developed a little crush on the class latecomer.

It's been eighteen years since I first laid eyes on my husband in that shared communications class and he's still a character.  We are diametrically opposed in so many ways, but it's made for a really fun relationship.  I've never been so entertained since he strode into my life in shades and scrubs.  But somehow, we complete each other in that best of Jerry Maguire way.  Whereas I have most to say on paper, he has plenty to say over dinner.  And at breakfast.  And every other time of the day.  His wicked wit still requires an occasional elbow, but I usually administer it while smothering a grin.      

My smart, non-conformist husband helped me see I don't always need to sit in the front of the classroom to be recognized for my smarts.  For my part, I try to help him with his punctuality.  Mostly, we just enjoy the happily-ever-after of my favorite Harlequin moment.

About The Author:

Three-time RITA nominee Joanne Rock turned a passion for writing into a career when imaginary characters kept her awake at night, demanding she tell their stories. The author of over thirty romances in a variety of subgenres, she enjoys writing medieval historicals and sexy contemporaries along with the occasional romantic suspense novel. Joanne traces her passion for all things medieval to an early brush with John Keats's poem, "The Eve of St. Agnes," and a rapt fascination with the Pre-Raphaelites' depiction of medieval themes.

As a writer, she enjoys supplementing her more research-intensive trips to the Middle Ages with faster-paced contemporary stories sparked by the characters she meets in real life. The move back and forth between very different story styles keeps her muse singing happily. A former Golden Heart recipient, Joanne has won numerous awards for her stories. Her work has been reprinted in twenty-four countries and translated into nineteen languages.