Circle the answer that is NOT a romance cliche:
1. Your hero and heroine meet for the first time. He is the lawyer who is
helping her ex-husband gain custody of their kids. Their first reaction to
one other is:
a. instant attraction
b. instant loathing
c. instant disinterest
d. instant recognition — he’s her childhood sweetheart
2. Dear Uncle Hubert dies. In his will, he leaves your heroine millions of
dollars if:
a. she marries her worst enemy
b. she marries her second cousin (historicals only, please)
c. she marries anyone before her upcoming birthday
d. she marries when she’s good and ready
3. A hero is:
a. always handsome
b. always “ready”
c. always one heck of a good sandwich
d. always the last to know the heroine is in love with him
4. Your heroine’s sexual history might include:
a. a pathetic childhood that made her wary of all human contact
b. a pathetic first experience that made her leery of all men
c. a pathetic interest in wild animal passion
d. a pathetic marriage through which she somehow managed
to retain her virginity
5. Your heroine’s best friend is:
a. never mentioned
b. never as talented, pretty or all around wonderful as the heroine
c. never interested in the hero herself
d. never on Sunday
6. Your hero moves with the grace of:
a. an athlete
b. a panther
c. a dancer
d. Chevy Chase
7. Your hero and heroine meet, fall in love and part under terrible
circumstances. At least one of them:
a. never forgot the love they shared
b. never told the other she bore his child
c. never forgave the other for the bad way they parted
d. never gave their former lover another thought
Cliche Quotient — 3
8. When they are in the same room, your hero and heroine:
a. make the air crackle with static electricity
b. make you want to gag
c. make sparks fly
d. make love every chance they get
9. One standard plot device is:
a. the big Secret
b. the big Misunderstanding
c. the big Mystery
d. the big Sleep
10. At the end of your novel, your hero and heroine make a :
a. commitment to get married
b. commitment to stay married
c. commitment to face life’s challenges together
d. commitment to stay as far away from each other as possible
10 point bonus question:
** Writing romance novels will:
a. make you famous
b. make you rich
c. make you happy
d. make you insane
Cliche Quotient — 4
Answers:
Give yourself 1 Brownie point for each correct answer.
1. c
2. d
3. c
4. c
5. d
6. d
7. d
8. b
9. d
10. d
What your score means:
Damned if I know, but hope you enjoyed the quiz!!
