Hopping Problems

The only 'hopping’ I’ve actually tried was moving the setting of a story. I moved one from a High School setting somewhere in NW England to a hotel setting in New York, and another from a college in Virginia to a college in the UK. The first one is buried somewhere at the bottom of a box (might resurrect it one day), the second is one I continue to struggle with. I might end up re-setting it yet again.

However, the only genre I would consider (in addition to contemporary romance) is historical. I have no interest at all in anything sci-fi, paranormal or fantasy, and am a loss to understand the current fascination with vampires. These genres do absolutely nothing for me and I wouldn’t have a clue how to write any of them.

Re-writing a modern story as historical (or vice versa) is fraught with problems though. If it was just a case of (as Ana said), ‘boy meets girl, obstacles arise, love wins in the end’, then it’s probably true that a story could be put into any historical period. But transposing an already written story into a different era would need a major re-think.

If I moved my ‘modern’ story, for example, to Medieval times, I would have to take into account different attitudes, mores, conventions and values and, more practically, transport and communication differences.

I have a strong suspicion that even the bare outline of a plot would change if the characters were dumped in a different era – if the characters in a modern story no longer had access to a phone and took days/weeks to travel from one place to another or, at the other extreme (as in a sci-fi story), had access to instant ‘beam me up, Scottie’ technology and had developed the skill of telepathy!

I think I’ll stick with contemporary romance.

Genre Hopping Characters and Author led rewrites.

The exercise for us this week is to explore the possibility of switching genre with characters already fully formed, who have their setting (backdrop) and, plotted purpose in their very existance. Maybe we're thinking new trend in reader taste, maybe it's an old manuscript we've discovered languishing in a drawer or cupboard and written yonks ago and in need of revamp. So how can we move these characters from say one genre to another and maybe a different era? 

L-hand Image: Let’s imagine a young female agent sent to infiltrate a drug-smuggling gang, her assignment that of getting close to Mr Big. She’s attended a special training course in preparation for every eventuality in respect of things she might have to do in order to achieve her goal. She’s already accepted she may end up emotionally scarred post-assignment. She also knows she must never drop her guard, even in the unlikely event of finding herself seriously attracted to her target, that of Mr. Big’s side-kick. And, she’s well aware intimacies can play cruel tricks on the unwary. But, nothing is quite as it seems.

R-H Image: Now imagine the Island of Jersey under German occupation, and a secretary with remarkable skills beyond that of mere typist. Recruited by British Intelligence prior to invasion of the island - fluent in German – she sees it her duty to respond to a request to frequent a local bar-cum-café, which a specific German officer (second in command) is known to favour. She agrees she will try to ignite interest from him and endeavour to lure him into pleasurable liaisons. She knows it imperative to remain detached despite the officer’s handsome appearance. But, the intimacies that are likely to occur might prove unbearable. However, nothing is quite as it seems.               

There you have it: the same character in genre leap from Modern Romantic Thriller to that of Modern Historical Romance, or perhaps vice versa. It can be done, I should imagine, but I’ve never written the former so have no idea if rewriting it to latter would be worth the effort!  Maybe I’ll write both, now that I’ve seen both movies in consecutive dreams and know the outcomes . . .

See, it's easy! Images often inspire my imagination, and the subconscious goes to work while I sleep.  ;)

True Love Triumphs, but in what clothes?

The essence of romance is true love: Girl meets boy. Obstacles arise. Love wins in the end. This theme, thankfully, never goes out of style.
What does is genre, the wrapping we package around each version of our love story.
If a story genre falls out of popularity, can a story be repackaged to sell?
My first WIP was a western. Spunky daughter needs to save the ranch. (I live on a cattle farm, so I was trying to write what I know.) My craft skills were rudimentary, but my overall story arc was actually quite good. I hope to revive it soon.
If westerns are not in vogue when I do, I could turn it into a sci-fi. (Think Star Wars. It's a western set in space.) Or possibly an urban fantasy. Same story, just different packaging.
But should I?

Welcome to Josh Tremino

Please welcome Josh Tremino who talks today about Love and the Ultimate Sacrifice.

Last week, I saw Tangled for the first time. This was a great little movie complete with a blond princess, amusing animals, and a clever romance. But after I left the theatre, one moment in particular keeps resonating in my chest. This movie illustrated my favorite part of romance, the most profound and meaningful part of any relationship: sacrifice.

Spoilers: I’m about to give away the ending to this movie.

At the end of this movie, Flynn Rider is about to die. As he clutches his fatal wound, he listens to Repunzel as she tries to get her captor to let her heal him. If she does, she will lose her freedom.

After a few tense moments, Repunzel is allowed to go to him. She will give up everything for him. She will spend her life in captivity to save this boy.

I find this moment intense and fascinating. So much of romance is about sacrifice. In the smallest sense, it’s letting the guy or girl you love pick where you’ll go to dinner. Or maybe it’s about taking on an extra shift so you can get her something nice for her birthday.

If you want to go more epic, sacrifice is the moment when one character will give up what she wants most to save the a loved one. In Tangled, our princess hero craves her freedom, but she’ll give it up for the boy she loves. She goes to him, ready to sacrifice everything until he slashes away her hair, removing her magic and condemning him to death.

She will give up everything for him; he’ll give up everything for her. It’s beautiful, it’s wonderful, and it’s painful because this is love.

In our culture and life in general, love gets messed up with a bunch of other concepts. Love might get confused with friendship or sex. Love might be about meeting someone else’s expectations. But throw in some sacrifice, and it gets simple pretty quickly.

Are you willing to suffer or die? This combination simplifies the questions of romantic love. These people care about one another in a meaningful, fundamental, and nearly primordial way.

The same question of sacrifice arises in both of my upcoming novels. In Poisoned Star, Treya ultimately has to choose between her life and the boy she’s come to love. She knows that defying her masters will result in her death. For her, there is no question. There is no hope, so her decision nearly impossible.

Nick, the main character from Angels in Disguise, puts himself in the position where he will die for the woman he loves. He is part-demon and an angel’s light will kill him, but he exposes himself anyway because he must if he wants to save Jenny.

Love and the ultimate sacrifice, together they simplify a lot of questions whether it’s in one of my paranormal romances or an awesome Disney movie like Tangled.

Many thanks for being with us today, Josh.   We wish you every success with your forthcoming releases.
Visit Josh at his website:  http://www.joshtremino.com/

Welcome to Cassandre Dayne

Welcome to our Friday Friend, Cassandre Dayne.  Cassandre writes highly erotic romance stories and novels in the contemporary, science fiction and paranormal flavors. Currently she has four erotic romance novels published with Rebel Ink Press and six more under contract. Her recent titles include, Treats in a Plain Brown Wrapper, Her Sinful Long Legs, Revving her Wild Engines and Shadows of Panic and Wicked Desire. A novella will also release April 20th titled Wicked Wager Among Friends - Tales from Lucifer’s Lair and her first full length novel being released on September 1st – Deception, Domination & Hunted Desire.

In addition, as her alter ego Bethany Halle, she is the host of two blog talk radio shows with Robin Falls Red River Radio. The Fire of Fantasy & Darkness airs every other month highlighting writers and other artists in the fantasy, science fiction and paranormal genres. Dare to Take the Plunge also airs every other month featuring writers, publishers, cover artists and reviewers in the erotic romance genre.

Today she tells us about creating sexy characters:

As an erotic romance writer, I often am asked, just how do I come up with the many different and very sensual characters? That’s a very good question. First of all, the story ideas come to me sometimes out of the blue. I always keep a notebook beside my bed and with me at work so that I can write down every wicked idea in scratchy format, later going back and typing a synopsis for the ones that truly burn within me. That’s when I begin agonizing over the characters. I am crazy about developing the hero and heroine in the right light. They have to have the perfect name, the sizzling look, attributes that are sexy and yet they have to have a weakness or two.

I tend to create multi-faceted characters that don’t have the perfect lives, yet they long for something else, something truly special. I enjoy including many different cultures and interracial relationships in my books. Understanding and penning their life correctly requires learning about everything from inflections and colloquialisms to popular names and family traditions. When I think I have that perfect fit, he or she will have a sensuous name, but one befitting their lifestyle. After I allow that to settle in my mind, I write down their attributes including everything from their favorite food and drink to what they drive. After all, you have to believe in their rough-hewn ways, don’t you?

Every character has a voice. They could be from the inner city or educated at Harvard and as a writer, I try and make sure the voices are distinct. Something I really enjoy doing is creating a character that has that hidden past or secret desire that if any of his or her friends or family knew about, they might not think of them in the same soulful light. In my current release, Shadows of Panic & Wicked Desire, Snake is a well educated and successful businessman, but he also has a dark craving for very kinky acts. Finding a partner in more ways than one in Halle, he indulges in her greatest fantasy and one that many men could not engage in – giving her the gift of other men to play with.

The truly exciting part about writing is having a different look and feel for my characters. Whether they are vampires attempting to live in the modern world or the computer geek turned sexy hunk on the night he works in a strip club, bringing them to life is a sheer joy. Sometimes the characters aren’t likeable in the beginning, but as you strip away the hard shell that hides the man or woman inside, you generally learn that they have been harboring something so horrendous that their soul can barely take surviving.

We all have had experiences in our lives that taunt us into near submission and I think reading about someone else and how they rise to the surface is a surprising and needed treat. While some of my contemporary erotic pieces are simply designed for pleasure and little else, every one of them leaves you with a thought about why they hunger for the passion they seek. Making them multi-faceted is what gives the story flavor. Here’s a little taste of Shadows of Panic & Wicked Desire. Tell me what you think about their interactions.

Coasting up the long driveway, he recognized several cars. He knew the invitation list and had in fact encouraged Kimberly to invite certain select individuals for his cunning scheme. She’d been more than a willing participant in his nefarious plan. He chuckled as he slid the bike next to a shining ebony Hummer and climbed off. Little Miss Halle Tremont wasn’t going to know what hit her. After she removed her helmet and fluffed her hair, Snake brushed the soft locks from her face and bent to kiss her lips, barely touching, his tongue tracing a sensuous circle around her ruby stained lips. “You ain’t seen nothing yet my gal. Just wait.”

She handed him the mask and giggled. “Don’t roll your eyes.”

“You know how I feel.”

“I know, but Kimberly insisted.”

“Hmmm…” Snake wasn’t the kind of man that wanted to wear a mask for any reason, but tonight was different. Tonight, he was going to fulfill Halle’s darkest fantasy and one that she had only mentioned in the throes of their wild passions. The only question that remained in his mind was if she could truly tolerate what he was prepared to give her. The collar was a test more than anything and while Snake toyed with introducing the lifestyle to her, the velvet collar was meant to signify that no matter what kinky events occurred, she was leaving with one man. There was a part of his mind that was excited to see her reactions. He wanted nothing more than to bring her to new heights of ecstasy, but it was her choice. Halle’s complete trust meant more to him than any kinky games. He took her hand, kissed her palm and wrapped his arm around her waist as he led her toward the front of the house.

“Come on sexy.”

“Wow! It’s amazing what she did with the old place.”

“It is a bit decadent.” In truth, the house had been turned into a sensuous inviting home meant for gatherings of the exotic nature. Snake glanced at the front porch and fought a grin knowing exactly what Kimberly had gone through to assimilate a bordello. “Ready?”

“Um, I think so.”

He kissed her forehead and moved up the steps toward the door. The party was in full swing as they walked in. The well-adorned house was an oversized Georgian willed to Kimberly by her parents. She’d completely refurbished the rather stuffy interior into a den of sin, erotic and wild. The lights were nothing but glowing orbs, the furniture rich leather and oversized pillows thrown everywhere in groups on the floor. Luscious rich velvet drapes and mocha colored bearskin rugs were strategically positioned throughout giving the effect of a whorehouse, inviting all that would play.

“I thought this was supposed to be a small party.” Halle said, looking around. “These are some incredible costumes.”

Snake eased his hand across the back of her neck and drew her in for a passionate kiss. As he eased back, he licked the edge of her mouth slowly. “You’re the one that’s incredible.”

Remember when you read any story penned by a writer, they have given every character a significant amount of thought. They can make or break your story and they provide intricate and sexy details that push the story along. Most of all, they have to give you that feeling that you want to get to know them and everything about their lives. I hope you enjoyed learning a little bit about me!!

Thank you for allowing me to guest blog.

Many thanks for visiting us today, Cassandre, and we wish you every success with your forthcoming releases. 

You can find more about Cassandre at http://www.cassandredayne.com/
Email: cassandre@cassandredayne.com
https://twitter.com/bethanyhalle
https://cassandredayne.wordpress.com/

Enjoy a video trailer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNMkabOY3jA

Cassandre's books are available at:
http://www.bookstrand.com/cassandre-dayne
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=Cassandre+Dayne

NB We have an extra guest this week!  Please drop in tomorrow to meet Josh Tremino who talks about Love and the Ultimate Sacrifice!

Music as Muse

Music for me tends to be an inspiration for writing a lot of times. My genre of choice is country music, and as a fellow Chicago-North member once said, "With country, there's a story in every song." And it's so true. The idea for my free read "Mistletoe and Folly" came to me while I was listening to one of my favorite Toby Keith Christmas songs. My recent submission to TWRP "A Christmas to Remember" was inspired by the song of the same title sung by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton.
Right now I'm in the middle of a story about a rodeo man: a bull rider. There are plenty of bull-ridin' songs out there, and whenever I hear them, my fingers get itchy for my keyboard.

While I write, sometimes I listen to music, sometimes I don't. If I do it's usually to block noise coming from other areas of the house: the tv especially. For this I like to listen to scores from movies. It definitely has to be music without lyrics, or I'll start singing along. (Something we don't want to happen for a whole variety of reasons!) My favorites are "Pirates of the Caribbean", "Twilight", and "Star Wars".

Until next time,

Happy Reading!

Debra
www.debrastjohnromance.com

Music while I write?

My short answer to this is that I very rarely listen to music while I write. I find it too distracting. Which is odd, in a way, because I can leave the TV on in the background and not be distracted by that. Maybe it’s because I can ‘tune out’ the TV from my mind (most of it is pretty mindless anyway!) unless something catches my attention. I can’t do that with music.

I know some writers match the music they listen to with the mood of whatever they are writing at the time. I think I’d spend so long deciding what music was suitable, I wouldn’t get any writing done!

The only time I can recall consciously listening to music to set the mood for me was when I was writing one of my fan fiction stories which was partly set in Ireland. I enjoyed playing Irish songs as I wrote that one.

So here’s one of  my favourite Irish songs for you: