Samhain Publishing Ltd. Weblog

Does Size Matter?

Recently I was reading a book—a romance of course—which was fairly well written and had a good plot hook. I was looking forward to sinking into the pages (or onto the screen) and thoroughly enjoying myself. Then something happened that pulled me out of the story, something that irritated me so much I felt like emailing the author. From then on all I could think about was that thing and I couldn’t fully enjoy the novel.

What I’m talking about is describing physical attributes. As romance novelists it’s something we’re required to do. People need to know if their heroine has dark hair, blue eyes, long legs, or that their hero has a scar on his right hip. But how specific should we be?

Love My Characters, Love Me?

My brother recently called me on the phone to inform me he’d read my book. Now my brother doesn’t read romance. He reads science fiction and military books, but not “chick books” as he calls them. And yet, he read my books. Which says a lot about my brother, I think.

He gave me his list of likes and dislikes, and while honest, was also very complimentary. And then he said, “But I see a lot of you in your characters.”

My first reaction was, “Well duh!” But then I realized my brother is not a writer. Not a fiction writer, anyway. We have a special brand of crazy, with narratives running through our heads all the time. And yes, all those characters running around in my brain and on the pages of my novels all have a little bit of me in them.

To me, the only way to write honest characters is to bare your own flaws and inner demons. To truly understand their fears and frustrations, the writer has to take on a little bit of it, too. Which explains why a lot of writers drink a good bit.

For me, it’s almost like a kind of therapy. My characters have to work out their issues, so I have to, too. Now that’s not to say I’ve ever burned down a restaurant or am haunted by a dead husband. My characters have to deal with their own fictionalized disasters, but some of their insecurities – yeah, they’re mine, too. Not that I have an exclusive claim on them. I like to think my characters speak to all of us, that some small part of their neurosis matches the person who reads it. I know they match mine.

So if you read my books and get some insight into Maggie or Brin, you’re getting a little insight into me, too. Welcome to my brand of crazy.

A Long Awaited Release

Brody and Lana’s story available today!

Brody Nash has been in my head for a long time. He started off as the ex-boyfriend and occasional lover of the female lead in a book that went nowhere. Then when I needed a second man for my menage novella Chasing Sunset, I decided to bring him in. Really, I was quite happy to have him, so to speak.

That Ahhhhhh.... Moment

We all have them. You know what I mean. It can happen anywhere and at anytime. Sometimes when you least expect it. That single moment in time where you are watching something happen and when it does you get that gooey feeling inside…that silly grin on your face and you heave a big sigh of Ahhhhhh…

Silly? Not really. We all have them. Even those big tough guys we all know. Their Ahhhhhh… threshold maybe higher or different than ours, but they have one. And what makes you go Ahhhhhh… is different for everyone.

For example, I’m a sucker for Hallmark commercials. I’ll tear up in a heartbeat over something as silly as a kid making a valentine for his teacher, or a puppy trotting over to a young bride with an “I’m sorry” card from a repentant husband.

This blog came to be when I found one of the best Ahhhhhh… moments I’d ever seen online. It is a marriage proposal. One of the best I’ve ever seen and once it was done, I was Ahhhhhhing all over the place as were most of the people watching. Check it out…

Tools for Writers (and anyone else who works from home).

Lying in bed one night, thinking about what I’d do if my computer corner were destroyed by flood, fire or plague of electronics-eating locusts—is it just me whose imagination tends to the paranoid?—I found myself making a shopping list of the things I’d have to replace as soon as the desk, chair and computer were back in situ.
And I realized it’s actually quite a useful shopping list for any writer—or anyone who works from home. So I’m sharing it, together with the offer to join in my late-night paranoia.

*GASP!* Romance In Sci-Fi??

I’m addicted to the Smart Bitches, Trashy Books blog (honestly, I think there needs to be a support group). I religiously devour every post every day and – on the odd occasion – actually muster up the courage to pull myself out of lurkdom and comment (I am, by nature, quite a shy person. S’true.) Anyways, one of their more recent posts investigated and responded to the ludicrous statement made by one disgruntled male that science fiction has been ruined by female intrusion of the worst kind – romance.

Romance in sci-fi?? Golly, gee! No! What an atrocity! What will happen next? Boys and girls going to the same school?

Slow Rider

Make that Slow Writer. Now change the word “slow” to something more accurate. Meticulous, maybe. Or conscientious.

If your favorite authors don’t show up with good books as often as you wish they would, there’s a reason for that. They might be slow writers. They might be writers who won’t let go of a manuscript until they’ve assured themselves it’s as good as they can make it. They don’t want some sub-standard book appearing on the shelves with their name on it. A book that readers will ho-hum through, if they even bother to finish it. A book that will let down even one fan. If you read enough fiction you will soon discover that mediocrity runs rampant in the publishing world. The good books can sometimes be hard to find.

There could be a hundred reasons why there’s such a huge chunk of time between a writer’s last book and the next one. Writers are human beings and just like in your life, things happen. Family crises. Health issues. Computer crashes. Vacations. Rejections. Sometimes, life simply gets in the way of creating the next good book, even if that’s all a writer wants to do.

Where Do You Find the Time?

The other day at school I mentioned that I found some old friends on Facebook and another teacher asked me when I found the time. Another teacher asked me recently how I have time to watch so much TV. I’m not sure if I’m insulted or just curious—what do THESE people do with their time that they don’t have any?

Learning Curves

OMG! Pinch me! The first release of my novel KNIGHT DREAMS is today!

When I sold my first book to Samhain Publishing, I didn’t know it at the time, but a different journey into the writing world had begun. Heck, I’m a writer. This was my third completed novel. Surely, it was an easy ride from here. Right? Hah!

I Write Normal

“What do you write?” could be heard around every table at a writing conference I attended a couple weekends back. A great question, but it always left me with a grin. We’d go around the table — historical with paranormal elements, sci-fi romance, vampires, erotic paranormal, werewolves, dragons, paranormal thriller…and then they’d all be looking at me. “I write normal.” It gets a laugh, which I tend to go for in my books too, but it’s the truth!

I love to read paranormal stories, but my brain doesn’t work that way. I’ll leave it to those who understand the history of vampires…and dragons (who knew there was so much to know about dragons? The conference had a whole class on them.) Me, I’m sending people to yoga and out for doughnuts.

People often ask where a writer gets their ideas. We don’t know, so it’s hard to answer. Everywhere, I think is the common response. But really, a writers stories are just there, twisted in their mind until they unwind themselves onto the page. My stories are classic romance themes with a modern twist (I’m quite excited that my Pride & Prejudice meets Beauty & the Beast story, Pride & Passion, was just contracted!)

I love the indulgence of traditional romance, spiced up but not taken seriously. Hence why I write about Cinderella and unrequited lust. This time of year I am always tempted to write some kind of ghost story, but I resist the urge. Someday I might dip my toe in the paranormal pond, but for now, I write normal.