You wouldn’t know it from this unflattering photo, but I was the prom queen. For real, y’all. And while senior prom wasn’t the best night of my entire life, it was pretty frickin’ awesome, and the memories of that evening always bring a smile to my lips.
See that cute blond boy with his arms wrapped around my waist? That’s Pete, and we were going to be 2gether4ever! The idea of parting from him after graduation had me in tears. Literally. I cried the through the whole last dance.
Why the waterworks? Because I graduated from a teeny-tiny school for military brats in Munich, Germany, in itself a fairytale-esque setting, and I was surrounded by dozens of great friends and a boy I adored. Put it all together, and that was a high school experience I didn’t want to relinquish. This wasn’t your typical town where kids could drive home from college on the weekends and reconnect. We were headed off to universities from Texas to Timbuktu, never to see each other again.
I was happy in that moment, and I wanted to "make it last forever"…just like our prom theme.
Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m not one of those schmucks who peaked in high school, and I love my life exactly as it turned out, especially my fantabulous husband. But I remember the good ‘ol days quite fondly, not to mention the heartbreak of letting go, and it’s shaped how I write romance for teens. Heck, for adults, too.
For example, if you’re reading one of my books, (which you can, in the fall of 2012), there’s a 100% happily-ever-after guarantee, and first loves last a lifetime, unrealistic as that may sound. Because I remember how intense those romantic feelings were during my teenage years, and I know that when you’re in the throes of young love, you want to make it last forever, even if it can’t.
By the way, Pete’s a musician now. Check out his band, The Thousands, here and here. J
On the porch swing, rockin' the tiara! |
In addition to YA, Melissa Landers writes adult contemporary romance under the name Macy Beckett. "Macy's" debut novel is coming September of 2012 from Sourcebooks.
For more information, visit Melissa's author page.
YOUR TURN! What about you, gentle readers? Was saying "goodbye" after prom bittersweet for you, or were you happy to get the hell outta Dodge?