Tag Archive for: romance

The Marketing Paradox

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by Bethany Maines

A funny thing happens when you begin marketing book. Suddenly
a project that has been intensely personal becomes public property. And even
worse, once it’s public, the public begin to have opinions about it. (The
nerve!) And as much as an author wants everyone to universally love our
precious baby novel, not everyone is going to. From reading while in a bad
mood, to just not being someone’s cup of tea, not everyone is going to like a
book.

But even if everything does go as smoothly as possible and
someone does love the book, suddenly ownership becomes shared with everyone who
loves it. The story takes up residence in someone else’s head which, for an
author who has had those characters living in her head for months or years, is
intensely strange and disconcerting. With each book I write I start out wanting
to share about it immediately.  It’s like
falling in love.  You’ve met these
wonderful, hilarious, romantic, daring people and you want to tell everyone
about them. But as I move into the marketing stage I find that in some ways I
become more protective of my characters and story. Please love that one even
though I’ve made him annoying.  And don’t
make fun of her – she has hidden depths! Although, yes, go ahead and hate
him.  We all should hate him.

Except that a book needs to be shared to be successful. I
want strangers to talk about it, readers to review it, and friends to share it.
Those things are literally what make a book a success. It is a very strange dichotomy
of wanting to shout as loud as possible while at the same time hoping nobody
looks at me while I’m doing it. So nobody look at me while I say this next
bit…

The Second Shot is coming out in two weeks!!! Please share the news with others.
A drunken mistake in college cost US Marshall Maxwell Ames the love of Dominique Deveraux. Six years later, he’s determined to fix the slip-up, but there’s just one tiny problem: someone wants the Deveraux family dead. Now Max must make sure that the only one getting a second shot at Dominique is him.

Pre-order on all epub platforms (Kindle coming soon!): CLICK HERE

Want a chance to win a free print edition of The Second
Shot? Enter to win at Goodreads!   CLICK HERE to Enter!

Bethany Maines is the award-winning author of the Carrie Mae Mysteries, San Juan Islands Mysteries, Shark Santoyo Crime Series, and numerous
short stories. When she’s not traveling to exotic lands, or kicking some
serious butt with her black belt in karate, she can be found chasing her
daughter or glued to the computer working on her next novel. You can also catch up with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and BookBub.

Tales of Christmas

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by Bethany Maines
In 2017 a Romance novelist friend of mine invited me to be
part of an anthology of holiday novellas as part of a marketing event.  I said, “Of course!” Did I have a holiday
novella?  No, I did not.  Was it September when she asked and all
content was due in November?  Yes, yes it
was.  The result of my feverish typing
and carpal tunnel syndrome was Oh, Holy
Night.  This fun romance about a
freelance graphic designer and the cute guy she keeps meeting at her local
Starbucks somehow managed to end up also being about a bank robbery, friendship
and recovering from grief.  But despite
the record breaking pace I actually enjoyed my little holiday story and I
decided that I wanted to do it again. Just… not quite so fast.

So this year I’m releasing Blue Christmas.  This Suspense
Romance novella also features a  teeny
bit of crime, a helping of romance, and a dog. 
Because I like dogs. This time our intrepid heroine is a college student
Blue Jones and the square jawed hero is local TV news cameraman Jake Garner.  And the dog is an adorable French Bulldog
named Jacques who disapproves of almost everything.  If you’re looking for some Christmas
adventures please feel free to indulge in these holiday treats.  They’re calorie free. 
Blue Christmas – ¢.99 – available
12/4 –Blue Jones just stole Jake
Garner’s dog. And his heart. But technically the French Bulldog, Jacques,
belongs to Jake’s ex-girlfriend. And soon Jake is being pressured to return the
dog and Blue is being targeted by mysterious attackers. Can Jake find Blue and
Jacques before her stalkers do? For Blue, Christmas has never been quite so
dangerous.  For Jake, Christmas has never been quite so Blue.

Oh, Holy Night – ¢.99 – available
now – Christmas is a lot more dangerous than it used to be. Graphic
designer Violet Harper is usually found at her local Starbucks. Handsome Roman
Knox is usually carrying a gun. But tonight they’re both in a bank and there’s
a body on the floor. It’s a mess, a robbery and almost the worst day ever, but
maybe a Christmas miracle can get them out of the bank and into love. Join Violet and Roman as they try to figure out the rules to modern dating and bank robbery.




And for more holiday humor
and adventure with a touch of romance, check out fellow Stiletto Gang sister
J.M. Phillippe’s A Christmas Spirit –
The recently deceased Charlene Dickenson is stuck in a place where the
Christmas music never ends and the holiday treats will never make you full. Charlene is going to have to figure out how to let go of her mortal life and
embrace the Christmas Spirit.

Available in print and e-formats on 12/4.  Pre-order on: Amazon

Bethany Maines is the author of the Carrie Mae Mystery Series, San
Juan Islands Mysteries, Shark Santoyo
Crime Series, and numerous short stories. When she’s not traveling to
exotic lands, or kicking some serious butt with her fourth degree black belt in
karate, she can be found chasing her daughter or glued to the computer working
on her next novel. You can also catch up with her on YouTube,
Twitter and Facebook.

Writing for Woman’s World Short Fiction Markets

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by Paula
Gail Benson

If
you’re interested in writing short romance or mystery stories, you might want
to consider submitting to Woman’s World
(WW), a weekly magazine found in most grocery stores. Before sending in a
story, you’ll definitely want to read the publication. Its fiction guidelines
are strict: (1) romances must be contemporary and no more than 800 words, and
(2) mysteries must be up to 700 words written in a “solve-it-yourself” format to
allow readers to test their sleuthing skills with the resolution at the end.
The pay is excellent (about $800 for romances and $500 for mysteries), but the
competition is fierce. If your story is selected, you’ll become part of a distinguished
group, including John Floyd and B.K. Stevens.

Several
websites have been developed to help writers determine how best to hone their
submissions.

The
following provide guidelines:

for
romances

and
for mini-mysteries

Until
September 6, 2016, when she had to suspend her messages to concentrate on
caring for her mother, Jody Lebel, a WW published mystery author, analyzed the
mini-mysteries and listed other markets accepting shorts. Her blog is well
worth reading to understand the type stories and formatting that WW is seeking.
Here’s the link:

In
addition, two Sleuthsayers blog messages from R.T. Lawton (“Me and the
Mini-Mystery”) and John Floyd (“A Woman’s World Survival Guide”) give some
excellent advice for successful submissions. They can be accessed at: http://www.sleuthsayers.org/2012/08/me-and-mini-mystery.html
and http://www.sleuthsayers.org/2012/08/a-womans-world-survival-guide.html.

When the Malbec grapes go missing…there’s mayhem.

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Release day for an
author is worse than the first day at a new school. Will anyone like it? Review
it? Want to take it home for a play date?

I threw an extra dose of nervousness into the mix because my novella, Malbec Mayhem, really isn’t a mystery.

“Don’t confuse your readers—they expect a consistent brand.” Yeah, the conventional wisdom wasn’t droning in my ear when I wrote the novella. (Bites fingernails.)

“Don’t worry,” one beta reader said. “It’s a great story.”

“Is that blood pouring into the glass?” another asked about the cover.

Yikes! (Reaches for a glass of Malbec.)


Deep breath.

So, Visiting Reader: Pour yourself a virtual glass of wine and read along. Malbec may not be as well known as reds like cabernet, merlot or pinot noir, but that’s changing fast.

Here’s some backstory: Malbec originated in southwest France and served mainly as a blending grape to enhance other red wines’ flavor. (It’s one of the six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wine.) Weather and insects nearly wiped it out in Europe when frost and root rot killed most of the vines. Fortunately for us, the grapes found a new home in Argentina. Most of the Malbec on the market today still originates there. Recently, vintners in Washington state have planted the grapes and found it thrives in eastern Washington’s higher elevations and dry climate. These vineyards have the hot days and cool nights necessary for the grapes to produce more acidity, which means great tasting wine.

A crowd-pleaser—easy to drink, with a ton of juicy fruit flavors—some people love to call Malbec a working man’s Merlot, since the wine has many of the characteristics that make Merlot easy to drink, with an added spice and acidity that makes it seem less polished.

I loved this line I found on a wine buying website: “Malbec is the guy who rides the Harley to Merlot’s guy that drives the Vespa.”


Have you tried Malbec? What’s your favorite red wine?


When the Malbec grapes go missing…there’s mayhem.


Successful restaurateur Alex Montoya’s charmed life has hit a snag. His trusted business partner turned out to be not exactly trustworthy, and Alex could be facing jail time over some of his partner’s shady financial deals. As if that weren’t bad enough, creditors are calling in loans he didn’t know he had and he’s desperate to prove his innocence before all his businesses are repossessed.

After a career-building stint in Napa Valley, Sofia Pincelli has returned home to eastern Washington to take over the family’s winery. Running the family business, however, means dealing with her ailing father’s continued micro-management—and his disapproval of Alex. Her father’s condemnation of Alex’s rumored involvement in his business partner’s schemes runs so deep, it threatens Alex and Sofia’s blossoming romance…along with the Pincelli family’s signature red wine. Sofia needs Alex’s crop of Malbec grapes to show her father she has what it takes to make award-winning wine—and save the reputation and finances of the Pincelli winery.

When the Malbec grapes go missing, Alex and Sofia must join forces to find the fruit before it spoils—or risk destroying both of their businesses and their hearts.


Special release week price!

Cathy Perkins started writing when recurring characters and dialogue populated her day job commuting daydreams. Fortunately, that first novel lives under the bed, but she was hooked on the joy of creating stories. When not writing, she can be found doing battle with the beavers over the pond height or setting off on another travel adventure. Born and raised in South Carolina, she now lives in Washington with her husband, children, several dogs and the resident deer herd.

You can also visit her online at the following places:
 Website | Facebook | Twitter| Goodreads


Let Me Tell You a Story…

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By Laura Spinella
Today I’m celebrating the release of PERFECT TIMING, my second book!  Here’s a little behind the scenes peek at how this novel came to be:
Backstory often ends up being the
most interesting part of publication. Of course, while it’s happening, the
author never realizes backstory is backstory. In the thick of things, backstory is the malaise of the process—or, more accurately, the one step forward, two steps
back shuffle of book writing. There’s amazement and achievement when a novel
clears all the hurdles, the hard revisions, and labor intensive rewriting of
pages that were briefly, dreamily deemed perfect.
But after a book sells and edits are finalized, there is time to reflect. Traditional publishing comes with a wait time of a year or
more. And it was in this holding pattern that I started to think about backstory,
how and why I ended up writing the book I did. While my first novel, BEAUTIFUL
DISASTER, was a product of past environment, PERFECT TIMING is
anchored to my present. I’m almost as fond of its backtory as I am the result. In a phrase, this is the story of the little trunk novel that could.
Draft
readers are important readers, and PERFECT
TIMING had more than a
few. Among them was my oldest daughter, Megan. She was this book’s first fan,
and Aidan and Isabel remain her favorite characters. Her interest fueled a lot
of drive during the novel’s rough “I
can’t do this” stage. 
Yes, Megan listened to her fair share of whining as I wrote, and rewrote, this
book.  But she also insisted that if I was malevolent enough to create
such heart-wrenching conflict, I’d better come up the right resolutions to see things through.

(Since PT contains a few steamier scenes, I should mention that
Megan is 24) Writing to satisfy her demand was a challenge, and winning her
approval an achievement. She’s a tough editor and a scrupulous critic. In the
end, I believe she got the book she wanted. I know she’s pleased by its
dedication page. There was the trial and error of two manuscripts after BEAUTIFUL DISASTER, at which point Megan insisted I revisit the story and characters she found so endearing. Clearly, sometimes, you should listen to your kids.

At a glance, it’s
true that PERFECT TIMING’s protagonist is a rock star. That part
is intended to take the reader away from the ordinary.  And I do think, in
his element, Aidan Royce earns his ovation. But that’s not what this story is
about; it’s about the rhythm of lasting friendship, and the beat of a love
story subject to incredible odds. It’s about family and figuring out what makes
you truly happy, then being brave enough to embrace it. PERFECT TIMING is relationship fiction set to the
sometimes extraordinary and always precarious tempo of life. 
When I look at this book’s perfect cover, there is still the awe that comes with a second book, the surprise that it even exists. But I’m also pleased and confident in this story’s backstory and the way life influenced PERFECT TIMING.
Laura Spinella is the author of the newly released PERFECT TIMING and award-winning BEAUTIFUL DISASTER. Visit her at lauraspinella.net 

Cue The Nerves

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By Laura Bradford

If you could mount a camera inside just about any writer during the single digit days leading up to their latest release, I would imagine you’d see a real push/pull in terms of emotion–excitement that their latest creation is almost in the hands of readers, and worry that their latest creation is almost in the hands of readers.

For months, we sit at a keyboard creating and interacting with characters who become real to us. Their lives twist, we twist with them. They suffer a loss, we feel it along with them. And then there’s the world in which they live, a world that becomes as real to us as the actual room we’re sitting in as we write. Eventually, we reach the end and we ship our creation off to be critiqued by our editor, hoping they like what we’ve done and sighing with relief when they do.

For some writers, that’s the end of the journey. They write to write. For others (like myself), we write for our readers. We want them to like the twist we made, we want them to cheer a particular character’s triumph or mourn the loss of another. Because (like us) they care about this world and these people we’ve written into being.

And then the reviews come in…

The good ones make us smile, but the bad ones cut to the core. It is, in some ways, like sending your child off to school only to find out they didn’t fit in. You hurt for them. You hurt for yourself.

I’ve been at this writing thing for a while now, and I’ve had my share of releases (thirteen at this point, to be exact). And you know what? The excitement is still there with each and every one. But so, too, is the worry. My fourteenth book comes out on Tuesday and I’m as worried about this one as any I’ve released thus far, maybe even a little more. You see, STORYBOOK DAD, was about creating a world and characters just like any of the other mysteries or romances I’ve written to date, but this one was also about something different. This book follows a young woman who has recently been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and how she finds her path in life despite her illness.

Everything about this book is special to me. The disease it portrays (I have M.S., too), the lessons the character learns (lessons we all should learn regardless of what may ail us), and the person I dedicated the book to–my own personal hero during a tough time in my own life.

I know the criticism will come. It always does. But I’m hoping that they are few and far between (a hope all writers share, I’m sure).

So on Tuesday, I’ll be trying to go about my day like any other day–working on my latest creation. But I’ll be crossing my fingers, too. Hoping that readers, who take the chance on STORYBOOK DAD, love the story as much as I do and that maybe, just maybe, it makes a difference to someone at just the right time.

**You can find STORYBOOK DAD wherever the Harlequin American line is sold (Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, all online venues, etc). The book goes on sale October 12th and is only available in stores for a month.

Great Expectations

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 By Laura Spinella 
Best Graphic Available Under Pressure
I’ve never been a fan of the phrase, “book pregnant.” Maybe that’s
because I wasn’t particularly good at “real pregnant.” Years removed and my
memories still rouse a hazy sea of green swells, my stomach rolling on the
thought, not to mention the cumulative 27 months of my life spent on my knees
at the porcelain altar. I didn’t glow, I didn’t nest.  I didn’t do much of anything but puke. Friends
and family, not to mention my husband, are amazed that we have three
children.  I attribute them to the same you-never-know audacity that makes
writers’ write book two, after book one fails to sell.  Granted, in some circles this might be perceived
as stupidity.  The first pregnancy was
the worst. We were in the midst of building a house, traveling back and forth
between Long Island and Maryland. By the time there was drywall, I’d tossed it
up in every rest stop on the Jersey Turnpike.
            I say the first
pregnancy was the worst, and it was. The other two weren’t a terrific
improvement, but I knew what to expect, so in some regards it made for slightly
smoother sailing. I’m hoping the same holds true for books as I find myself “in
a novel-way” again.  THE IT FACTOR is in its
first trimester, with the father-bird, Penguin, settling in to roost.  As you can see from my bright blue
mock-cover, I’ve already decided it’s a boy. 
Like a real pregnancy, a book sale draws a huge round of congratulations,
the big difference being you can indulge in the champagne.
            We’re off and running (using the term loosely here) on
a journey of edits and cover concerns, wondering if they’ll let me keep the
name I’ve chosen.  Who knows?  I am sure, however, that there will be a word-by-word
dissection over the back cover blurb, which can be critical in terms of readership.  I’m already wringing my hands over this part,
separating information that readers will find intriguing from a passage that gives too much away. It looks like THE IT FACTOR will be a late fall
book and this can be tricky in New England. 
But I have solid experience here, having had four babies in raw weather
months—November, December, March and January, BEAUTIFUL DISASTER’S pub
date.  To be honest, that part feels
rather fitting; a sunny day in June would just seem strange.  When the calendar finally gets around to next
fall—which, admittedly, seems light years from now—I’ll fret over Aidan and
Isabel like I did Megan, Jamie and Grant on their first day at school.  Will people like them? Did I do enough before
pushing them out the door?  Will they be resilient
when labeled a frothy romp? Okay, so I wasn’t thinking about my kids on that one. Regardless, there will be no
turning back. Of course, I do have an advantage with the book. I can always ignore my Amazon page.  Live children
make this a tad more difficult. 
         So let the countdown begin—Aidan Royce, my rock
star protagonist, waits calmly in the wings for his cue. His elusive love
interest, Isabel, is probably not as anxious—but isn’t this what we strive for in
a complex character?  I’m still  not fond of the phrase, “book pregnant,” though I can’t deny the
similarities, right down to that queasy feeling of expectation.    
Laura Spinella is the author of the award winning novel, BEAUTIFUL DISASTER and the upcoming novel, THE IT FACTOR!  YAY!! Visit her at lauraspinella.net.       
             

The Highlight Reel

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By Laura Spinella
So here’s the first thing you should know: I didn’t win. Hey, it’s okay.
I was the true newbie in RITA’s Best First Book category. In my case, it really
was just an honor to be nominated. Overall, my trip to the annual Romance
Writers of America conference and subsequent RITA Awards was a success. I didn’t
know what to expect going in. RWA has about 13,000 members, of which 2,000
attend the annual convention. If you’ve never been, I highly recommend it.  However, go prepared for a whirlwind of
activity.  
Authors Shelley Coriell, me & Erin Quinn
      The workshops are inspiring
and the authors in attendance more than friendly. I had a chance to meet my good FB friend Barbara Claypole White whose debut novel, THE UNFINISHED GARDEN is out later this month.  She was kind enough to ask me to blurb her beautifully written gentle romance. I made several new acquaintances
along the way and rubbed chair legs with Nora Roberts. If anyone is curious,
she’s very gracious and genuine—even if your chair leg comes within inches of
her toes.  Each year RWA gives out the
Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award. 
It gave me pause, her chair leg wickedly close to mine, that she was
there to witness the bestowment of an award named for her.  How many people have an award named for them
while, they’re not only living, but still very much in the game?  I think it gives new meaning to the word “successful.”
Recipient Beverly Jackson, who has penned more than 90 novels, gave a warm and
insightful acceptance speech. 
Other highlights included Stephanie Laurens keynote
address. Granted, I don’t attend too many packed banquet rooms gatherings, but
I’d say her message is what good speeches are all about.  Her topic: weathering the future of
publishing and what that means to us as writers.  As mentioned, the workshops were top shelf, a
vast array of topics that anyone with a keyboard and an idea could use to help
channel those bare bone thoughts into paragraphs and pages. While I didn’t
attend the History of Contraception workshop, I did stop and take picture of the sign. I
sent it to my BFF, who happens to be an OB-GYN. She’s thinking of submitting
her own workshop pitch for the 2013 RWA convention. My newest WIP includes a psychic
element, so I made sure to attend a workshop on the paranormal. Foot-in-mouth
as the workshop leader quickly corrected my faulty assumption that paranormal
and psychic were related. Clearly one is werewolves while the other just
channels them. On the whole, the workshops were Red Bull lecture style,
designed to make you want to run back to your room, shut out the activity, and
get busy writing. In that regard, it was wholly well worth the price of
admission.
Onto the lady in question, the RITA Awards.  Beforehand, I had dinner with my Berkley editor,
Leis Pederson. We’d never met in person, so I was nervous in a curious way.  I was anxious to put a face to the person who took
a chance on me and the characters I cast in BEATUIFUL DISASTER.  I think it went well, particularly for someone
who spends an inordinate amount of time scripting both sides of the dialogue. I
didn’t spill anything and managed to keep the conversation going until the
lights dimmed at the awards, all eyes turned to the clever romantic movie
montages on the big screens.  
Winners came and went; my table filled with RITA
finalists, but alas not a winner among us.  By evening’s end we were all in very good
company.  I’m not sure if I’ll get to
another RWA conference soon.  During their
annual meeting, RWA decided that my category, Novel with Strong Romantic
Elements, will be eliminated after 2013. Thinking about that now, it’s really too bad. I was just
starting to feel at home.     
Laura Spinella is the author of BEAUTIFUL DISASTER, a 2012 RITA finalist, NJRWA Golden Leaf Winner, Best First Book; Desert Rose RWA Golden Quill winner, Best First Book and Wisconsin RWA finalist for Best Mainstream Novel.  Visit her at lauraspinella.net.  
     

For Future Reference

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By Laura Spinella
Lucy would say to Ethel, “I have an idea!” Ethel’s eyes would bug like moon pies, the idea propelling the two into adventures that had her wearing the back end of a bull or wrapping candy with hysteria induced lightning speed. Of course, there’s the classic Harpo Marx mirror scene, and if Lucy were to get that coveted Richard Widmark grapefruit, it was up to Ethel to help her scale the wall.  Well, we all know none of those brilliant harebrained ideas came from Lucille Ball’s henna rinsed head.  They came from a staff of writers whose job it was to create twenty-two minutes of riveting, if not riotous, television.
            Even in black and white, fifty plus years ago, it was still all about the idea.  I like the concept of a team effort when it comes to television writing. It’s a natural path for a forum that thrives on timing, dialogue and the occasional pratfall.  The medium lends itself to a group effort.  Book writers, on the whole, aren’t of that nature. Of course, there is the exception to the rule, successful trends where big name writers, like Patterson, take on a protégé or sometimes an offspring. But as group, we work alone. It makes the idea portion a precious commodity.  Visualize the stereotypical writer, go ahead.  I bet we all conjure up the same scene: A haphazardly dressed, unshaven writer (man or woman, I’ll leave the hormonal issue up to you) staring willfully at a typewriter.  I don’t care if you don’t even remember typewriters,  It’s like separating Easter from chocolate. The two just go together. Inserted in the typewriter is the proverbial blank page, above the writer’s head an empty bubble. It waits with hemorrhoid like pain for an idea to insert itself.  As I said, a stereotype.
            Personally, the idea of approaching any keyboard with nary an idea scares the hell out of me.  Assuming we’ve replaced the typewriter with a computer, I’d be on Facebook in .03 seconds.  Ideas don’t come as a whole. They don’t even arrive in tasty chunks. For the most part, ideas are snippets and threads that, if I’m clever, weave into fabric.  If the scraps of ideas are good enough, eventually the fabric reveals a pattern that tells a story.
            Along with the blank page comes the proverbial author question: Where do you get your ideas?  When asked this, I tend to squirm, babbling nonsense that amounts to a message in a bottle. In truth, the answer is both so vague and tedious I find it impossible to answer.  I view it as an unfortunate fact, until I ponder people like Patrick Bourne. He’s a character in my WIP, not the main character, but the one whose presence assures me that snippets are where real ideas start.  A few years ago, I was doing a newspaper piece on a beautiful vintage property. The homeowner was there, a svelte gentleman for whom the word dashing was invented. He spoke only about his house, showing me period photographs of the Georgian manor.  He was fascinating, his mannerisms matching his bone structure, distinct and inviting.  I spent no more than five minutes with him.  He had to leave for work—he was an attorney. At least that’s what the housekeeper told me, a woman who left me to peruse the property at my leisure. I admired ornate woodwork, Italian art worth more than I made in a year, Chinese Chippendale chairs and Persian rugs.  I traveled room to room, or continent to continent, unable to get my mind off the man. I know that sounds like instant infatuation, which is plausible, as he was worthy. But that wasn’t it. There was something about him that simply captured my imagination. It intensified in his bedroom, finding his closet clearly divided and completely filled with men’s clothing. There was one photograph in the room, the man I’d met and an equally fetching African American man. I probably looked at the picture longer than I should have; it was hardly the point of my business in his bedroom.
Not long after, I went back to the newspaper and wrote a lovely Sunday feature about the grand manor and its historic ties to the community. Today, I couldn’t tell you what town it was in.  I couldn’t retrace my steps if you told me there was buried treasure in the basement. A few sentences back, I mentioned that the man had captured my imagination. For most people, that’s a disposable phrase. For a writer, it’s future reference. I won’t tell you that Patrick Bourne is the man I met that day. I didn’t learn enough about him to possibly draw that conclusion. Our conversation was not personal; I don’t recall his name. Admittedly, I had privileged information, information that had time to stew and simmer in the back of my brain. All of this led to the snippets of thread that wove into fabric, creating Patrick Bourne.  Is Patrick gay? Yes. Is he an attorney?  Well, he is indeed. Are his mannerisms identical—they’re similar.  But more than anything, the blanks of his past, present and future were completely up to me, custom crafted to fit the man in my book. So while there is no team of writers, there are thousands of random yet cataloged snippets.  With any luck, a few will turn into perfectly wonderful ideas.        
BEAUTIFUL DISASTER is an RWA RITA Finalist for Best First Book, Wisconsin RWA Finalist for Best Mainstream Title and New Jersey RWA Winner, Best First Book, 2011. BEAUTIFUL DISASTER was voted a Favorite Book of 2011 at SheKnows.com. Visit Laura’s site at lauraspinella.net 
         

Those Scenes…

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By Laura Spinella


Whatever the genre of a book, I’m sure the writer has an interesting post publication story to tell. Author is a curious job that leads to people you would not otherwise meet and questions you wouldn’t ordinarily be asked. Some of the more common queries being: Where do you get your ideas and how long does it take to write a book? Depending on the person’s knowledge of the publishing industry, they’re impressed by your imprint credentials or simply by the fact that you have a book in print. Either way, it’s flattering. When you write a novel that includes love scenes, fairly detailed love scenes, invariably, always, eventually the question comes around. And here, at The Stiletto Gang, I’m guessing I own that one.

Those scenes, those scenes, those scenes… Truth be told, I didn’t think much about them while I was writing the book. Well, not their reader impact. But from book club gatherings to library chats to emails from readers, clearly, my love scenes are on their minds. I was a bit dense to it at first. It wasn’t until I attended a library event, where I was the guest and BEAUTIFUL DISASTER the book du jour, when I finally got a clue. People were gracious and polite, some having read the book, some not. However, there was a woman who sat in the back row, very silent, very sober. Now, sober is bad for me at given event, and I can tell you that they don’t serve wine at library functions, so my senses were sharp, absorbing her penetrating stare. Finally, toward the end of the chat portion, she raised her hand.

“Yes?” I said, suspecting I was about to receive a verbal flogging.

“Your book, I read it. All of it. And, well, I want to know something. Did your publisher demand that you include those scenes… embellish them like that? You know what scenes I mean…”

While the urge to play dumb was overwhelming, I have no angst over my love scenes so I answered, “Yes! In fact, they said they’d double the advance if I agreed to double the page count on those scenes.”
NOT

But I wasn’t about to justify any part of my book to her, especially not for the express purpose of gauging publisher influence versus something I obviously felt passionate about while writing the book. I will not be judged, not to my face anyway, on those scenes because that, to me, sounds a whole lot like censorship.

Not every email mentions Mia and Flynn’s steamier moments, but some do. My favorite is from a young man who, apparently, found BEAUTIFUL DISASTER a profound and stirring read. It was really a beautiful letter, telling me how the book graduated him from the world of YA into adult fiction. He went on at length, conveying how those scenes resonated, explaining that my book was a first for him in fiction. Okay, if you’re feeling a blush come on, don’t feel bad, I did too. I wrote back, thanking him for the lovely note and signing my name: Mrs. Robinson. Well, I suppose we all have to learn somewhere.

Book clubs have been the most fun when it comes to the discussion of BEAUTIFUL DISASTER’S love scenes. About an hour or so into each gathering, as the wine flows, so does the conversation. After discussing Roxanne’s motives and if Mia will salvage their friendship, moving onto Flynn’s psyche and how he was pushed to the brink of redemption, we get around to those scenes. I think my reaction to their reaction is my most profound moment from this side of published author. While I believe my love scenes are an integral part of the story, I don’t take them so seriously that I can’t have fun with them. And we do have fun. In addition to playing an important role in the story, they provide an invigorating indulgent escape for the reader. At least that’s been the majority of opinions to come my way. Some readers want to know how I go about the process of writing a love scene, and for that I have a very simple answer. I’ve never intentionally set out to write one. It has to grow organically out of the characters and plot. Any other scenario would be forcing it, and I suspect it would show. I get that sex in a book is a matter of personal preference; some people seek it out while others like to leave it at the bedroom door. Whatever floats your boat, I’m okay with that. Personally, I think the best romantic scenes are those that exist because they’re a natural part of the story. Overall, it’s nice to know, that in many circles, in addition to telling a good story, I’ve been able to provide a little escapism. Call me crazy, but I thought it’s why we read.

Come visit me at www.lauraspinella.net. BEAUTIFUL DISASTER was recently chosen by the University of Georgia for their annual Alumni Author Showcase. If you’re in Athens, GA November 3rd, see you there!