GENREALITY

Writing is the one occupation/activity where you can have voices in your head and people don’t think you are crazy. Well, people who aren’t writers might. As my career has progressed the voices have grown louder. They began with the first book I ever wrote, which eventually became my fifth book to be published, The Demon King and I. A friend had challenged me to write the book, and I’d never done anything lke that. I remember staring at my computer and that blank page for a moment, and all of the sudden people began a conversation in my head. I didn’t really understand what was going on, but I wrote it down. I could see where they were, their gestures and I was transported into their world. The voices were so strong, that I sat down and wrote that book in two weeks, while working two full-time jobs.

The next book, the voices were even louder. That book was Charmed & Dangerous. The day before I was to meet my very first big editor from a publishing house, my friend Britta Coleman (Potter Springs) and I did some role play where she pretended to an editor. She had been through it before, but I had not. I’m a person who interviews Tom Hanks and Tom Cruise without even thinking about it, but the idea of speaking with an editor gave me hives. For real. One of the questions my friend asked me during that mock pitch, was what did I have next? I stared at her dumbfounded. I’d written an entire book, wasn’t that enough? She explained that editors and agents wanted to know that you had future potential beyond what you had already done.

I left her house in a panic. I had to come up with a new idea for another book before my meeting at 9 a.m. the morning. I sat on my bed with notebook, and all of the sudden this voice said, “I’m Bronwyn.” I kid you not, that voice was so loud that I jumped up because I thought someone was in my room. Then I worried I really was going crazy. (I’d been worried about that for years. Now I don’t care.) The next thing she said, was something that changed my life forever. “I’m a witch, think bad Willow on ‘Buffy,’ but I’m a good guy. I don’t take any crap, and I can seriously kick some ass.” I wrote down everything she said. Then she told me about this crazy job she had about protecting the British Prime Minister, and falling in love with a doctor and a powerful sheik. And that is how Charmed & Dangerous was born. That next day the editor liked the pages I’d sent before the meeting and asked me to send those to another editor at the publishing house. Sure enough she asked what I was working on next, and I told her about Bronwyn. She asked me to send it to her. Of course then I had to go home and write it.

Sometimes those voices are strong from the beginning, other times, like with Dragons Prefer Blondes I get to know them better as we go along. Alex in Dragons was strong and cut throat, but very different from her sister Gillian. By the time I finished the book she was my favorite sister, and her voice still won’t shut up in my head. If a miracle happens and I get to finish that series, I have a feeling she’ll have her way in the remaining books.

For my latest book, Take Me If You Dare, it was a man talking in my head. That was a little different for me. I was expecting to write this story about a recent college grad who was stuck running her mom’s investigative firm, and she was in over her head. But when I sat down to write a proposal for the editor, Jackson popped in. He said, “Where am I?” Instantly my mind flashed to this filthy hotel room in Thailand. “I can move my legs,” he said, “at least there is that.” (That honestly freaked me out a little.) Then he let me know he’d been beat to a pulp and left in this room without any idea how he’d arrived. He told the story so fast that almost couldn’t keep up with the typing. That book is written in third person, all the rest I’d done were in first person. So it was kind of weird to have two voices, sometimes going at the same time.

You’ve read this far and you’re thinking, “Okay, chick, you really are insane.” But I promise this is how I do what I do. People always ask how I come up with these wild and inventive stories, and the truth is I cheat. My characters tell me everything. And I quite frankly hope that never stops. I will say that they can keep me up nights, and drive me crazy throughout the day. It’s funny, because the voices are almost always there when I need them. When I start a new book, they show up for work.

If you’re a writer, do you have voices in your head? I know a lot of great writers who don’t work the way I do, so how do you do it?

And if you aren’t a writer, how does your creative process work for whatever it is you do?

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The lovely Shayla Black has stopped by to talk about sexual tension. Years ago when my first agent was talking to me about revisions she told me I needed more sexual tension. At the time, I thought that meant sex. I was wrong. I picked up one of Shalya/Shelley Bradley’s books and I instantly understood.

Shayla has been kind enough to break it down for us. Here is what she says:

Creating sizzling sexual tension is no accident.  It requires commitment from the writer to incorporate four distinct elements into your plot and to take those elements as far as your imagination and believability can.

They are: Awareness – the hero and heroine should be aware of each other as desirable members of the opposite sex and as sexual beings. This sounds elemental, but I’m surprised at how many books don’t take advantage of this simple tip. Show the attraction early and give it power. This can be descriptive (i.e., the hero or heroine thinking about the other from his/her point of view, letting us know what each finds attractive about the other. Another approach is situational, your hero and heroine interacting in a way that’s flirtatious, challenging, or otherwise provocative. These two approaches will work separately and in tandem, depending on the kind of book you’re writing. Take a look at the opening scenes and chapters in which your hero and heroine are together.  Are they observing one another, cataloging pleasing aspects of the other, fantasizing or thinking about the other?  Be careful with this element or the attraction will look purely physical, but early on, you’ll want to acknowledge that, even in the midst of conflict, each finds the other attractive.

Conflict – clashes or disputes between your hero and heroine. The deeper the conflict, the deeper the tension. You’ll need an external conflict for your hero and heroine to share.  The two dogs, one bone sort of argument. I also recommend having ample internal conflict, and by that, I mean having your hero and heroine have differing beliefs, dreams or values.

Forced proximity – what is keeping your hero and heroine together when most people in conflict would naturally drift apart?

The external conflict usually drives this plot element. Abductions, forced marriages, marriages of convenience, joint inheritances, etc. can all play a role. Whatever you can dream up to keep your two characters together, use it!

Personal stake – the reason your hero and heroine each believe that indulging in their attraction for the other would be a bad idea. A character’s personal stake is the worst-case scenario if their fear generated by the internal conflict comes true.  Exploration of the external conflict, along with forced proximity, will lead to more interaction so that the internal conflict can be explored.

Hopefully, you are getting the picture now that if you remove any of these elements and you will have a more difficult time drawing the sexual tension the kind of level that leaves your reader hanging.  For instance:

If you take away the forced proximity, you have people aware, in conflict and cognizant that making love would be somehow detrimental.  In such a situation, most people would simply walk away, rather than confront the difficult issues between them.

If you remove the awareness, you have people who are forced to be with one another and not only have reasons not to engage in sex, they likely don’t want to, given their clashes.

If you take away conflict, awareness and forced proximity will turn up the heat, yes.  And personal stake may keep them from exploring their feelings for time.  But what will they argue about before they hop into bed so that your reader keeps turning the pages?  Worse, what will they argue about after they get out of bed?

If you remove personal stake, the h or h deciding to be with the other lacks punch.  So you have a little conflict with someone.  You’re attracted to them and you’re together all the time.  You can bury conflict for the few minutes necessary to accomplish orgasm.  Personal stake adds the emotional punch here.

Ramp up sexual and romantic tension as the book progresses by adding emotional elements.  Physical awareness becomes awareness of the other’s good qualities, along with their wants, fears, needs.  Each character will also have a growing awareness of their growing emotional entanglement.  As you deepen the emotions, the conflict should shift away from the external.  Now explore the internal, using the heightened awareness.  Characters will be increasingly torn by the feelings they have for the other, despite their fears.  Forced proximity will still be in place, but the growing emotions should hold them together as strongly as the plot element you used earlier to draw them together.  Personal stake should loom larger, ramping up the tension of the romance so the reader can wonder if the characters will overcome their fears and live happily ever after?  It’s up to you, the author, to keep that question looming large and thus the tension crisp.

I told you she had it down, and she practices what she preaches. I have posted an excerpt below of her latest book delicious. Enjoy!

He can’t control his desire.

Luc Traverson’s entire future is planned out—but there is one very sexy obstacle in his path: Alyssa Devereaux . She’s a former exotic dancer turned strip club owner and restaurateur. Recently, Alyssa and Luc shared one night of wild abandon that left Luc terrified by his loss of self-control—and Alyssa desperate for more.

And that’s just the way she wants it.

Fulfilling a promise, Luc is the guest chef for Alyssa’s restaurant debut. The sight of her makes Luc wild, so how can he survive a week without letting loose and ravaging her—especially when she’s begging for it? Luc’s desire for her explodes when he realizes he isn’t the only man desperate to have her. But one of the others is deadly. And that’s not the end of Alyssa’s secrets…which are as dark and mysterious and enticing as her fantasies.

Excerpt:

Until Alyssa Devereaux, had he ever gotten stone hard just by looking at a woman from across a room? Luc didn’t like the answer.

He didn’t have to wonder what was under that little skirt; he knew. Sleek thighs surrounded by garters in some color designed to drive a man wild. A lacy thong that would reveal far more of her assets than it concealed. And under that . . . The feel and taste of her slick, swollen folds dive-bombed his memory and revved him up, as if he’d injected rocket fuel in his bloodstream.

And he had to work beside her for a week. Hell. How was he going to prevent a recurrence of the event he wanted to forget—yet couldn’t?

You’re a professional. Cook and keep your hands to yourself. Besides, it wasn’t as if he had nothing else to think about. Negotiations for his cable TV show were nearly at an end. He had a bit of editing to do on his latest cookbook. There wouldn’t be that much downtime this week, but what little there’d be, he would fill.

Clearly, Alyssa had a way to fill her time as well. The huge slab of man at her side whose cheek she’d kissed a moment ago wore a Sexy Sirens T-shirt stretched across his enormous chest. A bartender? A bouncer? Whoever he was, the guy slanted a possessive glance at Alyssa that Luc couldn’t miss, then glared at him.

Tamping down his irrational anger, Luc reminded himself that if Alyssa wanted to fuck her hired help, that was her business.

The violent urge to dismember her employee would pass.

Alyssa took a step toward Luc, then another.

“Mistress Alyssa,” a female called over the speakers in a saucy vamp voice. “Your turn!”

She stopped. Closed her eyes. Sighed. Bracing herself?

Then, as if the hesitation had never been, she flashed him a cool blue gaze, pointed at a chair in front of the stage, then turned away and strode backstage. Luc couldn’t help himself. He watched her walk away, the sway of those curvy hips a siren call. Damn.

If they had been alone, there was no way Luc could have prevented himself from touching her. Period.

Unless he wanted another brush with his uncontrollable wild side, he needed to forget his reckless promise to her and get out of this job. Now.

Reluctantly, Luc sauntered to the front of the stage and sat in the chair Alyssa had indicated. As soon as she finished whatever the hell she was doing and talked to him, he’d tell her all bets were off. Hell, he’d pay her for her inconvenience.

Because if he stayed, his dick would get him into trouble. He’d have her naked and be between her legs in two minutes. Or less. And that would be bad. He was looking for Mrs. Right, someone uncomplicated who wanted children as much as he did and would help him keep his beast at bay. Alyssa Devereaux, stripper divine, was definitely not that woman.

Suddenly, music pounded through the speakers, blaring with a naughty beat, a wicked slide of horn. Every note suggested sex—the hot, sweaty, no-boundaries variety.

The type he’d had with her and wanted again.

Pulling his loose shirt over his lap to cover his erection, Luc watched as Alyssa strutted onto the stage. She’d piled her straight platinum hair into some wild arrangement on top of her head and donned a sequined bolero jacket in red. He was dying to see what she wore underneath. The way she moved was an invitation . . . and a promise.

She planted her stiletto-clad feet in front of him with a decisive step, then swung her hips, making a sensual circle. She flattened her palm across the bare skin of her tanned abdomen—and began lowering it. She reached down . . . so damn slowly. Luc’s breath caught in his chest until, finally, she touched herself. Oh, hell.

Her fingers glided between her legs, and she tossed her head back as if she was in utter ecstasy.

Luc swallowed. And started to sweat.

With a jerk of her head, Alyssa snapped her gaze back to him, her eyes like focused blue lasers jolting him to his toes.

Damn it, his nine weeks of dating church secretaries, interior decorators, and elementary school teachers showed. Not one of them had incited an erection. During that time, he’d awakened in the middle of the night more than once, sweating, his dick in his hand and Alyssa’s name on his lips. Now, after less than five minutes in her presence, he felt ready to explode.

He had to think about the right F words—future and family. Unfortunately, with Alyssa near, the urge to fuck her again kept killing his good intentions.

In the next moment, she released the soft strands of her hair, which hugged her shoulders, clung to her breasts, flirted with her waist. Then she peeled off the little jacket and left it carelessly on the floor, exposing a tiny half top Luc could swear showed the shadows of her areolas. She stepped over the jacket and strutted toward the pole in the center of the stage. When she gripped it with both hands and undulated against it, pressing it to the juncture of her thighs, Luc damn near choked.

And still she continued to stare as if she danced just for him.

The music swelled, wailing with sensuality and suggestion. Alyssa upped her game, sticking a finger into the wet cavern of her mouth and sucking. More blood rushed to Luc’s cock at the memory of her mouth around him, her tongue slick across the head, inciting a sizzle that burned his whole body. Even months later, he could feel the lash of her tongue, the hot silk of her mouth. He shuddered.

With a kittenish smile, Alyssa popped her finger from her mouth and drew the damp fingertip down her cleavage. Then her palm took over, smoothing her right breast with an invitation to pure sin on her gorgeous face.

Dear God, no wonder she’d built herself a little empire here in Lafayette. The woman was a walking wet dream and did her job well. No red-blooded, heterosexual male could withstand such intense teasing and stay sane.

Out of the corner of his eye, Luc saw Alyssa’s employee, the one she’d touched earlier, sidle closer to the stage. With a quick turn of his head, Luc quickly saw that the mountain in the tight black T-shirt was tense, panting, and sporting a bulge that said he wanted to get busy.

Luc wished he could say that didn’t piss him off. But he’d be lying.

Then, as Luc’s stare returned to the stage, he damn near forgot his own name.

Alyssa turned her back on him and bent at the waist, staring at him over one mostly bare shoulder with a fuck-me look that stunned him. Luc gripped the arms of his chair, willing himself to stay in it, not charge up on the stage, lay her flat, and get inside her again this instant.

The spaghetti strap of her little top was falling down her arm. And that indecent skirt . . . With her bent over, the hint of the bare ass cheeks flashed from beneath the black silk. Her garters were a come-hither red. Her thong—he could see only a scrap of it—matched.

Soft fingers teased their way up her shin, her thigh, and disappeared under that little skirt. Her eyes half-closed, her sultry mouth parted on a silent moan of seeming self-pleasure. His entire body tensed.

He had to get the hell out of there.

Her hands swept up her undulating hips, gathering the skirt with them. She tugged at the little black garment, and it fluttered to the floor. The tanned halves of her backside, bisected by a bit of red lace, crashed fresh lust into his chest, making it damn hard to breathe.

Alyssa had a gorgeous ass. But he’d known that. Luc squeezed his eyes shut so the visual temptation of her bare flesh didn’t taunt him. Memories of tunneling into her ass pounded him instead. Her perfect willingness to take him any way he’d wanted. The tightness of her damp, musky body clasping him. The sweat dripping off of them as he’d thrust deep. Her moans.

Christ, the burning lust had to stop—at least long enough to tell her that he wouldn’t be staying.

Praying the torture would end soon, Luc opened his eyes. And sucked in a breath.

Alyssa flashed him a naughty smile of invitation as she ripped her small top right down the front to reveal a red demi bra that barely covered her nipples. Hard nipples. Pink, melt-in-his-mouth nipples he remembered all too well.

Luc squirmed in his chair—and nearly went off like a teenage boy. Beyond aroused, his cock was so sensitive, the feel of denim sliding against the head nearly had him coming.

He had to leave. Forget the polite conversation; he’d send her an e-mail with an explanation. Because if he stayed, he would shove his long-term goals aside and fuck her senseless.

As he stood, Luc mentally reviewed a list of chefs—female ones—he could pay to assist Alyssa this week. A short list, but a few durable names. He’d send idiotproof recipes . . .

The red bra dropped to the ground at Alyssa’s feet.

Her large breasts were as golden as the rest of her body and swayed gracefully with her every undulation, every step. Those nipples he remembered so damn well beckoned, Taste me.

Turn away! he demanded of himself.

His legs didn’t move.

Alyssa danced her way down the stairs, holding her breasts up in offering. She pranced past her aroused employee and shot the man a mirthful smile as she caressed the side of his face. Luc tensed when the beefy guy tried to snatch her up in his arms. But Alyssa was too fast and spun out of his grip, toward Luc.

The damp spot at the front of her thong kicked him in the gut. He clenched his fists as she danced closer, closer . . .

She dropped to her knees before him and looked up. Their gazes locked. She panted. Hard. Despite his jeans, her hot breaths caressed his cock. Release broiled in his balls, and he hadn’t touched her once.

There was no way he could stop himself from reaching out to tangle his fingers into her hair and bringing her mouth closer.

Visit Shelley/Shayla at:

www.ShaylaBlack.com | www.DoomsdayBrethren.com

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It’s odd for me this whole idea of only having a book out for a month. That’s what happens with many of the Harlequin lines. Every month a bucket of new books comes out and the others are taken from the shelves. I didn’t think it would be a big deal, but it kind of is.
I feel like screaming from the mountain tops, “Hurry, go buy my book. Only a few days left.” I come from the world of single title where a book sits on the shelves from between six months to a year. If you’re lucky, even longer. That gives people time to find you. If they can’t get to the store the first few weeks your books come out, it’s okay.
I worked so hard on “Take Me If You Dare.” It was a different kind of book for me, though it’s very much in my voice and style. I didn’t work any less on it than I have any other book I’ve written. So one month for it to sell, just doesn’t feel like enough. Though, I must say, the book will still be available through online retailers and in ebook form. I guess that is something.
And to be honest, I’ve been so grateful. This change has brought me tons of new readers, most of whom didn’t even know I existed. It was my first time to have a real mass market release (in Wal-Mart, Target, drug and grocery stores), and the new fans have been wonderful. The older fans have also been supportive. I’ve had a lot of, “I don’t usually read these kind of books, but I picked it up because its you,” comments. Most of them like the new stuff too, and that always makes my day.
The big question I’ve been getting is will I write more paranormal books. ABSOLUTELY. I love paranormal. In fact we are getting ready to shop a young adult paranormal (fingers crossed on that), and I have two other ideas for paranormals that I can’t wait to write.
Right now I’m hard at work on my next book for Harlequin about a sexy New York Detective and a scientist. It’s fun and sexy, and will be out next year. If you haven’t picked up Take Me If You Dare, I hope you will give it a chance.
You only have about three more days to buy it in stores.
I’m curious about something new you’ve tried that surprised you in a good way. Tell me, I really want to know.

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This will be a brief topic for me, because to be honest, I don’t deal with rejection very well. I know in my head that it’s just business, but my heart is on that page. While I know I should wear my big girl panties and suck it up, I take it all personally.

That said, I have found some tricks to get me through the rough times. As soon as I’m done with one project, I move on to the next. If I keep my momentum moving forward and always on the next thing, it’s easier to say, “whatever,” when those rejections come in.

When they do come in, I give myself one day to be bummed. I can cry, eat chocolate, whine to my friends and then I have to shove all those crappy feelings up on a shelf and be done with it. Honestly, it isn’t easy, but it’s necessary in my world, which moves like a speeding bullet. I don’t really have a lot of time to be miserable, there’s so much to do. (Smile)

My friends and I came up with a fun thing. We have a beautiful hat and in it we’ve placed slips of paper. When you get a rejection you have to pick a piece of paper. They say everything from go and buy and new pair of shoes to rent Pride and Prejudice (Your version of choice.) It’s a positive way of looking at what really is “just business.” We go to dinner once a week and if you have something sucky to deal with, you get to pull a fun thing from the hat. Some weeks you get to pull more than one. We all laugh and it takes the sting out of it. We actually haven’t done that in a while. It’s time to find the hat again.

Whatever happens, don’t let it get you down. This business is subjective, so just keep moving on to the next thing. And remember it is a business. One agent/editor may not like your work, but there may be six others who do.

I’ll give you a good example. Before I had an agent, I had a chance to meet with an editor at a conference. She was interested in my work and asked to see it. She rejected me. A year later, with the help of my agent, I sold to another editor at the same house. That editor didn’t want to change a single thing with the book except the title.

Flash forward two years. That original editor who had rejected me became my editor when mine left to become an agent. When we first chatted she said, at the time I sent in my manuscript that sort of thing wasn’t selling in the marketplace. I never said anything, but always wanted to. The same time I sent mine in was about the time Mary Janice Davidson and Charlaine Harris hit big, but I never did.

The truth is, you don’t know why someone is going to pick something up. That first editor was nine months pregnant and liked that I made her laugh on the second page. She got me. Some day, someone will get you.

But you have to persevere and keep moving forward. Always.

Tell me what you do to get past those evil rejections?

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Those of us who have access to writers’ workshops/conventions/critique groups sometimes forget that not everyone is so lucky. Those first two can be expensive and it’s sometimes difficult to find a good critique group. That’s one of the reasons I started the Write_Workshop yahoo group was to give free access to writers all over the world to tool that would help them be successful.

It’s worked. We have over 1500 members on the workshop and 200 of those have gone on to be published by major houses. That’s something I’m proud of and it makes me feel like we’re doing something right. The idea for the workshop came about when I had success with my first book “Charmed & Dangerous.” I’m a fairly nice person and people were coming out the woodwork asking me to read their manuscripts. I couldn’t do it and stay sane.

But I wanted to help in some way.

I’d had some amazing mentors, which is why I had found success so fast. I wanted to do the same for other people. To give them an inside look at the business, and to give them those all-important tools I talked about. The Write_Workshop was born in August of 2006. The Workshop provides craft classes, and I also bring in editors and agents.

I tell you all of this because as a writer, no matter what level you are at, sometimes you need some help. That’s one of the many reasons the Internet is such an amazing tool for writers.Need to know how to write a synopsis? You can find a multitude of resources online. The same goes for how to get an agent or finding out specifics about certain publishers. I can’t think of a single question that can’t be answered online. Though, you do need to be careful about the people giving the advice. ALWAYS check their credentials.

There are so many online classes these days it can make your head spin. Some of them cost a lot of money, and you should be careful where you spend your funds. RWA (Romance Writers of America) has hundreds of chapters all over the place. They can be a great resource even if you don’t write romance. Many of the classes they sponsor are good for all writers, and they usually strive to get the best instructors. For example I’m teaching my FAST DRAFT and REVISION HELL classes for the OCCRWA (http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclassFeb10.html). Those are an inexpensive way to give yourself a kick in the pants if you’ve been dragging your feet with your latest manuscript. But there are tons of classes like that given by various chapters. You just need to check online.

Blogs can also be helpful. I learn stuff from THIS blog all the time from my fellow writers. The same goes for the http://witchychicks.blogspot.com/

If you’re interested in joining the Write_Workshop you can subscribe here: Write_Workshop-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. That’s a free resources, and on the separate chat loop you can ask questions and there are 800 people there to help you.

Best of luck on your journey. Remember, even though you may feel alone, you aren’t. We’re out there and we want to help.

p.s. Take Me If You Dare is out this month. Please pick up a copy and help a writer out.

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