Why I Wrote "In The Eye of The Beholder"

[Sharon]

Hi, everyone. I joined this group a little while back, but struggled with explaining why I wrote my book. .

Finally, I realized that there were a number of reasons that I could list:
-- I had grown tired of stereotypical romance novels. Frankly, I was beginning to think they were the same book with different covers. I wanted to read a book where the heroine was not a 20-something virginal bluestocking, to be quite honest. So, I set out (in part) to write the kind of book I wanted to read.

I am grateful to report that a paying publisher in the UK felt the same way, as my paperback is coming out soon (eBooks are available if anyone is interested ... ).

-- I have been a Phantom of the Opera fan for 30+ years (ever since I first read Gaston Leroux's novel), and realized this would be a good jumping-off place for my novel. Phantom is a story with roots in the Greco-Roman myth of Cupid and Psyche, as well as the Jungian archetype of the Wounded Healer. There's a lot to work with there.

-- Third, and most importantly ... the work simply would not stop nagging at me until I committed it to paper. :-)

Thanks for your consideration.

[Daniel]

Congrats Sharon on all of your success. I haven't read much romance, but I'm glad you're trying to break the mold.

[Jcwillis53]

No swollen loins or ripped clothing and legs that "won't quit"??? You are a ground beaker and good for you! I'd like to see a few more romance books about over the age 50 and still finding love.
I'm a writer too, and when I had so many of my family stories to tell thought the only way to keep them for generations to come was to put them in print. I have now finished the 2nd book and it went into print last week. This has been such a wonderful experience/ 2 books in one year. Southern Comfort went into print in late Dec and now More Southern Comfort is in print. The books are PG rated stories about life in the South and when I go back and read one of them I am pleasantly surprised to realize that I wrote it!
Think about putting a middle age woman in your next novel and be sure and let me know when it prints! I'll buy this one now just to get a taste for your style. Good luck....Joyce Finch Brown

[Sharon]

Hi, everyone. For those who are interested, the book is now available directly from the publisher (Amazon coming soon). http://www.turnermaxwellbooks.com/In_...

I am writing the sequel, and the same heroine is in it. She's in her late 40s during a good deal of the action, so I'm delighted to see Jewillis' request! I appreciate all of the support.

[Jcwillis53]

Sharon,
late 40's is good! Women don't just dry up and blow away after 40 even if most of the men over 40 think we do...ha. My first book is on Amazon and the 2nd should be soon. Also available thru Barnes and Noble. It's fun to see the ranking change from week to week. Kind of like watching your lottery numbers! I will order your book and let your heroine entertain me. Joyce

[Jcwillis53]

Sharon, I ordered your book via the turnermaxwellbooks.com site. I read what they have as your synopsis and I am really looking forward to reading the entire story! You have peaked my curiosity.
Joyce

[Sharon]

Hi, Joyce. Just to clarify (because I realized upon re-read that I was not too clear):

In the second book "In The Eye of The Storm," Claire is in her 40s and older for most of the action. In the first book, she's in her 30s. She is also no shrinking violet, as you'll see. I'm 45 years old myself, and was just sick of not seeing any women in romance that were like me. You're right; no matter what some people think, women "of a certain age" do not just shrivel up and become invisible. :-)

I'm grateful that you were intrigued by the sample and have ordered the book. Thanks kindly for your consideration. :-)

[Charles]

Sometimes authors use a novel or screenplay to support political or social beliefs; or to cry out for morality and ethical prinicples. This is no more clearly evident than with Holocaust books and films. Whenever we stand up to those who deny or minimize the Holocaust, or to those who support genocide we send a critical message to the world.

We live in an age of vulnerability. Holocaust deniers ply their mendacious poison everywhere, especially with young people on the Internet. We know from captured German war records that millions of innocent Jews (and others) were systematically exterminated by Nazi Germany - most in gas chambers. Yet, there are many people today who do not believe this to be true. Holocaust books and films help to tell the true story of the Shoah, not anti-Semitic historical revision. And, they protect future generations from making the same mistakes.

I wrote "Jacob's Courage" to promote Holocaust education. This tender coming of age love story of two young adults living in Salzburg at the time when the Nazi war machine enters Austria, presents accurate scenes and situations of Jews in ghettos and concentration camps, with particular attention to Theresienstadt and Auschwitz. It explores the dazzling beauty of passionate love and enduring bravery in a lurid world where the innocent are murdered. "Jacob’s Courage" examines a constellation of emotions during a time of incomprehensible brutality. A world that continues to allow genocide requires such ethical remediation.

Many authors feel compelled to use their talent to promote moral causes. Holocaust books and movies carry that message globally, in an age when the world needs to learn that genocide is unacceptable. Such authors attempt to show the world that religious, racial, ethnic and gender persecution is wrong; and that tolerance is our progeny's only hope.

Charles Weinblatt
Author, "Jacob's Courage"
http://jacobscourage.wordpress.com/

[Sharon]

Hi, Charles. That's a really nice post. Perhaps you would like to start a separate thread about your book? That way, it can be discussed in its own context. :-)

[Minnie]

Sharon wrote: "Hi, everyone. I joined this group a little while back, but struggled with explaining why I wrote my book. .

..." I agree with you about breaking the mold of romance stories. I, too, have been fighting against the "romance template" and struggled with my present MS hoping it depicts love, not romance.

Good going. You picked an excellent example. As I said I loved the Phantom and felt that I understood his pain.

[Charles]

Congratulations, Sharon. Your success is what it's all about. Keep on writing. Best of luck to you!

Charles Weinblatt
Author, Jacob's Courage
http://jacobscourage.wordpress.com/