When I wrote a story like Moon Dust, I was using a love story to discuss two important issues. The main one was the adult repercussions of childhood abuse-- in this case of a man where often the thinking has been that it won't be that harmful because he's a guy. That's not true. What fit with that was our educational system, and the problems it faces in today's culture. It's a love story and to be enjoyed as one, but what's wrong with setting it into other issues? Something can entertain and educate.
When I began writing, this kind of thinking was quickly my goal. I'd be interested in something like say the Oregon Trail. I would then put a story along with the traveling the route; and in the case of that book, the journey is one of emotions as well as physical.
For me putting something I find interesting, which could be a historic period, a place or emotional issue, into a story is a lot like my other blog in how I write about what interests me.
So I set those kind of issues into a story of two people falling in love or maybe back in love. Writing about the love story is fun, emotionally satisfying to me, but I always like that added aspect, the element that makes me feel good about the message within the story. I was happy when I saw the link which Andrew Sullivan had in his blog which said my goals are the goals of many romance writers.
