Romance For Real Life: A Primer
Welcome to the 'ROMANCING THE HOP' erm...hop.
There are some killer prizes at stake:
1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B&N Gift Card 3rd Grand Prize: A Large Swag Pack
(if you look real close you'll see my distinctive Beer Wench/author keychain bottle opener and I'm pretty sure I sent some book marks but they're in there somewhere. Nice pack 'o stuff, regardless)
Now: Let's get on with the post shall we?
Ask me what I write and I don't shy away from the “r” word, “romance.” Get me going and I might even say “erotic romance.” But, I like to think I write romance... for real life.
What is “Romance for Real Life?” That’s the question everyone is asking.
It’s not your traditional romance book. My characters are real. They have flaws, quirks, and a multi-layered histories that motivate them. They could be your best friend. Or the girl in your office that drives you crazy. Maybe my readers even sees a little of themselves in my characters. Whoever you see, you will identify with the characters and their lives.
No, these are not traditional romance novels. You won’t find any fairytale endings or flowery prose in my books.
I can hear you now: ‘What’s wrong with the fairytale?’
My answer? Nothing. I like all kinds of books from Dickens to King; from the Bard to Shayla Black. I read it all. But I write what I know and I don’t know anyone who has lived an actual fairytale. The prince sweeps her off her feet and they get married and... then what? What is their life then? Unless you’re royalty, it’s probably not a house full of staff waiting to do your bidding. It’s more likely that my readers are professionals or professionals who may or may not be parents. They have bills to pay and families and obligations. They have frustrations and things that they’re stubborn about. They also have their strengths and hobbies and things at which they excel. Everyone does. Everyone has all of those things meshed into one package that makes them unique. That’s what I write. Each of my characters is that unique package.
While not an "Anti-HEA" it's more like a "Ok WHA?" Or "What Happens After?"
And forget the flowery prose. Nope. Not going to find that either. Like I said, I write for today’s adult. I take some of my phrases from people I know. I use explicit words. My romance is sexy. I don’t shy away from that.
I’m not intending to re-write the romance genre. There’s always going to be a place for romance and fairytales and happily ever after's. But at the end of the day, if a reader puts down my book and says, ‘Wow, I will never forget those characters. That could’ve been me,’ I’ve done my job. I haven’t written the fantastical romance, I’ve written a book in my genre. Romance for real life.
The Stewart Realty Series got me started down this path and each of the books are racking up kudos, awards, high praise and (more importantly) sales.
Between the JERR Gold stars (for 2 ) And The Romance Review Top Picks (for 3, the 4.5 average rating out of 38 reviews for the first book alone, and the daily messages I get from more and more readers on facebook and twitter and plain old email who LOVE the series, as "frustrating" as they are and are clamoring for "more. Now." I think there is something to this. Don't get me wrong. There are plenty of folks who don't like them and have made that crystal clear to me. But I know why--it's not formula and you will get aggravated at my characters but you may find yourself cheering them on....by the end.
The Stewart Realty Series:
Floor Time
Sweat Equity
Closing Costs
Essence of Time
Conditional Offer
(coming Nov 4 with live book signing in Ann Arbor): Escalation Clause
and with 3 more planned for 2013....
BUY THE SERIES HERE: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=liz+crowe+stewart+realty
To reward you for actually making it this far and paying attention, I will award a $20 Amazon gift card to ONE correct answer to the following question (on this blog only):
What is the "new genre" that I have invented with the Stewart Realty Series?
coming....the highly anticipated EPIC follow up (November 4):
thanks for listening: enjoy the rest of the hop: good luck with the prizes and stuff....
here visit the other sites you can visit (better drink some coffee: there are a sh*t ton of them!)
OH and for fun be sure and check my killer trailer, both were mentioned on USA Today books as "noteworthy!"
And last but not least, the link for all the other hop participants is here:
http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/
NOTE: MY COMMENTS ARE "MODERATED" SO IF YOURS DOES NOT SHOW UP IMMEDIATELY, JUST GIVE IT TIME. IT WILL. BE PATIENT. HAVE A BEER.
There are some killer prizes at stake:
1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B&N Gift Card 3rd Grand Prize: A Large Swag Pack
(if you look real close you'll see my distinctive Beer Wench/author keychain bottle opener and I'm pretty sure I sent some book marks but they're in there somewhere. Nice pack 'o stuff, regardless)
Now: Let's get on with the post shall we?Ask me what I write and I don't shy away from the “r” word, “romance.” Get me going and I might even say “erotic romance.” But, I like to think I write romance... for real life.
What is “Romance for Real Life?” That’s the question everyone is asking.
It’s not your traditional romance book. My characters are real. They have flaws, quirks, and a multi-layered histories that motivate them. They could be your best friend. Or the girl in your office that drives you crazy. Maybe my readers even sees a little of themselves in my characters. Whoever you see, you will identify with the characters and their lives.
No, these are not traditional romance novels. You won’t find any fairytale endings or flowery prose in my books.
I can hear you now: ‘What’s wrong with the fairytale?’
My answer? Nothing. I like all kinds of books from Dickens to King; from the Bard to Shayla Black. I read it all. But I write what I know and I don’t know anyone who has lived an actual fairytale. The prince sweeps her off her feet and they get married and... then what? What is their life then? Unless you’re royalty, it’s probably not a house full of staff waiting to do your bidding. It’s more likely that my readers are professionals or professionals who may or may not be parents. They have bills to pay and families and obligations. They have frustrations and things that they’re stubborn about. They also have their strengths and hobbies and things at which they excel. Everyone does. Everyone has all of those things meshed into one package that makes them unique. That’s what I write. Each of my characters is that unique package.
While not an "Anti-HEA" it's more like a "Ok WHA?" Or "What Happens After?"
And forget the flowery prose. Nope. Not going to find that either. Like I said, I write for today’s adult. I take some of my phrases from people I know. I use explicit words. My romance is sexy. I don’t shy away from that.
I’m not intending to re-write the romance genre. There’s always going to be a place for romance and fairytales and happily ever after's. But at the end of the day, if a reader puts down my book and says, ‘Wow, I will never forget those characters. That could’ve been me,’ I’ve done my job. I haven’t written the fantastical romance, I’ve written a book in my genre. Romance for real life.
The Stewart Realty Series got me started down this path and each of the books are racking up kudos, awards, high praise and (more importantly) sales.
Between the JERR Gold stars (for 2 ) And The Romance Review Top Picks (for 3, the 4.5 average rating out of 38 reviews for the first book alone, and the daily messages I get from more and more readers on facebook and twitter and plain old email who LOVE the series, as "frustrating" as they are and are clamoring for "more. Now." I think there is something to this. Don't get me wrong. There are plenty of folks who don't like them and have made that crystal clear to me. But I know why--it's not formula and you will get aggravated at my characters but you may find yourself cheering them on....by the end.
The Stewart Realty Series:
Floor Time
Sweat Equity
Closing Costs
Essence of Time
Conditional Offer
(coming Nov 4 with live book signing in Ann Arbor): Escalation Clause
and with 3 more planned for 2013....
BUY THE SERIES HERE: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=liz+crowe+stewart+realty
To reward you for actually making it this far and paying attention, I will award a $20 Amazon gift card to ONE correct answer to the following question (on this blog only):
What is the "new genre" that I have invented with the Stewart Realty Series?
coming....the highly anticipated EPIC follow up (November 4):
thanks for listening: enjoy the rest of the hop: good luck with the prizes and stuff....
here visit the other sites you can visit (better drink some coffee: there are a sh*t ton of them!)
OH and for fun be sure and check my killer trailer, both were mentioned on USA Today books as "noteworthy!"
And last but not least, the link for all the other hop participants is here:
http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/
NOTE: MY COMMENTS ARE "MODERATED" SO IF YOURS DOES NOT SHOW UP IMMEDIATELY, JUST GIVE IT TIME. IT WILL. BE PATIENT. HAVE A BEER.
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