Writing is like Road Construction

I live smack dab in the middle of constant road construction.  Not just any road construction, though.  We’re repaving the entire stretch of highway between Vancouver and Whistler in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics.  It occurred to me, as I sat in yet another “short delay”, that writing is a lot like road construction. 

P(l)otholes are everywhere, and more often than not, you hit one at the least opportune moment, sending coffee all over the dash(key)board.  Some of these p(l)otholes can be patched with a little asphalt and a compactor, but the other ones – the giant sinkholes that devour things whole – require ripping up the entire stretch of road and repaving it all over again, using reclaimers, dump trucks, pavers, and whatever other heavy machinery is required.

 

The work is hot and dirty, and not something to be taken on by the faint of heart.  You have to be able to weather the weather, regardless of how hot it might get (and it will get hot!).  And, more importantly, you must resist the urge to retaliate at the many people who will flip you the bird as they drive over the beautiful new road you’ve just built. 

 

All along the way, there are signs to guide you around the rough spots and warn you of upcoming p(l)otholes or other hazards.  Often, these signs are a glaring bright yellow, but because you’ve seen them so many times, or you’re distracted by a shiny vehicle driving in the other direction, you might not pay them the attention they so desperately need or deserve.  Now, whether or not you choose to heed these warnings is entirely up to you, so long as you are prepared to deal with the consequences.  Should you ignore the warnings and proceed, full speed ahead, causing your tires to go flat or your exhaust pipe to fall off, you have no one to blame but yourself.  You were warned.   

 

On the other hand, if you choose to follow the road signs, do the speed limit, and proceed with extreme caution, the ride will be longer, and possibly not as heart-tipping, but you’ll have a better chance of arriving at your destination safe and sound.  And you probably won’t have to search the trunk for a spare tire or duct tape.

 

Hitchhikers are odd characters who appear at random on the side of the road begging for a ride.  You’ve been warned against picking them up; you’ve heard news stories and seen the movies, so you know what can happen if you allow these strange and unexpected characters in to your life.  But sometimes. . .sometimes. . . the temptation is just too strong.  You pick them up and suddenly find yourself driving hours out of your way to get them where they need to go.  In the meantime, you’ve driven way off-course and somehow have to find your way back through yet more p(l)otholes and diversions.

 

It goes without saying that the best part of any type of construction is when you get to blow something up.  Be it a major plot point or a thousand tones of granite, there are few things that can top the feeling of blowing it all to hell.  You prepare for the explosion, you work up to it, bit by bit, give warnings, and brace everyone for impact.  But when it happens, when the force of TNT sends everything crashing down, the jolt should be enough to rock everyone back on their arses a little.   

 

And then, of course, once the scattered pieces have landed, leaving yet more p(l)otholes and hazards in its wake, someone has to go clean it up.  You bring in the backhoes, the front-end loaders, and the dump trucks, and slowly. . .shovel by shovel. . .you clean up the mess you’ve worked so hard to create.   At the end, when every last hole is plugged, and the heavy equipment is sent home, you’re left with a beautiful, smooth creation that’s easy to navigate and fun to drive.  

Romance – Fantasy or Reality?

I read a lot of romance and, like many romance readers, often hear the criticism that romance fiction is escapist fantasy. I’m sure writers and readers of science fiction, techno-thrillers, mysteries and every other genre hear the same complaint.x

Well, you know what, there’s a reason they call it FICTION! Of course it’s fantasy.

Or do the critics mean by “fantasy” something that couldn’t possibly ever be real? Such as, space ships fighting star wars, a super-spy saving the world, an amateur sleuth doing a better job than the trained cops – or a woman meeting a true hero who turns out to be the love of her life? Impossible or possible?

It seems to me, even in the less likely scenarios, fiction must have an element of reality within it if it’s to be truly meaningful and memorable to the reader. For example, even if the scenario is fantastical and the protagonist “larger than life,” there still must be features in that character and/or plot that are realistic enough for the reader to identify and care. Otherwise, the reader won’t be hooked to finish the book.

Each fiction reader looks for a particular blend of fantasy and reality (and that blend may vary depending on our mood), and that’s what draws each of us, as readers, to different genres and subgenres.

With romance constituting over 50% of sales of popular paperback fiction, obviously it appeals to a lot of readers. As a writer and reader of romance, I think most readers turn to romance for stories of female empowerment. We love to see a heroine with some flaws or disadvantages who faces challenges and finds the internal strength to overcome obstacles. We want her to believe she’s worthy of love, and to find a man who respects, loves and commits to her. The story may play out in Regency England, the Wild West, small-town America or Manhattan night clubs, and the heroine may be anything from a virgin schoolmistress to a dominatrix.

And you know what? Even though these heroines are fictional characters, they symbolize every woman’s ability to find the strength to face challenges and grow. That’s a message about reality. They also attest to every woman’s right to find a man who loves her for who she really is. And that’s a message of hope. It won’t be every woman’s reality, but we all want to believe it’s possible – and, for many women, it is.

The genre of romance has an incredible number of subgenres and cross-genres – from werewolf erotica to Christian inspirational – so there’s something to meet each reader’s taste. Some tend more toward the fantastical and some more toward the realistic, but each contain a blend.

Take, for example, my book Touch Me. What woman wouldn’t fantasize about a man like Adonis Stefanakis? He looks like a Greek god, believes in tantric sex, and wants to give Ann Montgomery six hours of love-making – one orgasm at a time. Except, the reality is, twenty-eight year old Ann is a career-obsessed, performance-driven lawyer. First, she doesn’t have six hours to spend on something that isn’t going to advance her career. Second, the idea of six hours of having to be fabulous in bed is totally intimidating. So, what’s the deeper reality – in other words, what are her flaws and issues? She doesn’t know how to balance career and relationships, and she’s not secure about her own sexuality. As Adonis challenges Ann to grow into a more balanced – not to mention sexy – woman, readers can identify. Because Ann’s issues are real; they’re ones many women experience themselves.

So, is Touch Me fantasy or reality? It’s both. And I think all good fiction is.

What kind of fiction do you read? What balance of fantasy and reality appeals to you?

The Importance of Friends

My grandfather once gave me the lecture on the importance of friends.  Then he told me that I had to be careful.  “If your friends get into trouble, you will very likely get involved.”  Wisdom radiating from his deep voice as he continued, “Stay away from people who enjoy trouble.”

Boy, was my grandfather right.

Boy, am I glad I didn’t listen to him.

Now, I don’t mean the bad kind of trouble, just the kind of trouble that makes life . . . interesting.  The particular situation I’m referring to was basically harmless . . . even if it did involve rope, a gun, a pair of handcuffs, a few agents, a handful of authors on a mission, a shower cap and a seaweed facial mask.

Now, don’t go judging me.  I mean, name a writer who hasn’t dreamed once of twice of finding a sure-fire way to get an agent’s undivided attention.   And even if you do judge me, before you condemn me, let me explain that it wasn’t my fault.  You see, I have this friend.Most of you even know her.  She’s famous for tossing gold confetti in the air.  Yep, I’m talking about Faye Hughes and it’s all her fault.

Okay…okay, maybe it’s not all her fault.  Faye and I, well, we’re kind of dangerous together.  Let me put it this way, if we’d grown up in the same town, gone to the same school, we’d have been the friends who not only didn’t get to sit together, we wouldn’t have even been allowed us to be in the same classroom.  Why?  Because when we’re together, one of us gets some crazy notion, the idea gets ping-ponged back and forth until what sounded like the talk of two lunatics suddenly begins to sound like a downright brilliant plan.

That’s how the whole agent/rope/gun thing came into being.  We were in Dallas at the RWA national convention.  We were talking about our workshop, “The Great Agent Hunt,” which we’re giving at the Romantic Times Convention next April in Pittsburgh.  We wanted to do something a little different for the workshop, and the word “hunt” sort of set us off.  The next thing I know, we were asking Ruth—another friend who doesn’t run from trouble and who had a car—to make an emergency run to the nearest Wal*Mart to pick up a few supplies.  God, I love Ruth, she didn’t even question why we might need a gun, a rope or some aqua-green seaweed facial mask. 

The hard part was getting the agents into the room.  Amazingly, our friends were all lined up to help carry out our plan, too.  Their willingness had nothing to do with their being rejected by numerous agents and ready for revenge, either.  Oh no, it was all due to the amazing thing called friendship and friends who…well, friends who don’t run from a little trouble.

Now, the agents had some reservations at first, but being outnumbered—by all Faye’s and my friends—they were sort of roped into the plan.  The funniest friend story about the whole agent episode happened after we’d gotten the three agents, Kim Lionetti, Jessica Faust and Caren Johnson, on board.  By this, I mean we had the rope, the gun, the seaweed facial mask and the hotel shower cap, but Teri, another friendly co-conspirator, refused to crawl under the bed.  (Something about bed bugs.  We’re tying agents to hotel chairs—among other indignities—and she’s worried about bed bugs!)  Anyway, the point is, I needed another pair of hands and an under-the-bed person.

I thought about asking Teri to run get Suzan.  But Faye, who was in charge of taking care of the gun, reminded me that Suzan was a lawyer, and she’d already warned us that the less she knew about the details, the better we’d be if we needed her to defend us.  Alison, another schemer in our plan, was already at her post, which was hiding in the closet.  As for Nancy, she was already committed to serving as lookout.  So, I sent Teri across the hall to get Jody.

Jody, oblivious to what was going on, came barreling across hall with more gusto that someone who weighs so little could possibly barrel, and said, “What do you need?”I was standing there with the rope in my hands and my agent, Kim, sat fidgeting in a chair, Faye was toting the gun, Ruth was mixing up the seed weed mask and opening up the shower cap, Jessica was handcuffed to the nightstand, (in all fairness, I have to state that the handcuffs were both Jessica’s idea and supplied by her,) Caren, who is feistier than she appears, was waiting, with her scowl in place, for us, in the bathroom, and I told Jody to tie Kim up and then get under the bed.  Without even blinking, she grabbed the rope and proceeded to tie a slightly concerned-looking Kim to her chair.  Halfway through the process, Jody turned to me and said, “Christie, you should get your camera out.”

Kim then started getting really nervous, and I busted out laughing and said, “Jody, what do you think we’re doing?  The reason we’re tying her up is to take pictures.  We’re making a video for our workshop.”

Jody just shrugged and said, “Hey.  You guys are friends, you say tie her up, I tie her up.  Real friends don’t ask questions.”  She glanced at Kim and smiled.  “I bury bodies, too.”And that is why I’m glad that I didn’t listen to my granddaddy.  You see, all my friends are the type of characters who . . . well, enjoy a little bit of trouble.    

While the real video won’t be debuted until the Romantic Times conference, Faye and I have done a teaser video that will give you an idea of the trouble we got into at the RWA conference.  And just remember, it really is Faye’s fault.

Here’s the video teaser for the Great Agent Hunt.  Tell me what you think.

Great Agent Hunt Teaser

Romantic Stories

This is wondering Wednesday here on the PASIC blog and a recent discussion on Hollywood’s idea of romance in recent movies got me to thinking about the words romance and romantic. From two of my Webster’s dictionaries one of the definitions of ROMANTIC: “marked by the imaginative or emotional appeal of the heroic, adventurous, remote, mysterious, or idealized characteristics of things, places, people.”Thinking back to books that inspired me as a child I think of Jack London. White Fang and Call of the Wild were romantic without a speck of man/woman romance.Heading into the movie realm, I think of old swashbucklers as romantic as well. Those movies are romantic because of the high seas adventure and the romanticism of the larger than life characters, not because of Maureen O’Hara and Errol Flynn’s love story. Maureen was feistier than most actresses and Errol was superbly athletic. They were each romantic…not just together, but apart, because of their larger-than-life characteristics.

When I write I think of my characters in a romantic way…larger than life, more active, more passionate, more alive than anyone you’d meet. I don’t know if I pull it off on the page, but I certainly try!

I have two single titles and two novellas set in a haunted brothel (Midnight Confessions I and II and BUILT ~ out now) with one character that seems more romantic than the others: Belle the spirit of the original madame of Perdition. She’s enigmatic, amused by the antics of the living, a narrator who shares almost nothing of herself while telling the tales of love lost and won in the house. Not particularly heroic nor adventurous, Belle is nevertheless mysterious and certainly idealized, therefore to me, she feels romantic.

So I’m wondering, what makes a character/setting/story romantic for you? And what definition do you use for romantic?Bonnie Edwards

Friday Free-For-All: Unforgettable Dialogue

We find our inspiration in different places. Some of us sit on sidewalks and people watch, some listen to music, some do writing exercises and talk with friends. I think I’ve done all three from time to time, and one of the most fruitful places for me since I was a kid was watching movies and television. It still is. I’m always amazed at the current idea that letting kids watch TV is bad for them. I grew up practically physically connected to the TV, and it never stopped me from reading, from achieving academically, and it remains a huge source of inspiration for me, as well as relaxation.

Movies and TV shows are such fertilizer for my imagination, especially the dialogue. I can actually feel something creative in my mind being stroked when I hear a certain line from a favorite movie or watch a favorite character, and I think my love affair with the screen has always influenced my use of dialogue as a writer. Every time I come across a particularly twisty Buffy phrasing or listen to how Brenda Lee Johnson’s character in The Closer is created by how she talks, it reminds me how powerful finely-crafted dialogue can be, and this can kick in my urge to write more than just about anything.

One of my very favorites is from Bull Durham, which a friend reminded me of the other day:

“I believe in the soul, the cock, the pussy, the small of a woman’s back, the hanging curve ball, high fiber, good scotch, long foreplay, show tunes, and that the novels of Thomas Pynchon are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, I believe that there oughtta be a constitutional amendment outlawing astro-turf and the designated hitter, I believe in the “sweet spot”, voting every election, soft core pornography, chocolate chip cookies, opening your presents on Christmas morning rather than Christmas eve, and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last for 7 days.”

The rhythm patterns the powerful moment when Jason Bourne sits in a diner and says,

“I can tell you the license plate numbers of all six cars outside. I can tell that our waitress is left-handed and the guy sitting up at the counter weighs 180 pounds and knows how to handle himself. I know the best place to look for a gun is the cab of the gray truck outside. And at this altitude, I can run flat-out for a half mile before my hands start shaking. Now why would I know that? How can I know that and not know who I am?”

Who can’t read that and get chills from the sheer passion of it? Dialogue like this sticks in the mind and in the gut, and we can only hope to write a passage so memorable and powerful. People, and characters, reveal themselves through how they speak, and that’s so important for a writer to remember.

There’s the fun quote from John Cusak in “Say Anything”

“I don’t want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don’t want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don’t want to do that. “

There’s almost nothing better than when a reader writes to me and notes some nugget of dialogue they enjoyed, something that rang so well for them that it stuck in their mind. What are some of your favorite moments of dialogue, the ones that inspire you or make your heart beat a little faster whenever you hear them?

Life (and Love) in the Middle Lane

This coming Monday, I will officially turn 45. Such an auspicious and scary occasion! At this time of year my thoughts turn inward and I consider where I am in my life, what I’ve learned, and how it relates to my writing. Because, ultimately, my characters are crafted based on my own belief system:

A sense of humor is crucial. When I think back on my fondest memories, I realize each of them includes a lot of laughter. With friends, with family, or even alone, life is a whole lot better when you laugh out loud.

No one knows his true strengths and weaknesses until faced with adversity. Okay, so maybe this is a no-brainer. But the truth is, we aren’t shaped by our good times. Our misfortunes–those times when we fall down, pick ourselves up, dust the dirt off our backsides, and plod forward–mold us into who we are, what we believe in, and how we weigh what’s important in life.

Children are our future. Children learn what they live. It takes a village… Yadda, yadda, yadda. Kids are alien beings who bring moments of intense joy, sheer panic, and total exasperation. Sometimes all at once.

True happiness isn’t about money, fame, or success. It’s about surrounding yourselves with those you love who love you back. Over the years I’ve heard pundits describe life as a storm, a journey, an amusement park ride, and a series of challenges to be met and mastered. However you consider life, love is the key that makes life worthwhile.

Love encompasses faith, laughter, strength, and a host of other qualities. Without love, the richest man is rendered poor. With love, ordinary people are rich beyond measure.

Aren’t we lucky to write a genre that promotes and embraces such power? You betcha!

Speaker’s Remorse

The usual sort of speaker’s remorse is the kind you feel when you wish you hadn’t said something you just said. What I seem more often to wind up with, however, is the other sort–when I wish I’d said something, and didn’t.

I’m currently riddled with the latter sort of remorse. I just got back from a fantasy con–because my current books really are fantasy with very strong romantic elements–where I spoke on several different panels. On one of those panels, a woman said flat out that she hated romance. And I said nothing.

Neither did the other romance author on the panel, but that’s no excuse. Her statement did take me so aback that I couldn’t quickly come up with anything to say in response–but that’s not really an excuse either. Especially since the topic of the panel was “where do all these kick-butt heroines come from?” I mean, don’t kick-butt heroines deserve love too? But I didn’t say that, and I regret it.

I’m still, a day or two later, not sure how to respond to what was said. She does have a perfect right to hate romance. I hate horror. Can’t read it, don’t want to try–at least not again. I do understand that people have different tastes. And yet–I find myself wishing I’d asked her why.  What is it about romance that she hates?

And here’s where the kick-butt heroine thing comes in.  Because I firmly believe that until the “mushy” emotions (a technical term I did use in this panel)–emotions like romantic love, for instance–are acknowledged as valid and important and even necessary for a strong, well-rounded person, we’re still not getting real kick-butt heroines. Just guys with boobs.

There are still too many arenas in this world where a woman can’t be a woman and be seen as strong. Strength is more than just kicking butt, and it’s certainly not strong to deny the transformative power of love. What’s so “mushy” –in the sense of soft and squishy and malleable– about love? It’s one of the toughest, least squishy things I know. I did say most of this during the panel discussion–I just wish I’d said more.

Watering your feet

We are blessed with an adorable grandson (our first!) named Jack. Jack is two, and knows just how to keep cool. By watering his feet instead of the flowers, of course. (Now, why didn’t I think of that?) There’s nothing cuter than Jack, standing on the deck with his tiny watering can, soberly and carefully wetting his toes. When the can is empty he holds it out. “More, please.” Just thinking about that makes me smile.

The real gift for me is that Jack reminds me to take joy from the simple things. The sun on your face. A baby bird, chirping for her dinner. A new season of The Closer. Coffee with a friend. I could go on and on!

Take a moment and think of something simple that makes you happy. Then please share. Who knows, your pleasure could spark added joy in each of us.

www.annroth.net
Summer Lovin’ Anthology: A Reunion Story, June 2007
Mitch Takes A Wife, August, 2007www.annroth.net

Christian romances

What does Christian fiction, particularly inspirational romances, have to offer readers? Yes, it has a faith element in it, but it is much more than that. I think that it gives readers hope in a world where there sometimes doesn’t seem like there is much hope. When we are constantly seeing death and destruction on the television, it is a relief to read a story that gives you encouragement. For a short time we can escape from the horribleness.

Not only does it offer hope, but it also gives the reader a satisfying story based on some of the harsh realities of life. Sex and graphic violence aren’t in these stories, but subjects like rape, alcoholism, drug abuse and adultery are dealt with in a realistic matter but with a message of hope. People’s emotions are explored as well as how they cope with their problems.

Another reason people are turning to Christian fiction is that in this fast paced world we need to have an anchor, especially in this post 911 era where terrorism is very real. Our faith gives us this anchor. Readers can see how people depend on it to solve problems and to ground themselves. Weaving a story around that faith shows readers how faith can stabilize us in this crazy, sometimes mixed-up world.

An added bonus is that these books can be read by all generations. I have had many readers tell me they share their books with their daughters and their grandmothers.

One of the genres in Christian fiction that has blossomed in recent years is Christian romance. Harlequin’s Steeple Hill has been expanding. Love Inspired started out with three books a month ten years ago. Today Steeple Hill is publishing four Love Inspired, four Love Inspired Suspense, two Love Inspired Classic, and one or two longer books in their Women’s Fiction line. Next February there will be two Love Inspired Historical books to add to the growing list. Most of this expansion has occurred in the last three or four years.

There are many types of romance books. Christian romances, whether historical or contemporary, are very much a part of the market. They offer an inspirational story with a strong faith element and a sense of hope. The love story is based on a strong emotional link where characters wrestle with spiritual issues as well as relationship ones. So if you are looking for a good read, pick up a Christian romance and try it.

Margaret Daley
Margaret’s web site
Buried Secrets, Love Inspired Suspense, October 2007
Vanished, Love Inspired Suspense, May 2007
Once Upon a Family, Love Inspired, April 2007

Some fun with heroes’ names

The other day I was commenting on another blog when the name Larry came up. Not a particularly “heroic” sounding name, but I’m sure it’s been standing up well for all the real Larrys out there.But in a book? For a hero? Not so much. Maybe Lawrence would work. (thinking of Lawrence Fishburne, here…his friends may call him Larry, but I always think Lawrence suits him better)I thought it might be kind of fun to post some names that , ahem, don’t ring your bells when you’re dreaming up names for heroes. For instance: Dennis. For me, this one conjures up dentists and menaces. (not that it’s a villain’s name…just a menace’s name) Herbert wouldn’t ring my chimes either.  And then there are names that you think *might* work: Lance or Dirk…but they still aren’t quite what I look for in a hero’s name.  Most of the time our posts here are thoughtful, or crafty (g) or otherwise serious. And I’m not sure that they always have to be. What names would you avoid? Why? Bonnie Edwards