R.C. Matthews's Blog, page 2
October 29, 2015
Destiny is and Adventure!
Who knew I'd be destined to write a middle grade fantasy series? The 'Destiny is an Adventure' series is a far cry from my typical romance novels, but I have to admit I had a lot of fun writing the first book entitled INFINITAS.
When my son learned I wrote my first romance novel, he asked me to write him a book loosely based on one of our favorite board games. How could I say no?
INFINITAS is available on NetGalley for free download to members in exchange for an honest review. I hope you'll check it out!
https://s2.netgalley.com/widget/redee...
When my son learned I wrote my first romance novel, he asked me to write him a book loosely based on one of our favorite board games. How could I say no?
INFINITAS is available on NetGalley for free download to members in exchange for an honest review. I hope you'll check it out!
https://s2.netgalley.com/widget/redee...
May 31, 2015
Make Me Whole - New Release!
It's hard to believe that the release date for Make Me Whole if finally here - June 2, 2015.
When I started writing this book, I really had no idea whether or not I'd be able to finish it because I've never written a story involving a threesome before. And I certainly don't have any personal experience with one. So I worried that I wouldn't be able to pull it off. How do you tap into feelings that the characters are experiencing if you've never experienced the same thing yourself in real life?
But then I thought about all of those books written about exploring deep space or dystopian novels or zombies and paranormal. Authors don't have any real life experiences when writing those stories either. That's what our imagination is for, right?
So why did I write a story about a menage? Because I wanted to challenge myself to write something that is completely outside of my comfort zone just to see what would happen. I dug deep to try and find a scenario where I would buy into the idea of a threesome on a long term basis. I didn't want this to be a story where a couple engages a third party for a night of fun. Oh no, that would be too easy. My goal from the onset was to convince people like me - who only engage in a monogamous relationship - that true love can exist in a polyamory relationship.
This story took off and flew into a direction I really didn't anticipate. I've never written a book with a suspense element, but Make Me Whole is full of suspense and angst. This story ripped my heart out and made me bawl. In fact, I told myself I would never write such an angst filled story again because it was so emotionally draining. But I probably will - given a little more time.
I sincerely hope that everyone will pick this story up. It's not your typical erotic romance.
Happy Reading!
When I started writing this book, I really had no idea whether or not I'd be able to finish it because I've never written a story involving a threesome before. And I certainly don't have any personal experience with one. So I worried that I wouldn't be able to pull it off. How do you tap into feelings that the characters are experiencing if you've never experienced the same thing yourself in real life?
But then I thought about all of those books written about exploring deep space or dystopian novels or zombies and paranormal. Authors don't have any real life experiences when writing those stories either. That's what our imagination is for, right?
So why did I write a story about a menage? Because I wanted to challenge myself to write something that is completely outside of my comfort zone just to see what would happen. I dug deep to try and find a scenario where I would buy into the idea of a threesome on a long term basis. I didn't want this to be a story where a couple engages a third party for a night of fun. Oh no, that would be too easy. My goal from the onset was to convince people like me - who only engage in a monogamous relationship - that true love can exist in a polyamory relationship.
This story took off and flew into a direction I really didn't anticipate. I've never written a book with a suspense element, but Make Me Whole is full of suspense and angst. This story ripped my heart out and made me bawl. In fact, I told myself I would never write such an angst filled story again because it was so emotionally draining. But I probably will - given a little more time.
I sincerely hope that everyone will pick this story up. It's not your typical erotic romance.
Happy Reading!
April 26, 2015
Begin Again - FREE on Amazon thru 4/28
Have you ever unfairly judged someone and wished you had the opportunity to start all over? Even the most wise and tenured adults sometimes make mistakes, but young adults in their college years are even more prone to it. But that's okay. College is a time to grow and learn. It's a time to explore and figure out what you want from life and the type of person you want to be. I had so much fun writing Begin Again. The characters are only 19 years old and carefree. Aaahhh, those were the days. If you're my age (45) then maybe you get to relive your younger years. If you're in college - I hope you'll learn from Chase's and Tyler's mistakes. Although I don't belong to this younger generation, I did write this book for my 19 year old niece and she gave it the stamp of approval. Hopefully that means the story can be enjoyed by young and old.
January 9, 2015
Letting Go of Inhibitions
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a woman on vacation, will at one time or another let go of her inhibitions. [Okay, forgive me, but I had to use that famous opening line from Jane Austen once in my lifetime.]
I’m a firm believer in that truth and have many of my own experiences to draw from. Come on…admit it…you’ve let go of your inhibitions on vacation, too. I know you have. It’s one of the greatest benefits of going on vacation.
This is exactly what the heroine of my debut contemporary novel, Little White Lies, does for an entire week while on her honeymoon cruise – sans fiancé, who she dumped at the altar. When the sexy man in the stateroom next to hers, Royce Spencer, offers to stand in as Madalyn Russell’s husband for the week-long cruise, so that Madalyn can enjoy the dining room experience at the Newlywed table, she accepts his offer…and all the benefits that go along with being married to an irresistible man.
Can you imagine one full week of enjoying yourself to the fullest, not once worrying about what others will think of you, and making decisions purely on instinct – without a single thought to consequences? Let me tell you, it’s one hell of a ride and so much fun to tag along.
I wanted both Madalyn and Royce to jump in with both feet and have a great time for the entire cruise – no looking back – no looking forward – just living for today.
Some people might say the situation is unrealistic or too far-fetched. Guess I’m not one of them, because if I was alone on a cruise and had the opportunity to spend it with a hunk, I would sign on the dotted line in a heartbeat. Why not enjoy myself to the fullest if I spent thousands of dollars to be on vacation? And even if you wouldn’t do it in real life, but you secretly want to do it – then go ahead and suspend your belief and join Madalyn and Royce on a wild roller-coaster ride.
What I love most about this story is the fact that these two are tangled in a web of Little White Lies they have to tell in order to keep up their charade, so it becomes almost impossible to tell what is real and what is not. Their attraction is sizzling. Their sex hot. And they genuinely have fun together. But is Royce developing real feelings for Madalyn? Or is he only making good on his promise on the first day to ‘rock her world’?
Little White Lies is told 100% from Madalyn’s perspective, so we don’t really know what’s going on in Royce’s head, which is exactly how I wanted it. Madalyn is on a journey of self-discovery. She is learning to let go of her black and white thinking, how to live a little, and just let go. The events which unfold after Madalyn and Royce return to their normal daily lives put her newfound sense of adventure, and willingness to see things through another lens, to the test.
If you’re looking to escape from life for a few hours and simply have a great time, then I hope you’ll join Royce and Madalyn in their whirlwind love affair in Little White Lies by R.C. Matthews.
I’m a firm believer in that truth and have many of my own experiences to draw from. Come on…admit it…you’ve let go of your inhibitions on vacation, too. I know you have. It’s one of the greatest benefits of going on vacation.
This is exactly what the heroine of my debut contemporary novel, Little White Lies, does for an entire week while on her honeymoon cruise – sans fiancé, who she dumped at the altar. When the sexy man in the stateroom next to hers, Royce Spencer, offers to stand in as Madalyn Russell’s husband for the week-long cruise, so that Madalyn can enjoy the dining room experience at the Newlywed table, she accepts his offer…and all the benefits that go along with being married to an irresistible man.
Can you imagine one full week of enjoying yourself to the fullest, not once worrying about what others will think of you, and making decisions purely on instinct – without a single thought to consequences? Let me tell you, it’s one hell of a ride and so much fun to tag along.
I wanted both Madalyn and Royce to jump in with both feet and have a great time for the entire cruise – no looking back – no looking forward – just living for today.
Some people might say the situation is unrealistic or too far-fetched. Guess I’m not one of them, because if I was alone on a cruise and had the opportunity to spend it with a hunk, I would sign on the dotted line in a heartbeat. Why not enjoy myself to the fullest if I spent thousands of dollars to be on vacation? And even if you wouldn’t do it in real life, but you secretly want to do it – then go ahead and suspend your belief and join Madalyn and Royce on a wild roller-coaster ride.
What I love most about this story is the fact that these two are tangled in a web of Little White Lies they have to tell in order to keep up their charade, so it becomes almost impossible to tell what is real and what is not. Their attraction is sizzling. Their sex hot. And they genuinely have fun together. But is Royce developing real feelings for Madalyn? Or is he only making good on his promise on the first day to ‘rock her world’?
Little White Lies is told 100% from Madalyn’s perspective, so we don’t really know what’s going on in Royce’s head, which is exactly how I wanted it. Madalyn is on a journey of self-discovery. She is learning to let go of her black and white thinking, how to live a little, and just let go. The events which unfold after Madalyn and Royce return to their normal daily lives put her newfound sense of adventure, and willingness to see things through another lens, to the test.
If you’re looking to escape from life for a few hours and simply have a great time, then I hope you’ll join Royce and Madalyn in their whirlwind love affair in Little White Lies by R.C. Matthews.
Little White Lies: What is the Best Point of View (POV)?
When I started writing my first contemporary romance novel, Little White Lies, I chose to write in first person POV, present tense, and entirely from the perspective of the protagonist, Madalyn Russell. The first half of the book is set on a cruise ship, and using first person POV and present tense often gives the reader the sense of experiencing events simultaneously with the protagonist. It seemed like a no brainer. I mean, who doesn’t want to go on a cruise and have fun?
At about the halfway mark, I decided to ask my sisters to beta read the manuscript, and one of my sisters suggested the story would be much better in third person POV and past tense. UGH! I wanted to scream “Are you kidding me?” Okay, in all honestly, I probably did scream something like that but with several choice words splashed in there. However, in my desire to write the best story possible, I took her advice and rewrote the first chapter in third person POV and past tense. Just to test out her theory. And darn it all – my sister was absolutely right! So I rewrote nearly 150 pages from first person to third person and changed the tense from present to past.
So when I started my second novel, Date Night, I learned from my mistake and wrote the entire book in third person POV, past tense, but this time I used alternating viewpoints between the hero and heroine. Imagine my horror when the feedback my niece shared was that I should try to write the story from first person POV! After screaming more choice words, I sat down and rewrote the first chapter in first person POV and it was so much better! AAARRRGGG – another 150 pages rewritten but this time from third person POV to first person POV!
Experience taught me a valuable lesson! One of the most important decisions an author faces at the onset of a book is which POV to write from: first person, second person, third person or omniscient. It is rare to find books written in second person and omniscient POV, however, it is trendy these days for authors to write in first person POV. But third person POV is still a popular choice.
So how does an author decide the best POV for their novel? That’s an excellent question which doesn’t have a straight forward answer. But before I start any novel, there are several factors that influence my choice of POV including, but not limited to:
• Genre / Subgenre – most young adult and new adult novels are in first person POV
• Intended audience (both reader and publisher) – some publishers have a stated preference for first or third person POV so pay attention if you’re targeting a specific publisher, and many young readers today prefer first person POV
• Plot – first person POV can give a reader the sense of experiencing the events in the story first hand so action packed story lines can be thrilling in first person POV
• Personal preference – this is probably the biggest factor for most readers – my own opinion is that you can never go wrong with third person POV, but sometimes first person POV works even better
I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer. Personally, I enjoy first person POV in stories that have a protagonist under the age of twenty five and / or there is a lot of action [Twilight Series is 1st person, past tense / Fifty Shades of Grey Series is 1st person, present tense].
What is the best point of view? It’s a book by book decision, but now when I write a novel, I write the first chapter in both first person POV and third person POV to determine which reads better!
At about the halfway mark, I decided to ask my sisters to beta read the manuscript, and one of my sisters suggested the story would be much better in third person POV and past tense. UGH! I wanted to scream “Are you kidding me?” Okay, in all honestly, I probably did scream something like that but with several choice words splashed in there. However, in my desire to write the best story possible, I took her advice and rewrote the first chapter in third person POV and past tense. Just to test out her theory. And darn it all – my sister was absolutely right! So I rewrote nearly 150 pages from first person to third person and changed the tense from present to past.
So when I started my second novel, Date Night, I learned from my mistake and wrote the entire book in third person POV, past tense, but this time I used alternating viewpoints between the hero and heroine. Imagine my horror when the feedback my niece shared was that I should try to write the story from first person POV! After screaming more choice words, I sat down and rewrote the first chapter in first person POV and it was so much better! AAARRRGGG – another 150 pages rewritten but this time from third person POV to first person POV!
Experience taught me a valuable lesson! One of the most important decisions an author faces at the onset of a book is which POV to write from: first person, second person, third person or omniscient. It is rare to find books written in second person and omniscient POV, however, it is trendy these days for authors to write in first person POV. But third person POV is still a popular choice.
So how does an author decide the best POV for their novel? That’s an excellent question which doesn’t have a straight forward answer. But before I start any novel, there are several factors that influence my choice of POV including, but not limited to:
• Genre / Subgenre – most young adult and new adult novels are in first person POV
• Intended audience (both reader and publisher) – some publishers have a stated preference for first or third person POV so pay attention if you’re targeting a specific publisher, and many young readers today prefer first person POV
• Plot – first person POV can give a reader the sense of experiencing the events in the story first hand so action packed story lines can be thrilling in first person POV
• Personal preference – this is probably the biggest factor for most readers – my own opinion is that you can never go wrong with third person POV, but sometimes first person POV works even better
I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer. Personally, I enjoy first person POV in stories that have a protagonist under the age of twenty five and / or there is a lot of action [Twilight Series is 1st person, past tense / Fifty Shades of Grey Series is 1st person, present tense].
What is the best point of view? It’s a book by book decision, but now when I write a novel, I write the first chapter in both first person POV and third person POV to determine which reads better!
Interview with Warrior Princess Romance Writer Blog
Just some fun questions from my recent interview with Bernadette Marie on her Warrior Princess Romance Writer Blog - in case you missed it!
What genre(s) do you write?
I primarily write contemporary romances full of humor and I promise to always deliver a happily ever after. You won’t find a lot of angst in my stories but you will find strong heroines, sexy heroes and a storyline that makes you ‘feel good’ when you’re done. I’m guilty of blurring genre lines so you’ll generally find a little bit of chic lit / women’s fiction elements in my stories as well. As a result, most of my stories have strong secondary characters. For example, in ‘A Night To Remember’, the heroine’s fiancée, Jorge Village (who happens to be gay), is a significant character with his own side story going on.
I’m also currently trying my hand at teen fiction at the request of my twelve year old son.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
I’m not sure there is anything about ‘A Night To Remember’ that was hard to write. I had so much fun writing this storyline and it really poured out of me. Okay…maybe it was coming up with original and sexy love scenes. This was my sixth book so at some point it feels to me like I’m writing the same thing over and over…even though I’m really not. I always mix it up but certain words inevitably pop up in a love scene. The essential body parts are the same no matter whether the positions are different!
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
It depends on the story. My romance novels are definitely written by the seat of my pants. I usually have a high level idea of what I want to accomplish in the story and I write chapter headlines that represent the main gist of what I plan to get across in that chapter. Then I start typing. As you can imagine, the end product is usually far from what I originally envisioned. My characters tend to high-jack the storyline and go in a direction I never could have anticipated when I started typing. I LOVE IT!
But I’m also trying to write a teen fiction series for my twelve year old son. Because the storyline takes place in a fantasy world and it is intended to be a three book series, I find myself writing a fairly detailed outline – at least it is detailed per my standards. There are just too many characters and plot twists to fly by the seat of my pants on that project.
Why do you think people should choose your books over another author?
Gosh, this is a tough question. Whether or not a reader enjoys one book over another is entirely subjective. Even the best rated authors score everywhere from five stars to one star. So I think the trick is for readers to find authors with a writing style and storyline that speak to them. That’s the beauty of the ‘look inside’ feature on Amazon. I encourage readers to click on and read the sample to decide if it’s the type of book they’ll enjoy. What I will say is that I tend to write storylines that are rich in dialog, include a healthy dose of humor and are not full of angst. A Night To Remember is quite steamy compared to my other stories but I promise that all of my sex scenes are written to move the story forward.
What do you hope readers take with them after reading one of your stories?
I hope my readers always take away a feeling of happiness, a huge smile and the idea that love is always worth fighting for.
What other careers have you had?
I’m a certified public account by day and writer by night. My day job pays the bills so that is my real career. Being a writer is more of a hobby for me, I guess. But it’s something I love to do and it brings me a lot of joy to do it.
Do you write under more than one name? Why?
Yes, I write under two pen names. My contemporary romance pen name is R.C. Matthews and I use it because I’m in a professional day job where I’d rather not have people I work with know that I’m a writer. I might die of embarrassment if my boss read one of my sexy love scenes. Fun fact: My pen name is comprised of my husband’s first name and two middle names – but I added ‘s’ onto Matthew.
I’m also using a separate pen name for my teen fiction series because it is geared towards kids twelve and older. I definitely don’t want to confuse my readers! Fun fact: My teen fiction pen name is David N. Sebastian which are the first names of my two boys. When you say it really fast the ‘N’ sounds like ‘and’ – or at least I think it does!
Are any of your characters based on real people or events?
Ummm…okay, you got me here. My hero is named after the first boy I ever kissed. I chose him because we kissed on a dance floor and dancing plays a huge role in the first five chapters of ‘A Night To Remember’. Brett used to be Anna’s dance partner in their college ballroom dancing course.
What’s something fans would find fascinating about you?
Most people find it interesting that both of my parents are deaf. I’m pretty sure that speaking sign language at home influenced my writing style which is heavy on dialog and light on prose. Sign language is a very direct language that skips past the flowery words to get to the true meaning.
What books or authors have most influenced your life?
I’m a die-hard Jane Austen fan. I’ve read all of her books many, many, many times over. I’m not sure her books influence my life as much as they influenced my writing. Her writing style is witty and always brings a smile to my face no matter how often I read her books. I hope my storylines give that same happy feeling to my readers.
Where are you from?
I’m from the Metro-Detroit area and you’ll find that every single contemporary romance novel I’ve written to date has its roots in Metro-Detroit. In fact, ‘A Night To Remember’ takes place entirely within the downtown city limits and Jorge Village is running for mayor. This story is a tribute of sorts to all of the people who are trying really hard to return Detroit to its former glory.
When not writing, how do you relax?
To relax I’m either reading, watching The Walking Dead (my husband and I are die-hard fans), playing board games with my family or watching movies.
Please tell us 5 miscellaneous facts about yourself.
1. I met my second husband through an internet dating site and we’ve been happily married for over five years. My experience with on-line dating inspired my novel ‘Date Night’.
2. It drives me crazy when people ask me if I’m busy during tax season. I’m an auditor not a tax preparer. But no matter how many times I try to explain it, my friends and family don’t get it. So now I just nod my head yes when they ask.
3. If I watch a movie series first and then read the books, I find that I fall in love with both. But if I read the books first and then watch the movie series, I tend to get annoyed with the movie. Strange but true!
4. Peanut butter is one of my all-time favorite foods. My eldest son has a severe peanut allergy. I feel so sorry for him because it is a horrible and scary allergy to have and he will never know the joy of eating peanut butter.
5. When I was a little girl I really wanted to be a lawyer when I grew up. Not a ballerina or princess or actress. And I became an accountant. What’s the matter with me? It’s a little surprising really that I enjoy exercising by the left and right sides of my brain.
What genre(s) do you write?
I primarily write contemporary romances full of humor and I promise to always deliver a happily ever after. You won’t find a lot of angst in my stories but you will find strong heroines, sexy heroes and a storyline that makes you ‘feel good’ when you’re done. I’m guilty of blurring genre lines so you’ll generally find a little bit of chic lit / women’s fiction elements in my stories as well. As a result, most of my stories have strong secondary characters. For example, in ‘A Night To Remember’, the heroine’s fiancée, Jorge Village (who happens to be gay), is a significant character with his own side story going on.
I’m also currently trying my hand at teen fiction at the request of my twelve year old son.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
I’m not sure there is anything about ‘A Night To Remember’ that was hard to write. I had so much fun writing this storyline and it really poured out of me. Okay…maybe it was coming up with original and sexy love scenes. This was my sixth book so at some point it feels to me like I’m writing the same thing over and over…even though I’m really not. I always mix it up but certain words inevitably pop up in a love scene. The essential body parts are the same no matter whether the positions are different!
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
It depends on the story. My romance novels are definitely written by the seat of my pants. I usually have a high level idea of what I want to accomplish in the story and I write chapter headlines that represent the main gist of what I plan to get across in that chapter. Then I start typing. As you can imagine, the end product is usually far from what I originally envisioned. My characters tend to high-jack the storyline and go in a direction I never could have anticipated when I started typing. I LOVE IT!
But I’m also trying to write a teen fiction series for my twelve year old son. Because the storyline takes place in a fantasy world and it is intended to be a three book series, I find myself writing a fairly detailed outline – at least it is detailed per my standards. There are just too many characters and plot twists to fly by the seat of my pants on that project.
Why do you think people should choose your books over another author?
Gosh, this is a tough question. Whether or not a reader enjoys one book over another is entirely subjective. Even the best rated authors score everywhere from five stars to one star. So I think the trick is for readers to find authors with a writing style and storyline that speak to them. That’s the beauty of the ‘look inside’ feature on Amazon. I encourage readers to click on and read the sample to decide if it’s the type of book they’ll enjoy. What I will say is that I tend to write storylines that are rich in dialog, include a healthy dose of humor and are not full of angst. A Night To Remember is quite steamy compared to my other stories but I promise that all of my sex scenes are written to move the story forward.
What do you hope readers take with them after reading one of your stories?
I hope my readers always take away a feeling of happiness, a huge smile and the idea that love is always worth fighting for.
What other careers have you had?
I’m a certified public account by day and writer by night. My day job pays the bills so that is my real career. Being a writer is more of a hobby for me, I guess. But it’s something I love to do and it brings me a lot of joy to do it.
Do you write under more than one name? Why?
Yes, I write under two pen names. My contemporary romance pen name is R.C. Matthews and I use it because I’m in a professional day job where I’d rather not have people I work with know that I’m a writer. I might die of embarrassment if my boss read one of my sexy love scenes. Fun fact: My pen name is comprised of my husband’s first name and two middle names – but I added ‘s’ onto Matthew.
I’m also using a separate pen name for my teen fiction series because it is geared towards kids twelve and older. I definitely don’t want to confuse my readers! Fun fact: My teen fiction pen name is David N. Sebastian which are the first names of my two boys. When you say it really fast the ‘N’ sounds like ‘and’ – or at least I think it does!
Are any of your characters based on real people or events?
Ummm…okay, you got me here. My hero is named after the first boy I ever kissed. I chose him because we kissed on a dance floor and dancing plays a huge role in the first five chapters of ‘A Night To Remember’. Brett used to be Anna’s dance partner in their college ballroom dancing course.
What’s something fans would find fascinating about you?
Most people find it interesting that both of my parents are deaf. I’m pretty sure that speaking sign language at home influenced my writing style which is heavy on dialog and light on prose. Sign language is a very direct language that skips past the flowery words to get to the true meaning.
What books or authors have most influenced your life?
I’m a die-hard Jane Austen fan. I’ve read all of her books many, many, many times over. I’m not sure her books influence my life as much as they influenced my writing. Her writing style is witty and always brings a smile to my face no matter how often I read her books. I hope my storylines give that same happy feeling to my readers.
Where are you from?
I’m from the Metro-Detroit area and you’ll find that every single contemporary romance novel I’ve written to date has its roots in Metro-Detroit. In fact, ‘A Night To Remember’ takes place entirely within the downtown city limits and Jorge Village is running for mayor. This story is a tribute of sorts to all of the people who are trying really hard to return Detroit to its former glory.
When not writing, how do you relax?
To relax I’m either reading, watching The Walking Dead (my husband and I are die-hard fans), playing board games with my family or watching movies.
Please tell us 5 miscellaneous facts about yourself.
1. I met my second husband through an internet dating site and we’ve been happily married for over five years. My experience with on-line dating inspired my novel ‘Date Night’.
2. It drives me crazy when people ask me if I’m busy during tax season. I’m an auditor not a tax preparer. But no matter how many times I try to explain it, my friends and family don’t get it. So now I just nod my head yes when they ask.
3. If I watch a movie series first and then read the books, I find that I fall in love with both. But if I read the books first and then watch the movie series, I tend to get annoyed with the movie. Strange but true!
4. Peanut butter is one of my all-time favorite foods. My eldest son has a severe peanut allergy. I feel so sorry for him because it is a horrible and scary allergy to have and he will never know the joy of eating peanut butter.
5. When I was a little girl I really wanted to be a lawyer when I grew up. Not a ballerina or princess or actress. And I became an accountant. What’s the matter with me? It’s a little surprising really that I enjoy exercising by the left and right sides of my brain.
August 22, 2014
Sexy Time: How Much Is Enough in Romance Novels?
Many publishers of romance have come up with creative ways to designate the amount of sexual content within the books they offer. My debut contemporary romance novel, Little White Lies, was published by Crimson Romance on March 24, 2014 and is designated as being “Sensual”. The other potential categories include “Behind Closed Doors” and “Spicy”.
While writing Little White Lies, I struggled with how much sexy time to include in the story and how explicit the sex scenes should be. Part of the reason I struggled is that every reader is different. Some readers prefer euphemisms to describe what all of the essential body parts are doing during the act, while others prefer explicit and hard core terminology. Yet another group of readers would rather leave the sex to their own imagination.
So how much sex is the right amount of sex in a romance novel and how explicit should it be? In the end, I realized that I will never be able to please every single reader. It’s simply impossible. You want proof? Check out reviews for my second romance novel, Date Night. One reader rated the book four stars and withheld one star because there wasn’t enough sex in the book. Whereas another reader rated the book three stars because there was too much explicit sex in the book. Go figure! So instead of worrying over how much sex to include in my books or how explicit that sex should be, I focus on the story line and the romance and let the characters dictate how much sex is the right amount for the story.
In Little White Lies, the first sex scene is long and hot and explicit – which is essential to the story because the heroine is having her first fling ever and she learns that sex can be mind-blowing with anyone as long as you’re physically attracted. The second sex scene is also long but the descriptions are softer and the pace is slower which gives the heroine the impression of making love. This was intentional as it is a reflection of the development of her relationship with the hero beyond just physical attraction. The rest of the sex scenes in the book are shorter and euphemistic because the sex wasn’t necessary in moving the story along.
Contrast this with my third romance novel, Fair Game, which doesn’t go beyond kissing. The hero and heroine start off in an adversarial relationship. So it didn’t make sense that they would be jumping in the sack together. The heroine is trying to resist the hero for most of the story so sexy time didn’t make sense in the middle either. The story ends with the pair falling in love and ready to do the dirty deed, but I leave it to the imagination of the reader because the sex wasn’t essential to the story line and the hero and heroine had already reached their happily ever after.
And when it came to my most recent romance novel, Begin Again, the sex scenes were downright funny albeit explicit. The hero was a waiter at a male strip club and met the heroine while she was at the establishment for a bachelorette party. She received a bag full of silly party favors – like a glow in the dark body paint and condoms. How could I not let them use them?
So how much sexy time is enough in a romance novel? I can’t answer that question. Instead, I let the characters in my novels make that decision and then the readers can go along for the ride – or shut their eyes, if they prefer.
While writing Little White Lies, I struggled with how much sexy time to include in the story and how explicit the sex scenes should be. Part of the reason I struggled is that every reader is different. Some readers prefer euphemisms to describe what all of the essential body parts are doing during the act, while others prefer explicit and hard core terminology. Yet another group of readers would rather leave the sex to their own imagination.
So how much sex is the right amount of sex in a romance novel and how explicit should it be? In the end, I realized that I will never be able to please every single reader. It’s simply impossible. You want proof? Check out reviews for my second romance novel, Date Night. One reader rated the book four stars and withheld one star because there wasn’t enough sex in the book. Whereas another reader rated the book three stars because there was too much explicit sex in the book. Go figure! So instead of worrying over how much sex to include in my books or how explicit that sex should be, I focus on the story line and the romance and let the characters dictate how much sex is the right amount for the story.
In Little White Lies, the first sex scene is long and hot and explicit – which is essential to the story because the heroine is having her first fling ever and she learns that sex can be mind-blowing with anyone as long as you’re physically attracted. The second sex scene is also long but the descriptions are softer and the pace is slower which gives the heroine the impression of making love. This was intentional as it is a reflection of the development of her relationship with the hero beyond just physical attraction. The rest of the sex scenes in the book are shorter and euphemistic because the sex wasn’t necessary in moving the story along.
Contrast this with my third romance novel, Fair Game, which doesn’t go beyond kissing. The hero and heroine start off in an adversarial relationship. So it didn’t make sense that they would be jumping in the sack together. The heroine is trying to resist the hero for most of the story so sexy time didn’t make sense in the middle either. The story ends with the pair falling in love and ready to do the dirty deed, but I leave it to the imagination of the reader because the sex wasn’t essential to the story line and the hero and heroine had already reached their happily ever after.
And when it came to my most recent romance novel, Begin Again, the sex scenes were downright funny albeit explicit. The hero was a waiter at a male strip club and met the heroine while she was at the establishment for a bachelorette party. She received a bag full of silly party favors – like a glow in the dark body paint and condoms. How could I not let them use them?
So how much sexy time is enough in a romance novel? I can’t answer that question. Instead, I let the characters in my novels make that decision and then the readers can go along for the ride – or shut their eyes, if they prefer.
June 2, 2014
From Broad Concept to Sustainable Conflict - Date Night
DATE NIGHT: From broad concept to sustainable conflict!
BOOK BLURB: Jordan Billette faces the greatest challenge of her life - find her soul mate and get married before cancer takes Grannie away forever. Not dating? No problem. A dating service will turn up a soul mate. JT Murphy has been best friends with Jordan's brother for years. When he agrees to protect Jordan from unworthy dates at the restaurant where he waits tables, he gets more than he bargained for!
How to build sustainable conflict: As an avid reader growing up, I often wondered where authors got the ideas for their books. Once I became a writer myself, I realized it wasn’t the broad concept for a book that was difficult to develop, but rather how to take the concept and build a sustainable conflict between the hero and heroine.
The broad concept for Date Night was simple – I wanted to write a book about a woman who went on a series of hilarious dates. Why? Because in my mid thirties I used a dating service for one year and, as a result, had first hand experience with many outrageously funny dates. My friends and family often found my dating stories entertaining. And so the idea for a book was born.
But that was only the beginning. Nobody wants to read a story about a woman who goes on a series of dates without her meeting the love of her life, right? At the time when I really started to plot out the story, I also decided it would be fun to write a novel for my niece who is 21 years old. With that in mind, I built my story line around a 22 year old heroine (“Jordan”). However, this created an issue; why in the heck would a 22 year old woman want to use a dating service? I figured she would have to be highly motivated to meet someone. And that is where the idea for a dying wish from her grandmother (“Grannie”) came into play.
Now I needed a compelling hero. I considered having Jordan fall for one of her dates, but that would mean a large portion of the story wouldn’t be focused on “romance” but rather her funny dates. I wanted the heart of the story to be a romance novel…which led me to the idea of having Jordan fall in love with a waiter at the restaurant where all her dates take place. He would be the one constant man she interacted with throughout the story.
I was really getting somewhere and felt great about the direction of my story. Except for one little nagging problem. What grandmother (or mother for that matter) would encourage her granddaughter to find a fiancé in a few months and marry him? And that’s when an idea hit me…a conniving grandmother who already knew who the perfect groom was…and plotted to bring two of her favorite people together…her granddaughter and her grandson’s best friend (J.T.).
Presto. The waiter had to be the best friend of the Jordan’s brother. Jordan and J.T. had known each other their whole lives. So if they fell in love and got married in just a few months, it wouldn’t be completely insane. In fact, Grannie would be thrilled to see them happily married. At this point I had a heroine, a hero and a basic story line. But what was the conflict going to be which kept them apart?
I started with the one basic fact I knew – Jordan was highly motivated to get married in a short period of time to fulfill her grandmother’s dying wish. So J.T. needed to be highly motivated NOT to get married in a short period of time. Getting married costs a lot of money, is time consuming and the first year of marriage can be stressful. So I needed a hero who was financially strapped and under a lot of stress already.
I wanted the reader to truly sympathize with J.T. and his reasons for resisting a relationship with Jordan. What is more heartbreaking than a young man raising his younger brother after their parents’ unfortunate death when J.T. was only 19 years old? He’s now 24 years old and one year away from achieving his dreams. He can’t afford to blow it and has to stay focused on college. And he certainly can’t afford a wife and a wedding. Not to mention that his best friend’s family is all the family he has left…so he doesn’t want to lose them too if a relationship with Jordan doesn’t work out.
Enough conflict? Almost. I decided to add one more element to their conflict. Jordan was raised to be self-sufficient and doesn’t need a man to pay her way through life whereas J.T. was raised in a traditional family with a stay at home mom and feels it is his duty to be able to support his future wife.
Whew! I’d made it – a story line about a woman who goes on a series of hilarious dates – all the while falling in love with the man of her dreams – and yet she has to work hard to get past their conflicts in order to achieve their happily ever after.
By the way…I eventually found my happily ever after through internet dating. My husband and I met on Chemistry.com right at the time when I was about to throw in the towel with dating services and internet sites. I decided to give it one last shot – because he was just too handsome to pass up.
BOOK BLURB: Jordan Billette faces the greatest challenge of her life - find her soul mate and get married before cancer takes Grannie away forever. Not dating? No problem. A dating service will turn up a soul mate. JT Murphy has been best friends with Jordan's brother for years. When he agrees to protect Jordan from unworthy dates at the restaurant where he waits tables, he gets more than he bargained for!
How to build sustainable conflict: As an avid reader growing up, I often wondered where authors got the ideas for their books. Once I became a writer myself, I realized it wasn’t the broad concept for a book that was difficult to develop, but rather how to take the concept and build a sustainable conflict between the hero and heroine.
The broad concept for Date Night was simple – I wanted to write a book about a woman who went on a series of hilarious dates. Why? Because in my mid thirties I used a dating service for one year and, as a result, had first hand experience with many outrageously funny dates. My friends and family often found my dating stories entertaining. And so the idea for a book was born.
But that was only the beginning. Nobody wants to read a story about a woman who goes on a series of dates without her meeting the love of her life, right? At the time when I really started to plot out the story, I also decided it would be fun to write a novel for my niece who is 21 years old. With that in mind, I built my story line around a 22 year old heroine (“Jordan”). However, this created an issue; why in the heck would a 22 year old woman want to use a dating service? I figured she would have to be highly motivated to meet someone. And that is where the idea for a dying wish from her grandmother (“Grannie”) came into play.
Now I needed a compelling hero. I considered having Jordan fall for one of her dates, but that would mean a large portion of the story wouldn’t be focused on “romance” but rather her funny dates. I wanted the heart of the story to be a romance novel…which led me to the idea of having Jordan fall in love with a waiter at the restaurant where all her dates take place. He would be the one constant man she interacted with throughout the story.
I was really getting somewhere and felt great about the direction of my story. Except for one little nagging problem. What grandmother (or mother for that matter) would encourage her granddaughter to find a fiancé in a few months and marry him? And that’s when an idea hit me…a conniving grandmother who already knew who the perfect groom was…and plotted to bring two of her favorite people together…her granddaughter and her grandson’s best friend (J.T.).
Presto. The waiter had to be the best friend of the Jordan’s brother. Jordan and J.T. had known each other their whole lives. So if they fell in love and got married in just a few months, it wouldn’t be completely insane. In fact, Grannie would be thrilled to see them happily married. At this point I had a heroine, a hero and a basic story line. But what was the conflict going to be which kept them apart?
I started with the one basic fact I knew – Jordan was highly motivated to get married in a short period of time to fulfill her grandmother’s dying wish. So J.T. needed to be highly motivated NOT to get married in a short period of time. Getting married costs a lot of money, is time consuming and the first year of marriage can be stressful. So I needed a hero who was financially strapped and under a lot of stress already.
I wanted the reader to truly sympathize with J.T. and his reasons for resisting a relationship with Jordan. What is more heartbreaking than a young man raising his younger brother after their parents’ unfortunate death when J.T. was only 19 years old? He’s now 24 years old and one year away from achieving his dreams. He can’t afford to blow it and has to stay focused on college. And he certainly can’t afford a wife and a wedding. Not to mention that his best friend’s family is all the family he has left…so he doesn’t want to lose them too if a relationship with Jordan doesn’t work out.
Enough conflict? Almost. I decided to add one more element to their conflict. Jordan was raised to be self-sufficient and doesn’t need a man to pay her way through life whereas J.T. was raised in a traditional family with a stay at home mom and feels it is his duty to be able to support his future wife.
Whew! I’d made it – a story line about a woman who goes on a series of hilarious dates – all the while falling in love with the man of her dreams – and yet she has to work hard to get past their conflicts in order to achieve their happily ever after.
By the way…I eventually found my happily ever after through internet dating. My husband and I met on Chemistry.com right at the time when I was about to throw in the towel with dating services and internet sites. I decided to give it one last shot – because he was just too handsome to pass up.
May 8, 2014
May 3, 2014
Keeping an Open Mind - Date Night
I recently read an article where J.K. Rowling admitted that she made a mistake by marrying Hermione to Ronald in the Harry Potter series. She reluctantly acknowledged that she held on too tightly to the "original" script where Hermione and Ron were supposed to end up together. But in hind-sight, she felt they probably weren't right for each other.
I completely understand where J.K. Rowling is coming from! It is really hard to let go of a path that we set for our characters in the beginning. But sometimes characters grow and develop into something that we, the writers, never could have envisioned in the beginning. And it is a shame to hold our characters back from becoming the best that they can be.
In the story of Date Night, I originally wrote the scene in the cafe with Jordan and her cousin Tyler. However, as the story developed, I realized there was a real potential for a spin-off love story for Jordan's brother Jared. But that spin-off would have Jared falling in love with Jordan's best friend. After all, turn-about is fair play! Once this idea hit me, it became clear that I had to work Jordan's best friend Leah more into the storyline. The cafe scene was the perfect scene to introduce Jordan's best friend and allowed for a great opportunity for character development. So I had to ditch the cousin in favor of the best friend.
Making this change was really heartbreaking for me. I wrote Date Night for my niece and many of the characters at least have the names of my real life family members. The mannerisms of Leah in the cafe scene mirror those of my real life niece Tyler. And it was so much fun to watch my real life niece come to life on the pages of the book. So taking Tyler out of the picture and replacing her with Leah broke my heart a little. But it was for the greater good of the story and I was able to weave Leah into four other key scenes, which built the foundation for the second story in the Wish Come True series called "Fair Game".
The lesson I learned was to always keep an open mind. Don't cement your ideas for a story so that they are immovable. Be open to new possible angles, plot lines and characters that will take the overall story to the next level!
Besides, I ended up building Tyler into both Date Night and Fair Game so now I can give her a story of her own. Coming soon...
I completely understand where J.K. Rowling is coming from! It is really hard to let go of a path that we set for our characters in the beginning. But sometimes characters grow and develop into something that we, the writers, never could have envisioned in the beginning. And it is a shame to hold our characters back from becoming the best that they can be.
In the story of Date Night, I originally wrote the scene in the cafe with Jordan and her cousin Tyler. However, as the story developed, I realized there was a real potential for a spin-off love story for Jordan's brother Jared. But that spin-off would have Jared falling in love with Jordan's best friend. After all, turn-about is fair play! Once this idea hit me, it became clear that I had to work Jordan's best friend Leah more into the storyline. The cafe scene was the perfect scene to introduce Jordan's best friend and allowed for a great opportunity for character development. So I had to ditch the cousin in favor of the best friend.
Making this change was really heartbreaking for me. I wrote Date Night for my niece and many of the characters at least have the names of my real life family members. The mannerisms of Leah in the cafe scene mirror those of my real life niece Tyler. And it was so much fun to watch my real life niece come to life on the pages of the book. So taking Tyler out of the picture and replacing her with Leah broke my heart a little. But it was for the greater good of the story and I was able to weave Leah into four other key scenes, which built the foundation for the second story in the Wish Come True series called "Fair Game".
The lesson I learned was to always keep an open mind. Don't cement your ideas for a story so that they are immovable. Be open to new possible angles, plot lines and characters that will take the overall story to the next level!
Besides, I ended up building Tyler into both Date Night and Fair Game so now I can give her a story of her own. Coming soon...
