Ask the Author: Tom Formaro
Answered Questions (3)
Tom Formaro
This was a harder question for me than I might have imagined, and I’ve been thinking about it for several days. What it comes down to is that I don’t think I can pick only one (is that cheating?). And since the question is about “fictional couples,” I’ve taken the liberty of selecting my list from literature, film, and opera. So here goes (WARNING: LOTS OF SPOILERS).
Because of the spoilers, I’ll list the couples and their stories first, then go into why.
Lara and Yuri – Doctor Zhivago
Marguerite and Armand – La Dame aux Camélias
Mimi and Rodolfo – La Bohème
Honorable mention to Paula and Elliot from The Goodbye Girl, Buttercup and Westley from The Princess Bride, and Sally and Harry from When Harry Met Sally.
The couple that came to mind first was Yuri and Lara from the 1965 movie version of Boris Pasternak’s novel, Doctor Zhivago (maybe because I had heard “Lara’s Theme” on the radio the morning before I saw this question). I can only imagine how much better I would like this couple in the novel version, so I may have to read it. But what I like about them is how they seem destined to come together but not to stay together. And the reason they can’t stay together is because of their love for each other. If they had stayed together, their love wouldn’t seem as strong.
From literature, I’m going with Marguerite and Armand from the Alexandre Dumas Fils novel, La Dame aux Camélias. What I love about this couple is that their love is so intense, and once again it’s torn apart which can only happen because Marguerite’s love is strong enough for her to do what she thinks is best for Armand by leaving him. I also want to mention Dostoevsky’s short story, “White Nights” if you like heart wrenching stories (shy dreamer finds love only to lose it).
From opera, how can I not include Mimi and Rodolfo from La Bohème? Again, it’s an intense love fated to end (can you tell I love a good tragedy?). And again, it ends because of someone trying to do what’s right for the one he loves.
Lest you think I only enjoy stories of heartbreak (shocker, right?), I’ll throw in a few happy ending couples: First, in the category of, sometimes you just can’t help falling in love, Elliot and Paula from the film, The Goodbye Girl. And I can’t leave out Westley and Buttercup from the movie, The Princess Bride (another book version I must read), and Harry and Sally from When Harry Met Sally, in both cases because love conquers all.
Because of the spoilers, I’ll list the couples and their stories first, then go into why.
Lara and Yuri – Doctor Zhivago
Marguerite and Armand – La Dame aux Camélias
Mimi and Rodolfo – La Bohème
Honorable mention to Paula and Elliot from The Goodbye Girl, Buttercup and Westley from The Princess Bride, and Sally and Harry from When Harry Met Sally.
The couple that came to mind first was Yuri and Lara from the 1965 movie version of Boris Pasternak’s novel, Doctor Zhivago (maybe because I had heard “Lara’s Theme” on the radio the morning before I saw this question). I can only imagine how much better I would like this couple in the novel version, so I may have to read it. But what I like about them is how they seem destined to come together but not to stay together. And the reason they can’t stay together is because of their love for each other. If they had stayed together, their love wouldn’t seem as strong.
From literature, I’m going with Marguerite and Armand from the Alexandre Dumas Fils novel, La Dame aux Camélias. What I love about this couple is that their love is so intense, and once again it’s torn apart which can only happen because Marguerite’s love is strong enough for her to do what she thinks is best for Armand by leaving him. I also want to mention Dostoevsky’s short story, “White Nights” if you like heart wrenching stories (shy dreamer finds love only to lose it).
From opera, how can I not include Mimi and Rodolfo from La Bohème? Again, it’s an intense love fated to end (can you tell I love a good tragedy?). And again, it ends because of someone trying to do what’s right for the one he loves.
Lest you think I only enjoy stories of heartbreak (shocker, right?), I’ll throw in a few happy ending couples: First, in the category of, sometimes you just can’t help falling in love, Elliot and Paula from the film, The Goodbye Girl. And I can’t leave out Westley and Buttercup from the movie, The Princess Bride (another book version I must read), and Harry and Sally from When Harry Met Sally, in both cases because love conquers all.
Tom Formaro
I've begun work on a sequel to The Broken Heart Diet. I'm very excited about it, and I think this one will be even more fun to write than The Broken Heart Diet.
Tom Formaro
I got the idea for The Broken Heart Diet by being on the broken heart diet. After having my heart broken, I was such a mess I couldn't eat, and the pounds melted away. One day I was having an online chat with a friend who asked about all my recent weight loss and I replied that I was on 'the broken heart diet.' As soon as I typed that phrase, I knew it was the title of a story. So, I basically started writing a story about a guy who was so broken hearted that he couldn't eat, and this novel is what became of it.
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