Recently on agent, Kristin Nelson’s blog, there has been a discussion about what you, as a writer, can learn from best selling books, regardless of what one might call “the quality of the writing”. Now I think Ms. Nelson makes some interesting points, and while I don’t agree with everything she has to say, I did ponder it a bit over the last few days.

I’ve always been a Meg Cabot fan, but lately I’ve been on a Cabot book spree of sorts. The Mediator series is my favorite and I’ve been listening to them on audio. When I went to the library website to reserve more of them, I saw there were a few other Cabot books that I had never read, so I got those too. So anyway, I have been thinking about Cabot’s books.

I’ve always thought she is an excellent writer. In fact, I was even surprised by that because often popular books aren’t that good past the first one or two in a series and when I started reading her (The Princess Diaries), I was truly impressed. One thing I’ve noticed in particular is that every character, no matter how small, is always rich and thoroughly created and just done very well. But if I were to set the writing aside, and ask Ms. Nelson’s question, “What do Cabot’s books offer to the many, many readers out there who may or may not care about the quality of the writing, but love the books?” This is what I came up with.

One True Love.

In a Meg Cabot book, you are guaranteed that the main character will find her One True Love. It doesn’t matter if it takes six books to get there, or one. It doesn’t matter if it’s a fifteen year old or a thirty year old. The character will eventually find her One True Love and you can put money on that. So why is this so appealing, aside from the obvious (I mean, don’t we all want to find our One True Love?)? I think it is because, especially in her teen books, there is never any sign or hint that the main character is finding their dream boyfriend for the next couple of years or so until they go off to college where they’ll find the next love who will last for a while…No. Even the teens, or especially the teens, are allowed to find their One True Love right there in high school. And it’s real. So don’t even think otherwise.

Now, it’s been a long time since I was a teen, but I sort of remember it and the truth is that when you’re young and in love, you believe it’s forever. I mean, maybe in your twenties or thirties you start analyzing it and thinking, “Okay, do I want to have kids with this guy? Is he going to be there when I’m old? Or fat? Or wrinkled?” But in high school, you truly believe that it’s forever and those people who say it is puppy love or whatever don’t have a clue. Meg Cabot says, “Yes. This can happen. Believe.”

That, in my opinion, is why people love her. We all want to believe.

P.S. I was thirty-four when I found my One True Love. Meg Cabot appears to have hers too and I don’t know if she found him in high school or as an adult, but regardless, we are here to tell you that we believe (if I can be so bold as to speak for Ms. Cabot, that is!), so go ahead, make a cup of hot chocolate and a tub of popcorn and grab a Meg Cabot book. If you’re lucky enough to have your OTL, you’ll appreciate him that much more, and if you’re still looking, well, Cabot’s written some male characters to rival Mr. Darcy (I know…sacrilege!)