Lori Devoti, paranormal romance and urban fantasy author

I can’t even begin to remember who told me this–probably due to my search for anything resembling a decently mixed drink at the hotel-but I do want to know who in what universe thinks this is a good idea, truly.

So, I’m chatting with some forgotten author and she tells me her editor is filled with terror at asking for submissions from the rabid gangs that make up the RWA membership. Why you ask? Because apparently said editor has been sent (obviously by deluded individuals who really don’t understand the difference between brainstorming exercises and a synopsis AND have attended Jennifer Crusie’s workshops a few dozen too many times) collages. That’s right. Collages.

Okay, so if this was you–what were you thinking? Why in heavens name would an editor who already has 3,000 pounds of paper in her office want your art project about your book? Trying to stand out from the crowd? Write a kick-ass query and a book that knocks her on her patootie. Do not and I repeat–do not send anything that required glue to assemble.

Lori

The RWA national convention in Atlanta is over. Four very full days of women, women, women. It was fun–really. ;-) But, man, am I glad to be back.

No big news this year. Sounds like Bombshell is either getting a face-lift or a heave-ho. Word should be out which in a couple weeks. There were also rumors Next was on the block, but nothing firm. What else? Romantic comedy is dead. Knew that–but it was confirmed. Also stirrings that Westerns may be making a comeback, but I think this may still fall under the category of hoping rather than knowing. One agent I heard of said if Westerns were having a come back, it just meant they had moved from the morgue to the ICU.

That’s it for now–I have laundry to do. :)

Celia May Hart writes erotic romance for Kensington Aphrodesia. Her first book for them, Show Me, (being from Missouri, I love the title) is a Regency set historical, with a tad more spice than traditional. ;-) Welcome, Celia!!

Q.) First tell us about your book; I love the concept.

CMH.) SHOW ME is set during the Regency and is about Portia Carew, who has been both jilted and had her reputation smeared. Her mother drags her off to a country house party in an effort to restore the latter and marry her off…but Portia’s been burned and doesn’t want any part of it. In exploring the library of her hosts, she discovers a collection of erotica and well, she isn’t as pure as the driven snow as her mother would like to think. She sets about pleasing herself, Mark Knightson, the hero, catches her at it, and offers to teach her the art of self-pleasure. Unfortunately, he’s yet to learn the art of self-control. Matters snowball from there.

Q.) Do you consider your books romance, erotica or erotic romance—or something else like historical romance? What made you pick this mix of sub genre?

CMH.) Mine are definitely erotic romance. They’re too explicit to be called historical romance, where the sex can be steamy but not so frank. It’s romance because each one that I have written so far has had a happy ever after ending. I make ‘em suffer, and there is loads of sex, but there’s happiness at the end. I actually wrote Regencies under a different name, so it made sense to stay in that time period for me. And well, frankly, sometimes it was hard for my characters to keep it in their pants.

Q.) When planning a book, what comes first—character or plot? And what do you do next—start writing or plot things out?

CMH.) Often it’s just a scene. The library scene came to me first in SHOW ME. Then I have to figure out who these characters are, how this story is going to work within this historical frarmework (bearing in mind that there are consequences to breaking society’s rules). So it’s scene, characters, plot.

Q.) What do all of your books/novellas have in common? (themes, character traits, setting, sensuality, etc.)

CMH.) So far they are all set during the Regency period (1800-1830 or so). The themes in all of them, though, are about forgiveness, redemption (which sounds like rather an odd thing to have in an erotic romance, but there you have it), particularly about getting a second chance at finding and keeping love.

Q.) What is the highest compliment someone has paid you about your book and what made it the best?

CMH.) It’s one I’ve received twice so far: that they couldn’t put it down until they finished it. I’ve always wanted to write those books that keep you up at night reading until you’re done, no matter what time you have to get up for work in the morning.

Q.) Who are your favorite authors/books and why?

CMH.) I read pretty widely. Current favorites are: Jacqueline Carey, Mary Balogh, Lois McMaster Bujold, Elizabeth Bear, Naomi Novik.

Q.) How long have you been writing? Can you tell us anything about your road to publication? How long? Mistakes you realize now or tips for people starting out?

CMH.) I’ve been writing stories since I could construct sentences. Writing for publication started initially in college, but I sucked so I just wrote for fun until about 1999. I was first published in 2005 under a different name.

I don’t think I made any really big mistakes, except not comprehending for four years and keeping the first three chapters when they really needed to be gone! My advice is to keep writing, keep reading, keep learning, get hooked into RWA and your local chapter so you learn from their workshops. Keep writing — I think your mind needs to learn how to write in such a way that you don’t do it consciously any more.

Learn to revise too. Each time I learned something new, I’d apply that technique to that first sucky book from college. I wrote a new book, and then I’d go back and revise the old one. I eventually sold it — minus that sucky first couple of chapters, of course.

I’d also add that I don’t read critically (well, incorrect history bugs me), but I don’t read to go — oh how did they do that? And so on, because every time I try it, I just get sucked in again. I’m praying its working via osmosis.

Q.) Any new projects on the horizon? What would you like to try next?

CMH.) I’m writing my third single title for Kensington Aphrodisia right now. It’s a time travel Regency-set historical sexy adventure with paranormal elements. And no, I’m not kidding. I’m hoping I’m going to be able get some noirish sassy banter in there as well.

Books that I’ve already done that are coming out are a novella in THE HAREM (December 2006) and MADE FOR SIN (February 2007).

I’d like to write a sequel to SHOW ME, with some of the secondary characters, because I grew quite fond of them, but I’ve yet to come up with a pitch compelling enough for my editor. There’s time a plenty yet.

Thanks, Celia, for chatting with us and everyone else–check out Celia’s books at her site!!

In case you aren’t familiar with these two series, Charmed is the story of three sister witches who fight demons, date (sometimes the demons they wind up fighting), and in general look way better in crop tops than any of us could ever dream of. Hex is a new series on BBC featuring a teenage witch with a lesbian-ghost friend and a fallen angel who quickly becomes the father of her child. Charmed is more chick lit with a dark side. Hex is dark with the occasional smile.

My real question though, isn’t whether you like dark or light–it’s the basic set up of the series. In Charmed, each season there was one major overlying story arc. Then within each show there were smaller story arcs. So, at the end of each show you felt like you had a conclusion of sorts even though the major arc was still unsolved. In Hex this doesn’t happen. It is much more a true serial. There is only the overlying story arc–when the epispode ends they could very easily tack on the old “tune in next week to discover…”

So, which do you prefer?

Okay, and I’ll throw in another choice–police dramas, like CSI or Homicide. Also a series with recurring characters, and best watched in the intended order, but not like either Charmed or Hex in how they do this. In police series the story arc that overlies the whole season is the small stories–someone is having an affair, someone can’t get pregnant, a daughter is fighting with her father. The big bang story with the hard emotional punch is within the epidsode–a man is stalking teenagers, will they catch him? At the end of the episode the affair is probably still going on, the woman still can’t get pregnant, but maybe dealing with this stalker brought one of the characters closer to his own troubled teen.

See the difference?

So, which works for you?

• Hex-One main story arc and that’s it–tune in next week (or next book) (Books like this don’t exist much anymore. Although I will say occasionally a trilogy author does this with the second book–drives me batty by the way.)
• Charmed-Big emotional pull story goes for whole series–small stories conclude each episode/book (Harry Potter)
• CSI-Big emotional story is new each week, but smaller stories pull you from one episode/book. (Mystery series like Susan Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone mysteries.)

Welcome to Michelle Ann Young! Michelle stopped by my blog a few months ago when she was a finalist in Dorchester’s American Title contest. This month she’s here to talk about her new release Pistols at Dawn along with a few other topics.

Q.) First tell us about your book.

M.A.Y.) The novel is set in 1817 in London. A fatal duel leaves Victoria Torrington destitute and at the mercy of a well-known rake, Simon St. John, Earl of Travis. Known as Satan to the ton, Simon has a past shadowed by secrets and a reputation for the luck of the devil. To get her off his hands, he declares she must select a bridegroom by the end of the London Season or accept one of his choosing.Beneath the earl’s chilly exterior, Victoria senses an honorable and caring spirit. She can’t resist his sensual allure when he drops his guard, which isn’t often or willingly. Together they face an enemy armed with the secrets of Simon’s past which could ruin both of their lives.

Q.) Are your books traditional Regencies or Regency set historicals? What attracts you to this period?

M.A.Y.) My books definitely fall into the Regency-set category, and contain lots of adventure as well as sensual romance. I have always loved the Regency era and enjoy researching people and events from that time period. It is far enough away from our own age to be a fantasy, for example the clothes, oh those tight pants on the men and long gowns on the ladies, but close enough to be thoroughly familiar.

Q.) What is the highest compliment someone has paid you about your book and what made it the best?

M.A.Y.) I have had some amazing reviews, all very positive, but the one I liked the best said she wanted to read the book again, because she enjoyed it the first time so much. She also couldn’t wait for a book about two other characters who played a central role in the book and looked as if they might eventually have a romance of their own. When someone calls your book a keeper, it is a high compliment indeed. I felt quite humble and also very proud.

Q.) Who are your favorite authors/books and why?

M.A.Y.) I am an avid reader, I mostly look for historicals, but read anything that comes my way, contemporaries, mysteries, the classics, cornflakes boxes. I have a soft spot for Georgette Heyer’s regencies, my dad and I used to fight over them when we got them from the library, love Laura Kinsale — such a from-the-heart writer, as is Mary Balogh. I admire Jo Beverly, Mary Jo Putney, Jennifer Cruisie — she’s fun, I had dinner with her in San Diego, Molly O’Keefe, great modern voice and wonderful humor, Virgina Kantra, great pov, Lori Devoti, of course. I admire any writer who can pull me into a story and make me forget I am writer.

Q.) How long have you been writing? Can you tell us anything about your road to publication? How long? Mistakes you realize now or tips for people starting out?

M.A.Y.) I have been writing seriously for six years. I started out knowing nothing and wrote a very bad book, full of narrative, omniscient, rambling, but I loved the process and the creativity. I decided I needed to learn more and joined my local RWA chapter, took workshops, joined a critique group. I write nearly every single day. I completed three books before Pistols at Dawn and have completed four since. One of those was an American Title II finalist. My agent Scott Egan of Greyhaus Literary Agency loved all of them and they are all being reviewed by editors at the moment. I don’t think one can make mistakes, provided you keep writing. I do recommend finding a group of other writers who you trust and who will critique in a positive atmosphere, as well as support you with champagne, whether it is for a sale or a rejection. The only tip I have is, finish a book, polish it and submit it and start on another one. The next one might be the ONE that clicks.

Q.) You were a finalist in Dorchester Publishing’s American Title contest. Do you recommend contests for other unpubbed writers? What should they expect from contests?

M.A.Y.) Contest junkie - hand goes up. I have had requests from contests, just recently one from Dorchester and Kensinton - for the same book, not my American Title. I don’t think you should enter the same chapter if it has finaled more than a couple of times. The idea of contests is to test the water, see if people, some people, like it — and to get a request, if you are lucky. In my opinion, a long string of contest finals on one book is not going to help get you published. If you do get requests, make sure the book is ready to submit, or at least close to ready. You should treat it the way you treat a pitch. I see it as a different way to pitch to an agent or an editor. If you don’t final, then treat it as a critique, take what works, ignore the rest.

Q.) I see you and the other American Title II finalists have started a blog. Can you tell us about it? Are you all doing anything else as a group?

M.A.Y.) Our blog is called titlewave. We had great fun agreeing on a name. www.titlewave.blogspot.com. We were a close supportive group of competitors in this contest, as I think can be seen from the July RT. We just couldn’t let go after months of handholding and passing the hankie box as one or other of us was dropped. We’ve kept our e-loop alive, chatting, bouncing ideas and now have the blog. Our blog organizer, Gina, is very good at keeping us on track. We did a group publicity stunt at RT, raffled a basket, and we will be getting together at Atlanta. We will be wearing our purple AT2 ribbons, so look out for us. We’d love to meet anyone who voted in the contest.

Q.) How about other projects? Anything coming up you’d like to tell us about?

M.A.Y.) As I mentioned, I have an agent and I have four books under active consideration by more than one house. I’m biting my nails, but very hopeful. I will be sure to let you know if any of them get picked up. In a heartbeat. lol.

Q.) And finally, where can readers go to learn more about you and your books?

M.A.Y.) www.micheleannyoung.com or via the blog of course.

Hey, everybody. As some of you know I have a Yahoo loop called Plotspot. Every so often I get off my duff and get some one to visit and chat with us about different things to do with plotting. Well, I’m really happy to say Ann Voss Peterson, a multi-pubbed author with Harlequin Intrigue, is going to stop by the week of July 17th to the 21st. She is going to talk about plotting for suspense and balancing the romance and suspense when writing a romantic suspense.

It should be great and it’s free.

If you would like to participate or know someone who would just have them email me and I’ll get them signed up. (It’s a private invitation only loop.) My email addy is lori @ loridevoti.com. (no spaces)
Oh, and feel free to forward this to anyone you think might be interested–the more the merrier.

Here’s Ann’s bio–>
Ann Voss Peterson writes fast-paced romantic thrillers for Harlequin Intrigue. A creative writing major in college, she adores chewing over writing craft, even when she should be attending to her deadlines. And she’s had a lot of those deadlines lately. Look for her Wedding Mission series this summer: SERIAL BRIDE (June), EVIDENCE OF MARRIAGE (July), and VOW TO PROTECT (August)! Happily ever after never seemed so deadly…

Thanks!!

Lori

A few months ago my husband and I discovered Firefly, a very short-lived series created by Joss Whedon of Buffy fame among other things. The series originally aired in 2002 on Fox, but somehow my husband and I completely missed it–never even knew it existed. I think I’m glad I didn’t, because last night we watched the last episode. (Thanks to NetFlicks we’ve been watching them start to finish on DVD.) I KNEW the series was short, but C’MON! I was left feeling bereft–disbelieving that they could end something so great. Can you mourn a TV series?

Okay, so what made this so great? Just about everything. It’s a combination of science fiction and old west. The characters are great, layered and not at all cliche. There are mysteries galore. It is an exemplary example of how story-telling should be done. And it’s also an example of how commercialism can be a real threat to great stories. If you watch the “Special Features,” you’ll learn how the powers at Fox didn’t like the series from the beginning because they didn’t think it started out fast enough–with enough bang. They actually ran the series out of order so they could start with a more fast-paced episode than the intended pilot which had a lot of backstory and set-up.

Backstory can be a drain on a story–but it isn’t always. It’s sad that the powers that be underestimate all of us so completely, and dictate by the “rules” rather than what works in the individual piece.

Anyway, if you haven’t seen it, I can’t recommend it enough. It’s one DVD worth buying and watching over and over–especially if you are a writer. After you see the series, you’ll want to check out the movie too. We saw Serenity first (that’s how we discovered Firefly), but now that I’ve watched the series, I plan on going back and watching the movie again–if I can stand the pain of saying good-bye to all those characters yet again.

One last comment on the movie, I almost didn’t pick it up the first time because the image of River (female on cover) was so well, the way it is. In the story she isn’t a sexy Hollywood siren at all–just a tortured complicated youth who looks a lot more like Wednesday in the Addams family than a sultry heart-stomper.

I signed up for Krav Maga classes. I have orientation tonight.

I was looking at my “why can’t I be you” list, and thought what here CAN I do. Well, except for the expense, Krav Maga was an easy one. So, if you see me in Atlanta, stand back–I may be a lethal weapon. ;-) (and not just because I drank one too many cosmos at my agent’s party)

Okay, it’s a new reality show on MTV. It’s not fabulous, but it hits on one of my favorite topics–that people want to be someone else, when really we chose who we are. Weird, aren’t we? As a teen I went through this really bad thinking everyone else was dictating “who” I was. Like I never got a vote–which is somewhat true. As a kid you evolve with all these other people always telling you who you are. It can become rather oppressive.

Well, this new show hits that head on. They take a teenager who thinks they want to be someone else–an actual other person they admire. Then they get that person to lead them through their life for 48 hours. The show I watched had a cheerleader who wanted to be a punk rocker. She had the mistaken idea that the punk rocker didn’t care what anyone else thought. This is just never true, is it? Especially as a teenager.

Anyway, it got me thinking–do you still do this? Is there still a person you would really like to be, but don’t think you are? Who is that? What would you like to be that you aren’t?

Here’s my list. I would like to be the kind of person who:

• takes Krav Maga and rock climbing classes.
• grows and dries her own herbs.
• eats natural foods, right down to wheat grass and enjoys it.
• lives in cute little place within walking distance to natural food stores, quaint shops and bookstores.
• rides her bike everywhere.
• spends Saturdays competing in Agility Competitions with her dog.
• has a tattoo and fit body.

Man, don’t I sound interesting? How about you?

I’ll blog again soon–I promise! I just got back from a trip to Missouri, so I’m a bit behind. :)