When some writers pursue publication, they only consider the large New York publishing houses. But the great news is that in addition to the “big boys,” the publishing world is home to a number of smaller presses and e-publishers. What does that mean to an aspiring writer? It means she must be savvy and research the best distribution option for her work. Today, Christi Barth joins us to talk one of those options—small print—and her publisher, Eternal Press. Christi, thank you for chatting with us about your publication experience!

Kelsey: Christi, could you give us an overview of Eternal Press?

Christi:  They sell both print and ebooks through a variety of sites, such as Amazon and Fictionwise.  Based in Canada, they were recently purchased by Damnation Books.  They have a professional, great staff and a supportive group of authors.

Kelsey: As you know, “Sold! stories” keep unpubbed writers optimistic. Could you share how you sold to Eternal?

Christi:   I’d been corresponding with them – submitted the full, and they said they liked it, but wanted to see one major revision, cutting out both scenes in a certain character’s POV.  Painful?  You bet, especially since one was a sex scene I’d slaved over.  But I made the change (because at that point I was willing to do anything to get published!), and then sat on tenterhooks for a week.  And to be fair, in hindsight they were completely correct.  I had absolutely no business introducing a new POV ¾ of the way through the book.  I guess editors do know what they’re doing!

We went to DC for Easter, and our hotel had computers in the lobby available to guests w/free WiFi.  We came back from breakfast – I checked my email.  Came back from the Air & Space museum – checked my email.  My parents thought I was nuts, because I hadn’t told them what was going on (I didn’t want to jinx it).  But finally at 5:00 the email came through (and yes, I squealed loudly enough to startle several other hotel guests passing through the lobby), and at dinner that night I got to share the good news!  Followed promptly the next day with sheer panic when I opened the contract and discovered they wanted me to come up with a concept for the cover.  Yikes!

Kelsey: What are some of the advantages to writing for a small press?

Christi:  Oh, how I wish I had experience publishing in NY to be able to properly compare and contrast the two!  I do know from a great workshop in my local RWA chapter that apparently small presses are much more willing to listen to/actually produce the cover art you request.  Sure, I didn’t have an idea at first, but when I did, the heroine had the right color hair, the setting was right – they followed my idea to the letter.

The biggest advantage is that small presses are willing to take chances.  That doesn’t mean they publish any old story that rolls in the door.  There is still a high rejection rate.  But small presses can work outside the trends.  For example, in my upcoming release Act Like We’re In Love the hero is a movie star.  Not off living the high life with caviar and starlets, but working in a small town dinner theatre.  Nevertheless, at RWA Convention last year I had several agents and published authors tell me to stop writing it.  They’d heard that because of the bad economy, nobody would publish a book glamorizing the excesses of a movie star lifestyle.  Sure enough, once I started pitching it, I received quite a few rejections from agents who read the full and loved it, yet called it ‘unmarketable’.  But happily, Eternal Press is willing to publish it.

Kelsey: How do Eternal’s distribution and marketing functions operate?

Christi:  Ah, there’s the rub.  This is the major challenge of writing for a small press.  We do have a wonderful woman who works in promotion, but I’d say the majority of the marketing falls on the author.  Every review I received, I went out there and snagged.  I did the legwork to set up every blog interview.

Kelsey: What, if any, challenges have you encountered in writing for a small publisher?

Christi:  Well, RWA still doesn’t consider me published after two sales, so that is an ongoing frustration.  To me, the lack of a $1,000 advance doesn’t matter.  People – people I’ve never met all across the country – are purchasing my book.  Period.  I’ve now worked with two great editors and cover artists at EP, and I can’t imagine anyone at a bigger publishing house being any more responsive or professional.

Kelsey: Do you see writing for a small press as only one part of a comprehensive career plan or can a writer sustain her career with a publisher like Eternal?

Christi:  As with other smaller publishers such as Samhain and Ellora’s Cave, the erotica authors do very well on EP, and build up quite a following rather quickly.  I think (Going out on a limb here – trying to be politically correct!) that if you can churn out a good story quickly, it is quite possible to sustain a career with a small press.  I am grateful for the opportunities EP has given me. But don’t we all dream of the 25 city book tour with a limo and hordes of screaming fans?  In the long term, I do view it as an important stepping stone to a New York publisher.  .

Kelsey: Is there anything else you would like to share about writing for Eternal or your books?

Christi: My experience with them has been an invaluable tool, and helped me become a better author.  And bottom line, my books are out there, brightening people’s days, which is all I ever wanted.

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Thanks so much, Christi! RU crew, how many of you are published with smaller presses? Do you agree with Christi’s take on this part of the publishing landscape? Everyone, feel free to ask Christi questions as she’ll be popping in on and off today!

Stop by Wednesday when radio host Bruce Sallan discusses the state of gender affairs in today’s culture.

Bio:  Christi Barth spent years performing in musicals, singing about love and giving people a happy ending in every performance.  Then as a wedding planner she spent every day immersed in romance.  Now she writes it!  After winning several writing contests, she debuted her novel Carolina Heat to rave reviews.  Her next single title romance Act Like We’re In Love comes out in October.  She lives in Maryland with the absolutely best husband in the world (sorry ladies, it’s true!).  Visit her at www.christibarth.com.

Today, I’m dancing a jig over both our topic and our visiting professor. Ann Charles is not only a talented author, she’s also an astute businesswoman. We’re fortunate to have her visit RU to talk about a topic that will be new to some of you, familiar to a few, and the bane of others’ existences! When you hear “platform,” what comes to mind–Shoes? Diving? Politics? If you didn’t immediately think of your writing career, then by all means, read on!

And especially exciting news: one lucky commenter will win a platform “mini-consultation” with Ann, which will include either a pre-determined number of email exchanges or a 30-minute phone conversation. And she’ll also give away a copy of Jacquie Rogers’ book, “Down Home Ever Lovin’ Mule Blues,” and a CD from Justin Saragueta (the musician who created the song for Jacquie’s book trailer)!

Welcome to RU, Ann!

Question:  How many of you unpublished authors are wondering if you should take some of your valuable writing time and use it to begin building a platform before you even land a contract with a publisher?

Answer:  Do you want to get published and stay published? If you answer “Yes,” then your answer above is also a resounding “Yes!”

This is not to say you shouldn’t continue to study the writing craft and learn how to create the best book you can—and finish the book. Those things are givens.

These days, though, writing the best book you can is just half of the equation. Times have changed in the last few years, and things in the publishing world are moving quickly, so there is no time for foot dragging. A platform is a must if you hope to break into the business and form a reader base that will impress your publisher enough to keep you when times are tough.

What is a platform?

Many fiction authors don’t know what a platform is, so don’t feel alone if you are part of this group. When we’re done here, you’ll be in the know and ready to start building.

Your platform is the combination of all of your efforts to make your name and brand available to both industry professionals and readers. It’s how you are communicating and sharing about yourself and your books; it’s the audience you have accumulated and will continue to grow.

As an example, we’ll look at a snapshot of some of my platform elements, because I can talk freely about me without risking a snippy retort from me—at least, that’s what my therapist says.

Because I don’t currently have a book out for public consumption, my platform has been focused on growing an audience of peers and industry professionals. I have a website that contains not only bits about my books for editors and any interested authors who visit my site to peruse, but also articles and workshops for my fellow authors. I speak to local writing chapters (RWA and non-RWA) about craft and promotion, I write articles and columns which are published in both writing-related newsletters and nationwide magazines, and I guest blog (just as I am today). I also have a second website, which I created with Jacquie Rogers, called 1^st Turning Point. Like Romance University’s website, we have columnists and guest columnists and reviewers, who write articles and share them with other authors on the subject of promotion, publicity, and marketing.

You can see how my platform revolves around building name and brand recognition within the publishing industry. Why is this important? It’s simple—recognition equals success. Think of authors who you know by name but not necessarily in person, and not because of their books. How and why do you know of them? Because they’ve worked hard to build recognition through their respective platforms.

You are in charge of your own success.

I cannot emphasize the following enough: You and you alone are responsible for becoming a successful, long-standing, world-renowned author.

While the right agent, editor, and publisher have a hand in your success, their part is enhanced by your efforts to secure their partnership and help them to sell you, not simply from them offering you a contract. You can have the best book out there, but without a well-developed reader platform, the chances of you succeeding are akin to lottery odds.

So, why do you need a platform? Because you want to be wildly successful. We all do. Very few writers fall backwards into success. Most of the bestselling authors work their hineys off on self-promotion alongside writing great stories. Some of them are fortunate to have a publisher throwing a little extra cash at them, but most will tell you that they still put a lot of their own hard-earned cash into promoting their names and books.

(Note: There is one group of authors who don’t have to worry about platform building as much as the rest of us—category book authors. This is due to the audience their publisher has already built. For example, Harlequin has built a platform of readers by providing specific, reliable kinds of reads. However, if you are a category author and would like to move into the single-title game, some platform building would make the possibility of that move much more feasible. How can it not?)

If you wait to begin building your platform until you land your first contract, you’re going to have to work twice as hard, twice as fast to succeed. Why? Because in addition to writing the second book optioned in your contract (and remember, the second book HAS to be better than your first or you’ll fail fast in this business), you’re going to have to split your time to work on promotional efforts. And guess what? You thought learning craft was hard and time-consuming; wait until you dive into the promotion and marketing pool. For the first few months, it’s like trying to doggie-paddle while wearing concrete flippers.

Why not begin building your platform now, while you have the time, while you’re not under contract and deadline, and being held accountable for your writing by anyone but you? It makes perfect sense. We all have families, jobs, friends, a life. If you want to spend time with any living beings after that contract arrives, a little investment in platform development could save you from being the focus point of a group intervention later.

How do unpublished authors get started building a platform?

This is a huge subject that I can’t possibly cover in a paragraph or two, but I’ll throw out some high-level suggestions.

• Figure out your strengths and weaknesses as an author and promoter. Then figure out how to build off your strengths and how to overcome your weaknesses.
• Think about where you want to be in a year, three years, five years—and I’m not referring to your craft skills here or how many books you want to write in that amount of time. Do you want to be writing articles for nationwide magazines in a year? Presenting workshops to mid-sized groups in three years?  Giving keynote speeches or playing god over your own forum in five? Write it down. Then figure out how to build up to that. Remember, baby steps here. Too much too soon and you’ll get overwhelmed and drown.
• Think of some of your favorite authors—not those whose books you just adore, but those whose careers impress the heck out of you. Consider these folks your role models and study them. Watch them (from afar, please—they don’t like it when you stalk them, I’ve learned), monitor their virtual and physical platform building efforts, pay attention to how they are growing their career and audience. Now apply what you’ve learned to your own platform.
• Find another author (or two or three) who is around the same platform-building level as yourself, whose mentality you like, and whose optimism gives you energy. Offer to partner with them on this endeavor, working together to brainstorm new platform building opportunities and cheer each others’ platform successes. Two brains are often better than one, so long as you find the “right” brain for you.
• Step outside of your safe zone—repeatedly. Does just the thought of speaking in public give you the hives, but you like the idea of someday teaching a class? You can either take baby steps to build your self-confidence, or you can try your hand at online teaching where public speaking is only required from behind a virtual curtain.

Find Your Tipping Point.

Two final words: Tipping Point. Many of you have heard of this saying in regards to at what point you will tip the scale of success in your favor. That’s not what I’m talking about here. I’m talking about your own personal tipping point, as in at what point will you become so overwhelmed that you shut down and this platform building goes from being fun and exciting to tedious and repulsive.

I’m a busy plate spinner. Those who know me can attest to this. I seem to always have ten things going at once at all times, and those around me sometimes worry about my stress level. When I take on yet another plate to spin, my husband often asks me, “How much more can you do?” The answer is I don’t really know. I haven’t found my tipping point yet. But you know what? I keep saying, “Yes.” And you know what else? I keep reaping greater rewards because I pushed myself just a little more.

So, push yourself. Success isn’t easy. Nothing is free. But if you feel that tipping point drawing near, take a breather and keep the same pace for awhile. Just don’t stop. 

Recommended reading:

Here are a couple of books that will help get you started on building your platform:

Get Known Before the Book Deal by Christina Katz

The Author’s Guide to Building an Online Platform: Leveraging the Internet to Sell More Books by Stephanie Chandler

***

RU crew, I know you have a bazillion questions for Ann so let ‘em roll! Don’t forget: one lucky commenter will will win a platform “mini-consultation” with Ann, which will include either a pre-determined number of email exchanges or a 30-minute phone conversation!

Be sure to drop by Monday when author Bella Andre is here with a special treat: Feng Shui for Writers.

Ann’s Bio:

Ann Charles has been an unpublished author for over a decade now. She has a marvelous agent who believes in her and continues to stand by her through thick and thin, all the while working to sell Ann’s manuscripts. Ann has been a finalist in the Golden Heart, the Pacific Northwest Writers Association Literary Contest, and (recently) the Daphne du Maurier. She is also the co-creator of 1^st Turning Point (http://www.1stturningpoint.com/), where authors can go to learn, share, and teach all about promotion and marketing. If you’re interested in learning more about platform for the fiction authors, stay tuned, because Ann and her fellow Platform Coach, Jacquie Rogers, are writing a non-fiction book on that very subject. If you’d like to donate your free time to being Ann’s personal assistant, she’s always taking applications—just kidding…sort of.

Today, we have a fun Friday treat, talking with author Kimberly Llewellyn about comedy in today’s market. I know many of us are personally invested in romantic comedy and are eager to see light contemporaries make a comeback in publishing. So what better way to kick off the weekend than with a little delve into the humorous? Welcome to RU, Kimberly.

Ryan O’Neal gave a TV interview discussing how he stayed by Farrah Fawcett’s bedside during her final days. He repeatedly begged her to please marry him. Weakly, she finally agreed,  then added in a barely audible voice, “Pre…nup.” 

Doesn’t that make you admire Farrah? Even in the face of death, she kept her wit along with her dignity. That’s levity amid gravity. It’s when you face dire circumstances and you must say or do something funny to relieve tension. Otherwise known as comic relief. Oftentimes, in the darkest of moments, comic relief is all you have left. This also holds true for books, light or dark. A witty retort, a running gag, or wisecrack is a welcome reprieve following a highly tense scene and will serve you well as a writer.

Here are some tips as you pursue comedy in your writing:

What are the comedy hooks? Some favorites include: the baby, the big fat lie, false identity, love triangle, marriage of convenience/fake marriage, newly engaged/married, the bride/the wedding, the big breakup/getting dumped, the holidays, fish out of water, the bet, forced proximity, opposites attract, pygmalion, supernatural event/sudden magical powers, swapping lives/identities, and lovers from two different worlds. 

Do some of these hooks look familiar? They definitely overlap with hooks found in the romance genre. What other hooks come to mind in romance? Do you have your favorites? Are any of them listed above? Can you combine some romance hooks with comedy hooks to create a special story of your own? When it comes to hooks, the bigger the better. It’s not just a wedding, it’s a big fat Greek wedding.

Assignment:  Think about your favorite romantic comedies. Can you think of hooks (or combination of hooks) that were used? For example, the movie, Sweet Home Alabama, primarily uses the love triangle hook and the wedding hooks.

Humor is a girl thing; sometimes, a guy thing. Men and women find different things funny. Know the difference in your story. This will add depth to each character. 

Assignment:  If you’re a woman, read guy magazines. GQ, Maxim, and Men’s Journal will give you real insight on a man’s sense of humor. (If you’re a guy, read Cosmo, to learn about women.) 

Write for a tiny audience. Look, death is universally awful. It evokes sadness in everyone. But humor is subjective. Trying to please everyone is the kiss of death. So write for yourself and also, say, for your best friend. You know which friend I’m talking about. The friend you laugh with until your sides ache and you can’t breathe. Yeah, that’s the one. Write to please her, to make her laugh. You’ll be funny and your audience will eventually follow.

Assignment: Take an existing funny scene in your WIP and make it more over the top without fear. You can always tone it down later if it doesn’t “work.”

Let the humor be organic. Sure, slapstick and screwball are great, but in today’s market, a comic perspective from a character we’ve grown to care about has a lasting effect. (“Hey, will you go out to dinner with me tonight?” “Sure, can I bring my boyfriend?” or “Do you believe in love at first sight or should I walk by again?”) Let the humor “stem from character” or let it happen “out of character.” In other words, the use of the reversal. (“Last night, I seduced a man wearing nothing but my stilettos. How he got into my high heels, I’ll never know.”) Hey, it’s your story. If you want grandma to be singing along to Fifty Cent, much to the horror of her granddaughter, then so be it. Comedy has one rule…rules were made to be broken. Or else why would they call it, “in stitches?” If the humorous act is motivated and makes you laugh, then go for it.  And remember, the joke is much funnier when the characters aren’t in on it. Remember Becky Bloomwood? She was the shopaholic with a serious addiction and mounting terrible debt who took a job as a columnist doling out financial advice.

Assignment:  Look at your hero and heroine. Can you give him or her a flaw that might arouse a chuckle? The angel who’s afraid of heights? The Navy Seal who’s terrified of mice? How about the poor vampire who faints at the sight of blood?

Let the painful truth be your guide. Truth hurts and you’ll  confess anything when in pain. The same holds for characters who have been tortured and tested. Putting your character in pain will keep him or her honest. Don’t believe me? Go back and watch the opening to Sleepless in Seattle.

Recall the painful incidents in your past and how you can laugh at them today. I can still recall my childhood, during my parent’s terrible divorce and the awful custody battle they had over me. (“You keep her!” “No, you keep her!”) Surely, you have some painful memories of torture and humiliation of your own that you can incorporate in your writing today. Being divorced hurts. Being a widow hurts. Being dumped hurts. Hurting is universal. It’s up to you to make it funny so it doesn’t hurt so much.

The truth about writing is that to do it well you have to practice til you sweat blood. The pain of it is, sometimes you don’t want to do the work. So, turn it into a joke. (I hate to work out; I won’t even do my writing exercises.) Or try it with some other occupation. (I’d make a terrible witch…I can’t even have a fainting spell right.) Or how about disabilities? Not so funny? Not unless a deaf person is talking in sign language to someone’s who blind. Or what about the nurse with her Masters in anthropology…does that mean she works in geriatrics? And don’t forget the painful truth about love and sex. (“How long does it take to please a man in bed?” “Who cares?”  or “I’m not dirty, I just write that way.” And anything with the word “vajayjay” in it.). Lastly, even a little potty humor is okay now and then. (Did you change your underwear today? Really? With who?) It’s not about “mean,” it’s about “comic perspective.”

Don’t be afraid to die on stage. Take risks with your wisecracks on paper and with friends. Sometimes you’ll get a laugh. Other times you’ll crash and burn. It’s okay. The other night I was out with some fellow authors. (Caution: name-droppings ahead, watch your step…) Julie Leto, Kathy Carmichael, and I went to see Gena Showalter at a major booksigning event. This night, we had to go through the store’s security metal detectors to pay for the books to be signed. As we passed, the security alarm buzzer went off. I rolled my eyes, pointed to one of them (I won’t say which one), and said to the cashier, “It’s my friend’s IUD. It sets off the alarm everywhere we go. Airports. Courthouses. Jail.” Fortunately, it got a laugh. My friends are tolerant of my wisecracking. But I’ve “died”  before, too. It’s part of the process. So, if you don’t get the laugh, just keep going. Practice, practice, practice.

Assignment: If you want to flex your comedy muscles further, read a book on comedy, like Comic Toolbox by John Vorhaus.

So what about comedy in today’s market? Are you lamenting over the dark and dangerous books that are published because you write light and worry you’ll never find a home for your writing style? Do you long to add new funny words and catch phrases to your comic vocabulary that consists of ol’ standbys like, “sponge worthy,” “Not that there’s anything wrong with that,” and “I’ll be back?” And when grown adults fight on TV and it always ends with, “Well, he started it!” do you still laugh? (Gets me every time.)

Okay, so you have a story with amazing characters and a terrific plot, but it’s on the lighter side. Not so dark. Not so edgy. Not so sellable in today’s market. What’s a writer to do? You have three options.

Ride out the storm. Publishing is cyclical. Continue writing what you love and wait for “your time.” In the nineties, comedy was hot. It will be again. Have your manuscript(s) ready for the time to strike. Pay attention to rumblings and murmuring amid writers, readers, and publishing professionals. Listen for clues that people want humor back in their lives. Pay attention to what experts, like Sue Grimshaw and Barbara Vey, have to say about where the market might be headed. Look at what agents are requesting; this is a good indicator of what they believe they can sell. Look for any hints that they are on the lookout for humor or light books. Watch the sales on Publishers Marketplace/Lunch. Any funny mysteries selling? How about lighter paranormal romances featuring angels or goddesses instead of vampires? What’s the buzz at writers’ conferences? It may be all “dark” right now, but have patience as you continue writing light so you’ll be ready for when the market turns around.

Carve a niche. Sometimes it is up to you to pave the way for the next trend. Isn’t that what Helen Fielding  did when she wrote Bridget Jones Diary and jumpstarted chick lit? Didn’t Diana Peterfreund do the very same with Secret Society Girl and tap into the “new adult” market starving for good stories? Keep writing and consider submitting your work to editors or agents so you are lined up for that moment when an industry professional is looking for something new. A new voice. A new writer. A fresh new style of storytelling with some fun.

Adapt to your environment. You know your strengths and weaknesses as a writer and can decide if adapting is best for you. This harkens back to the “book of the heart” versus “book of the market” debate. Adapting isn’t for the faint of heart. But if you are savvy, write fast, have a complete manuscript under your belt, and are confident enough to combine your comedic elements with the dark, edgy stories of today, then go for it. If comedy is your weapon of choice, why not try a little gallows humor? The more grim the situation, the better your material. When the villain holds the machete up to the spunky heroine’s throat, and she says, “Let’s not lose our heads over this…” I’m gonna like her. You’ll add your own spin to the darker tale. However, if adapting would make you crazy, force you into writing something you hate, or “mess with your swing,” then stick with what you love, because comedy is no laughing matter.

Those are your three options. And no, “shrivel up and die” is not an option, o’ feisty one. When choosing an option, decide what is important to you. Talk to other writers. Start dialogue with agents and editors at venues like conferences and workshops. Study your favorite authors. How are they handling this topsy-turvy market? Are they sticking to what they do best despite the market? Or are they prolific enough to jump on trends? Are they adapting by taking their strengths and applying them to what is selling today?

As you make your plan of action, continue doing what you love while you develop your comedy writing skills. And if you’re a glutton for punishment and crave more comedy tips, see Secrets of Romantic Comedy at Manuscript Mavens. But for now, let’s wrap up with a joke:

How many romance writers does it take to screw in a light bulb? Four. One to screw it in and three more to form a critique group to come up with a better euphemism for “screw.”

Final Assignment:  Can you list the comedic hooks in the following movies?

Knocked Up

Notting Hill

The Holiday

The Proposal

The Wedding Planner

What a Woman Wants

While You Were Sleeping

Share your answers to any of Kimberly’s assignments. Or feel free to ask her questions!

Be sure to come by for Monday’s lecture when author Karin Harlow will give us the scoop on what’s really happening in the world of New York publishing these days.

***

Kimberly’s Bio:

Known as “the Wedding Writer,” Kimberly Llewellyn is the author of five novels: three romances and two comedic women’s fiction novels (Tulle Little, Tulle Late and The Quest for the Holy Veil). She has worked with four major New York publishing houses: Avalon, Berkley (Penguin/Putnam), Kensington, and Prentice Hall (nonfiction). Additionally, she’s worked as a corporate writer and has published short stories and articles with various publications, including the St. Petersburg Times. She speaks at reader festivals, teaches writing workshops, and gives online chats when time allows. She promotes the joy of writing to the TV media, radio, newspapers, and magazines. She is the author of  I Want to Be an Author: Now What? offering insider hints and tips that will shave months and even years off a writer’s road to publication. Available June 2010. Fing Kimberly at: http://www.kimberlyllewellyn.com/, Twitter ((offers daily writing tips) http://twitter.com/KimLlewellyn, Facebook http://www.facebook.com/KimberlyLlewellynBooks, and CleverDivas.com.

Welcome our second look at the erotic romance sub-genre. If you missed Eden Bradley’s lecture on erotic romance earlier this month, be sure to hit it as well. Read on for New York Times bestselling author Angela Knight’s insights and predictions on the erotic romance. Welcome, Angela!

Kelsey: What’s your opinion of the state of erotic romance today?

Angela:  Anybody who walks into the romance section of a bookstore can probably answer that.  You’ve got historicals and erotic romance with paranormal or romantic suspense in various doses.  So erotic romance is still hot.

Kelsey: How do you think this sub-genre has changed in the last five years?

Angela: There’s a lot more erotic romance out there now than there used to be, which makes it more difficult to stand out from the crowd and establish a following.  This means that you have to be more than erotic or kinky or whatever – you’ve got to write books that give something more than a warm, wet feeling below the waist.  Your books need a solid plot and a solid romantic conflict so the reader wonders whether the heroic couple is going to get their happily ever after.  And then they get a good Happily Ever After ending that makes the reader feel good.

Kelsey: What advice do you have for writers who want to break into this sub-genre? Any trends writers should avoid or embrace?

Angela: It depends on what you’re targeting.  If you’re trying to break into e-publishing, readers want what they can’t get in the bookstores.  That means male/male romances, which NY still isn’t accepting.  Or you can go really, really balls-to-the-wall hot with BDSM, etc.  But that’s tricky as hell to write, because if you go too far, you get a creep for a hero.  You have to make sure you have a reason for this guy to want to use a riding crop on his lover beyond wanting to hear a woman scream in pain.  A good safe reason is because he knows it’s what SHE wants. You must clearly establish his primary considerations are A.) it’s what she wants and B.) that she’s safe when he gives it to her.  So even as he’s playing at being a dominant bastard, he’s watching her like a hawk to make sure he isn’t really hurting her. 

If you’re going for NY publishers, you need to make sure you’re hot, but you stay away from things that are going to squick most readers.  That means no icky bodily fluids, except  blood (if he’s a vampire). And NY houses still aren’t really doing gay romances for the most part. 

I think the real key to standing out in either e-pubbing or NY is to be really creative.  Think WHY these characters need to do what they do sexually.  Make it IMPORTANT to them.  Next, see what other writers are doing, and DON’T DO IT THAT WAY.  Find a way that’s outside the box.  I took King Arthur and made him a vampire.  Nobody was doing that.  So if everybody is doing vampires in leather, for God’s sake, do not do vampires in leather. 

Example: I decided to do a werewolf novella a couple of years ago, and I decided that instead of doing the standard wolfie, I would do a werewolf in the future.  They used nanobot engineering to make him a werewolf. Then I had to come up a reason why they did that.  Well, the world he lived on was so insanely hostile, you had to be a werewolf to survive. 

Then to make it kinky, I decided he’d been captured and enslaved, and the heroine buys him. To keep her sympathetic, I decided she bought him because she needs a bodyguard she can absolutely trust because she controls him.   You see how this works. 

THINK ABOUT IT.  Do NOT use the first thing that pops into your head, because odds are, that’s a cliché.  That’s why they call them clichés.  Original is the fourth or fifth thing you think of, not the first. 

Then take your time plotting, and find a really fun way to accomplish your goal.  The more fun you have, the more fun the reader will have.  

Kelsey: Do you have any insight on “erotic romance friendly” agents and publishers?

Angela: There are a lot of them now.  For e-pubs, I like Changeling Press and Loose Id, because I know the owners and they’re not going to screw you.  For agents, Deidre Knight is good, and of course my own Roberta Brown, but I’m not sure Roberta is acquiring. For NY, there is Berkley Heat, of course, as well as many others.

Kelsey: What do you love about writing erotic romance and what do readers tell you they love about your books?

Angela:  I love the challenge.  The one thing people bitch about most when writing love scenes is that it’s all tab A in Slot B. To me, that’s what makes it challenging. 

Don’t just tick through the positions: okay, we did it missionary before, so this time we’ll do it standing up against the wall.  You want to vary it, but your real approach needs to be how will these two people make love differently than anybody else you’ve written?  Because no couple makes love the same way. 

Sex is like a song.  All songs are made up of notes, right?  But songs are wildly different depending on who is singing those notes, and what kind of song they’re singing.  How will your people sing differently?

Kelsey: What do you think it takes to be a NYT bestselling author of erotic romances?

Angela:  I guess it takes not doing the really easy thing.  You need to give your characters strong internal, external and romantic conflicts, which interact to create a plot that is about more than sex.  And you need to have solid writing skills that you actively develop.

Join RWA and Passionate Ink, the Erotic Romance chapter of RWA, and go to every class at Nationals you can get into your schedule.  Or if you can’t afford that, go to Bill Stephens Productions and cough up $100 for the year’s set of CDs that have every Nationals session on them. Or download the individual sessions if that’s all you can afford. But the session CDs are the best buy.  I get the CDs every year, and I always learn something from them. Find them here: https://www.billspro.com/order/rwa/index.html

Kelsey: What are your predictions for erotic romance in the next one to three years?

Angela:  I think NY will eventually start doing M/M.  Other than that, I have no clue.  I think they’ll be doing whatever is big in E-publishing now.  And I think e-publishing is the wave of the future, because it’s environmentally and economically a much better way to go.  No print costs, no shipping costs, no overhead except for the cost of editing and doing covers and running a website.  And when the reader is through with the books, they don’t end up in landfills. 

The problem is preventing piracy, which is a bitch and a half.

I want to thank you for inviting me to blog with you, and I want to invite all of you to my website, http://www.angelasknights.com/.  You’ll find excerpts of my books, including my book on writing, as well as my artwork of computer generated hunks.  Thanks!

Angela Knight

***

Thanks again to Angela for hanging out with us at RU. Readers, what questions do you have for her about erotic romance or avoiding the “easy out” in your writing?

Be sure to stop in tomorrow when debut paranormal romance author Laurie London chats with us about her agent search. Her agent, Emmanuelle Alspaugh, has agreed to drop in as well!

Angela’s Bio:

Angela Knight is the New York Times bestselling author of books for Berkley, Red Sage, Changeling Press, and Loose Id. Her first book was written in pencil and illustrated in crayon; she was nine years old at the time. A few years later, she read The Wolf and the Dove and fell in love with romance. Besides her fiction work, Angela’s publishing career includes a stint as a comic book writer and ten years as a newspaper reporter. Several of her stories won South Carolina Press Association awards under her real name.

In 1996, she discovered the small press publisher Red Sage, and realized her dream of romance publication in the company’s Secrets 2 anthology. She went on to publish several more novellas in Secrets before editor Cindy Hwang discovered her work there and asked her if she’d be interested in writing for Berkley. Not being an idiot, Angela said yes.

Angela lives in South Carolina with her husband, Michael, a polygraph examiner and hostage negotiator for the county’s Sheriff’s Office. The couple have a grown son, Anthony.

Welcome to another fantastic installment of RU’s yearlong series of lectures on different romance fiction sub-genres. Today’s post focuses on the erotic romance. Read on for author Eden Bradley’s insights and predictions on the erotic romance. Welcome, Eden!

Kelsey: What’s your opinion of the state of erotic romance today?

Eden: The market has been a bit glutted in the last few years, which happens when any new sub-genre is introduced and becomes popular. The same thing happened with chick lit a few years ago. Publishers are cutting production in response to tough economic times, and erotic romance has definitely taken a hit. But when the field narrows, the cream will rise to the top, and I believe the end result is that readers are getting higher quality fiction. Publishers are being very choosy in taking on new authors, and even an in-house author must write really amazing stories to get a new contract.

Kelsey: How do you think this sub-genre has changed in the last five years?

Eden: While the e-publishers have always been willing to take risks with more challenging material, New York has been slower to follow suit, for obvious reasons. Higher overhead means taking a risk can cost them a lot more money. But as publishers are coming to understand what readers are looking for in erotic romance, they are allowing writers to take more chances with their work, to approach more difficult subject matter. We’re seeing a lot of male/male erotic romance, ménage, and one of my last Bantam/Delta novels, A 21^ST CENTURY COURTESAN, and my first Harlequin Spice novel, THE LOVERS, (out in January 2011), contain female/female scenes, which is something most New York publishers have shied away from in the past. Writers are getting to write more outside the box as publishers discover how open-minded readers are, and how interested they are in exploring sexual ideas in their reading they might not want to approach in real life.

Kelsey: What advice do you have for writers who want to break into this sub-genre? Any trends writers should avoid or embrace?

Eden: In years past I would have advised to write the book of your heart and find a market for it. But because of the economic climate in publishing right now, if you really want to get published, write to market. Find out what’s selling, and if it’s not completely outside of your comfort zone, give it a try. Get your foot in the door, then, when things calm down and business improves, you’ll have an established relationship with an editor and you’ll have more freedom to write that book of your heart.

As far as trends, understand that any book on the shelf was probably contracted one to two years earlier, so what was a trend then may have passed now. Pay attention to editor and agent blogs, go to writer’s conferences and hear what editors are asking for now. And talk to published authors when you can. Our editors and agents keep us current on market demands.

Again, e-publishers are a bit more flexible, and their production process is much faster, so in e-books, reading a publisher’s newest releases will give you a good idea of what’s selling-and what sells in e-books and New York are often two different things! Always do your research.

Kelsey: Do you have any insight on “erotic romance friendly” agents and publishers?

Eden: Again, writers should do their research, but the Internet makes that easy. Most agents will have their client list on their website, so you can see who they represent and what genres they sell in. Finding out which publishers deal with erotic romance is even easier. Just go to Amazon and look under erotic romance. Print books and many e-books are listed there, although there are a number of e-book publishers who aren’t on Amazon. But if you Google erotic romance you’ll get a ton of information.

Networking with other writers is probably the best way to get current information. For instance, if you look me up on Amazon you’ll find a number of erotic novels from Bantam/Delta, but they dropped erotica at the end of 2008, so the information has changed since those books were released. Other writers are also very willing to share information about things like calls for submissions. There are a number of ways to connect with writers online and in person, including joining Romance Writers of America, or places like Romance Divas, an amazing romance writer’s website and discussion forum with over 3,000 members.

Kelsey: What do you love about writing erotic romance and what do readers tell you they love about your books?

Eden: I love getting inside my character’s heads and seeing what makes them tick-that’s what fascinates me. And since people are their most vulnerable in intimate situations, sex is a great catalyst for self-discovery. Sexual chemistry is a crucial element to explore in a developing relationship, whether the sex scenes are on the page or behind closed doors. But so much happens between two people during sex that I think the reader misses important elements in the relationship arc if they don’t get to ‘see’ it happen. Plus, it’s just plain fun to write!

Readers have told me how a well-written sex scene can draw them into the story and into the character’s heads, making for deeper emotional impact, which is always the goal of a romance author. And I’ve had a lot of reader email that addresses how they love to sink into the sexual fantasies on the page, giving them a chance to explore things they wouldn’t dare to try themselves.

One of my favorite themes to explore is BDSM and other forms of ‘extreme’ sex. I think this just raises the emotional stakes and makes for greater depth of character. And it’s always a great seller. I’m working with Berkley Heat under my new pen name, Eve Berlin, and writing very romance-focused BDSM books for them. My first Eve book, PLEASURE’S EDGE, will be out in October 2010. Some of my most popular Eden books have always been BDSM-themed, and the Eve books are really written in direct response to reader demand.

Kelsey: What are your predictions for erotic romance in the next one to three years?

Eden: I think that as the economy recovers—I know I keep going back to that, but it’s had a huge impact on the publishing industry—we’ll see erotic romance lines expanding and producing more books, and New York publishers taking on more challenging themes. I don’t think this is the sort of trend that will disappear after readers have had their fill, as happens so often with other sub-genres. I truly believe that the blossoming of the erotic romance market is a direct reflection of modern women becoming more comfortable with sex and their perception of themselves as sexual beings. And that’s not going away any time soon.

***

So RU readers, what are your opinions of the state of the erotic romance? Would you like to see more? Who are your favorite authors in this sub-genre? Eden will stop by on and off today to answer questions.

Be sure to stop by Monday when author CJ Redwine provides another amazing query letter critique!

Eden’s Bio:

Eden Bradley writes dark, edgy and often romantic erotic fiction. The author of a number of novels, novellas and short stories, Eden writes for Harlequin Spice, Bantam/Delta, Berkley Heat (as both Eden Bradley and Eve Berlin), Samhain Publishing and Phaze Publishing. Her novel FORBIDDEN FRUIT was profiled in Cosmopolitan magazine, and several of her books have been Romantic Times Top Picks. Her debut novel, THE DARK GARDEN, has been praised as ‘…the most beautifully written BDSM novel ever…’, and was a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award nominee.

Eden appears regularly on Playboy Radio’s ‘Night Calls’, and conducts workshops on writing sex, writing craft and world building. When she’s not writing, you can find her wandering museums, shopping for shoes and reading everything she can get her hands on. A California native, Eden lives in Hollywood. You can visit her websites: http://www.edenbradley.com/  , http://www.eveberlin.com/ or her group blog: http://www.smutketeers.com/.

Welcome to Chaos Theory of Writing! Today, we bring you our final discussion on the state of historical romance in today’s market. I’m excited to introduce you to award-winning author Hope Tarr and Harlequin Blaze Senior Editor Brenda Chin. Both ladies have graciously agreed to stop by and answer your questions about Victorian-set romances and, of course, any general questions you have regarding historical romance.

Photo by BizUrban.com

Hope and Brenda, the class is yours!

Tracey: How would you define the historical subgenre?

Hope: When I sold my first romance novel, A ROGUE’S PLEASURE, back in 1999 the industry standard for an ‘historical” was a book set in any era up to 1900.  That said, as we “travel” farther and farther in time from that 1900 “cut off,” we are seeing World War I and even World War II set romances under the rubric of historical. I anticipate that will continue into the decade. And I think that’s pretty cool.

I don’t believe that 1900 is sacrosanct any longer.  In the spirit of embracing “shades of gray,” I’d say a romance novel is historical if it aims to transports the reader back to an era viewed as bygone.  Eventually the 1980’s will be considered “historical.” Scary, huh?

Tracey: What is your opinion of the state of this subgenre today?

Hope: At the risk of starting out with a cliché, the pendulum swings.  I’ve been in this business as a published author for more than a decade, so plenty long enough to remember the mid 1990’s when paranormal was “dead.” Literally, no editor or agent would touch a paranormal manuscript. Not so long ago, historical were supposedly dead, too. There was a flight of historical authors, including a number of bestsellers, to contemporary, chick lit, and “romantic suspense.” A lot or at least some of those authors have returned to writing historical. And recently there’s been a dialogue unfolding as to whether the contemporary can be revived. In point, Sarah Wendell (Smart Bitches, Trashy Books) will co-lead a panel discussion on bringing back the contemporary at the Romantic Times BOOK Lovers Convention this April-May.

Tracey: What sub-genres do you feel are hot right now?  What’s not?

Hope: Paranormal is “hawt.” That’s a no-brainer. Mash-ups are huge at the moment, but I think we’re seeing them at peak. I expect they’ll crest soon so unless writing a mash-up is your passion and/or you can write one really, really quickly, I wouldn’t push it. Historicals and contemporaries are in a bit of flux but hey, they’re the bread-and-butter of traditional romance, and so I don’t see them going anywhere.

Tracey: Do you see any trends writers should avoid? Move toward?

Hope: I think writers should avoid writing to trends, any trends, unless they feel some authentic passion for the subgenre. If you’re er…faking it, agents and editors will pick up on that in a heartbeat. And odds are by the time your manuscript is out there the trend will have crested or worse still, taken a dive. My best advice is to be market savvy by all means but write what you love.

Tracey: What do you like best about this subgenre? The least?

Hope: Like most writers, I started out as a passionate reader and yes, the romance historical was and is my first love. I think most readers like to learn something when they read—I know I do—even from material that’s purely for pleasure. Good historical fiction presents history in not only a painless but a vibrant way.  It provides that complete vacation (note, I don’t say “escape,” which always sounds so pejorative) from one’s day-to-day life, as though the author has led the reader on a private tour, a mini-break adventure.  I love that!

What do I like least? How certain eras and settings e.g., Regency England become sacrosanct while others e.g., Ancient Egypt become taboo or close to it.  How you write one or two books set in a certain time period and suddenly you can find yourself labeled (AKA pigeonholed) as “that Regency writer” or “the chick who writes Victorian romances.”

Tracey: How do you think this subgenre has changed in the last five years?

Hope: The bravery, the expansion, has been tremendous! I love that heroines no longer need be virgins (though it’s certainly fine if they are), of noble blood, or even all that young.  I admire writer buddies like Diane Perkins W/A Diane Gaston who held out and had the heroine of her first book, THE MYSTERIOUS MISS M, be a prostitute—not a mistaken identity prostitute but a real one—in order to support her young son. I love how historical heroines are, more and more, rescuing themselves, and how that self-sufficiency in no way obviates their very human, very timeless quest for love.

Tracey: Advice you have for writers who want to break into this sub-genre?

Hope signing at the December 2009 Lady Jane's Salon, Soho, NY

Hope: See my advice (above) about not writing to trends. Added to that, know the time period (or periods) in which you’re writing and know them well—very well.  Beyond anything, remember to relax and have fun with it—the clothes, the funky period furnishings, the posting inns and propriety, the whole lot of it.  Writing is supposed to be fun, after all.

***

Thank you, Hope and Brenda!

RU Readers, what do you like best about how historical romance has changed over the last few years? What would you like to see more of? Remember, Hope and Brenda will stop by periodically to answer questions.

Join us Monday for C.J. Redwine’s next query letter critique.

Hope’s Bio:

Hope Tarr is the award-winning author of thirteen historical and contemporary romance novels and one novella. Look for the latter, TOMORROW’S DESTINY in a Victorian Christmas anthology with Jacquie D’Alessandro and Betina Krahn due out this December 2010. Hope is also a co-founder of Lady Jane’s Salon, New York City’s first (and so far only) monthly romance reading series. Visit her online at www.HopeTarr.com.

Welcome to Crafting Your Career! Today, we continue our discussion on the state of historical romance with New York Times Bestselling author Laura Lee Guhrke. Laura’s graciously agreed to give us her take this ever-changing subgenre and what she likes best about the Edwardian (1901-1910) period.

The class is yours, Laura!

Tracey: How would you define the historical subgenre?

Laura: I think definitions of what’s “historical” are broadening again. It’s still basically the 19^th century Regency and Victorian periods, but we are seeing some ventures into the 18^th century Georgian (Eloisa James’ Duchess series comes to mind). And some authors, including myself are pushing into the Edwardian era of the early 20^th century. Location, however, is still staying pretty close to British Isles only. I hope that widens out again, too. We’ll see. Other elements of setting are broadening out a bit. Some paranormal has been appearing in historical settings, although that might be easing back again now. We’ve got some Steampunk elements popping up in the classic Victorian, a trend which might be helped by the new Sherlock Homes movie. We’ll have to see how it goes.

Tracey: What is your opinion of the state of this subgenre today?

Laura: Historicals, IMO, are always a staple of romance. In the 16 years I’ve been published, I’ve heard again and again that the historical is dead, and it’s always a serious miscalculation. Personally, I think we may have hit critical mass with Regency settings, but maybe not.

Tracey: What sub-genres or sub-genre crossovers are hot right now?  What’s not?

Laura: Heck, I’m not the person to ask about what’s hot and what’s not. I keep track of basic trends, but in the end, I write what excites me, I try to craft the best story I can, and I hope readers like the result. I don’t, I can’t, make my decisions about what to write based on what’s hot right this minute. First, by the time I write the book and it’s published, what was hot probably won’t be, and second, I can’t write based on what other people think. I just can’t. I have to write what inspires me, so I am not the best barometer of what’s hot and what’s yesterday’s news. Editors are much better at that than I am.

Tracey: Do you see any trends writers should avoid? Move toward?

Laura: Again, I don’t follow trends. I strive to write what excites and motivates me, and I advise anyone wanting to be a published author to do the same. Now, I’m not saying we shouldn’t pay attention to the market, because anyone who wants to sell anything should know their market. That’s just good business sense. So, what I advise is for every author to strike a personal balance between what’s the new trend and what’s uniquely you. If you are comfortable tweaking your style or your story to suit the current market trend, do so by all means. But don’t force your writing into established pigeonholes just because you think that’s what will guarantee a sale to a publisher. Agents steer authors in that direction all the time, saying write this or write that because it’s “hot.” They are trying to get the sale, obviously, but 9 times out of 10, it’s a mistake, because storytelling skill and voice trump commercial considerations every time. On the other hand, know that by writing the book of your heart, you may severely limit your chances to sell to a publishing house. It’s all about striking that fine balance. To know where you stand in terms of commercial appeal, read the books on the USA Today Bestseller’s List as often as you can. That way, you’ll be able to see what’s selling. That’s how you know if you’re in the mainstream, marketing-wise.

Tracey: What do you like best about this subgenre? The least?

Laura: What do I like about historicals? Love everything about them. I love the gowns, the moral dilemmas, the etiquette, the politics, the art, the music…The subgenre I am currently writing in (Edwardian) is very exciting to me because so much was going on. I love having motorcars and ragtime in my books. It’s fun. I’m glad I’m able to write it. I don’t like how narrow the historical settings have become (only Britain, only these decades), but the brutal truth is that’s what’s selling now. If you want to be published, you must acknowledge that. It’s like the old adage: know the rules first. Then, break them with full knowledge of what you’re doing. Speaking personally, as a reader, I wish there was more variety in time and setting.

Tracey: How do you think this sub-genre has changed in the last five years?

Laura: As I said above, I think boundaries are stretching out a little bit. Erotica was very hot, but I think it might be cooling down a bit. It’s still a very rigid book market. Publishers are not taking very many chances in terms of setting or time. A great writer can overcome that, but a mediocre writer cannot.

Tracey: Do you have any other words of wisdom you’d like to share about the historical market?

Laura: Write, write, write. Read, read, read. Write some more. And don’t keep fiddling with the same story for five years. Finish your story, send it off to every agent or publisher that would be interested in it, and once it’s in the mail, FORGET ABOUT IT. Write something new, send that out, and keep going forward. That’s what you have to do once you sell, so you might as well learn to do it before you sell. Also, learn your strengths and play to them. Learn to innovate within the rigid framework of the market. Read widely of the period you are writing in, especially novels or plays contemporary to the time. And try to remember to have fun.

* * *

RU Readers, what do you think? Any thoughts on the Edwardian period? What combination of historical crossover do you like?

Don’t miss the first installment tomorrow (Extra Credit Tuesdays!) of a Debut Author’s Journey with Laurie London. Laurie lets us ride shotgun while she travels the road to publication.

Laura’s Bio:

New York Times Bestselling author Laura Lee Guhrke spent seven years in advertising, had a successful catering business, and managed a construction company before she decided writing novels was more fun. The author of fifteen historical romances, Laura has received many literary awards, including romance fiction’s highest honor, the Rita Award. When she’s not writing, Laura spends her time skiing the slopes, wakeboarding across the lakes and fly fishing the streams of her beautiful home state of Idaho. She loves hearing from readers, and you may write to her by visiting her website: www.lauraleeguhrke.com.

We welcome back Christy Reece, author of romantic suspense, who talked with us last August about breaking in as a new writer. Christy’s first Last Chance Rescue trilogy was released in 2009 and the series continues with three additional books this year. Recently, her publisher offered a third deal for three more Last Chance Rescue books to be released Spring/Summer 2011. Christy is generously giving away two copies of NO CHANCE and two copies of RESCUE ME to lucky commenters today!

Christy, thank you for taking time out of your incredibly busy schedule to be with us today!

Hi Kelsey, it’s great to be with you today. Thanks for asking me back.

Kelsey: Christy, would you explain back-to-back book releases for our readers who might not be familiar with the concept?

Christy: The books are released in a short time span, usually one a month. My first trilogy was released April, May and June 2009. The second one will be released February, March and April 2010. 

Kelsey: How was the decision made to release your first trilogy back-to-back?

Christy: When I pitched to my agent, I had one book completed and had started on the second. Since the backdrop of the books is an organization, Last Chance Rescue, she saw the potential for a series. When she submitted to editors, she pitched it as a trilogy. Ballantine has been enormously successful with introducing debut authors with back-to-back trilogies. I was fortunate that they made the offer for three books and wanted to release them back-to-back.

Kelsey: How much time were you given to complete the first series? Subsequent series? And did you have any input in the time frame? 

Christy: For the first trilogy, I had a lot of time. I sold in July 2007, but the first book, RESCUE ME, wasn’t released until April 2009. When I sold, I was almost finished with RETURN TO ME, so I turned it in early. That gave me almost a year to write RUN TO ME.

The second trilogy was a much shorter time frame. I contracted for the books in December 2008 and the due dates were June, August and October 2009.

I won’t say it was easy, because it wasn’t. But Ballantine wanted me to have six books come out within a twelve-month timeframe. I was thrilled with their support and never considered saying no.

Kelsey: Can you give us a feel for your start to finish timeline with each book and how that overlaps with other books? For example, marketing the first book and writing the third while editing the second.

Christy: Ninety percent of my time is spent on writing and only about ten percent on marketing. Other than my website, which I blog on twice a week, the only other thing I’m active with is Facebook. I have a special page, Dark Romantic Suspense by Christy Reece, I use for special announcements such as contests and new releases.

For the first trilogy, I did no advertising or promotion. With this new trilogy, I am doing some advertising and a blog tour, but most of my focus must still be the writing. Since I don’t always know when copy edits and page proofs will arrive, taking advantage of open time is especially important.

Start-to-finish timelines depend upon the book. Each story has its own personality and depending on how the story comes to me, that’s the amount of time it takes to write it. Of course, I have to pay attention to the deadline of each one, but I love to finish a book a few weeks before deadline so I can let it sit. Going back a few weeks after finishing and reading it again can give such a differently fresh perspective. However, it’s been a while since I’ve had that luxury. There is a definite overlap of writing one book and having to stop because copy edits or page proofs arrive on another book. But that’s the nature of the job. You shift gears and do what you have to do.

Kelsey: You mentioned in your first interview with us that you completed Rescue Me in two weeks by using Candace Haven’s fast draft method. Do you use that method for drafting all your books?

Christy: Oh, I wish I could. I’ve learned that each book has its own process. RESCUE ME was in my head for months, so when Candy’s class came along, I was ready to write it and it came quickly. RETURN TO ME took about five months to write and RUN TO ME took more than nine months.

In my new trilogy, NO CHANCE took only about seven weeks and that included two revisions my editor suggested, but SECOND CHANCE took a year. I wrote LAST CHANCE in about ten weeks, which included one revision. So, for me, it really depends upon the story itself. How well do I know it and the characters? Is the story headed in the direction of my vision for it? It’s all about the individual’s story process and not so much about my writing process.

Kelsey: How do you keep track of your characters and storylines while working on more than one book?

Christy: Five of the six books I’ve written so far in the series were secondary characters in the books before them. So I know the characters well enough that I don’t get them confused. Noah McCall, the head of Last Chance Rescue, is the only reoccurring character. I’ve enjoyed watching him go from a hard, seemingly heartless man to the happily married husband and father he is now. But there’s still a steely streak he maintains to get the job done.

Though Last Chance Rescue is the backdrop, the characters and circumstances are varied and unique to the plot, making them distinctive enough that there’s no way to get them confused.

Kelsey: Do you have a specific system for managing your time each day? For example, writing new material at a certain time, working on promo activities at another time?

Christy: I wish I was a more organized writer, but my brain has a mind of its own. (smile) My routine is to check email, Facebook and blog comments before I start writing. Write for as long as the story flows, which could be ten minutes to two hours, take a break and then get back to it. Since Facebook is such a big promotional tool for me and I truly enjoy talking to people through it, I spend a lot of time on it, especially at night. Often, by nightfall, my mind is blurred so I can’t write. That’s when I do what little promotional things I do.

Kelsey: What do you like most about writing and releasing books in a back-to-back format?

Christy: I love the immediacy of pleasing readers. I understand getting invested or involved in a series and wanting the next book in my hands as soon as possible. It’s wonderful to be able to give them that.

With back-to-back books, the characters stay fresh in my mind, so I think that makes writing them a bit easier. And since new characters for the trilogy are introduced in the first or second book of each trilogy, I know them quite well.

Kelsey: How has your book release schedule impacted your personal life?

Christy: I’m fortunate to be able to write full time and my husband works long hours outside the house, so my focus can be on writing. When I started writing in 2001, other than working as a bookseller at Borders, it was my focus. In 2005, we relocated because of my husband’s career. I chose to not pursue another job for a while and concentrated fully on writing. When I sold, writing was already a full time job, I just wasn’t being paid for it.

Kelsey: Is it realistic to release three books a year on an ongoing basis?

Christy: I think it’s become much more common than one book a year. And some authors can write more than three. So far, three – four has been my limit. As long as I’m asked to write three a year and I can do it, then that’s what I plan to do. 

Kelsey: What advice do you have for other writers about back-to-back releases?

Christy: If you have the opportunity to have back-to-back releases, I think it can be a great boost to your career and garner attention you might not receive as a single release author.

However, it’s not for everyone and certainly not the only way to build a solid career. There is the added pressure of producing books faster than an author might want to write. You have to do what’s best for your lifestyle and what you want from your career.

Thanks so much for inviting me back again, Kelsey. I’ll be checking back frequently, in case anyone has questions. Feel free to ask me anything. And just a reminder that NO CHANCE, the first book in my new trilogy, comes out Tuesday, February 23.

RU crew, take this opportunity to pick Christy’s brain about back-to-back releases and her series. Don’t forget she’ll be giving away two copies of NO CHANCE and two copies of RESCUE ME to lucky commenters today!

Be sure to join me on Wednesday for a peek at men’s definitions of romance and how they’d like to be romanced by a woman!

Christy’s Bio:

Growing up in a tiny community in Alabama boasting only one stop sign and a gas station gave Christy ample opportunity to create daring adventures in her head. When she wasn’t thinking of her story characters, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys kept her entertained and out of trouble. Later came the chills of Stephen King and the thrills of John Grisham, but the romance genre always held a strong place in her heart.

After leaving her career with a major insurance company, the characters in her head came alive again and Christy decided to write her own stories. And now, she and her characters couldn’t be happier.

A member of Romance Writers’ of America, the Southern Magic RWA chapter, the KOD chapter, and International Thriller Writers, Christy lives in Alabama with her husband, two incredibly cute canines and one very shy turtle.

Today, we’re thrilled to have Nicole North join us to talk about a subject dear (okay, VERY dear) to my heart—writing hotter-than-August-in-Hades love scenes. To make things even hotter, Nicole has offered to give away a trade paperback copy of her anthology Secrets Volume 27 Untamed Pleasures to one US-based commenter. Comment by Sunday, February 14 at midnight CST to be eligible to win! And in case you want more of Nicole’s excellent advice on writing love scenes, she’s teaching two classes this spring: “Turn Up the Heat! Heightening Sexual Tension” in March and “Writing Hot Delicious Love Scenes” in April. See Nicole’s website for more info.

So let’s get to the good stuff!

Kelsey: Some writers are uncomfortable with writing love scenes. Do you have any suggestions for making the process easier for those writers?

Nicole: Thanks so much for inviting me and asking great questions! If a writer wants her book to be sensual or erotic, she needs to feel comfortable writing at that specific level, for her targeted market. If she isn’t comfortable, this will show through and the reader will be aware of this discomfort. (In other words, the reader will be uncomfortable reading it.) As a writer, if you blush simply reading a love scene, then reading them aloud, in private, should help. Gradually expand your comfort zone by reading and writing slightly hotter and hotter scenes.

Kelsey: How do you balance the emotional and physical aspects of a love scene?

Nicole: I blend and layer the emotional with the physical. Some beginners make the mistake of including only the physical in love scenes. This makes it come across as clinical or maybe even porn-like. But if we analyze a well-written love scene from a romance novel and highlight the different elements with a different color, we’ll find there are not only physical actions, but also emotions/thoughts/internalizations, reactions, five senses/ sensations, and dialogue. The scene needs a balance of elements. There should be about the same amount, if not more, of the emotional component compared to the physical. The reader wants to know how sex affects the characters internally. How does he/she feel about the other person? What are they experiencing as far as sensations? What do they see, hear, smell, etc. Some writers mistakenly treat the characters as if they no longer have a mind during sex. When, in fact, the mind is probably more active than the body at that time.

Kelsey: If every scene should have some component of conflict, how do you integrate conflict into a love scene?

Nicole: You can do this in several ways. Tying the main story (external/internal) conflict into the love scene brings tension and makes the scene necessary to the story. Sex should complicate the characters’ situation, internally and/or externally. The characters should hold something back (such as emotion or commitment) during the love scene, until the end of the story. If possible, use society’s or their families’ reaction to their sexual relationship to add more conflict. The conflict shouldn’t interfere with the sensuality or the emotional experience. The reader wants to enjoy a hot scene. But slipping in conflict and tension in a subtle way makes the scene far more interesting.

Kelsey: Where do you get your inspiration for writing these scenes?

Nicole: I’m not sure. The ideas pop into my head.  I have a psychology background and I love to delve down into the characters’ psyches and explore their behavior and emotions. My characters’ personalities and attitudes about sex guide me in how the love scenes play out. I like to give each of my heroines a different type of sexual history so we can see how that affects her interactions with the hero. In the case of Leslie from my novella Kilted Lover, she has settled for a boyfriend she’s incompatible with. They have no sexual chemistry and are more like friends. When she meets the hero, Scott, their attraction is scorching. She’s never experienced this type of sexual chemistry before and she’s more than intrigued. She’s not about to pass up the opportunity to see what this attraction could lead to, even though it means feeling some guilt in the process. The love scenes are sizzling-hot, yet playful and emotional. The unexpected passion forges a bond too deep to forget. These kinds of conflicted, sexual situations inspire me because I find them so fascinating.

Kelsey: Do you have any friends or family members who have reacted negatively to your “hot” writing?

Nicole: Aside from my husband, my family doesn’t read my stories. They’re very uptight and conservative. Most of my friends have said they enjoy my stories. So I haven’t had any negative reactions yet.

Kelsey: How do you keep your love scene writing fresh?

Nicole: I challenge myself to write slightly new and different things with each story. Perhaps a situation I haven’t written before. This applies to almost any aspect of a story. I don’t like writing the same thing over and over. I like to move into new territory. So even though it might be the same subgenre, I still want new elements, new things happening. That keeps it interesting and fresh for me (and the reader).

Kelsey: Could you offer suggestions on authors who write excellent love scenes to study?

Nicole: In my workshop, Writing Hot Delicious Love Scenes, I direct writers to many different authors and published books for examples, so I hesitate to mention only one or two. In general, most published love scenes are good. The best way is to find love scenes YOU love, then read them over and over to figure out why they work so well. Not everyone is going to like the same love scenes.

Kelsey: Any other advice you’d like to offer about writing love scenes?

Nicole: Just relax and have fun with it. If you enjoy writing love scenes, chances are the reader will enjoy reading them. And make sure you have plenty of emotion in the love scene. It doesn’t have to be love-type emotion. Lots of different emotions surface during sex. Explore them. Does anyone have questions about writing love scenes?

Okay, RU crew! This is your chance to get the down and dirty on writing fantastic love scenes, so fire away! Don’t forget, Nicole is giving away a copy of Secrets Volume 27 Untamed Pleasures to one US-based commenter.

Be sure to join me again on Monday when Christy Reece returns to RU to discuss back-to-back book releases, an increasingly common occurrence in the romance publishing scene!

Nicole’s Bio:

Nicole North’s erotic romance novellas have been described by reviewers as “exciting, high octane, captivating, scintillating, sinfully delicious and pure romance.” Her latest release from Red Sage, Kilted Lover, is contemporary erotic romance novella with a touch of paranormal. Her first story, Devil in a Kilt is in the anthology Secrets Volume 27 Untamed Pleasures, out now from Red Sage. The second novella in the series, Beast in a Kilt, will be in Secrets Volume 29, July 2010. Her works have finaled in over a dozen writing competitions and won several awards. She teaches online workshops about various aspects of writing, including sexual tension and how to write great love scenes. Though she has a degree in psychology, writing romance is her first love. Please visit her website at: www.nicolenorth.com.

It’s my great pleasure to welcome Kris Kennedy and her agent Barbara Poelle to Romance University. As many of you know, RU’s highlighting a different romance sub-genre each month, and February’s all about historical. Today, Kris and Barbara will touch on Medieval-set romances.

Following their interview, Kris has provided a wonderful lecture on what’s the worst thing that could happen in your story. Be sure to check out. Kris and Barbara will check in throughout the day to answer your questions.

Take it away, ladies!

Tracey: How would you define the historical/medieval subgenre?

Barbara: Um, High Necklines and Low morals.
(Okay, that one was just to make you laugh. I don’t want to answer that, I mean come on, the answer is in the question.)

Kris: Fortunately, yes, this one is an easy one.

Tracey: What is your opinion of the state of this subgenre today?

Barbara: The historical romance? Well it is definitely alive and well. There are indications that it has peaked but then there always seems to follow another swell in demand. As far as medievals in particular, I do hear people struggling to place them, but good writing is good writing. If the content and execution are phenomenal, the book will sell.

Kris: I am guessing too, that some of it a toss of the dice.  How many books of a certain, small subgenre does a certain editor or publisher already have?  There’s only so much space in publishers’ release schedules, and if they already have some great medievals, it being a smaller market, they might turn it down.

And since this is nothing you have control over, I think if you and your Muse *have* to write a medieval, then you’d better write a medieval. We need more great ones!  And then, Barbara can help find the right home for it.

Tracey: Do you think it’s hot right now?  Why or Why not?

Barbara: (I kind of answered this above)

Kris: I have no idea how to answer this, in part because it doesn’t really matter.   Anything I’d say would be a ‘trend,’ and since there’s no way to know if a trend is a trend, or a new strong subgenre, we writers can’t really follow that either.  Our course direction has to be to follow where our writing is strongest.

That being said, if you have it in you to write a unique paranormal, say,  as well as a medieval, I’m going to guess you’d have more marketing options with the paranormal.

Tracey: Do you see any trends writers should avoid? Move toward? Any advice for writers wanting to break into this subgenre?

Barbara: Our agency represents Linda Lael Miller who, as far as I am concerned, is the single best historical western romance writer out there, so my bar is set very, very high, but still I always shoot my mouth off saying I am looking for a western historical. The reality of it is, it would need to be spectacular for me to place it as Westerns aren’t as popular as the Regency or even Scottish as of late. If you are looking into breaking in I would stick with Regency England Historicals BUT I would research research research. Those readers are extremely well versed in the times and will nail an author to the wall if there is some question of plot or demeanor or even dress plausibility.

Kris: Whatever she says.

Tracey: Why do you represent this subgenre?  What else do you represent? Do you see any cross-over, any similairites?

Barbara: For whatever reason, my super powers extend pretty much only to historical romance. I seem to have a 6th sense for placing them with the right house. I am hideous at contemporary romance; I just don’t have a refined enough palate to have a sense for the good stuff in that one. I can do some paranormal, though. So that leads me to believe it is all about the world building. The attention to craft, technique and detail in both historicals and paranormals is so important and I can thrive within that.

Tracey: Do you have any insight in “historical-friendly” agents and editors?

Barbara: Um, me.

Kris: Um, her.   :-)   And as far as editors, Barbara will know them, and what they want.

Tracey: How do you think this sub-genre has changed in the last five years?

Barbara: I think the envelope is allowed to be pushed a little more each year, some of the love scenes are a little hotter, the heroines are a little feistier. I also think that I have seen the secondary characters become much more fully realized and personally I love that.

Kris: I agree.  Strong secondary characters can tweak out corners of the main protagonists in new ways, making the tapestry of the story world much richer.   Oh, and I’m very pleased by the move towards hotter stories.  I love them hot.

Tracey: What are your predictions for this subgenre in the next one to three years?

Barbara: Wow, well if I had those I would not be answering these questions I would be at the Kate Spade store across the street spending all of the money coming my way in the next one to three years. But here is the thing: if you have the ability to craft a fresh, original take on a concept that works, with an alpha hero and a determined heroine you have a shot and being part of the sub genre. Just make sure to research the era and READ in your genre.

Kris:  Oohh, when you’re at Kate Spade, can you pick me up pair of those red heels, with the black . . . Well, really, any pair will do . . .

It’s hard to keep hearing the same things over and over: write a great story.  Give it a relatable hook so we can know where to put it on a shelf, but . . . be Unique and Original!

It’s like trying to read tea leaves. Which is why . . . I don’t think we should do it.

Agents and editors really mean it when they say those things.  It really is that indefinable.  Good art often is.

Think about it.  Think about the stories you love to read.  Yes, you could probably explain what you loved about them, but that can’t be sufficient explanation, can it?  Because there are other stories out there with those same exact elements, that didn’t grab you.  Why?  Can you explain it in a way that would allow someone else to say, “Oky-doky!  Got it.  I’ll start doing that in my manuscripts from here on out.”

Probably not.  “Strong heroine” could be a thousand different things.  This is just one of those things.   You know it when you see it.

I think we writers should forget trends, forget the indefinables.

I think we should read craft books.  I think we should read books in the genre we want to write in.   Most importantly, I think we should write.  Lots.   Quantity produces quality. The more you do it, the better you will get.   (As long as you’re not banging your head against a wall, ignoring feedback and not evolving.)   It’s *exactly* like playing the piano. The more you play, the better you get.

And we should take risks in our writing.  Once you have the basic craft elements down, don’t be safe. Push your own personal envelope.   (More on one way to do this in my craft-related blog here at RU today, “I Mean Really . . . What’s The Worst That Could Happen?”)

And, if you know that you simply must write, then write.  Worry about writing, not selling.   I think the overwhelming focus on being published can actually be detrimental to us as craftswomen.   I don’t recall it being so strong when I first got involved with RWA, maybe 10 years ago.  Think about Story.   How do I write a great story?

Focus there, be persistent, be smart about it, and forget about trends.  Who knows what might happen?

Thanks so much for having us here!

* * *

Read on for Kris’ fabulous lecture:

I Mean Really . . . What’s The Worst That Could Happen?

A car chase?  The murderer walking in?   A slip of the tongue?  An army marching by and setting up camp beneath the tree where the hero and heroine are hiding and, ahem, engaged in other activities? (THE IRISH WARRIOR, June, ‘10, pg 266 )

Because whatever that ‘worst thing’ is, that’s what we need to do in our fiction.

In the scene you’re writing today, or the one you’re revising, have you really made the characters sweat?  Pushed them to their limits (as they are thus far revealed)?  Have you taken away the person the hero relies on, the quality the heroine depends on, the outcome they expected, and turned it all on its head?

If not, back to the drawing board.

This is part of what keeps readers reading.  And moreover, gets them really engaged and excited about the story.  Creates that feeling inside them of “No WAY!  What’s going to happen next?”   Makes them wave off the husband who comes in to ask about dinner and ignore the ringing phone for just one  . . . more . . . minute.   Unable to resist,  they do what we writers NEED them to do, if we want a career in the publishing world: They Turn The Page.

Voila.  A page-turner.

To my mind, this is especially important in genre fiction, because the reader already *knows* how everything’s going to turn out. Hel-LO, it’s a romance. He gets the girl.  She gets the boy.  They live Happily Ever After, or at least with a real hope of it.

And yet, even in genre fiction, one of the things that keeps people reading is the tension that arises from a story question on each page.

You don’t need to have car chases or vampiric attacks on every page (please feel free to do these things, but they’re not required, unless you have vampires who need to attack and such.)  In fact, stories with the most explosions (speaking metaphorically) don’t always sell with the most astonishing results, because there was never any tension in the reader.  What *is* required is a certain level of tension within the reader, a feeling of “There’s  a story question here and I have to see it answered.”

And one of the most fun, effective ways to do it is make bad stuff happen to your characters.

Whhheeee! It’s like being at an amusement park.  No, really.

(And, lest my enthusiasm for Terrible Things Happening To Good People lead you to think I believe it’s the only ingredient  to creating reader involvement, I’ll say right now, I know it’s not.   For instance,  it helps if readers care about your characters.  So you have to write compelling protagonists.  Just as a for instance.  But this blog is about making those compelling protagonists suffer, which is the fun part.  And, not coincidentally, it leads to creating characters readers care about, so it’s a very cool feedback loop.)

Making things bad for our characters can be difficult for us writers.  Without even knowing it, we take it easy on them.  They planned to make it home from work that night, and, lo and behold, they make it home from work that night.

Bo-o-o-ring.  I mean, maybe *sometimes* they can make it home from work.  Like, say, on Tuesdays.

But if you want a page turner, you may want to turn up the heat, throw them some curve balls, do the unexpected, take away whatever they thought they needed, then push them  in the river when they don’t know how to swim.  And oh my goodness, did you say a flash flood is coming??

Whatever expectations you set up at the start of the scene or chapter, try blowing them out of the water, and see what happens.   Whatever goals you had for them, ensure they do not achieve them, and in the most uncomfortable ways imaginable.

A simple test for your current scene:

Are your characters’ scene-by-scene goals being answered with one of the following?

~ Yes, but . . .

~ No.

Or, my favorite,

~ No, and furthermore . . .

Oh, yes!  Yes, yes, yes!  Now, that’s some Story fun.

If your characters are achieving their goals as planned in each scene, you can very likely ramp up the tension and get your readers engaged more deeply by trying this approach.

Again, I’m not talking the literary equivalent of “24”.  Your story can be a very ‘quiet’ one, with two people simply trying to avoid falling in love.  But within that framework, there need to be story questions that keep the reader engaged.

What’s the last thing your heroine successfully accomplished, or that went as planned?   Her alarm clock going off on time?  Her winning the case?  The carriage arriving on time for the ball?   Did she talk to a friend and does she feel better now?   Stop that.

Make her fail.  Put a bigger obstacle in her way, one that has to stop her dead in her track, make her readjust course, into a brick wall. Or better yet, the hero!

And who about him?  What’s he got going on?

Did the boat arrive at the dock as expected?  Is the castle gate open?    Did he plan to wear clothes to work today?  And were they all hanging there in his closet as expected?  Darn.   Was his side-kick a reliable and trustworthy side-kick, with no personal agendas or ulterior motives, not thwarting the hero in any way, even for the best of reasons?

Did they person they went to for help give them help?  Did they get the information they needed?  Did the army about to camp beneath the tree they’re hiding in move on and camp somewhere else?  (In draft versions #1-43 of THE IRISH WARRIOR, they did.  Then, to my surprise, they decided to camp beneath the tree, and holy moley . . . .)

Give it a try with the scene you’re working on today.  Or, if you hit a boring, ho-hum patch in your manuscript, go back about 2 chapters, and make something that went well, go poorly.   Make something that went as planned, go awry.  Make the army camp beneath the tree.  Mix it up.

Push them in the river and don’t teach them how to swim.  That’s why we’re reading.  We want to watch them learn.

* * *

RU Readers, what do you think? Are medievals hot? Will you give Kris’ technique of making something good go bad?

In February, we’ll also highlight we’ll highlight Regency/Edwardian and Victorian periods. Check our lecture schedule for the dates.

Be sure to stop back on Monday to chat with 2009 RWA Bookseller of the Year Rosemary Potter. She’ll tell us what draws her to a book and how authors can make their books stand out.

Kris’ Bio:
Kris Kennedy writes sexy, adventure-filled medieval romances for Kensington and Pocket Books.  Her debut book, THE CONQUEROR, came out May ‘09.  Her second, THE IRISH WARRIOR, was the winner of RWA’s 2008 Golden Heart ® Award for Best Historical Romance, and releases June ‘10.   Kris loves hearing from readers–stop by her website  http://www.kriskennedy.net/, sign up for her newsletter, and say Hi!

Barbara’s Bio:
Barbara Poelle began her publishing career as a freelance copywriter and editor before joining the Irene Goodman Agency in 2007, but feels as if she truly prepared for the industry during her brief stint as a stand-up comic in Los Angeles. She has found success placing thrillers, literary suspense, historical romances, humorous/platform driven non-fiction, and upmarket fiction and is actively seeking her next great client in those genres, but is passionate about anything with a unique voice. Barbara has a very hands on approach with the craft and editorial details of the books she represents, and loves working with her clients to take their writing to the next level.