Sunday, August 27, 2006

Be Bold-And Mighty Forces Will Come to Your Aid

I went looking for freedom and got more than I bargained for...

I had written about 10,000 words of Temptation In Time when I went to the Red Sage website to check the submission guidelines. I chose Red Sage as my target publisher because I had read and enjoyed the earlier anthologies and respected the caliber of the writing. Just as importantly, I'd noticed that there were a variety of subgenres represented. I wanted that artistic freedom.

The Red Sage website had said something like: "Be Bold," and I thought: Hmm, I've got this character, an alpha male, and he wants to be bold. He wants to be so bold, I don't know if he belongs in a romance novel. The site encouraged me to take a risk, and I was SO tempted to let Marcus run wild, but I hesitated.

Then a quote that I love urged me on. I heard it first in the sublime film, Almost Famous, from which many great quotes can be derived. "Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid," Basil King said.

So I included some sexual situations that I've seen frequently in pure erotica, but not as often in romantica. Then I worked to balance the sex with a story that would satisfy because, while pure erotica can be very well written, it often lacks the emotions that romance readers (myself included) value. As a romance writer, I've found that, when in doubt, read and then let the characters show you the way. And the way, in this case, was for a witch to time travel to the medieval UK.

Even after the story was accepted, there was still some concern on my part. Judith P., my editor, and AK, the terrific publisher, believed in the story and didn't ask me to change very much, except to expand the time Ariana spends at court, which I was happy to do. Just prior to publication, we started seeing the advanced reviews for the collection and they were very positive. Romantic Times gave us 4 1/2 stars, which pleased me because it's a magazine whose reviews I've read and agreed with on many occasions. I still wondered how readers would respond. Would most feel that I had gone too far?

The story came out, and e-mails began to trickle in. No one who wrote wanted me jailed for debauchery. In fact, they wanted more stories. So, for the writers who may read this looking for insight, you've heard my message: Be Bold. Turn your characters loose. Have faith in mighty forces. And if you end up in jail for depravity, rest assured that you'll be in famous company. On the upside, when they locked up the Marquis de Sade, he used it as an opportunity to write full time, and so can you. Hmm...jail as a writer's retreat. Perhaps.

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