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General Discussion > How far would you go for revenge?

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message 1: by Alex (new)

Alex Sinclair I posted this on my blog and thought I would put it here too.

I don't know about other writers, but for me every book begins with a question. I write romance and erotic romance, but I am not a big fan of the standard "happy ever after" endings. This is because I kind of feel like I am cheating the reader if the story is too predictable. So I start with a question and by the end of the book the reader will have the answer with an ending that they will enjoy.

For my gothic erotic revenge novella, Bitch, I started with the question "How far would you go for revenge?" I instantly removed the idea of killing, murder and the classic revenge story. I wanted the story to be slightly different so the main character sets out on non-lethal revenge. The idea being she wants her enemies to suffer.

Bitch ended up being a very sexy story about a woman that sets out to destroy the marriage of a woman that made her life hell. The main character uses sex as a weapon to do what needs to be done and get to where she needs to be. It is a hot and sexy story based on the principle of "How far would you go for revenge?"
I wanted to ask a few question.

1. How far would you go for revenge?

2. If you are a writer how do you start your books?

3. Do you feel romance novels have to have a happy ending?

Bitch Special Edition Bitch Special Edition by Alex Sinclair


message 2: by Missy (new)

Missy Martine (missymartine) | 88 comments Interesting concept. I've looked back on all my books and concluded that I must be too nice a person because I don't ever have characters out to get revenge - even though some of them would be justified! To me, the idea of my main heroine or heroine seeking revenge puts them in a totally different light, one that's probably more realistic, but not very flattering. I know that I read romance books as an escape, a way to live out my fantasies and indulge in an idealistic world that doesn'r resemble my every day life. I don't want revenge-seekers intruding on that special relationship!

Do romance novels have to have a happy ending? Absolutely, or what's the point in reading them? I want that happily every after ending that gives me hope that my own life just might turn out that well. As a reader, I can tell you that it's that happy ending that keeps me buying a certain author's book, keeps me coming back for more of that all-over good feeling.

How do I start my books? I like my stories to have some type of conflict, something that could inadvertently keep the main characters from finding their HEA. The stories have some type of intrigue or danger that the main characters must confront together, and usually the hero has to rescue the heroine from some peril. Cliche, I know, but it's what I enjoy reading so it stands to reason that's what I'm going to write about.

Do your books have happy endings for the character determined on getting revenge?

Missy Martine


message 3: by Alex (new)

Alex Sinclair The reason I started this particular book was because I had put out my free book, Before The Dawn, a romance novella and then had, The Lady and the Lake, erotic romance novel and, The Man with Two Hearts, a erotic romance novella. And my next two novels were both romances so I wanted to do something a little darker and outside of my normal routine, which was like. "What is the opposite of love? ... Hate!... Revenge!"

In this particular book I wouldn't say it was a happy ending. It was a good ending. The final sex scene is my most talked about scene, lol, because you almost feel sorry for the guy because he has done nothing wrong. I also get e-mails saying. "I loved the ending. That was so cruel." It is like most of my books the ending is not good or bad. It is like "this chapter of my life is closed" even in my romance novels. The point of the story is reached, but I guess for me I like asking questions. So every novel starts with a question and we discover the answer and then it ends with a question for the reader to think about. Not open ending. That would drive me mad. Just something to walk away from the book going... mmmm thats a good point. I never thought about it like that.


message 4: by Mysti (new)

Mysti Parker | 51 comments 1. Not very far. I'm terribly non-confrontational, but I like to see my characters get justice. Not just vigilante style, but real deserved justice. My WIP features a woman who's been in an abusive marriage for 10 years. Her lousy husband will eventually get what he deserves.

2. How do I start? Depends on the story, but I usually start with them in their ordinary world, quickly thrown into a situation out of their control.

3. YES! I love my HEAs. I'm a big sucker for them. I enjoy any well-written story, but I need to feel good at the end. That's just me.


message 5: by Alex (new)

Alex Sinclair Good answers. How far into the WIP are you? Are we allowed to know more?


message 6: by Mysti (new)

Mysti Parker | 51 comments I'm approaching 55K now. Events building toward the climax. The novel is called Serenya's Song and takes place right after A Ranger's Tale. It stars one of the prominent male characters in ART, the wood-elf scout, Jayden Ravenwing. The heroine is Serenya Crowe, a half-elf, half-something else. She's married to the Earl of Summerwind, but has endured his cruelty until Jayden's arrival in the small town. They are the perfect match.

Except, she's still married, and a half-something else :) It's turned out to be a much darker fantasy than I first imagined. But, it's been really fun to write.


message 7: by Alex (new)

Alex Sinclair How good are your character names! I love those names. And great name for the book. You may have noticed. I like names, lol. Dark fantasy is great, it is good throw back to the 80's when fantasy stories like Witches, Labrynth, Willow and so on had a dark edge to them, but were classics. Do you have a time frame on when you want it done by or just going to go with the flow?


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