A Romantic 4th of July Contest by Melinda Curtis

Happy 4th of July!!!

I'm proud to be one of the American authors writing for Heartwarming and on this day I'll be running in a 5k race, watching a small town parade, enjoying Mr. Curtis' BBQ skills, and then going to the beach to watch fireworks. Very patriotic and we'll be surrounded by family and friends, thankful for those who sacrificed for our freedom. Long may our flag wave!

Recently, our Harlequin Heartwarming editors held a round table and asked our authors to write more holiday-themed stories - and not just the usual Christmas and Valentine's Day. This got me to thinking about plot for this holiday - could I write a 4th of July romance? More importantly for this blog post, could you?

That's right. Here's a holiday writing challenge for you. Post a romance story idea with a 4th of July theme - it could be totally legit OR tongue in cheek OR pick one of the story ideas I've tossed out below as a favorite.

  • A firework vendor falls for a summer day camp counselor, who doesn't notice him until disaster at a 4th of July picnic strikes.
  • A veteran doesn't plan to march in the 4th of July parade until a widowed nurse and her disabled son revive his pride in service and thaw his once frozen heart.
  • A blind date on the 4th of July looks like a total bust, until the hero and heroine find common ground in their families' histories of service.
Now it's your turn...post/comment below for your chance to win...

Commenters/posters who aren't current Heartwarming authors will be in the running for a Heartwarming book bag and an autographed copy of one of my Heartwarming romances (winner chosen by random.org on Friday, July 8).

Melinda Curtis is an award-winning, USA Today bestseller, who - if you hadn't guessed - likes to put a little fun in her romances. Her latest Harlequin Heartwarming release is A Man of Influence, which features a festival not held on the 4th of July.

Comments

  1. Happy Fourth of July!

    Melinda, it sounds as if you have a wonderful day planned. As for the three story ideas you noted above, I know you could make any one of those into a fantastic Heartwarming novel.

    I look forward to reading the story ideas others come up with!

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  2. Holy Cow! I want to read all those stories! Your holiday is overflowing with fun activities but I especially liked the BBQ and the fireworks!
    Happy 4th to you and all the Heartwarmers and readers. USA ---the home of the brave.

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  3. I love stories with holiday centered around holidays. My idea would be: While taking pictures at a 4th of July Parade, her camera focuses in on a face she knows well...her high school flame. They had separated in a bitter fight and the next day he had left to serve in the military. Now here he was, in uniform, in a wheelchair, and making her heart race with only one glance.

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  4. Mel, you are celebrating the way the holiday is meant to be celebrated. Well, not everyone can do a 5 K run. You go! I love reading holiday stories. I've done some Halloween ones as well as Thanksgiving and Christmas. Never one about Independence Day. Your ideas are all fabulous. Brenda R just gave you a great idea. I can't wait to see who wins. Happy 4th everyone.

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  5. Melinda, good luck with the race. Sounds like you have a great day planned. I will be having a family bbq and watching the Macys fireworks.

    Happy Fourth of July.

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  6. Love your story ideas. How about two people meeting at a 4th of July marathon and discovering love and a common love of running.

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  7. Mel, have a great day! Good luck with your race. I wish I was there to run it with you. I'm going make potato salad and bake a blackberry pie for a small family dinner. Then I'm coming home and turning on my TV full blast to shield my wiener dog from the sounds of fireworks. Good luck to all the contest entrants!

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  8. Love coming here for a visit. As I think of a patriotic themed story, a young wife comes to mind waiting for her medic soldier husband to come home. He arrives on the 4th.

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  9. Love coming here for a visit. As I think of a patriotic themed story, a young wife comes to mind waiting for her medic soldier husband to come home. He arrives on the 4th.

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  10. Happy 4th of July. I think something with the organizer of a small town parade who has to work with the sheriff to pull off the event.

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  11. Happy 4th of July. I think something with the organizer of a small town parade who has to work with the sheriff to pull off the event.

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  12. Hero and Heroine bump into each other while watching the parade, fireworks from the start--literally!

    denise

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  13. OOoooh, I think I just fell in love with the idea of a July 4th story! Thanks for the jump start, Melinda! :) Have a great holiday!

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  14. Any ideal you posted about would be great stories. We all need to remember to watch our fireworks displays for the veterans who live in the neighborhood and keep it to a minimum if we do have fireworks. Thank you and God Bless America

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    Replies
    1. Congratulations Pauline you are my winner! What Heartwarming book would you like? Your choices are Dandelion Wishes, Summer Kisses, Season of Change, One Perfect Year, Time for Love, A Memory Away, or A Man of Influence (Books from my Harmony Valley series). OR Make Me a Match or Christmas, Actually. Please email me at melinda @ melindacurtis.net with your choice of book and mailing address. If you are out of the US I'll send you an ecopy of your choice.

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  15. Any ideal you posted about would be great stories. We all need to remember to watch our fireworks displays for the veterans who live in the neighborhood and keep it to a minimum if we do have fireworks. Thank you and God Bless America

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  16. I am looking forward to reading A Man of Influence. Thank you for the opportunity to win. I enjoy reading all the Harlequin Heartwarming books.

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  17. All of those ideas sound awesome! Hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday :)

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  18. Independence Day story. What a great idea! And some of our readers have come up with really good ones. Hope you have a great time at the 5K and fun at the BBQ!

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  19. Love how you're going to spend your 4th. All your ideas sound great. How about a veteran who will be in the parade and a vet who is in in town to heal from her emotional wounds and volunteers with the parade. Lots of sparks start.
    Carol L
    Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

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  20. Love how you're going to spend your 4th. All your ideas sound great. How about a veteran who will be in the parade and a vet who is in in town to heal from her emotional wounds and volunteers with the parade. Lots of sparks start.
    Carol L
    Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

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  21. Happy 4th of July. We had our national holiday this past Friday and it was a quiet day. I am usually at my cousin's as her daughter was born July 1st and she as a combination birthday and Canada party. But this year it was cancelled because she had to work.

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  22. Great ideas!! I'd read them all!!

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  23. I like the idea of a friends to lovers story centering around the 4th as the day they figure out they are really in love.

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  24. I love friends to lovers it may be my fav trope!

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  25. I love that second idea of yours...about the veteran who wasn't planning to march in the parade. You've definitely got me thinking now....

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  26. I like all special holiday love stories, may it be 4th of July or Christmas.

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  27. Love all these ideas.... how about a veteran who has just opened up a car repair service in town saving the day for the mayor when her car/parade float breaks down in the 4th of July parade and things progress from there.

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  28. And the winner is Pauline Frost!! Congratulations!

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