S.E.’s Comments (group member since Jan 16, 2013)

S.E.’s comments from the S. E. Lund - Author group.

Paris (kerbytejas) wrote: "I like the symbolism of Drakes leather wrist cuff (and the story behind it)"

Oh, that's good...

More on the cover -- based on what beta readers have read so far, what is something symbolic of the novel? Is there anything you think of when you think of TA? I want the novel's cover to be different enough to stand out but similar enough to other novels in its genre so that readers "recognize" what it is about. It's a fine line to walk. You don't want to mimic but you don't want to be so far out that you don't catch your target audience's eye... I wanted to use the ornate fountain pen and contract, because when they sign the contract, Drake uses his father's very ornate and expensive Waterman fountain pen to sign as does Kate. That happens in the second half of the book...

Just had a great comment in an email from Brandy and will be revising accordingly. So thankful that you guys have agreed to read my half-novel and provide feedback -- I agree with all your comments and really think they will help improve the novel so HUGE HUGS!

Here's another question and kind of a bit of a rant, so be warned.

Writers have to watch the market because we want to make a living writing books and usually, we want to write books that sell. We also want to write the books we want to write, in the genre we prefer and be true to our muses. New writers have to get noticed and that usually means writing something popular but different enough that it stands out from the rest of the crowd. It's mostly luck and timing and hard work and nothing can be predicted in advance.

Writers are readers too and we are as affected by the books we read as other non-writers are. I loved FSOG and was so glad to see it had success. Why? Because what I wrote before I ever read FSOG or before it was ever published had elements of D/s in it and I had been reluctant to try to publish my novels because I thought the small amount of D/s I had might be off-putting.

Then along comes FSOG and wow -- now it's OK to write romance novels with BDSM elements and not be automatically shelved in the erotica shelves. Nothing wrong with the erotica shelves but I always want to write more than a straight romance - as I tried to explain, Dominion is all about domination and submission on a large and small scale -- the political and personal. It is as much suspense as it is paranormal and romance. I want to write romance, but I want it to include explicit sex and I have my own D/s kink that I want to explore and what it means for a modern woman, her struggle with her desires. I like the struggle the female character feels about D/s because I understand that on a personal gut level, as a modern woman living in a post-feminist age.

So while I have obviously been influenced by FSOG and other novels that came after, like BTY and others, it's not bandwagon jumping for a lot of writers who just are happy to be able to write what they've always maybe wanted to write but hesitated before.

I get a tad upset at people who assume that just because your novel has D/s or elements of BDSM that you are just a hack trying to capitalize on the success of FSOG... Writers want to write what they want to write and have an audience for it. The success of FSOG has brought BDSM-lite into the mainstream and obviously readers want to read BDSM-lite romance and writers want to write it.

/rant

On a serious side, do you now look for romance novels that have a bit of kink in them since reading FSOG? Is it now part of what you want to read? I ask because it's largely what I want to write. My hero will always be a bit of a Dom whether active in the lifestyle or just an Alpha male.

Charlene wrote: "Sooo glad to hear that the romance will be the focus -while I love the BDSM elements, it's all about the romance for me (as I think it is for most women). There are enough books out there that focus on the BDSM with the romance as an afterthought. "

Oh, yeah, this is not a BDSM lifestyle novel. It's a romance featuring D/s as a part of the relationship -- as a complication -- but I don't want it to be categorized as a BDSM book. Nothing against them, but this is more romance than kink, although there is kink. Why is there kink? Because I love D/s and want to write it. Now, it's more acceptable to do so in mainstream romance. Thanks to FSOG!

Paris (kerbytejas) wrote: "if you go down the "bared to you cover" I think you would be pigeon holing the book as a knock off type - and I would not like that for you - you need to stand out
what if you were more ambitious like this type of cover"

I chose the BTY cover only as an example, to contrast to the cover with what I have now. I would want something different enough so that it didn't look like a clone but more reserved. Covers are so hard! I originally wanted a man in a very good suit with a woman wearing something very scanty standing with her back to the reader, his hand possessively on the small of her back. But I'd have to actually hire models to get exactly what I wanted. Don't have the funds for that!

Wendy wrote: "Hi Just to let you know that I could open CR in my Kindle app on my iPad. I'll try to get an initial response to you today."

No pressures and I appreciate your help! (I already got your response so thanks! :))

OK so here is a question for readers... the cover. I have to admit I am really ambivalent about it. I have asked my graphic artist to do a second cover that is more reserved, all in rich greys and darker, with a very ornate fountain pen and contract somewhere in the mix. I don't want to put any BDSM imagery in it because although the lifestyle is part of the story, the romance is really the main focus. Drake is a Dom and his struggle is to keep Kate at arm's length and just his part-time sub so he can keep his life percolating along its current very well-organized and carefully planned path. (view spoiler)[ He fails, as you can guess! And they end up in a far more traditional romance with the kink as only part of it. (hide spoiler)] I hope to indicate the BDSM element is present in the blurb on the back so I can avoid the imagery in the cover art.

Some of you have said you like the current cover, others that you don't. How much of a factor would the current cover be in your willingness / reluctance to buy the novel? If I had a cover more along the lines of Bared to You would that be more or less appealing?

Paris (kerbytejas) wrote: "the gay thing surprises me.. I did not think that....nice..but not sure he should bring his partner to the function with Kate's dad if the Judge is that "uptight" - he may not want to have the gay friendly card on his ticket for office...."

Ethan is all about strategic appearance. He's willing to go to mass to ensure he has the Catholic ticket, what else might he be willing to do to ensure he has a certain sector of the voting public? This is not high up in the story mix since this is a romance, but her relationship to Ethan is backstory and her past with him is motivation for Kate.

❃ Brandy ❃ wrote: "Paris (kerbytejas) wrote: "❃ Brandy ❃ wrote: "S.E. wrote: "Paris (kerbytejas) wrote: "i didn't want to quit reading this morning, but i had to do the "Saturday" stuff.

I didn't find..."

There is a very complicated relationship between Ethan and Nigel. All will be revealed... Politics makes strange bedfellows is a very true saying in this case. ;) How's that for being cryptic?

Paris (kerbytejas) wrote: "S.E. wrote: "Paris (kerbytejas) wrote: "i didn't want to quit reading this morning, but i had to do the "Saturday" stuff.

I didn't find anything that I can call unnecessary stuff. it seems..."

Just call me housemother-mothergoddess to wayward teens and those who have no home for whatever reason. Only two of them are mine. Actually, I now have a 5th living under my roof due to a family drama... I just found out about it last night when the police came to do a curfew check on him and he wasn't there... Oy... My son brings home stray kids. It will all come to a stop when I sell the house this summer. Won't have as big a place when I find an apartment and so the homeless and wayward will have to find new digs.

Katya wrote: "I want to thank both S.E. & Michelle for the invite.

My favorite PNR or UF are stories which are rich in detail, and get into the minds of it's characters. Flawed characters are more fun...they..."

Welcome, Katya -- so glad to see you! Once again, many thanks for inviting me to be a guest author at Kickn -- I really enjoyed the chance to meet readers and discuss my books. As you can see, I enjoyed it so much, I started my own discussion group!

❃ Brandy ❃ wrote: "S.E. wrote: "❃ Brandy ❃ wrote: "Oh, & have I said already that I just love the cover? lol"

Do you? It's not too cheesy? I am getting a second more reserved cover done that has no people on it and..."

LOL I wanted him to be wearing suit pants, but sadly, the graphic designer has to use stock photos and none of the hot half-naked models wore suit pants. ;)

I'll try to fix it tomorrow morning and send it to you as a Mobi, which is the format for Kindle... Don't know why its not working.

❃ Brandy ❃ wrote: "S.E. wrote: " What? I'm the author -- I *need* to know what you think! PM me!..."

So impatient! lmbo! I just emailed you my long winded thoughts. The first half was fantastic! **applause** Ther..."

I really appreciate it -- some of the confusion you felt may be due to the fact that the first chapter now was the second chapter earlier so some of the info may have been revealed in the original first chapter ( which is now the second?) -- so I will go back and try to make it a bit clearer... Thanks for the great feedback!

❃ Brandy ❃ wrote: "Oh, & have I said already that I just love the cover? lol"

Do you? It's not too cheesy? I am getting a second more reserved cover done that has no people on it and will test them both with you guys to see which one you like best...

Bleumoon wrote: "S.E. wrote: "Bleumoon wrote: "S.E. wrote: "The first half of the novel is ready to be beta read -- first readers requested! It's been extensively revised since I posted the first chapters a while a..."

Sent!

Paris (kerbytejas) wrote: "i didn't want to quit reading this morning, but i had to do the "Saturday" stuff.

I didn't find anything that I can call unnecessary stuff. it seems well balanced.. with info, character building,..."

Drake is very busy but he is a very specialized specialist, is worth a lot, and so only has to work as much as he wants, as much demand as there is and as much as he feels he wants to do. He is busy every moment of his life. Highly driven and productive.

Bleumoon wrote: "S.E. wrote: "The first half of the novel is ready to be beta read -- first readers requested! It's been extensively revised since I posted the first chapters a while ago. Different tense, different..."

The more the merrier- I will send you a PDF copy. Haven't got the ePub version to work yet without huge formatting glitches. Do I have your email?

Paris (kerbytejas) wrote: "i didn't want to quit reading this morning, but i had to do the "Saturday" stuff.

I didn't find anything that I can call unnecessary stuff. it seems well balanced.. with info, character building,..."

It will become clear in the second half that Nigel is gay and is just not happy about Drake because he knows something... I didn't want to make Nigel too stereotypically gay because I hate that and because I have had gay friends who you would never know until they actually bring their husband or partner with them somewhere. Perhaps though I should have him bring his partner or something to the dinner... don't want there to be lingering questions about Kate's relationship to him.

As to the notion of pace, the issue is not that you would feel obliged to finish the novel in one sitting but if the story lags anywhere and you lose interest. I don't aways read a book in one sitting nor do I expect readers to but I always want a reader to want to keep reading when they can. I know as much as anyone that life intervenes, with a full-time job, four teenagers living under my roof, pets and aging parents. Plus trying to start a new career as a novelist... Phew. I have to always put books down but I want to write books that people put down with reluctance...