Get Your Crafty Little Hooks in 'em!

Some have asked, "What in the heck is a 'hook' and do I need one?"

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition has 7 definitions for the noun (we won't mess with the verb for this one.) The definition that we are interested in for this answer is 1 b: something intended to attract and ensnare So this is our goal in writing since there are literally over one hundred thousand books out there vying for the reader's attention.

The successful author must become an adept fisher. If you have met or know a fisherman, you very quickly learn that fishing is an art. The goal is not to catch every fish with a single hook on a single cast but several fish over a period of time. And we all know how fishing stories are all about the biggest fish and the one that got away.

In writing, our goal is to hook the reader, or fish, not once but over and over again. The more often, the better because not only with the fish come back to your fishing hole or book, but he/she will bring friends. We like friends, they buy more books.

(Me, wiggling my brows like the villain in the old silent movies.)

A 'hook', according to yours truly, is that single sentence that catapults the reader into a frenzy of unanswered questions. This is the 'sweet spot', but beware--you, the author, had better be prepared to answer the myriad of questions with a wide net. Don't run scared here. You have the tools, a vivid imagination and hopefully a plot, even if you are, like me, the occasional 'panster.'

I try to weave one of these 'hooks' into the end of almost all of my chapters. They can be as short as: I was pretty crazy. Which engenders the questions like:  Crazy stupid or crazy young or crazy in love or a few other crazies. What does she mean crazy? Crazy how?

On the other hand, the 'hook' can be a bit longer. As in: "It's taken care of, most of it anyway. Let's step into the hallway." Thus the questions hit a wider spectrum. What is 'it'? Taken care of, how? Most of it, what part wasn't? Why do they need to step into the hallway?

The tricky part of a hook is answering these questions in a believable way and without the dreaded INFO DUMP. Did I say that? Yep. But this is a topic for another day.

Let's return to how to handle the 'hook'. In a previous post we see that we are ending a chapter with a hook, but does it have to be the very last sentence(s) of the chapter? No, BUT it is recommended that the chapter end within one hundred (100) words of the 'hook'. Any more than that and the author risks losing the impact of the 'hook.' After all, the 'hook' is a tool used by authors to create that illusive 'page-turner.'

If you are a reader, you're reading this going 'so what?' I love this author and the way he/she writes. He/She never uses these things you call 'hooks.'

Oh contraire my dear friend. Maybe this tool is used so expertly you haven't noticed why you feel compelled to turn the page or buy the next book in the series.

Chapter Lengths Do Matter

I have often heard the question by new authors, "How do you know when to start a new chapter?" Or "How long should a chapter be?" Or variations thereof whether at conferences, on-line or face-to-face (yes, authors do occasionally leave their writing niches for 'live' human contact.)

The answers are seemingly as varied as those answering the question. So, here are my few cents worth (Those that have read or will read my work in the future can watch for these.)

#1 - In my opinion, there is no such thing as a chapter that is too short, as long as it contains a complete scene - I've read one that was less than a page. Although I love writing and verbalizing a bit too much to accomplish this feat of excellence.

#2 - I personally like to have a chapter run about ten pages but I've read one or two that were closer to thirty.

#3 - Since most readers assume that a chapter break is the best place to put a book down, the author is facing the dreaded loss of interest by the reader. So as Jack M. Bickham says in his book, Scene and Structure, " always end them(the chapter) at a point where the reader can't put the book down." So, the simplest way to avoid the dreaded 'lay down'  is with a carefully crafted 'hook.'

#4 - Generally speaking, your chapters in a specific work should be relatively similar, but don't be afraid to step outside the box if the plot benefits from it.

#5 - IMHO, A chapter needs to have a chapter goal, whether stated or inferred, usually only one point of view or viewpoint, and ends in a jarring disaster.

Note: The jarring disaster is not the same as your story climax.

Now, before you etch these guidelines in stone and thereafter set the stones in cement, remember that every guideline is simply that, a guideline and at times, to keep your reader involved, needs to be broken. Don't break the rule or guideline just because you're feeling lazy or can't figure out how to make it work. Remember that writing is work and you better be doing it for the love affair with the writing craft, not the perceived accolade or cash at the end of the proverbial rainbow. Just like in real life, where there is rarely a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, so it is with writing and if everyone could do it, we would all be authors and not readers.

Logline Update:

This is what I get for sleeping on it. This story is a romance and as such, the target audience is predominantly female.

Whoa! That means that the readers will more readily relate to a main character that is female, not male. Oh Trevor, you poor underappreciated man! Will you forgive this feminine author and her female wiles? Complete with changing her mind on many occasions? I promise I will tell your side of the story as well…

(Trevor, after shaking his head and his fist at me.) Do I have any choice? But I reserve the right to be unpredictable if the mood strikes me. Don't you dare try to make me into the typical romantic lead, fawning over a brainless heroine. I won't save her if you do.

Porsche's logline:  Being headstrong and resourceful isn't always the best choice for a twenty-four-year-old woman unwilling to recognize her need to overcome her personal injuries and trust the one man responsible for her collapsing world before she can find true happiness.

(Trevor) So I'm responsible for her world collapsing around her am I?  I like it!

-Update - Writing helps - Logline -

For those of you who are not writers, let me advise you that your favorite authors work hours on necessary tasks that you may not ever be aware of just so that you, the voracious and occasional readers have hours of reading pleasure.
That said, I have recently read on another blog (I visit and read so many, I can't remember whose it was so let me just insert the post author's name, Jenny Hansen.) For years since I began writing seriously, I've wondered how in the heck to write a decent logline. For those of you who do not know what this is, let me summarize in my own words. (This isn't written in stone, so don't quote me.) A logline is one sentence that not only hooks the reader but tells who the main character is (without using his or her name), summarizes their story goal and the obstacle (read villain) that they must overcome and what is at stake. That is a lot of info to cram into one sentence! Oh, and did I mention that an acquisition editor that reads thousands of these every day, will toss it in the circular file (read trash) if it is a run-on sentence? Oh yeah, love and support your favorite authors and let them know it by stalking/following them. The stalking/following deal includes those who borrow books as a rule rather than buying the books.
Okay so I was looking through my files earlier this week for an unrelated item and came upon the saved info.
^^^^^^SCREECH!!!
Jenny instructed authors to begin a book by writing this logline, not trying to write it after the story is completed! Oh! So this is the tool I need to keep my characters from high jacking the plot!
Enter the chapter I shared here earlier this week. Time to write the logline to keep Trevor in line (He has been a frequent visitor to my writing dreams for years. He has a lot to say and I have tried -- much to his frustration -- to tell only a bit of his story. He is demanding center stage. Oh yes, he is willing to share the stage… as long as I am very clear on who the hero is!)
He is ecstatic that I am writing a log line to keep me in line.
So, without further ado…I think I've given it plenty…Here is the logline for Trevor's Story.

It takes more than a shove to steer a confident and headstrong, retired CEO of twenty-six in the right direction; it will take the nudge of an inquisitive mind and a spunky physical therapy student to learn to live again after the forces of nature threaten his fortune and his life.

Adding Tension Between Characters

Today's mini-lesson is shared by Jordan Bollinger.

The lesson is on building tension between characters. It is the gradual, yet continual, building of tension that makes for a great plot. Tension 'turns up the volume' on the story's conflict. It is this tension that your characters' are immersed in that makes them more real for the reader; and therefore, captures and pulls them into your story. And taking the reader captive is why you 'show', instead of 'tell'. However, for this lesson, I'm going to be 'telling' you about how they feel. Do Not Do This At Home!
There are two types of we have available: regular tension and sexual tension. Of course, we want a certain amount of sexual tension between our hero and heroine; and we want it to grow gradually. You want to make your reader 'beg for it' - for that sizzling first kiss, or initial more intimate encounter.

After thinking about this, I came up with several ways of creating, what we'll call 'regular tension'. If you sit and think about it for a while, I bet you can come up with some of your own. Mine are:

• Preconceptions

• Assumptions

• Conflicting ethics

• Miscommunications

Some ways of adding 'sexual tension' between characters are:

• Day dreaming

• Close physical proximity

• Having one party interact with others, or perform some physical task while the other party watches

• The use of double entendre and/or suggestive (or accidentally suggestive) conversation

Let's meet our 'soon-to be-blossoming' couple: Sarah and Mark. They are about to meet for drinks, after being setup by two friends - Danny and Grace. Mark and Danny have been friends most of their lives; and Sarah and Grace went through Catholic school together. Danny and Grace aren't a couple, just friends and co-workers.

After talking over lunch, they've decided that Mark and Sarah a perfect for each other. Grace has repeated Danny's description of Mark to Sarah verbatim, 'As a great guy!', which tells Sarah absolutely nothing about him. Which is why Sarah is looking at the steadily growing pile of discarded outfits on her bed and giving serious thought about just not going.

Of course, Grace's description of Sarah as 'having a bubbly personality' was no better. It has Danny convinced she's 'less than perfect'. And, of course he's passed this assumption on to Mark, who is considering standing Sarah up.

Isn't miscommunication wonderful? They haven't even met yet and both are nervous and having serious doubts.

Okay, now Sarah's found something she actually thinks she looks nice in, and has, perhaps after a serious lecture to herself, arrived five minutes early - because punctuality is extremely important to her. Mark arrives about ten minutes late, not concerned about at all about his tardiness. Now Sarah's waiting for an explanation, and when she eventually says something he's starting to believe he's made an awful mistake.

Clash of ideology - it's a great way to not bound.

Once they get seated and order drinks, Mark asks Sarah about herself, which is good, right? Things are smoothing themselves out . . . until Sarah tells Mark about how she and Grace met in Catholic school; and goes on to tell how she still writes to several of the sisters. Now Billy Joel's 'Only the Good Die Young' is running through his head; and he's already feeling frustrated. (Hey, guys are guys - right?)

Meanwhile, on the other side of the table, Sarah sees his fallen face and reads is as he doesn't find her attractive.

Ooh! We got both assumption and pre-conceptions with that one.

The beauty is that they all work equally as well after they've gotten to know each other and started to fall in love. You just need to think about it, and you'll come up with ways of throwing a monkey wrench into their budding romance.

And, we haven't even touched on things others might say - to them or about them; meaning for them to hear it or not. That opens up even more possibilities.

So, let's move on to 'sexual tension' and get back to our hero and heroine. Mark broke up with his last girlfriend several months ago, and has been avoiding women in general. But, he has allowed himself a little bit of fantasying, which in turn has caused a 'rise in his libido'. He finds Sarah attractive, smart (he's never liked dumb girls) and has a great laugh. Maybe this could go somewhere - if not tonight, in the future.

And, since we're all modern women, we know women can fantasize too.

There's a little dance floor and, after some encouragement, Sarah agrees to take a little turn with Mark. Both find the other's perfume/cologne very nice. They also like the way feel in each other's arms. In addition, because of the dim light, Sarah hadn't noticed how very green his eyes were, and Mark hadn't appreciated how rosy her complexion was. Their nauseousness has changed to that wonderful 'new romance' excitement.

Close physical proximity - it's a great way to 'raise' expectations!

Which, in case you haven't guessed, leads us to 'double entendres', flirty talk and careless, and sometime embarrassing, badly worded comments. Our hero and heroine have imaginations, as we discovered above. Even the most innocent of comments start the brain working. Now, you have to work on double entendres - you want them suggestive, but in a tasteful way - even if you've decided to cross over the line into erotica. After all, we're not writing porn!

Remember all those Bond movies with Sean Connery? He and Cubby Broccoli used to play a game of who could think of some little 'naughty' thing and dare the other to include it in the movie. That's where all those double entendres came from.

Here, I should also mention that you have the option of using questionable comments by others as a way of not only building tension between one or more main and secondary characters, but it adds tension between the main characters themselves. If Mark punches a drunk out because of some rude comment, it causes conflict and tension between the some-to-be lovers, as well. Embarrassment and fear are great motivators.

This leads us to the last means on my list about building tension between our hero and heroine - having one character watch the other participating in some physical activity. I think that punching a guy out counts, but you don't have to use violence. Performing some brave deed, like saving a child from an approaching car, or executing a perfect dive off the high board will work just as well.

I trust you to understand that's this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, but I hope it will give you something to think about.

jordanbollinger.com

jordanbollinger.blogspot.com

jordanbollinger@rocketmail.com

Writing Structure: The Power of Three

By Kimota (Jonathan Crossfield)
http://www.jonathancrossfield.com/blog/2...

Brought to you via Marsha Ward
http://marshaward.blogspot.com/
* An Englishman, Scotsman and Irishman go into a bar
* Ready, steady, go
* The three act structure
* The popularity of trilogies in fiction

The number three recurs again and again throughout writing. Whether it is in the choice of words to create a pleasing sentence or the wider structure beneath a script, the number three seems inescapable as a stylistic and structural choice.

How often, when writing, have you found yourself desperately trying to find another word or phrase to create a triumvirate of ideas?

There are a number of reasons why three is so stylistically satisfying when creating stories or putting words together. Here are, naturally, three of them.

1. Rhythm. Rhythm is important in good writing. Shakespeare wrote every line with a strong rhythmic beat and most writers have a sense of the rhythm of their words. Rhythm can turn a dull phrase into one that lilts and sings. Three is the smallest number that can have a rhythm. Think about it. Tap the table twice - that's not a rhythm. Tap it three times. Bingo. Rhythm isn't just the beats but also the spaces in between - you need at least two spaces, and therefore three beats, to create a distinct rhythm. How many different rhythms can you create with three taps of the table? This rhythm can help bind concepts and words together and add an additional element - timing. Think about the example I gave you in the opening paragraph: 'ready, steady, go'.

There are a number of reasons why this phrasing works and therefore became so widely used. One of those reasons is rhythm. The goal of the phrase is not just to impart information, but to do so with pinpoint timing and synchronize multiple listeners to the same moment. To do so, the listener needs to be able to anticipate and be ready for the word 'go'. The way the listener does this is by assuming the length of time between the first two words - 'ready' and 'steady' - will be the same between the second two words - 'steady' and 'go'. They are listening for the rhythm.

This is the same reason why we sometimes, playfully, stretch out that second space or change the expected rhythm, to throw them off. "Reeeeeady... steeeeady... ... ... ... ... GO!" Even if you choose the other more formal "On your marks... Get set... Go!" form, you are still using a group of three to indicate a set rhythm and help the listener prepare for the split second timing of the start of the race.

The speaking clock phone service works in exactly the same way with three beats. "On the third stroke, the time will be..." We can synchronize our clocks and watches because we can anticipate the third beat within the rhythm.

But rhythm isn't just about functionality and precision in sports. It is also about aesthetics and style. 'Ready, steady, go' is a popular recurring phrase because it also creates a pleasing rhythm within the syllables and the rhyming of 'ready' and 'steady'. You most likely choose words and phrases over others all the time based on rhythm without even realizing it. They just sound better to you. And they are - because of the power of three.

2. Beginning, middle and end

Whether talking about the three act structure or the three books in a trilogy, three instinctively feels like the right number when plotting a story. Each of the three pieces - acts or books/films - contribute to the whole by providing that beginning, middle or end. The third Bourne film is quite clearly a final end to a story, wrapping up the last threads that were set in motion in the first film and were explored and aggravated in the second. Although each film can stand alone reasonably well, they are inextricably linked in that structure of three, forming a bigger, more impressive story overall.

Bourne, The Matrix, The two Star Wars Trilogies, the Godfather movies, the X-Men trilogy and many more - all seem to fall naturally into three. No one ever suggested making The Godfather a quartet of films. In fact, such things are extremely rare. The recent fourth Indiana Jones film was in development hell for twenty years and when it came, didn't really fit stylistically or narratively with the other three in the eyes of many viewers. The fourth Alien film, Alien Resurrection, felt superfluous after the third film had taken the series full circle and ended with Ripley's death. The fourth film therefore had to find an (unconvincing) way to bring Ripley back in a story that fails to resonate with anything that had gone before. It feels out of place and is easily the weakest of all the Alien films.

You can't break the rule of three.

The recent Terminator: Salvation film isn't really the fourth film in the series, but the first of a second trilogy, quite distinct from the first three films. This is, of course, deliberate.

When plotting out a story, you wouldn't put two middles into it, would you? The second, or middle, act of a film is where the runaround happens, the overcoming of obstacles, the exploration of the problems and possible solutions. Once this is done, you can't then add in another act of obstacles and runaround because the audience is now primed for the climax and resolution. Another middle act would be surplus to requirements and would merely delay the story from reaching its destination. This is why the three act structure works - beginning, middle and end. It is also why the trilogy works. Once the second is done, the audience has read two books or seen two films creating and tangling the various plot threads. Patience would begin to wear thin should a third film or book not tie up those threads and provide a sense of completeness.

3. The pattern of three

Just as three is the smallest number needed to create a rhythm, it's also the smallest number needed for a pattern to emerge. To determine a pattern or sequence between different concepts or words, the relationship between the first and second needs to be reflected a second time between the second and third. They don't need to be the same relationship, but that variation is what creates the specific pattern. For example; in a sequence of numbers - eg; 2,4,8 - the difference between the numbers is not the same. Yet, a similarity is that each is double the previous number. That is the pattern in the sequence. You would not be able to determine a specific pattern from only seeing two of those numbers.

Let's apply that to writing. In copywriting, a popular and persuasive technique is the Socratic method, named after Socrates. This method uses three - and always three - questions that are related to each other.

* Do you feel tired, even after a good night's sleep?
* Are you not eating as well as maybe you should?
* Do you need more energy to achieve the things you need to do each day?
You need CopyWrite Multi vitamins!

Why three? Because that is the minimum required to create a list and therefore a pattern of agreement in the reader if they belong to the target audience. When he or she reads your conclusion - that you should buy my multivitamins - they are more likely to agree, having been preconditioned to do so by the previous pattern.

The pattern of three works in other ways too - particularly when the third statement or response differs from the previous two, as it needs to in creating a joke. The Englishman, Scotsman and Irishman jokes that were so common when I was growing up work because of the power of three. Yet so many joke forms revolve around three protagonists or three concepts. Typically, the first protagonist will do or say something, usually quite normal or expected. The second will also do something - not necessarily the same but equally normal or expected. The third - and this used to be the Irishman, so I apologize to any Irish reading this - would break the pattern by doing something unexpected or ridiculous - thereby creating a laugh.

The following joke is reproduced from Wikipedia's page exploring the origins of the "Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman" form.

An Englishman, a Scotsman, and an Irishman are all builders working on a bridge. The Englishman opens his lunch-box and says, "If I get one more tuna sandwich, I'm going to jump off this bridge." The Scotsman opens his lunch box and says, "If I get one more ham sandwich, I'm going to jump off this bridge." The Irishman then says, "If I get one more egg sandwich, I'm going to jump off this bridge." The next day, all three get the same lunch, all three jump off the bridge, and all three die. At their funeral, the Englishman's wife says, "If only I'd known he didn't like tuna." The Scotsman's wife says, "If only I'd known he didn't like ham." The Irishman's wife says, "I don't understand it. He made his own sandwiches."

The joke creates the expectation of a pattern with the first two elements (the first two wives say the same thing about their husband's sandwiches) but then surprisingly overturns that pattern in the last element (the third wife reveals the Irishman made his own). The power of three.

Four breaks the spell. So if three is the minimum number required for rhythm and for pattern, why not four, or five? Brevity. Additional elements, just like additional acts, or 'middles', are unnecessary. Your writing is out to achieve a goal. If three is the minimum number required to achieve that goal, then any other numbers aren't even worth contemplating. We instinctively know much of the above without ever thinking about it. We know a sentence feels right or a story flows well or a joke will make people laugh. Yet, I bet, when you revise your work, you'll find groups and patterns of three. I am sure there are many other examples of three in writing as well as many more reasons why three is so powerfully wired into our brains.

How many triumvirates can you come up with?

Thoughtful Thursday

I'm thinking that I wish I knew then what I know now and thankful that I know more today than I did yesterday.

What am I wishing I'd known? Visit my favorite male cover model, who just happens to be more than eye candy. (If you aren't a subscriber to InD'Tale EMagazine, you might want to be.) Anyway, Jimmy does a lot of book cover art --- from planning the photo shoots, to being the male model in the shoot, to choosing the shots and building the cover art. Quite a talented guy! And you thought he wasn't any more than a pretty face -- well, let me rephrase that -- more than a hunk. Jimmy is a businessman in his own right. http://www.romancenovelcovers.com/
http://www.modelmayhem.com/12159/
http://www.jimmythomas.com/

Anyhow, his article in InD'Tales this month is on using the right color on your book cover. Of course, his examples are all his work in at least one of the ways mentioned above, but his knowledge extends to covers like the one that will grace my book this fall. (No, he is not doing my cover...)

Here's hoping that the cover artist agrees...

Now on to what I know now that I didn't that I'm thankful for...
Those who have labored for many hours answering grammatical questions for my writing will be happy to learn that some of it is finally sinking in. When an author friend of mine, that I totally respect, asked a question as to --- is the right word "who's company" or "whose company", unlike days of old, I didn't sit here scratching my head. Instead I found myself explaining that depending on the meaning-- if the noun belongs to someone it is "who's" and if you are talking about 'spending time with' it is "whose."

Woo-who for learning something everyday! What have you learned today?

Building a Simmering Saturday Scene

Author Jordan Bollinger is sharing  some writing helps. You are welcome to visit her at http://jordanbollinger.blogspot.com/ or email her at jordanbollinger@rocketmail.com

Mini-Lesson - Adding Tension Between Characters


Today's mini-lesson is on building tension between characters. It is the gradual, yet continual, building of tension that makes for a great plot. Tension 'turns up the volume' on the story's conflict. It is this tension that 'your characters' are immersed in that makes them more real for the reader; and therefore, captures and pulls them into your story. And taking the reader captive is why you 'show', instead of 'tell'. However, for this lesson, I'm going to be 'telling' you about how they feel. Do Not Do This At Home!


There are two types of tension we have available: regular tension and sexual tension. Of course, we want a certain amount of sexual tension between our hero and heroine; and we want it to grow gradually. You want to make your reader 'beg for it' - for that sizzling first kiss, or initial more intimate encounter.

After thinking about this, I came up with several ways of creating, what we'll call 'regular tension'. If you sit and think about it for a while, I bet you can come up with some of your own. Mine are:

• Preconceptions

• Assumptions

• Conflicting ethics

• Miscommunications

Some ways of adding 'sexual tension' between characters are:

• Day dreaming

• Close physical proximity

• Having one party interact with others, or perform some physical task while the other party watches

• The use of double entendre and/or suggestive (or accidentally suggestive) conversation

Let's meet our 'soon-to be-blossoming' couple: Sarah and Mark. They are about to meet for drinks, after being setup by two friends - Danny and Grace. Mark and Danny have been friends most of their lives; and Sarah and Grace went through Catholic school together. Danny and Grace aren't a couple, just friends and co-workers.

After talking over lunch, they've decided that Mark and Sarah are perfect for each other. Grace has repeated Danny's description of Mark to Sarah verbatim, 'As a great guy!', which tells Sarah absolutely nothing about him. Which is why Sarah is looking at the steadily growing pile of discarded outfits on her bed and giving serious thought about just not going.

Of course, Grace's description of Sarah as 'having a bubbly personality' was no better. It has Danny convinced she's 'less than perfect'. And, of course he's passed this assumption on to Mark, who is considering standing Sarah up.

Isn't miscommunication wonderful? They haven't even met yet and both are nervous and having serious doubts.

Okay, now Sarah's found something she actually thinks she looks nice in, and has, perhaps after a serious lecture to herself, arrived five minutes early - because punctuality is extremely important to her. Mark arrives about ten minutes late, not concerned at all about his tardiness. Now Sarah's waiting for an explanation, and when she eventually says something he's starting to believe he's made an awful mistake.

Clash of ideology - it's a great way to not bound.

Once they get seated and order drinks, Mark asks Sarah about herself, which is good, right? Things are smoothing themselves out . . . until Sarah tells Mark about how she and Grace met in Catholic school; and goes on to tell how she still writes to several of the sisters. Now Billy Joel's 'Only the Good Die Young' is running through his head; and he's already feeling frustrated. (Hey, guys are guys - right?)

Meanwhile, on the other side of the table, Sarah sees his fallen face and reads it as he doesn't find her attractive.

Ooh! We got both assumption and pre-conceptions with that one.

The beauty is that they all work equally as well after they've gotten to know each other and started to fall in love. You just need to think about it, and you'll come up with ways of throwing a monkey wrench into their budding romance.

And, we haven't even touched on things others might say - to them or about them; meaning for them to hear it or not. That opens up even more possibilities.

So, let's move on to 'sexual tension' and get back to our hero and heroine. Mark broke up with his last girlfriend several months ago, and has been avoiding women in general. But, he has allowed himself a little bit of fantasying, which in turn has caused a 'rise in his libido'. He finds Sarah attractive, smart (he's never liked dumb girls) and has a great laugh. Maybe this could go somewhere - if not tonight, in the future.

And, since we're all modern women, we know women can fantasize too.

There's a little dance floor and, after some encouragement, Sarah agrees to take a little turn with Mark. Both find the other's perfume/cologne very nice. They also like the waythey feel  in each other's arms. In addition, because of the dim light, Sarah hadn't noticed how very green his eyes were, and Mark hadn't appreciated how rosy her complexion was. Their nauseousness has changed to that wonderful 'new romance' excitement.

Close physical proximity - it's a great way to 'raise' expectations!

Which, in case you haven't guessed, leads us to 'double entendres', flirty talk and careless, and sometime embarrassing, badly worded comments. Our hero and heroine have imaginations, as we discovered above. Even the most innocent of comments start the brain working. Now, you have to work on double entendres - you want them suggestive, but in a tasteful way - even if you've decided to cross over the line into erotica. After all, we're not writing porn!

Remember all those Bond movies with Sean Connery? He and Cubby Broccoli used to play a game of who could think of some little 'naughty' thing and dare the other to include it in the movie. That's where all those double entendres came from.

Here, I should also mention that you have the option of using questionable comments by others as a way of not only building tension between one or more main and secondary characters, but it adds tension between the main characters themselves. If Mark punches a drunk out because of some rude comment, it causes conflict and tension between the soon-to-be lovers, as well. Embarrassment and fear are great motivators.

This leads us to the last means on my list about building tension between our hero and heroine - having one character watch the other participating in some physical activity. I think that punching a guy out counts, but you don't have to use violence. Performing some brave deed, like saving a child from an approaching car, or executing a perfect dive off the high board will work just as well.

I trust you to understand that this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, but I hope it will give you something to think about.
-----
Thank you Jordan for sharing this. If you aren't a writer, we hope that you still enjoyed this and maybe next time you read that wonderful novel, you'll appreciate what the author has gone through to entertain you. Again, Jordan loves new followers as much as I do. So slip over to learn more from her at these links (Ooh, I hope they work--if not, copy and paste them.)

jordanbollinger.com
jordanbollinger.blogspot.com
jordanbollinger@rocketmail.com

Simmering Saturdays

I recently read a romance that the author's view of making a romance simmer was the romantic lead's constant whispering in the protagonists ear and his fingers always wrapping a lock of her hair around his fingers. In my opinion that is not simmering, that borders on letting the romance go stale!
And yet not every scene can hold a sizzling kiss so where does that leave us? My answer? Letting the relationship simmer to a boiling point.
Okay, granted -- I am far froma amaster on this one, but here is what I propose in the novel I am currently working on, Book One in The Talisman Series. Mind you, this excerpt is still in the writing stages...

A breeze stirred Trish's hair about her face, tickling her nose and eyes. Echoes of a sharp headache reminded her of her collision with the livery door. She slowly opened her eyes. A man stood at her window. She squinted, forcing bleary eyes to focus. "Quinn?"


He turned slowly and she noticed he held something. Fabric. Her clothes? "My bet is that this ain't your blood. No woman bleeds like this."

Trish tried to sit up, a wave of dizziness making her head spin pulled her back down. Swallowing hard and refocusing, she pushed herself upright. "Blood? What blood?"

"Found these bloody clothes. Ya had 'em tucked under your mattress. Whose blood is this?"

Trish stared at him wishing his back wasn't to the light. She couldn't make out his expression. His tone was as level as it had been at the poker table with Ace. Usually his tone held a vibrant quality, even when training a young horse. Not now.

"You rifled through my things?"

"No. Answer the question, Trish. Whose blood?" his tone, though still quiet had an edge to it.

Trish struggled with how to answer, her words rushing out without the usual care of an attorney. "I'm sorry, Quinn. I couldn't save him. He died in my arms. I didn't kill him. You've got to believe me."

Quinn's chest expanded with his deep intake of air, yet his words remained calm. "Whose blood?"

Trish shook her head, the pain rolling from side to side as the tears she'd held back burst to the surface. "Albert," her voice cracked. "I didn't--"

"Why didn't you stay with him?"

"I did," she swallowed trying to regain her composure.

"No. You weren't there when I found him," he said, his words accusing her.

"I did. I just-- I heard someone coming and realized how it would look if they found me with him. You have to believe me, I didn't kill him."

He stepped closer and she shrank back. "And the blood? Why?"

Trish kept her hands close to her body, but raised them defensively.

"I found him there, bleeding when I arrived. I held him in my arms and tried to comfort him. I lost it. I didn't know what to do. The horse was stamping. The scent of blood-- oh." Her hands flew to her face, covering her tears. "So much blood-- I tried to stop the bleeding and it just kept coming."

Sobs drowned out her words; she shuddered wishing she had done more. Wishing she'd never been there. Wishing she had never come here. Wishing he believed her.

Quinn stepped to the bed, dropping the stained clothing between them. "Ya should have stayed."

"I didn't know it was you. I thought the murderer…"

Quinn sank to the bed. The bedsprings groaned under his added weight, but he didn't touch her. "Ya should have stayed and told me who murdered him."

"But I don't know who did it."

Quinn glowered at her. "Tell me. No more lies. No more tears."

Trish stared at him in silence. She couldn't tell him.

"Damn it, Trish," his words sounded tortured. He pushed her back on the bed, seizing a handful of hair, constraining her. His kiss demanded she yield herself to him. At first she fought him, but when the weight of his chest came down on her, she surrendered.

For most of a week she had dreamed of his kissing her here. Her dreams had warmed her with excited anticipation. This was not as she had hoped. Tears of abject horror replaced tears of sorrow. The pressure of his lips bruised hers and yet his hands remained in her hair and against her cheek. The moment was brief, feeling torturously long.

He moved away, turning his back to her and breathing hard. "No more lies, Trish. The truth. All of it."

She remained prone on her bed where he had left her. "I told you," she whispered.

"Start at the beginning." He pulled the sheet up to cover her. "Why did Curly have you tethered?"

"I guess because he was sick. I certainly didn't deserve it."

"He isn't your papa?"

Trish gasped. "No!"

"Where you giving your--your body to Albert?" He sounded like he might choke on his words.

"No!" Trish rolled away from him, coming to a sitting position. "Never, how could you think that?"

Strong hands reached for her pushing her back to the mattress. "Woman, I am through playing games with you. Tell me the truth, all of it."

She stared up at him, willing him to believe her. She shook her head, fresh tears spilling form her eyes, marking fresh trails to her ears. "I can't."

He let go of her only to flick his bowie knife free, placing it at her neck. "Tell me the truth."

"I would never offer myself to Albert," she whispered. "I couldn't."

"Why?"

She swallowed and answered, "Because I'm --."

"He didn't want your body so you swung the hammer at his head in jealous anger. Is that it?" Twisted distaste wrinkled his handsome features.

"No," she gasped. "I'm not a murderer."

"But you killed Old Curly." Quinn's eyes glared at her, daring her to lie.

"That depends on how you plea and your defense attorney. Technically, I could plea self defense and get off while you would be found guilty. I'm only an accessory."

"How do you know that?"

"You wouldn't believe me." He applied pressure to her skin with the knife.

"Try me."

"Put your knife away and pull up a chair."

He looked around her scantily furnished room. "You don't have a chair."

She forced a weak smile, "Details… the knife, put it away?"

With a flick of his wrist the knife disappeared. "It is where I can get to it if you don't tell me the truth."

"Then you better find yourself a really comfortable place to sit and have an open mind."

+++++
Tension? You decide.

Feisty Fridays

Introducing Feisty Fridays.
Trying something new as usual.
I'm not sure if I should focus on fist fights within a manuscript, feisty heroines, frisky romances, or energetic dialogue.
Maybe all three, but not necessarily all at the same time.
If you have a preferance, please feel free to leave a comment.

For now, I'm thinking a fist fight. Granted, I'm not real good at writing a fight scene so I'm willing to accept a few helpful comments.

(Dark Days of Promise excerpt is unpublished and unedited.)

“Do you want me to stick around?” Trevor asked before turning off the engine.

“Maybe a little while. I thought I’d fix us some spaghetti or something. It might not be very good. I haven’t cooked since I moved here. Ben’s a gentleman, I’m sure he’ll leave if I ask him to. You didn’t leave him much room to move his car,” she observed.

“Mind sliding over?” Trevor smirked. Kimmy moved across the bench seat recognizing his negative vibes for Ben. He helped her to her chair, with showy concern, while a stormy-eyed Ben watched from the top of the cabin’s ramp. Trevor pushed the chair around the truck only to find Ben blocking his path.

“I’ll take her in,” Ben stated flatly.

“I don’t think so. I’ve been invited to stay.”

“I don’t like your tone,” Ben retorted.

“I don’t care what you like, she asked you to leave earlier,” Trevor countered.

Ben sidestepped slightly as though to move out of the way, only to throw a roundhouse punch above Kimmy’s head at Trevor’s jaw. Trevor blocked most of Ben’s punch with his cane. The cane clattered to the gravel. Trevor stepped back to regain his balance. He recovered quickly sending a straight right to Ben’s chin. Ben hit the ground. He found his hand on Trevor’s cane. He picked it up and swept Trevor’s feet. Trevor went down landing on his backside. He took a moment to recover his wind. Ben didn’t wait. He struck Trevor with the cane. The balled end sliced across Trevor’s cheek. Ben swung again bloodying Trevor’s nose.

Kimmy found it hard to believe what she witnessed. Other than this morning, she’d never seen either man raise his hand in anger, yet here they fought at her feet.

“Stop it! Stop it! That’s enough!” She reached for the cane stopping Ben’s third blow with her arm, receiving a nasty bruise.

None of the three noticed the group that gathered. Randall stepped in, ripping the cane from Ben’s hand.

“Ben, I never expected you, of all people to strike a disabled man,” Randall intervened, offering Ben his hand. “I think you should leave.”

Ben looked at Kimmy, anger clearly written in his expression as he accepted Randall’s hand.

“If this broke down wanna be pimp’s what you want, get out. Leave.”

Kimmy dropped her jaw, retorting, “You can’t fire me Ben. I don’t work for you.”

“You may not think so,” Ben hissed.

Kimmy looked at Randall, her eyes begging him to refute Ben’s words.

“Kimmy, get him cleaned up.” Randall said, pointing at Trevor. “We’ll talk about this later.”

He handed Trevor’s cane to a boy who stood nearby, his other hand heavy on Ben’s shoulder.

“Give the man his cane after Ben leaves,” he said to the boy, steering Ben toward his car.

Trevor wiped at the blood on his face before taking Kimmy’s proffered hand.
 
++++
Humm...what do you think? Needs more action, but how?

How to write a Sizzling Kiss

Okay, the first kiss is the one we want to nail as authors. So how do you write a Sizzling one? Remember the five don'ts and the six do's. We'll start with the don'ts.

Don't spring the kiss on the reader without just cause.

Don't expect your reader to fall in love if you haven't.

Don't neglect your senses.

Don't let it be just a "They kissed."

Don't tell us, the readers that it was sensuous, show us.

The Do's don't list isn't like the Don'ts (Don't you hate me now!) lol

They run more like: Stay in one character's head (or body in this case).

Show us what your character sees.

Describe the smells that surround this moment.

What sounds reverberate around the couple?

How does the kiss taste?

What does the character feel or how does he/she feel?

Notice the underlined words. These are our senses. These are your tools to create that Sizzle. A truly Sizzling kiss uses at least three of the five at least five times. (Yes, when I'm drawing my scenes I count them… the key here is that the reader wants to experience that kiss so you want it to last. Think at least a good paragraph and when you get really good two pages… (I'm not at that point yet.)

Let's use a generic kiss.

Kate kissed Jeremy.

…….Boring….

Note that we said Kate first, so it is her point of view, not Jeremy's.

What does Kate see? The golden flecks in Jeremy's brown eyes.

What does Kate smell? Jeremy's musky cologne.

What does Kate hear (this goes with sounds)? The birds gentle lilt in the trees overhead.

What does Kate taste? Maybe the beer on his breath---ick. Jeremy tastes smooth, like special dark chocolate.

What does Kate feel? Most commonly ? Jeremy's hard muscles.

What about the emotion Kate feels? Kate feels her desire.

Before you scroll down, I encourage you to write these five things into your scene. I promise that there will be as many unique scenes written as there are individuals that write them. Our job as writers/authors is to draw one scene, colored though it may be by the reader's personal experience.

Now, before we see what yours truly draws for Kate's scene, let's find out what Jeremy's scene might look like.

Remember: Jeremy kissed Kate.

For a guy that might be enough, but not the romance reader… they want more and the more you give them, the more they will want to come back for more.

What did Jeremy see? Careful, guys attention is not always the same as a woman's. Be sure you stay true to the character - male in this case. Jeremy saw her curves and the firm plumpness of her lips.

What did Jeremy smell? Jeremy smelled her perfume, the clean freshness washed by the rain, the tantalizing scent of his Harley's leather.

What did Jeremy hear? The roaring of Harleys in the distance, her breathing and soft sighs.

What did Jeremy taste? Okay here is where we need what the character says in Golden Eye (James Bond)? She tastes like sweet strawberries.-- Jeremy tastes the sweet strawberries on her lips.

What does Jeremy feel? Remember external and internal. External - The warmth of the sun's rays. Internal - his heart beat speed up and if you feel real daring the pressure below his belt. Be careful on that last one! It can throw your kiss to the erotica real fast.

Now, we have left Kate long enough but remember you can only submit this, or write it from one point of view. For your writing, there is only this rule.

Use at least three senses, five times. Easy. I personally like to start with what surrounds the character and focus the reader's lens tighter as the scene evolves. So to do that, let's shuffle the senses to: sounds, smell, external feeling, sight, taste, Internal feeling. Notice that I separated what the character feels.

Kate Kissed Jeremy.

The birds continued their gentle lilt in the trees overhead. ---sound---

Kate breathed deep, trying to catch her breath, catching the gentle musky aroma of Jeremy's cologne, unique and all male. ---smell---with a touch of feeling in her breath.

She leaned into him, feeling the solid muscle of his chest. ---external feeling---

He lifted her chin and her gaze focused on the golden flecks in his brown eyes, so warm and inviting. The message in them tilted from the humor of the previous moment to the heat of this one. ---sight--- with a touch of more feeling and a bit of background.

He smiled as if daring her to make good on her threat. ---more sight---

Unwilling to back down to this dangerous man, she skittered her hands to his broad shoulders and reached for his lips with her own. She only intended to give him a quick peck, but one taste of the smooth dark chocolate of his mouth and her knees buckled. ---taste--- feeling, both external and internal as we draw the reader's lens tighter.

Her desire bolted to new heights, his challenge winning over her own. ---inner feeling---

We learned a whole lot about this scene with the showing. Let's see what we can learn if the scene is written from Jeremy's point of view. Again, let's start with the setting somewhat and focus the lens tighter with each sentence.

The other Harley's roared in the distance, leaving them alone as the sun broke through the clouds, warming the small forest clearing. ---sound---and sight--

Jeremy smiled, letting his eyes linger over her curves. Appreciating each one, he focused on the plump, scarlet firmness of her lips. --sight---we added a bit, didn't we?

The rain had stopped, and for the first time he noticed the delicate bouquet of her perfume, floral yet hinting of berries. Rather than distracting from the warm animalistic smell of leather, her scent danced and entwined with it. --smell--

Her chest rose and fell as if she might dart away. Instead of bolting, she leaned into him, lacing her hands to his shoulders. She paused, driving him wild with anticipation. His heart pounded in his chest. He stepped closer, pinning her against his Harley. --sight, internal feeling, touch--

She'd cave. It was only a joke to her, but not to him. If she didn't make good on her challenge, he would be sure to make good on his own. Her kiss started soft, but he couldn't let it stop there. Her lips tasted like strawberries from the lip-gloss she wore. He devoured it and her mouth. She answered with kisses of her own and infuriatingly sensual sighs. ---touch, taste, sound--

His own body's reaction caught him off-guard, she leaned into him so innocent, so trusting. He let her, sensing his heart pound, skip, an engine in need of tuning all the while feeling his pressure build below his belt. --internal feeling--

The wise writer will walk away here unless they intend to step over the erotic lines.

Which one is better? That depends on the detail needed for the story. Maybe you, the writer need to remind the reader of Kate's challenge to Jeremy or maybe you, the writer, need to tell us that the other characters have left the scene. The key goes back to the Don’t's. Don't spring the kiss on the reader without just cause. Don't expect your reader to fall in love if you haven't. Don't neglect your senses. Don't let it be just a "They kissed." Don't tell us, the readers, that it was sensuous, show us.

Stay in one character's head (or body in this case). Show us what your character sees. Describe the smells that surround this moment. What sounds reverberate around the couple? How does the kiss taste? What does the character feel or how does he/she feel?

You can master the Sizzling Kiss! Now I expect awesome kisses for July…

A Genealogy Chart for Characters?

There was a time that I devoted every Sunday afternoon to genealogy ... until my son complained that I should spend the hours with the living, not the dead. --but Genealogy for fictional characters? Yeah, I've done that too, but not as in depth as Celia Yeary, guest author on my blog this week.

The Camerons of Texas


Have you ever created a genealogy chart for a fictional family you invented for novels? If no one says 'yes,' I may feel a little foolish. I did just that after I'd written and published three Western Historical novels under the subtitle--The Camerons of Texas.

In each couple's story, the hero and heroine were not the only characters in the books. There were parents, stepchildren, adopted children, brothers, sisters, and cousins. A large clan of Camerons. In my mind, I had enough material for about a dozen more stories. Today, I'm at least making a dent in my list.

In TEXAS BLUE (published elsewhere), the hero, Buck Cameron, had two sisters who appeared in the story. The first was Charlotte who had married William Garrison. Their two children were Maximilian and Katherine--Max and Kat.

~*~I used a grown-up Max in a novella "Dime Novel" titled Angel and the Cowboy.

~*~I used Charlotte in another "Dime Novel" titled Charlotte and the Tenderfoot.

~*~Now, I'm writing Kat and the U.S. Marshal as another one.

I agree this can be confusing, and that's the reason I made the chart. We authors feel like normal people, don't we? Even though we have characters in our heads and hearts that are very real. Any non-author cannot understand this, and so I don't talk about it to anyone except others such as I.

Unless I get a serious mental block, I have a list of characters for future novels or novellas:

~*~Lee Cameron King--he appeared in Texas Blue as a small boy who picked his nose and rode imaginary horses around the yard. I'd like to make him an early 20th Century entrepreneur during the oil boom in Texas--a wildcatter, a risk taker, a rich man with money to make money, a tough businessman who has a big sense of humor. I'd have him run into a real buzz-saw, a serious woman who is investigating oil company monopolies for a New York newspaper.

~*~Jackson Rene Deleon--he was the baby boy in Texas True. I see Jackson grown up and the heir to the great Deleon fortune. At a young age, he becomes the head of an empire consisting of ranching in Texas, gold and silver mines in Colorado, and shipping lines out of Houston. I'd have him meet a titled British lady whom he must convince to marry him and live in South Texas on the ranch--the headquarters for the Texas Star Corporation his father formed.

~*~Lacy Deleon--she was the little niece of Sam Deleon in Texas True, born in the Flats in Austin, a prostitution area where she and her little brother, Antonio, were born and lived. When True Cameron married Sam Deleon, she found the small girl and boy and brought them home, causing a huge problem. But True was determine to raise them as their own children. Lacy, now grown into a proper young lady, discovers her lurid birthplace and challenges the local government to do something. She would meet a brash, young attorney/senator and entice him to help her.

~*~Antonio Deleon--Lacy's little wild brother in Texas True. He was a hellion as a kid, although lovable and good-hearted. But he didn't understand the word "no." I see him grown and sowing too many wild oats and getting in trouble. I'd like him to meet a strong-willed female rancher who challenges him to straighten up and learn to be a man.

~*~Laura Lynn Paxton--Jo King's half-niece in Texas Promise . Beauty Laura Lynn has such a horrible past she knows little about, but sets out to find the burial place of her prostitution mother in New Mexico. In doing so, she hires a tracker to help her.

~*~Alexander King--son of Dalton and Jo King in Texas Promise. I have high hopes for the darling child. Just look at his name. He has it all--handsome, rich, smart, educated, adored by the entire family...and takes it all for granted. Until...what? His story will require much thought.

Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas

http://www.celiayeary.blogspot.com

http://www.celiayeary.com

Finding that Perfect Romantic Place for the Writer in You

In order to write the perfect romance novel you must find that perfect romantic spot and visit often, either with your romantic lead or alone. No, I’m not suggesting that you stalk your favorite movie star. I happen to be blessed in this department as I’m married to the man of my dreams. Is he perfect? No. But the best heroes in the best romance novels are not. So give your hero that odd laugh or weird habit that drives you over the edge. It just may be the detail that endears him or her to your readers.

So, back to that romantic spot. It very well may be your favorite restaurant and the candle lit dinner but there’s a drawback to such a place—the waiter inevitably hands you a bill. Or the restaurant is closed when you need that inspiration!

Have no fear—there are solutions and the easiest is—create a romantic spot in your home (or apartment). It could be in your boudoir (allowing you to make it as private as your heart(s) desire) or get a double whammy by making it a focal point in your interior decorating. (My favorite romantic spot is one I rarely share in private—it’s the corner of my kitchen.)

WHAT???

I didn’t plan it that way, really. It just happened. I have two ficus trees (real ones) but a fake one will work too. In the case of my ficuses, they need a lot of sunlight and the only sunlight in my house is in front of my sliding dining room/kitchen door. Thank goodness I have the room for them. Sitting there alone they looked –well, ugly. So I placed one on a step (portable) and that helped—a little. Then there was the challenge of keeping my dogs from playing tug of war in the area. So I introduced an outdoor playpen to “cage” my trees. The next step was to find my “canister up light.” These can be found at Lowe’s. (Honestly, I don't work for them.) I placed my up light where it makes lots of delicate shadows on the ceiling in the dark. (The photo is in the late afternoon. The flash destroyed the ambience after dark.)

At this point I needed a comfortable place to sit/lay and let my mind wander—thus the loveseat. And Wa-La!

You can do this too. Gather any and all your houseplants to one area and make a garden romance come alive! For those of you claiming to lack a green thumb, lacy-leafed silk plants work too (personally I strongly dislike plastic ones.) Have fun and know that your romantic spot is unique to you.

So, You Think You have a Story to Tell--You just might!

Whenever I talk about writing, it seems I meet a new "closet writer." This isn't a bad thing and I actually encourage everyone to write. It is in the doing that one becomes more efficient as well as one learns what he or she prefers to do. Writing isn't always a rosy evening making the keys click in time. Sometimes it is long walks both in the rain and the sunlight. And sometimes those walks are very dark. Dark due to the lack of inspiration.
Maybe the hardest thing about writing is learning the craft and lest you think it an easy craft to learn, I want to share the following. Mind you, there are many "tricks" to becoming a best selling author (which I have yet to do) but I'll only share those secrets (the ones I know at this point) with the most seriously committed--and I don't mean to the funny farm.
Keep in mind that the following is the guidelines to only one publisher. Agents and publishers all have their unique standards of what is good (or trash.)

** Permission to forward and share both granted and encouraged **



Desert Breeze Publishing is currently seeking submissions to fill
specifically our 2012 release schedule. Desert Breeze Publishing
currently releases books twice a month, and as of April 2012 we will
release books three times a month.

Desert Breeze Publishing is a royalty-paying publisher of romance in
electronic novel format, but are excited to announce we will be
releasing our top sellers in print in 2012. We publish from the sweet
to the heated, with the exclusion of erotica or erotic romance and
GLBT/alternative lifestyles. Our books are currently distributed
through Amazon and Amazon International affiliates for Kindle, Barnes
and Noble, All Romance eBooks, Kobo, and the Apple iBookstore for
distribution in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. All
our Inspirational/Christian Romances are available at
Christianbooks.com.

Romance should be the prevailing theme of your manuscript, not
romantic elements. We are seeking manuscripts from novella length
(between 25,000 and 35,000 words approximately) to super novel length
(exceeding 100,000 words), with a preference for novels between
55,000 and 80,000 words. We are more than willing to accept queries
on book series, and will consider a series concept when at least one
book is completed and the series has been thoroughly formulated.

We are not seeking anything shorter than 25,000 words, with a strong
preference for manuscripts of at least 30,000 words.

We will review previously published manuscripts; however, proof of
release must be provided. We prefer to see some new material along
with your previously published manuscripts.

We are looking for submissions in all of the following romance sub-
genres:

* Contemporary Romance
* Romantic Suspense
* Military-themed Romance
* Romantic Comedy/Humorous Romance
* Christian Romance
* Inspirational Romance
* Fantasy Romance
* Paranormal Romance
* Science Fiction/Futuristic/Speculative Fiction Romance
* Steampunk Romance
* Modern Cowboy Romance
* Historical Romance -- both prior to 1900 and 20th Century/Vintage
* Young Adult Romance in all genres
* Manuscripts with specific celebratory or holiday themes

And while we're actively seeking all genres, there are a few types of
submissions that would really excite us!

We are interested in expanding the scope of our Vintage/20th Century
category, stepping outside the most popular time period surrounding
World War II. An exceptional amount of change occurred in the 20th
Century, and our world was challenged in many ways. We would be
interested in seeing novels set around the Korean War or the Viet Nam
Conflict, novels with themes involving The Great Depression, the
Space Race, the end of the Cold War. There are so many possibilities.

We wish to promote the growth and expansion of the Sci Fi Rom/
Futuristic Romance/Speculative Fiction Romance genres by offering
exceptional character-driven novels and series offering appeal to the
die hard sci fi fan as well as the adventurous romance lovers. Sci Fi
romance must be smart, well planned, well thought out to build
amazing worlds and possible futures with strong characters and great
character chemistry and development.

In the same vein, Steampunk (and all variations thereof, ie:
Gaslight, Diesel Punk, etc) is a genre in high demand.

We would like to see both single title -- as well as series --
romantic suspense novels, especially with characters who serve in law
enforcement, civil service, or the military. And that's not just
limited to the heroes. We'd love to see books where the heroine is
the one doing the saving and protecting, or works beside the hero in
an equal position.

We are actively seeking inspirational and Christian novels with a bit
more real world flair. It's not always easy being a Christian, and we
would like to see novels that express that.

If you are offering a manuscript with a specific celebratory or
holiday theme, please indicate this in your submission. It would be
our goal, if possible, to schedule your book release to coincide with
whatever holiday you focus on in your manuscript to optimize sales
potential.

Full details on our submission guidelines and house preferences can
be found at our website:

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-template/policy/Page.bok


Questions regarding submissions can be sent to:

EditorInChief@DesertBreezePublishing.com


We hope to hear from you soon!