Molly O'Keefe's Blog, page 39
April 24, 2012
A little tease . . .
My first adventure in self-publishing will be ready soon. Very very soon. I just thought I'd offer the tiniest tease here: my gorgeous cover from On Your Covers with graphics by Teresa Sprecklemeyer.
April 23, 2012
Restraint and Karen Marie Moning
I've been doing a lot of traveling lately and thanks to the magic of hotel wireless and ereaders, I've read the entire Karen Marie Moning Fever series in like...ten minutes. Not kidding. I had my husband pull over near a coffee shop in Cleveland so I could use their wireless to buy the last in the series. For those of you who might not have read these books and I sort of feel like I was the last one on the planet to do so - GO! Get them! you can read them all back to back without the wait all those keeners had to suffer through. There's a lot to talk about with these books and Sinead and I are going to get righteous about how good these books are very soon - but the thing that truly blew me away was Moning's restraint. Her restraint in getting the hero and heroine together - honestly, she made me pant for those moments of connection. Sinead's post about why rushing to sex isn't always satisfying - Moning's restraint and the scenes she chose - totally satisfying. She's the case maker for why it's better to prolong that tension. There was also this incredible restraint about information. Each book answered some questions and built on others, until the last book all we really truly cared about were two things: who is Mac and what is Barron's. The other stuff, good moments of holy shit, but secondary to those two big driving questions. The last book got a bit heavy with information, but for the most part every scene was an arrow pointing forward. I feel, as a writer, I want to splatter everything on the page. Everything I know - and I try to fight that, but it can still feel like I'm flailing away. Moning never seemed to flail. She wrote with precision and restraint. Great books.
April 20, 2012
Sex - what's the rush?
So as Stephanie pointed out, you'd have to be living under a rock not to notice the sheer buzz 50 Shades of Grey has created, and how suddenly romantica has entered the mainstream. Which, I do believe, will be good for a lot authors who write similar books, but write them better, sort of like Twilight opened up a world of YA novels.
And I'm only a third of the way through the book and yes, there is a lot of poorly constructed scenes and it definitely needed a better editor and the heroine is weak, but the one thing the book does well is create a nice sexual tension, and that tension drives a lot of the narrative. The author has a talent for creating that tension in a short number of scenes, and so even after the first sex scene, she keeps the sexual tension alive between her main characters.
There isn't a lot I miss about the old school romances, you know the ones from the 80's and early 90's, where the hero was very alpha and the heroine largely useless, but I miss the creation and sustaining of tension between the leads. If they hop into bed in the first chapter, it's really difficult for an author to create that tension again and few authors manage to do so.
It seems romance is becoming more romantica, which is great, but almost at the expense of sensual and sexual tension. That tension was the most enjoyable part of so many of my favourite novels. And I know it's a choice driven by sales results and it's possible I'm old fashioned, but some of the best YA novels have nothing but unresolved tension and it works so well there and even on TV.
Last night on the Vampire diaries, one extended kiss was the sexiest thing I've seen on TV in a long, long time, because they'd built it up and kept the audience waiting for it. And it was worth the wait.
Anyone else agree with me? Are we, as romance writers, giving up the goods too soon?
And I'm only a third of the way through the book and yes, there is a lot of poorly constructed scenes and it definitely needed a better editor and the heroine is weak, but the one thing the book does well is create a nice sexual tension, and that tension drives a lot of the narrative. The author has a talent for creating that tension in a short number of scenes, and so even after the first sex scene, she keeps the sexual tension alive between her main characters.
There isn't a lot I miss about the old school romances, you know the ones from the 80's and early 90's, where the hero was very alpha and the heroine largely useless, but I miss the creation and sustaining of tension between the leads. If they hop into bed in the first chapter, it's really difficult for an author to create that tension again and few authors manage to do so.
It seems romance is becoming more romantica, which is great, but almost at the expense of sensual and sexual tension. That tension was the most enjoyable part of so many of my favourite novels. And I know it's a choice driven by sales results and it's possible I'm old fashioned, but some of the best YA novels have nothing but unresolved tension and it works so well there and even on TV.
Last night on the Vampire diaries, one extended kiss was the sexiest thing I've seen on TV in a long, long time, because they'd built it up and kept the audience waiting for it. And it was worth the wait.
Anyone else agree with me? Are we, as romance writers, giving up the goods too soon?
April 19, 2012
Didn't want to do it... but have to do it... 50 Shades of Something
This blog talks about fairly sexually explicit material (not so so much) but fair warning.
But I’ve got to bring up the topic… 50 Shades of Grey…I know, I know it’s been beat to death. And I don’t even want to discuss the ramifications of its originations as FanFic. Dear Author did that better than I ever could.
I will say in full disclosure - I didn’t care for the book. Which of course I would never do publicly except in the rare cases when the book becomes so big (and let’s face it the author doesn’t care about my opinion at this point) that it becomes a discussible topic.
As far as I’m concerned books like the DaVinci Code, Harry Potter and yes, Twilight are open for discussion both pro and con because of the tremendous impact they made when released.
Before the kerfuffle on this book started I had a friend (a non romance reading friend) who suggested this book. Her quote… “All the moms are talking about it.” Then she goes on to say it’s a little kinky… to which I said – sign me up. I’m always up for good kink.
This however was not it. Neither good nor particularly kinky in my opinion. What’s funny is as I was reading it I was like… here we go again. What is it with these books and the Mary Sue that seem to resonate. I felt about this book exactly as I felt about Twilight which when I found out it was previously or allegedly or whatever – Twilight FanFic I thought to myself – well done whoever you are. You hit the exact same vibe.
And like Twilight – I get to a certain extent the appeal. Two million books sold. Five million for the movie rights alone! This book is about BSDM or BDSM or some combination of those letters. It’s about dominants and submissives. Alpha’s males to the extreme max. There is something titillating about it. Especially for people who haven’t read anything like this before.
But my point is if there is an audience so big out there for this book – why aren’t these women reading romance novels which deal with sexuality and sexual issues in a much more interesting and way more titillating way!
I mean comparing the sex in this book to authors like Kresely Cole or Maya Banks or Sylvia Day is like comparing a spring rain to a hurricane. So if it’s the kink you want, than you’re looking in a very tame place. And you can’t tell me it’s not, because I’m sorry the story just doesn’t hold up without it.
The worst, however, is the attitude of the heroine. The “I don’t like it. I like it.” “No please don’t. Do it some more.” drove me nearly insane. Is that what’s making this book so popular? Is it that “no, no this is wrong… please do it harder” concept that makes it acceptable for women who would never read erotica or highly explicit romance to suddenly read this book?
To my way of thinking if you like to get spanked own it. And heroines in romance novels today definitely reflect that. Maybe there are some still out there but I think mostly as women we’ve stopped writing the “No means Yes” kind of stories. The Flame and Flower just doesn’t hold up anymore. And while those types of books lead women into the romance genre, I would wager very few readers who read those books 20 years ago would put up with today what Kathleen Woodiwiss’s heroines put up with back then.
No means no. Yes means yes. If you like a belt on the butt then say so. If it’s not your thing don’t get involved with a guy who is into that. I mean really. I wanted to spank this girl for being such a dumbass! Certainly characters will think about why it is they like this particular fetish, or what it says about his or her past and/or internal psychology, but this story barely touches that. And really only with him.
If there are women out there, who don’t read romance, who are reading this book and enjoying it for what it is, just like I enjoyed the The Flame and the Flower 20 years ago, then we as romance writers need to find these women and bring them up to speed with how it’s really done in romance.
But I’ve got to bring up the topic… 50 Shades of Grey…I know, I know it’s been beat to death. And I don’t even want to discuss the ramifications of its originations as FanFic. Dear Author did that better than I ever could.
I will say in full disclosure - I didn’t care for the book. Which of course I would never do publicly except in the rare cases when the book becomes so big (and let’s face it the author doesn’t care about my opinion at this point) that it becomes a discussible topic.
As far as I’m concerned books like the DaVinci Code, Harry Potter and yes, Twilight are open for discussion both pro and con because of the tremendous impact they made when released.
Before the kerfuffle on this book started I had a friend (a non romance reading friend) who suggested this book. Her quote… “All the moms are talking about it.” Then she goes on to say it’s a little kinky… to which I said – sign me up. I’m always up for good kink.
This however was not it. Neither good nor particularly kinky in my opinion. What’s funny is as I was reading it I was like… here we go again. What is it with these books and the Mary Sue that seem to resonate. I felt about this book exactly as I felt about Twilight which when I found out it was previously or allegedly or whatever – Twilight FanFic I thought to myself – well done whoever you are. You hit the exact same vibe.
And like Twilight – I get to a certain extent the appeal. Two million books sold. Five million for the movie rights alone! This book is about BSDM or BDSM or some combination of those letters. It’s about dominants and submissives. Alpha’s males to the extreme max. There is something titillating about it. Especially for people who haven’t read anything like this before.
But my point is if there is an audience so big out there for this book – why aren’t these women reading romance novels which deal with sexuality and sexual issues in a much more interesting and way more titillating way!
I mean comparing the sex in this book to authors like Kresely Cole or Maya Banks or Sylvia Day is like comparing a spring rain to a hurricane. So if it’s the kink you want, than you’re looking in a very tame place. And you can’t tell me it’s not, because I’m sorry the story just doesn’t hold up without it.
The worst, however, is the attitude of the heroine. The “I don’t like it. I like it.” “No please don’t. Do it some more.” drove me nearly insane. Is that what’s making this book so popular? Is it that “no, no this is wrong… please do it harder” concept that makes it acceptable for women who would never read erotica or highly explicit romance to suddenly read this book?
To my way of thinking if you like to get spanked own it. And heroines in romance novels today definitely reflect that. Maybe there are some still out there but I think mostly as women we’ve stopped writing the “No means Yes” kind of stories. The Flame and Flower just doesn’t hold up anymore. And while those types of books lead women into the romance genre, I would wager very few readers who read those books 20 years ago would put up with today what Kathleen Woodiwiss’s heroines put up with back then.
No means no. Yes means yes. If you like a belt on the butt then say so. If it’s not your thing don’t get involved with a guy who is into that. I mean really. I wanted to spank this girl for being such a dumbass! Certainly characters will think about why it is they like this particular fetish, or what it says about his or her past and/or internal psychology, but this story barely touches that. And really only with him.
If there are women out there, who don’t read romance, who are reading this book and enjoying it for what it is, just like I enjoyed the The Flame and the Flower 20 years ago, then we as romance writers need to find these women and bring them up to speed with how it’s really done in romance.
April 18, 2012
New Book Jitters
I've got me a serious case of startabookaphobia as I think Steph named it a while back.
Many things have gotten easier the more books I write, but some things never get easier and one thing that seems to get harder each time is starting. Starting used to be one of my favorite parts.
I think because I've got a better grasp now on how important great openings are... it all feels so high pressured to me.
Also, I descended through a few circles of hell while revising my last manuscript, (and those were just revisions for me...) and so I'm probably nervous about plunging myself into that angsty place again.
But, I need to start book 3 in my current contract soon, and I also want to write a short story ASAP. And I'm realizing how long it's been since I started something new...
Yikes. Any tips?
Maybe I just need reminders that this whole writing thing is worth it. There are good parts, right? LOL. Needy much?
* BTW. I don't know who the artist for this fab cartoon is... but I snagged it from here. I think it's my new mascot. I should look at her daily to remind myself how crazy I can be. :)
Many things have gotten easier the more books I write, but some things never get easier and one thing that seems to get harder each time is starting. Starting used to be one of my favorite parts.
I think because I've got a better grasp now on how important great openings are... it all feels so high pressured to me.
Also, I descended through a few circles of hell while revising my last manuscript, (and those were just revisions for me...) and so I'm probably nervous about plunging myself into that angsty place again.
But, I need to start book 3 in my current contract soon, and I also want to write a short story ASAP. And I'm realizing how long it's been since I started something new...
Yikes. Any tips?
Maybe I just need reminders that this whole writing thing is worth it. There are good parts, right? LOL. Needy much?
* BTW. I don't know who the artist for this fab cartoon is... but I snagged it from here. I think it's my new mascot. I should look at her daily to remind myself how crazy I can be. :)
April 16, 2012
Men shouldn't write sex scenes
I don't know. Maybe I've posted about this before, but here I am again. Men shouldn't write sex scenes. At least, they shouldn't write them if any women are going to read their books. I honestly can't think of a sex scene in a book written by a man that hasn't in some way made me want to say "ewww."
I'm listening to a Ridley Pearson book on CD now while I drive all over hell and gone in northern California doing my new day job. I picked it because I knew the pace of it would keep me interested and awake. It absolutely has not disappointed. In fact, listening to it may have helped me figure out why I'm struggling so with my WIP.
There's one couple in the book who are getting it on pretty consistently. She's his boss in real life, but then of course likes to be mastered in the boudoir. It's a little cliche and I think definitely a male fantasy thing that has more to do with power and control than attraction and sex. That was my first turn-off. Then there's the idea that he actually wants a deeper emotional connection with her which she is saying no to. She just wants to have hot hotel sex in a variety of positions. I am definitely pro hot hotel sex and variety as well, but seriously, it's starting to get a little skanky. Plus, there's always a little something of that power struggle going on. He walks into the hotel room, unzips his pants and she drops to her knees. In fact, she's on her knees a lot. Oh, and she's always telling him how hot he is and how great he is in bed. One more complaint, who says pubis? I mean, in the middle of this pretty darn explicit sex scene, there's the word pubis. Talk about jolting a reader out of the moment!
I'm singling out Ridley here, but quite honestly, he's not alone. I wonder if men who read novels with sex scenes written by women have the same "ewww" reaction. Is it something in how we're wired? In what we find sexy? Do you see a difference? Am I making this all up?
I'm listening to a Ridley Pearson book on CD now while I drive all over hell and gone in northern California doing my new day job. I picked it because I knew the pace of it would keep me interested and awake. It absolutely has not disappointed. In fact, listening to it may have helped me figure out why I'm struggling so with my WIP.
There's one couple in the book who are getting it on pretty consistently. She's his boss in real life, but then of course likes to be mastered in the boudoir. It's a little cliche and I think definitely a male fantasy thing that has more to do with power and control than attraction and sex. That was my first turn-off. Then there's the idea that he actually wants a deeper emotional connection with her which she is saying no to. She just wants to have hot hotel sex in a variety of positions. I am definitely pro hot hotel sex and variety as well, but seriously, it's starting to get a little skanky. Plus, there's always a little something of that power struggle going on. He walks into the hotel room, unzips his pants and she drops to her knees. In fact, she's on her knees a lot. Oh, and she's always telling him how hot he is and how great he is in bed. One more complaint, who says pubis? I mean, in the middle of this pretty darn explicit sex scene, there's the word pubis. Talk about jolting a reader out of the moment!
I'm singling out Ridley here, but quite honestly, he's not alone. I wonder if men who read novels with sex scenes written by women have the same "ewww" reaction. Is it something in how we're wired? In what we find sexy? Do you see a difference? Am I making this all up?
April 12, 2012
Conferences...
I've been thinking that I want to go to more writer conferences. Romantic Times is going on now (wave to Molly!) and one year I definitely want to try that one. I'm always checking the location to see if I can bundle it with work or maybe some other type of trip.
I'll be going to the National RWA conference this year, that's a given and one of my favorite events every year, but that's months away and realize that there is no reason I can't have that same experience maybe a few times a year.
Things I love about RWA is concentrating on writing for four days, talking about books for four days, (okay drinking for four days – but really I don't that most every other four days anyway) and connecting with other writers for four days.
While it can be a draining experience I know that for me it's the best way to meet new people. I'm not great with facebook and twitter, but I have no problem sitting at a bar turning to person next to me and starting up a conversation. You meet the most fascinating people and get to hear their stories. I love that.
So maybe the New Jersey Conference, maybe Savannah just because I've always wanted to see Savannah or maybe another type of conference completely. I've wanted to do NINC and Karen W who comments on this blog recommends that one. I've wanted to do Thrillerfest just because I hear they have workshops where you can shoot guns. I mean really who doesn't want to drink for a few days and then shoot some guns?
Anybody out there know of great conferences you would recommend for a writer?
I'll be going to the National RWA conference this year, that's a given and one of my favorite events every year, but that's months away and realize that there is no reason I can't have that same experience maybe a few times a year.
Things I love about RWA is concentrating on writing for four days, talking about books for four days, (okay drinking for four days – but really I don't that most every other four days anyway) and connecting with other writers for four days.
While it can be a draining experience I know that for me it's the best way to meet new people. I'm not great with facebook and twitter, but I have no problem sitting at a bar turning to person next to me and starting up a conversation. You meet the most fascinating people and get to hear their stories. I love that.
So maybe the New Jersey Conference, maybe Savannah just because I've always wanted to see Savannah or maybe another type of conference completely. I've wanted to do NINC and Karen W who comments on this blog recommends that one. I've wanted to do Thrillerfest just because I hear they have workshops where you can shoot guns. I mean really who doesn't want to drink for a few days and then shoot some guns?
Anybody out there know of great conferences you would recommend for a writer?
April 11, 2012
So over Glee
Is anyone else still watching Glee? I'm not sure when I went from being moderately amused to being mostly annoyed.
I do remember when I went from loving it to being only moderately amused. I love, love loved this show in the first season. I loved the subversive, quirky storylines. The characters' bad behavior. The silliness. And that started to fade for me some time early in the second season. In fact, I found this blog post from 18 months ago, and clearly I was already having issues, yet somehow I kept watching... But I'm hitting that point where it's dangling on the precipice of being deleted from my DVR lineup. Glee you have been warned.
It's not that I don't love mindless TV. I totally do. I'm thinking about a discussion we had in the comments last week when Sinead mentioned that there are TV shows that she always records, but doesn't always watch right away. The really heavy dramas are often like that for me too. I love them. They are my favorite things on TV. BUT... I need to be in the right mood to watch them. At the end of a day of writing or revising or whatever, I don't usually feel like something that will require actual thought or even my full attention. This is why I love reality TV and a few sitcoms and why I used to love Glee.
But, is it just me or is it starting to feel like they pick the songs first and then try to fit story lines around the songs, rather than the other way around? Or pick an "issue" and then decide which character will highlight the issue, rather than thinking about what the characters actually might do, or even attempting character arcs or storylines that go past a few episodes. I swear they put Quinn in a wheelchair just so that she and Artie could sing I'm Still Standing.
At best, it's a tad ridiculous that she was in this big car crash, doesn't have a scratch or a bruise or a broken bone or any sign of the craxh, but has a spinal injury bad enough to put her in a chair??? And even if that is possible, or this is supposed to be, say four months later (which clearly it's not), you'd think they've had at least spent a day teaching the actress how to fake being paralyzed. (The guy who plays Artie seems to have it down.) But she kept using her abs and thighs to lift her butt off the chair and for some reason it made me a little cray-cray.
Clearly I'm in a bad mood right now. But how strange (ironic?) is it that my bad mood came from watching Glee. :)
I do remember when I went from loving it to being only moderately amused. I love, love loved this show in the first season. I loved the subversive, quirky storylines. The characters' bad behavior. The silliness. And that started to fade for me some time early in the second season. In fact, I found this blog post from 18 months ago, and clearly I was already having issues, yet somehow I kept watching... But I'm hitting that point where it's dangling on the precipice of being deleted from my DVR lineup. Glee you have been warned.
It's not that I don't love mindless TV. I totally do. I'm thinking about a discussion we had in the comments last week when Sinead mentioned that there are TV shows that she always records, but doesn't always watch right away. The really heavy dramas are often like that for me too. I love them. They are my favorite things on TV. BUT... I need to be in the right mood to watch them. At the end of a day of writing or revising or whatever, I don't usually feel like something that will require actual thought or even my full attention. This is why I love reality TV and a few sitcoms and why I used to love Glee.
But, is it just me or is it starting to feel like they pick the songs first and then try to fit story lines around the songs, rather than the other way around? Or pick an "issue" and then decide which character will highlight the issue, rather than thinking about what the characters actually might do, or even attempting character arcs or storylines that go past a few episodes. I swear they put Quinn in a wheelchair just so that she and Artie could sing I'm Still Standing.
At best, it's a tad ridiculous that she was in this big car crash, doesn't have a scratch or a bruise or a broken bone or any sign of the craxh, but has a spinal injury bad enough to put her in a chair??? And even if that is possible, or this is supposed to be, say four months later (which clearly it's not), you'd think they've had at least spent a day teaching the actress how to fake being paralyzed. (The guy who plays Artie seems to have it down.) But she kept using her abs and thighs to lift her butt off the chair and for some reason it made me a little cray-cray.
Clearly I'm in a bad mood right now. But how strange (ironic?) is it that my bad mood came from watching Glee. :)
April 9, 2012
Greetings from Portland!
I'm in beautiful Portland for my baby to tour the Lewis & Clark campus to see if he wants to attend. I'm so happy for him and excited to find out how he likes the campus, but what I'm really excited about is that I will have a hotel room to myself for a solid four hours.
Yes. Four hours. Alone. In a hotel. For a writer behind on her manuscript, it's a little slice of heaven. No laundry. No cooking. No dishes. Just me and the computer. Well, and the internet.
Wish me luck.
Yes. Four hours. Alone. In a hotel. For a writer behind on her manuscript, it's a little slice of heaven. No laundry. No cooking. No dishes. Just me and the computer. Well, and the internet.
Wish me luck.
April 5, 2012
Book Club...
For the first time I joined a book club. We're reading Stephen King's 11/22/63 all 800 pages of it.
It's my first Stephen King book, I've only read short stories before, and I find that the things I want to discuss in book club are things I'm considering as a writer.
He breaks POV and speaks to the reader. He double quotes a lot. He has a tendency to go off on tangents that until I get to the end I won't know if they were meaningful tangents. His turn of phrase sometimes can be absolutely perfect to describe something. Despite the tangents I find his storytelling completely engaging.
But that's not really the point of Book Club is it. I mean these will be other readers and I really don't know what they will want to discuss. Maybe the plot, or questions about the plot or the characters.
I know this - I can't wait.
On a side note, I know all of you out there are probably tired of me talking about me... but I have do it again.
The Way Back is officially out in stores if you would like to check it out.
