A round-up of my weekend, including a fun event with the fabulous Melinda Snodgrass. Also thoughts on including twists in stories and what’s required to earn them.
First Cup of Coffee – February 20, 2023
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First Cup of Coffee – February 17, 2023
//Some discoveries I’ve made on what my time is worth, along with contemplation (yet again) over the concept of what makes a work “good” – and what relationship that has (if any) with the work’s success.
First Cup of Coffee – February 16, 2023
//Exciting news from Tor on their new romantic imprint, Bramble. Also thoughts on my struggles with ROGUE FAMILIAR and why I should learn to take my own writing advice.
Fantasy Romance: My Niche and I Love It
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THE ORCHID THRONE, book one in the completed Forgotten Empires trilogy, is on sale this month! A great time to escape from winter and revel in this enemies to lovers (she imprisons and plans to execute him!) epic fantasy romance set in a tropical paradise.
This week at the SFF Seven, we’re talking about finding your niche. We’re asking each other, what subgenres speak to you as an author?
This is an easy one for me! My niche has pretty much ALWAYS been epic fantasy romance, even before anyone knew what to call it. That’s just how the stories came out. Which is not a great thing, if you’re writing in a niche before the niche exists. It’s like being a creature ahead of the evolutionary curve, ready for that climate change that has not yet occurred. You can survive (maybe), but not necessarily flourish.
That history makes yesterday’s news particularly exciting for me! Tor Publishing Group announced that they’re kicking of a new romantic imprint! I love that this is clearly publisher Devi Pillai’s baby, as she truly loves to read this sort of SFF/R crossover. Monique Patterson will head up the imprint, and she is a much-admired editor who comes over from the SMP Romance side of Macmillan. Exciting times!
First Cup of Coffee – February 14, 2023
//It’s Valentine’s Day and I’m talking about all the kinds of love that AREN’T the romantic or flirtatious sort – and how we can and should celebrate all the manifestations of love in our lives.
First Cup of Coffee – February 13, 2023
//A round up of my weekend and the FaRoFeb events I participated in. A new working title for BANDITS, what you have to do to get the ban-hammer on my FB page, and a couple of pieces of cool news!
First Cup of Coffee – February 10, 2023
//The challenges of building a secondary fantasy world while still keeping the pace moving along. Also, the plum blossom rule and how it applies to people always finding something to critique in your work.
First Cup of Coffee – February 9, 2023
//Have some project you really want to do? Why you should put it in motion today! Also thoughts on worldbuilding in Fantasy, monetary systems, making mistakes and fixing them, and how pitching never gets easier.
Three Simple* Steps to Entice Reader Engagement
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Exciting day today! For today only, 200 of the most amazing books in Fantasy Romance, Gaslamp Romance, Monster Romance, and Paranormal Romance are FREE! Go load up your eReaders by clicking here https://farofeb.com/freebooks/ Below are some samples of the books available, including my own DARK WIZARD.
This week at the SFF Seven we’re talking about what makes readers invested in a story. It’s an interesting question, really, and the subject of much debate. I think every author would love to know the “magic formula” for making this happen in every book. Sometimes, though, it can be a real surprise what readers latch onto. There’s always an element of unpredictability there that’s part of the joy of creating and storytelling. (Which is one reason why I believe Artificial Intelligence (AI) will never supplant human creativity, but that’s another discussion.)
So, my thoughts on ways to engage readers and entice them into being engaged in a story?
- Give them characters that feel like they could be best friends
Whether it’s found family, besties, romance, or a protagonist we fall in love with, readers want characters who feel like real people they know and care about. - Give them a world they want to live in
We read to live in other worlds, even if they’re a simulacrum of the world we live in. Readers love that opportunity to step outside of their daily lives. - Give them a story that inspires emotion
Happy, sad, tragic, romantic – the feeling of a story is what lingers after we close that final page. Even if a reader can’t recall plot details, they’ll remember how a book made them feel.
*Of course, none of this is actually simple. It takes craft, talent, and lots and lots of practice. Read widely. Re-read your favorites. Observe how other authors accomplish this and emulate shamelessly!
First Cup of Coffee – February 7, 2023
//How to write a synopsis – or, at least, fake it the way the pros do! Great news on BANDITS and next steps there. Also, why agents/editors ask for partials, why you should include your profession in your query, and other crazy checks.
