As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been working with the newbies attending this year’s RT. A few nights ago, I really don’t remember why this came up, but I mentioned my favorite of the Jack Sparrow scenes from the last movie. The one where Jack realizes the only way to return from the far side of the world is to rock the boat…

But Jack, being Jack, doesn’t bother with trying to explain his brilliant deduction. He simple begins to run from side to side and due to his sheer confidence – or madness – the others follow his lead.

And viola! It works.

Now, I’ve been working on editing together a small collection of blogs from the ship to present to the newbies and one of the more brilliant entries comes from Captain Hellion. You all know the one… Everything I Know About Writing I Learned From Captain Jack Sparrow

(Did I say I was editing? Uh…no, not editing, Hel. I’d never edit you! The blog is perfect…though I think you might want to update the info on what you’re currently working on… Just saying!)

So, Hel presents 12 perfectly logical rules, er…guidelines…to follow as a writer. I want to add a 13^th… Have the confidence to rock the boat.

I love how Jack throws himself into his task. He knows he’s right. Or if he doesn’t know, he believes he’s right and goes for it with everything ounce of energy inside that luscious body. He just goes for it.

Thinking about how Johnny created this role begs the question, which came first… Jack or Johnny? Johnny has been rocking the boat most of his acting career and doing it quite well. Again and again, he put together a character, then waited to be fired from a project, certain he’d gone too far this time. And we may never know the roles he didn’t get because of this tendency. Ah! But the roles he did get! And what they can teach us about moving forward with confidence and the going for it philosophy of life.

I look at Edward Scizzorhands, Ichabob, Jack, Charlie, Sweeny, the Mad Hatter…and bless Johnny Depp, a writing pirates hero!

Now, I’ve been navigating some heavy seas lately and simply have no time for lack of confidence. I must trim my sails, tighten those lines and hold that wheel with the conviction that what I am writing is the right course to steer. So, I consider Jack.

Because what I write rocks the boat. Especially this newest story. My silverton story as I call it. The Kraken’s Mirror. I finished this story last week and am already doing some basic editing. I have an extremely clear vision of this story in e-print. (Is there such a thing? Well, there is now. I just coined it. Or borrowed it if it already exists. I am a pirate, I can do that. No. I do do that!)

I can see myself selling it, pitching it, no bwah ha ha this time, but a *wink *wink perhaps. And I’m throwing myself into this project with the total abandon of Jack, rocking that boat.

I wrote a heroine who is 53 years old. She’s short. She’s got a mix of grey and brown hair. Her boobs droop. She’s got cellulite. She curses like a sailor when having phenomenal sex. And throughout most of the story she is convinced she’s insane.

I wrote a hero who is 65 years old. He’s got an old man’s butt. A few strands of dark blond snake through his silver grey hair, which is elbow length. His body is covered in scars from 50 years of pirating. And he’s cursed with good luck. (Resulting in only scars and why none were death wounds.) And he plots, seduces and uses his curse quite effectively through the story.

I’m mixing Alice in Wonderland with Pirates of the Caribbean with Peter Pan with some hints of steampunk (steampirate, doncha know!)…with senior citizens!

They say I’m mad. I say I’m rocking the boat and loving every minute of it. I’m challenging the paradigm! I’m creating a genre!

And if no one can recognize the brilliance of this story, I will give it away. I will post it on my website, I will find a way to see it read. Nope, don’t know where or how. I’ll deal with that if it comes to it.

There’s a real freedom to rocking the boat. Risk? Sure, but if life isn’t an adventure, what the hell!?

So, the discussion for this Friday… (To which I will be in and out. Sorry, pirates…I’m attending my first steampunk convention but it starts late for you east coasters, so I think I’ll be OK to attend to the blog. If I disappear…I’m lost in steamland.)

How do you rock the boat? If you don’t now, how would you like to rock the boat? Challenge the paradigm of your genre? Throw yourself with abandon into a writing project…what would you do?

(BTW…anyone have a blog they want to nominate as an excellent learning and/or inspirational device for the newbies? Feel free!)

One more day until I’m officially on Spring Break. Ten years ago, I’d get really excited about Spring Break. Drinks and boys and beaches.

Now . . . . I’m just thinking, “I wonder if I’ll be able to clean my house?”

I’m thinking that adults need a Spring Break now and then.  You know, that time in your life when you get away from all supervision, go somewhere exotic like Daytona Beach, and blow off everything but the tequila. One week without a single responsibility or item on your to-do list. One week without a child needing attention. One week with nothing to do but go to parties, lay out on the beach, and sleep in.

Sometimes, I wonder if my writing needs a Spring Break too. Those moments where we block out every rule, every item on our to-do list, and just write. Not worrying about if we got the setting right, or if the finished product will fit the right genre. Not stopping to fix the spelling errors or dig through the thesaurus for the perfect word.

Just write with the complete abandon that only nineteen-year-olds left unsupervised with a keg can manage.

I was writing yesterday and trying hard to get into my heroine Josephine’s head. And the thought crossed my mind that Josephine doesn’t react all that maturely to a lot of things. She feels things deeply, but doesn’t want to admit that. So she does stupid, stupid things to stop feeling things.

I wondered if I was writing a character that was “too bad.” Someone who broke too many rules to be a heroine, someone who couldn’t be sympathized with. She’s a bit like a nineteen year old on Spring Break.

But sometimes, we need that abandon. That complete recklessness that comes with being too young. Sometimes, we need to say to hell with the rules, and just write for the sheer joy of writing.

What does writing with complete abandon mean to you? What would you do if you could block out everything else and just write? What would you do with a whole week without a single responsibility?

The incomparable Miranda has chosen her winner: Bo’sun!

Congratulations, Bo’sun, and Miranda, thanks again for being an awesome guest and keeping our darling Jack on his toes.

*in the early morning light, where the Romance Writer’s Revenge is anchored at port in Vermont, which is truly magical since Vermont is not a state with a coastline, and the deck is suspiciously quiet. Perhaps the crew of the RWR are sleeping in preparation for their guest Miranda Neville, who will be dropping by the ship to discuss her new book, The Wild Marquis*

Miranda: *peeking over the railing* Hello? *climbing over the edge and finally standing on deck* Whew! I wasn’t sure about that rope climbing thing. I mean, even with the knots tied at intervals, it’s still pretty….

Jack: Miranda! My sweet, my luv, my precious, my pet. I’m so glad to see you. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to come get you personally, but I was busy getting the ship ready for your arrival.

Miranda: *breathless, patting down her hair* Really? The crew is ready for me?

Jack: *laughing* Oh, no, I sent them to shore. Amazing what free pints of Ben & Jerry Ice Cream coupons will do for a bunch of chocolate-loving tarts like them. I mean, I could barely get the ship pulled into port before they were diving off the sides and swimming for land. I think they’ll be stockpiling.

Miranda: But…what about my interview?

Jack: Oh, we’re still doing your interview, luv. *guiding her with one hand at her lower back* Come with me where I can now assure you no interruption as you tell me more about your delightful novel. *kissing up her arm* The Wild Marquis, is it?

Miranda:  The setting is Regency England, my favorite place, and it’s a tale rife with sex, violence, and deep, dark secrets involving ruthless rare book collectors.

Jack: The story does sound very promising. Especially the rife with sex part. The hero himself sounds very much like yours truly. What did the blurb say? “He is notorious for his wretched morals and never received in respectable houses. The ladies of the ton would never allow him in their drawing rooms . . . though some of them have welcomed him into their bedchambers.” I mean, that sounds like a page out of one of my journals! Tell me more about this Marquis. I like to know about my competition.

Miranda: Cain, the Marquis of Chase loves women. Not just for you-know-what. He really likes them as people. He was just a lad when his father kicked him out of the house and he was rescued from a robbery by some charming prostitutes. Since then all his best friends are women and he makes a point of protecting them and treating them well, not just you-know-where. This makes him unlike a lot of the befuddled hunks who inhabit so many romances (not that I don’t love a befuddled hunk too). Cain rarely misunderstands women but, perhaps because he knows them too well, he has never fallen in love.

Jack: You know, it takes a special sort of woman to appreciate men like the Marquis and me. Someone daring, someone yearning to be a bit wicked herself, someone…devastatingly beautiful. Who is this girl, and did you bring her with you? I know she’s met this Chase fellow, but do I have a shot at her at all?

Miranda: Juliana Merton is a very serious girl and I’m afraid she might not appreciate your … unusual … approach to life. Her husband was murdered and she’s having a hard time making ends meet in her rare book shop. Turns out most men don’t think women know anything. But when Cain needs an expert to help him buy back a family heirloom, he’s thrilled to find a woman with the right knowledge. Plus she’s cute as a button and Cain’s not good at depriving himself—and the women in question—of a good time. Juliana doesn’t think much of Cain at first but she needs him as a client. Then he starts to make her laugh. (Hmm. On second thought, Jack, perhaps you’d better stay away from her. She might fancy you.) Specters from both their pasts emerge and Juliana is in danger. Next thing the two of them are charging around England in a carriage, and you know what happens when you put a hero and heroine in a carriage together ….

Jack: Fine, fine. The next girl then. You definitely have to introduce me to the next girl. What’s up next for you? Any winsome wenches on the horizon for me?

Miranda: I think you’ll like Diana, the heroine of my next book. She’s quite a saucy minx. On the other hand she wants to marry a duke. The book is called The Dangerous Viscount, a hint about how that plan goes. You’ll have to invite me back in October if you want to meet her.

Jack: Where are my manners? Have a seat, my dear, and a spot of rum. *goes to pour rum but his bottle is empty* Chance has it here somewhere. *returns with two new bottles* Here you go. Go ahead, perch yourself in Hellion’s hammock. She won’t mind. So what is the daily life like for a glamorous romance novelist like yourself?

Miranda:  *holds out glass* Thank you, I will. Or just give me the whole bottle. Just to keep you all guessing, I’m going to make the account of my day multiple choice.

I start the day with (a) a little champagne (b) a lot of coffee (c) a hangover.

I step into my (a) rose-scented bath tub (b) dust-infested office (c) dungeon

where I (a) receive a massage from a Swedish movie star (b) check my email (c) am tortured by publishing professionals wanting to know where my book is.

Dressed in (a) a chic little number I picked up in Milan (b) my bathrobe (c) armor, I (a) compose ten pages by noon (b) stare at the screen for an hour then eat half a jar of peanut butter and a candy bar (c) have a nervous breakdown. Then I (a) plan my next research trip to exotic locales (b) go to my day job (c) drink heavily. It a (a) hard (b) hard (c) hard life being a romance novelist, but there are compensations, like meeting delicious pirates with a steady hand for eyeliner application.

Jack: Well, I do enjoy being a perk. (That is what Hellion called me the other night…or did the word start with j?) All right. Last question—but definitely the most important—do you think you’ll write a few pirate romances in the future? Because I can help you in the most indelible ways in researching for those stories. The way a pirate thinks. The kind of eye liner he wears. The sort of place he prefers to seduce his winsome wench. We can start researching now if you prefer….

Miranda: You know, Jack, I don’t know anything about ships, but if you could give me a few pointers I might be persuaded to put someone like you in my next book. Especially if you give me eyeliner lessons. But before you do that– *watching Jack kiss up her arm* –let me wrap up here.

I have the most chaotic work habits and it’s a miracle my books get written. I’m still not entirely sure how it happens. I’m always madly impressed by writers who sit down at the same time each day and produce a quota of pages. Are you like that? Or do you type THE END and wonder where the heck all those words came from? (Oh, and did I mention I am giving away a copy of The Wild Marquis to one lucky commenter?)

Due to unforeseen circumstances [read: you know how you think you attached a file to an email and you didn't?], your normally scheduled blog has been replaced with this one. No worries, you’ll be able to see the new blog later. So as you know what happens when something live on TV gets bumped by bad weather or writer’s strikes or whathaveyou, you get The Sound of Music! So fire up your singing voices, ladies and gentlemen! The hills are alive…

*Hellion enters the ship’s sound stage wearing a nun-outfit. Cue laughter. Hellion adjusts her wimple, poses her hands before her in an exaggeratedly proper position and starts to sing: *

Hellion:

How do you solve a problem like a first draft?
How do you revise a book you wish would go away?
How do you find the strength to query?
Ben & Jerry’s ice cream?
Rum and Captain Jack?
Paxil?

Many a thing I need to do before I send it;
Many a thing to fix before an Editor sees
But what if it’s as badly written as my inner critic claims?
What if I’m going to need to move to Belize?
How do you solve a problem like a first draft?

Hellion: *warbling slowly*

How do you know when it’s revised enough to please?

*Other pirates also in black smocks and wimples enter stage, same hand pose and start singing: *

The blog is alive with the sound of cheering
With hurrahs we have sung with each book we complete
The blog is alive with the sound of cheering
Typing The End is a victory most sweet.

*Terri steps forward, throws off wimple and strips off smock, revealing a Regency gown; other pirates follow suit, revealing similar gowns*

Terri:  How did this outfit ever become fashionable? You could be Kate Moss and still look pregnant in these dresses? Gah.

Hellion: No idea, Terr, but you look great and not at all pregnant. *stepping forward, holding a guitar*

Hoydens in dresses and Marquises in fashion,
Rakes chasing spinsters and kissing them with passion;
Rides ‘round Hyde Park in a fast coach and four
Oh, life of the Regency rich totally scores!

Bantering intrigues and eye-spying chaperones;
Careful who you kiss or your reputation’s all blown.
A viscount, a marquis, a duke or an earl
Oh, it’s so much fun being a Regency girl!

*The Earl of Mayne swaggers out onto the main stage and all the pirates swoon; Mayne winks charmingly at the camera*

When the dishes pile,
When the kids wail,
When I’m feeling guilty as hell
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I just say: Oh, Well…

*pirates strip again and beneath is revealed to be contemporary clothing*

Chefs cooking in the bedroom and heroines eating cheap noodles,
Agents saving the USA and heroines with poodles;
Rides through the countryside in a bitching black Audi
Oh, life of the contemporary is so delightfully bawdy!

Bantering foreplay and toys with C batteries,
“You’re so gorgeous, my love” and all sorts of flatteries.
An agent, a chef, a billionaire, or a cowboy
Oh, the contemporary life brings so much joy!

When the dishes pile,
When the kids wail,
When I’m feeling guilty as hell
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I just say: Oh, Well…

Hellion:  As we all might know, I’m half-finished with my first draft of my hilarious single title, In the Beginning Again and well, I wrote this little parody to sing for when I do complete it. As you’ll see, I’m very modest.  *blushes*

I am writing, going on finishing, yippee, it’s time to plan.
Agents to entice, Editors to make nice; I need the perfect query at hand!
I have finished, now I have a first draft; Champagne I’ve drunk by score
I shall be in print, making a small mint.
Jude Deveraux, hear me roar!
Totally unprepared am I, to face the Publishing Biz;
Panicky, overwhelmed, and scared am I, of failing a possible pop quiz.
I need someone older and wiser, telling me what to do
I’ll find Christina, NYT author, she’s been a newbie too.

Marnee:  Are you always such a kiss up?

Hellion: Pirate. *smiles at audience* Now, crew, pirates, please join us in the RWR Theme song for the upcoming National Novel Writing Month, which as pirates none of us have planned for.  All together now:

Pirate crew, pirate crew,
Every morning you greet me
Nag and yell,
Giving me hell
Where’s my word count to greet thee

Here’s my page count, cut me some slack,
Cut me some slack, you termagants
Pirate crew, pirate crew,
Where would my word count be without you?

Hellion: Well, that’s all we have today. Tomorrow we’re going to have the incomparable Miranda Neville on the ship, telling us about her new book The Wild Marquis! In the meantime, how has your writing been coming? Anything you’ve read lately you’ve been dying to talk about? How about TV shows? Anyone love the new Life Unexpected?

Most of my post-traumatic stress flashbacks are high school related. I’m sure that doesn’t exactly count in most mental facilities because being shot at is always much more stressful than having to go to Algebra class, but some days, I’d rather just be shot at. Take for instance, the FOIL method. You know this one: first, outer, inner, and last. It’s used to multiply two binomials, whatever the hell those are.

As you can imagine, my Algebra teacher lied because I’m relatively certain I have not used the FOIL method or almost any part of algebra in my everyday life since I graduated. Thank you, God.

Fortunately, math class wasn’t the only place we learned about foils. We also learned about foils in literature. For me, these types of foils made much more sense. A foil character is a person who is used to make another character, usually the main character, stand out more, done by contrast. The term comes from the word foil which is a jeweler’s practice of placing polished metal (foil) beneath a gemstone to make it shine more brightly. (Doesn’t that sound lovely? You’re making your book shine. Besides, I love jewelry.)

And whether you’ve even heard of the term foil character or not, I’m sure you could identify one without even thinking about it. In fiction, we frequently use mentors and/or best friends as foils to the hero/heroine. Roguish Captain Jack Sparrow is a foil to the honorable Will Turner. Will wants to ask permission; Jack wants to get forgiven (or at least not hanged) when all is said and done. Will wants to rescue the girl; Jack wants to save his own skin. Will wants to be a good and noble blacksmith with a good and noble sailor for a father; and Jack wants to be a pirate. Both of them get the job done, but differently.

In the Essex sisters series (Eloisa James), the sisters are foils to each other. Tessa, the oldest, is the caring, mother-nurturer one; Annabel is the mercenary one (so to speak, not wanting to marry for romance); Imogen is the romantic (can’t get any more romantic running off with neighbor boy gambler!); and Josie is almost a blend of the other three: caring, mercenary, and romantic (sensitive to what others think; practical in that she makes a list of what she needs to do to capture a man; romantic in that secretly she wants to be loved for herself.) And they all end up mentoring each other on some level throughout the books.

Foils are useful. They add contrast; they give humor. Best of all, if your FOIL character is likable enough, you can use them in another book.

So here is my FOIL method for making foil characters. It’s a lot easier than algebra and you’re much more likely to use it in your everyday life. FOIL stands for: Funny, Opposite, Insightful, and Lovable.

Funny: this character is usually used for comedic effect, even if he’s the “straight man” and isn’t dropping one-liners. However, mentors and sidekicks (which can sometimes be played as the same character in a story) frequently are given the best lines. They can say things that the hero/heroine can’t. And really, it’s the least we can do for them: giving them the funny lines, because the hero is the one who’s going to get the girl, right? Throw the guy a bone. For instance, in Pleasure for Pleasure, Imogen—who never struck me as exactly a one-liner sort of character, being she was very romantic and “serious”—is advising Josie about men and age, “Thirty is a watershed year. If they’re going to develop intelligence, they do it around then, and if they don’t, it’s too late. So you mustn’t hanker after men in their twenties. That’s like buying a pig in a poke.”

Opposite: this character usually exhibits traits opposite of main character, to add humor, but also to exhibit good qualities of main character to literary effect. (Ex: a 401K-save-10%, loves the finer things accountant has a perpetually broke surfer friend who buys lottery tickets and ramen noodles; or a sweats-clad single social worker is friends with a bored housewife who shops on Rodeo Drive—how these people are friends is anyone’s guess, but it’s amusing to see how they work together and learn from each other.) Annabel is considered the beautiful, sexy sister, and Josie despairs of being anything like her because she’s too fat and self-conscious.

Insightful: Foils are often placards for “mentor” roles. Not only are they given the best lines, they are frequently given profound, INSIGHTFUL lines to make the character wake up and stop doing old behavior that will lose them the love of their lives. (See: Watershed year line above. Can’t get anymore insightful than that.)

Lovable: They have to be at least likable, but lovable is better. No one wants their hero to be friends with a complete asshole—or if they are, they better have a damned good reason. If the FOIL character is an asshole and doesn’t change, it’s possible the hero may have to cut ties when he realizes this behavior is not doing anyone any good. Imogen goes through a period of very self-destructive behavior before she becomes “worthy” of being a heroine. And again, if you make them likable, you can probably use them for the next book. (I also think “loyal” works here because FOIL characters are usually loyal to the hero/heroine, and loyalty goes a long ways to negating any bad behavior that character might have.)

So what do you think of foil characters in books? Do you consciously or unconsciously give your “mentor/friends” characters opposite traits to your hero/heroine? Do you give them the best lines? Who are some of your favorite foil characters? And does anyone actually understand how the FOIL method works in algebra?

Morgan Freeman-Invictus

This time every year Hollywood is aflutter with anticipation. Who will receive the golden statue for the leading man in the best actor category? This year the Academy of Performing Arts has once again nominated the best of the best. What I noticed about this years nominees, is the distinguished attraction in a category of talented performers. Just like the heroes in some of my favorite novels, it proves that looks do not always dictate the power of the leading man. George Clooney, Tobey McGuire, and Colin Firth are nothing to sneeze at, but I find the talent of Morgan Freeman and Jeff Bridges to be equally arresting.

JR Ward created a tortured and scarred hero in Zaddist. In Lover Eternal, he displayed as many scars on the outside as the suffering he sheltered in his soul. His scarred appearance endeared his character to thousands of readers. An attractive appearance is just icing on the cake for the most cherished leading men. Heroes are remembered for their actions, and the ability to make you believe them in the role they portray.

Tobey McQuire- Brothers

George Clooney-Up in the Air

Colin Firth-A Single Man

Unfortunately, I haven’t viewed any of the movies nominated. However, I can remember each of these men in unforgettable roles. Most memorable for me would have to be Morgan Freeman in the Shawshank Redemption. At the end, when he strolls down the beach toward Tim Robbins, it makes me want to stand and cheer every time.

In movies as well as novels, the memory etched, is the sucess gained.

Jeff Bridges-Crazy Heart

Who are your favorite-scarred heroes? Whom do you predict to win the Oscar tonight?

This sorta ties into last months blog on Alt. vs. Actual, insomuch as I want to meander about what readers expect from a genre. And how these expectations must either be met or dealt with. (I warned ye I wasn’t done wit’ this topic!)

I’ve been reading a book on screenwriting and the author talks about what movie goers expect to see when they pick a particular movie to see, emotion-wise. And I get that it’s different for each genre. And it isn’t always expectation, it’s what we hunger for on a particular day. What we need. (I’m a big movie goer and often find it easier to discuss plot, genre, etc, with reference to movies.)

For example, some are easy. You expect (need) to laugh? Go see a comedy or pick up a book with comical aspects. To experience courage? Go see action adventure, an epic adventure, etc. Love and longing fulfilled? A romance. Want to be scared? A thriller. Want to see cleverness? A mystery. You don’t get these, you are disappointed.

You get something very different? Well, what disappoints for a particular genre? What hauls you out of your ability to suspend belief?

Some are obvious. Romance readers expect either a HEA or a HFN. Mystery readers expect a solution. Thriller readers expect the resolution of tension. Fantasy readers expect imaginative worlds or a mythology they can frolic in. Scifi readers expect some science fact… Erotica readers want…well, we all know what they want!

Historical readers speak a special language and not using these terms will haul them out of the book. If you didn’t use them, as a writer, you would likely disappoint your reader. For example, a regency reader knows the vocabulary. Words like pinz nez (those little glasses), reticule (a small purse), chatelaine (a small women’s tool kit, thimbles, sewing needles, scissors), pelisse (a slip)…they already know all of these and so using them is part of the genre. All of the fabric choices, the dress terms, the term of the aristocracy…all part of the genre.

They are expected and they signal authenticity.

When I began reading authors recommended by several other pirates, many of them were regency or historical authors. And I do not have the vocabulary for this genre. It drove me crazy to be pulled out of the story by words I didn’t understand. Where was the dictionary for a newbie like me? The characters were interesting, the story was interesting…and blam! Terms I didn’t get and no fast way to find out what they meant.

I sort of knew this would happen when I stepped into the worlds these authors were writing. Still frustrated me. But I’m flexible, so I just slid past them and kept reading. (Good authors can rise above the reader’s not knowing, as long as the reader is willing to keep reading…)

When I read science fiction, I know there are going to be all sorts of science terms I’m going to flounder on. But the good scifi author finds a way to communicate with those who don’t have the science knowledge.

Here is where it gets tricky. It is my supposition that some readers are more flexible than others. Some genres are more open for a loose interpretation of facts. Some readers are flexible, some aren’t.

A paranormal reader may or may not be turned off by certain things. A historical reader is going to flip out over toying with history. My dear friend, Jane-o, reads historical. Mostly historical. She writes historical. I can take it or leave it. (I don’t write it, other than history I can totally muck about with, twisting ‘real’ into a fantasy.)

But the argument we got into regarding steampunk made me realize how stubborn she was when it came to evaluating genres. To her, it’s just sh*t. The idea of toying so much with history, to make steam the prevalent method of industrial discovery, to mix paranormal with actual history, to change the outcomes of major historical events, such as the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World Wars…it totally offenses her sensibilities. She simply cannot suspend her connection to what is real and what is not to appreciate the intricate worlds steampunk authors create.

She’s kinder to me and my meddling, but she knows me!

(Granted Jane-o was a bit put out by the lesser number of historical panels scheduled at RT, and resented the allocation of time to steampunk. Time she felt would be better spent on purely historical panels. She has a point, there are very few historical panels. Sorry, Jane-o!)

Any toying with realty hauls her right out of the story. And I see this with a lot of readers. Now my mentor is knowledgeable, knows her genre right and left, knows the ins and out of writing romance, erotica, history…but toss in a bare hint of magic without complete explanation of it and she is frustrated.

Most fantasy readers expect to take a great deal on faith. To read everything explained would frustrate them. They expect to discover these tidbits as they go along. Tidbits that are world oriented, you understand. Not character oriented.  (We all expect to discover characters as we read.)

My mentor was open enough to admit that she could be finding things bothersome that wouldn’t bother a more well-read fantasy reader. I’ve had me sis read the same book and sis had no difficulties whatsoever with the world oriented tidbits. Sis expects to suspend belief until it all dances before her eyes. When one knows the world, as in historicals, any deviation is going to draw attention to itself. And piss someone off.

Every genre has its expectations. Every reader wants these expectations met. I believe problems arise when readers take a step into something different and carry those same expectations with them. When the cross pollination of genres take some/leave some, readers are often left wondering where certain elements have gone.

And let’s face it, the specialization of genres is the flipside of this coin. There are specific target audiences/writers that leave no room for toying with any elements.

What do you see as the expectations for the genre you read? Or write? Do you know of any authors that dance the fine line between genres and manage to satisfy expectations? How do you write to satisfy an ever-changing public, more and more demanding? (Not to mention publishers?)

Off subject, what would a modern day chatelaine contain for you?

We’ve got an exciting new author visiting the blog today!   Erica Ridley writes Gothic romance and Eloisa James called her debut, Too Wicked To Kiss, “one of the wittiest returns to the gothic since Jane Austen made fun of Miss Catherine Morland in Northanger Abbey.”

But not only is her book getting great buzz, Erica’s also super cool.  So without further adieu, please give Erica a warm RWR welcome!  Chance, make her a glittery hooha and someone round up a couple of crewmembers….

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TOO WICKED TO KISS has a psychic heroine. Would you like to have visions of the future?

Only if the future could be changed. If not, I’d rather not know bad things were imminent, (nor have good surprises be ruined.) Unfortunately for Evangeline, she has very little control over what she sees, and no way to stop the visions from coming. Since they’re brought about by any skin-to-skin contact, she’s spent her entire life quite literally out of touch from other people… no matter how big a crowd she might be in.

The hero isn’t Mr. Sociable himself, either. Right?

Right, although Gavin has physically sequestered himself for emotional reasons (he’s been shunned from Society for the alleged murder of his parents) whereas Evangeline is emotionally isolated for physical reasons (her cursed visions.) The situation forces them to reach out. Their interaction breaks the loneliness, helping each of them to grow and change as a person while also falling in love.

Tell us about Blackberry Manor. Why set the story in such a scary place?

I remember reading My Sweet Audrina by VC Andrews as a teen, and being struck by the heroine’s struggle to make sense of her environment. She was constantly disoriented as to passage of time by a house where every clock told a different hour and every calendar a different date. I liked the idea that there *was* no safe haven. In Too Wicked To Kiss, Evangeline not only has to worry about which of the houseguests is a murderer, but also learns to fear Blackberry Manor itself, for very good reason.

Are Gothic-style stories what you prefer to read?

I love to read just about everything! Historical (particularly Regency-set) is my number one favorite romance genre, but my bookshelves are also crammed with everything from paranormal to romantic comedies to romantic suspense. There’s plenty of (non-romance) genre fiction competing for shelf space, too. Whenever I find a new-to-me author I really like, I’m infamous for heading straight to the bookstore and loading up on the author’s entire backlist!

For example?

The first Julia Quinn book I bought was the third or fourth installment in the Bridgerton series. I immediately went back to the store and cleaned them out of her older titles, including the previous non-Bridgerton books. Another I hit mid-series was Kay Hooper with her Special Crimes Unit. *Love* those books, and got my hands on everything she wrote, even from before her romantic suspense days. I’ve got an entire bookshelf filled with to-be-read books… who knows how many more authors will be sending me on a return trip to the bookstore!

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HIS TOUCH HOLDS HER CAPTIVE…

From the ravens circling its spires to the gargoyles adorning its roof, Blackberry Manor looms ominously over its rambling grounds. And behind its doors, amid the flickering shadows and secret passageways, danger lies in wait.

TO HIS EVERY DARK DESIRE…

Evangeline Pemberton has been invited to a party at the sprawling estate of reclusive Gavin Lioncroft, who is rumored to have murdered his parents. Initially, Gavin’s towering presence and brusque manner instill fear in Evangeline…until his rakish features and seductive attentions profoundly arouse her. But when a guest is murdered, Evangeline is torn. Could the man to whom she is so powerfully drawn, also be a ruthless killer?

TOO WICKED TO KISS

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How about you? When you read a new-to-you book you really enjoy, do you seek out that author’s other titles? Or do you only a small number of books on a single “keeper shelf”?

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Get to know Erica at:

Author Website: http://www.ericaridley.com

Book Bonus Features: http://www.2wicked2kiss.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EricaRidleyFans

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/EricaRidley

Music Choice: “One Feeling” Dommin. CD: Love is Gone (2010)

Fantastical CD. Manda loves to tell people that we saw them in concert last June and I had a chance to speak to the lead singer. Instead of fawning over him, Manda says that I strolled right up to him, double fisted my hands in his t-shirt, pulled him close and blew her mind away. When I pulled away from him, Manda turns to me and says, “What did you say to him?”

And I merely shrugged my shoulders and said, “I told him I wanted more music and he needed to get on that ASAP.”

***

I sat on the dock, lily pads dotted the edge of the pond, frogs chirped and the wind rustled through the overgrown cattails. I brushed my hair away from my eyes and unfolded my legs out from under me. The water cold on the bottom of my feet and I wiggled my toes. Gentle ripples waved from my feet and fanned out until they faded back into the calm water. I was all alone. Alone with my thoughts, alone with my fear of the unknown. The bottom of the pond was a dark and solitude place and something I’d never conquer unless I tackled it head first.

My heart thumped in fear, adrenaline rushed through my veins as I stood up and peeled off my shirt. I threw the shirt onto the bank and my jeans followed. The wind caressed my skin and called for me to get closer to the water. I tiptoed, mesmerized by the calm, and watched the reflection of clouds float by me. Sunlight dimmed on the water and I came to the edge of the dock. My toes flexed over the rough wood and dug in as if they could hold me back from what was inevitable.

I took a deep breath and held it as I worked up enough courage to face my fear. I breathed out slowly and I threw myself into the air. The water was cold as it rushed over me and I gasped as I dipped below the surface. I shot to the surface and coughed and sputtered and floundered. The sound of my heart roared in my head, my lungs hurt from lack of oxygen and I looked up to the sky one last time. The sun peeked through the clouds and haloed around me. I closed my eyes and stopped fighting. The dark embraced me.

***

I’ve been on vacation. In case you didn’t notice. During vacation, I usually try to write, stretch my wings creatively and just chill out. This vacation was different. I didn’t write at all. Didn’t pull out my laptop once. Fielded no calls from the office. My life was blissfully work stress free and silent. Before I left for vacation, I found myself sitting in the quiet peaceful room with a psychic massage therapist at the request of my BFF. Apparently, I am too wound up to enjoy relaxing properly. Now, I am a very private person.  Most people who know me know that without a doubt I don’t want anyone to know what I’m hiding, what I’m thinking or what I’m doing. Going to a psychic massage therapist doesn’t really mesh well with my need to hide in plain sight.

You can just gather from my meeting with her that she’s pretty freaking accurate. Then I turn around and the first day of vacation a tarot card reader throws down an accurate read of my past and my current status. I’m kinda pissed that I’m losing my ability to hide. If you can just tell someone your full name (sans the middle because no one gets that kind of power over me- people who use middle names own souls in my fcked up little fictional world), year you were born and occupation (which we all know I answer vaguely) and they can throw down a read that you have a hard time lying about and are still thinking about two weeks later, warrants some respect.  I blame this on the psychic massage therapy breaking my wall and I didn’t have time to properly rebuild it before the tarot card reader threw down with me. It’s like she knew exactly where I was going to be and lured me in.

So, for the remainder of my vacation I was left with a few thoughts brewing in the back of my brain. Change is coming, the type of change I’ve been looking for and striving for seven years. I’m left with forcing my writing because creatively I’m stunted due to my lack of change so I have to reflect and take a step back. And last but not least, my life is looking to be turned upside down. I like change and I thrive when it comes to living on the fly. It comes from years and years of biding my time.

Relaxing is not something I do easily. I’m too wound for sound, always moving and always doing. Pausing to reflect and change course on something I’ve set my mind to is always too difficult for me. I’d rather scratch it all and start over. Clean slate with no marks and no scuffs and no issues to address. Walk away before it gets ugly- that’s my motto. Diana has caused me to take a step back and think about what I really want out of my writing. I spent a lot of time in the pool, on my back, staring up at the sky while I thought about in theory what writing means to me and my mental state. Where I want my characters to go and how to grow. But the goal was to not put anything on paper. Think, reflect, relax, enjoy and learn.

After two weeks, I can’t say that I’m any further along in my self-examination of my writing psyche.

Sabbaticals, hiatuses from writing- Do you think they are a good idea? Any writers you can think of that have taken years off between books only to come back stronger than they were before? What is your favorite relaxation technique?