Romancing the Blog | Romance Authors and Readers Who Blog

I’ll admit it. I’m all about free stuff. You dangle something free or extra in front of me, and I’m salivating like a Golden Retriever outside a rawhide factory. And I’m not picky either–coupons, extra tubes of lipstick, 5% more crackers in the box. Some company throws it in, and I’m all over the purchase. 

I’m not alone in this, which makes me feel better. I see the women lined up at the registers at Macy’s, $10 off a purchase coupon in hand, their fingers stained with newsprint, their arms loaded down with hangers. We’re in an unspoken Bargain Buddy program, too. If I’m in line at Linens ‘N Things and I only have four items, but I have five 20% off one item coupons, I hand the extra one to the lady behind me in line who has three items and two coupons. Why? Because someone did it for me last month. We’re all in this bargain bin together, ladies. 

The sad part, though, is how driven I’ve become by a bargain which probably isn’t a bargain at all. I’m a smart woman, I have a college education. I know that the store isn’t in business to lose money and one way or another, they are recouping the cost of those coupons and discounts and free eyeliners. But I’m still there, still shopping because I see the word “free” or “bonus” and it’s like they turned on the neon lights and blinded me to everything else. 

Harlequin tried it with books for a while, and for some reason the experiment didn’t take off. They added bonus features–interviews with the authors, recipes, extra content. They still have a little of that in some books, but not to the extent that they’d had in this select program where some books even had DVDs. I loved those books and yes, I was buying them. 

It gave me an idea for my own website where I added bonus content and called it that (and mine’s even better. It really is free). Hey, I’m the one who sits through the credits just so I can see the “bloopers” at the end of “Shrek 2.” I actually watch the extra material on the DVDs I buy. I feel like I’m getting more for my money, a little more than the average movie. 

So, I might not be giving my readers free eyeliner or 5% more crackers in my books, but they are finding a little bit extra on my website. And if one of my readers ends up behind me in line at Linens ‘N Things or Macy’s, and there’s an extra coupon in my hands, you can bet I’ll be sharing. 

What about you? Are you as driven by the bonuses thrown out by stores? Or have you been more successful than me in staying away from the temptations of “free” and “extra”? (And hey, if you are…can I have your coupons?) 

At the moment I’m spending a lot of time sitting on the couch feeding my son (five and a half weeks old today, and growing like a weed, hooray!). This particular activity doesn’t really do much for your intellectual stature–I swear he sucks out brain cells along with breast milk–so forgive me if this blog post doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. You should see the book I’m writing.

Anyway. While I’m on the couch I watch quite a bit of television. Before I went on maternity leave I never had time to watch TV, but now it’s the only thing that stops me from talking to the walls. Especially in the first few weeks of my son’s life, I wasn’t up to the extended concentration needed to view an episode of, say, Gray’s Anatomy or EastEnders or The Simpsons. Instead I watched talk shows and Judge Judy.

I watched Judge Judy religiously. It was perfect–each case lasted about ten minutes, and each one had exactly the same format: two people came on, explained why they were suing or being sued, and then Judge Judy told them where to get off. I was never surprised and I could relax, knowing that the voiceover guy was going to explain what the case was about between each commercial break.

Now I’m not going to make any comparison between Judge Judy and romance novels. Okay, sure, Judge Judy always has a happy ending. But Bailiff Bert, though an attractive alpha male, is not a romance hero, and there’s often very little love lost between the plaintiff and defendant.

However, Judge Judy is fantastic for economical characterisation and conflict. As a category romance author, I have 60,000 words to create a world and its people. Watch Judge Judy and you are shown the whole panoply of human conflict, summed up in punchy sentences: Homemaker Jane Doe is suing former fiance, wallpaper hanger John Smith, for stealing her car. Smith says, he stole it when he found her cheating inside it. He’s countersuing for return of his lifetime supply of navel oranges.

Or similar.

Also, I’m not one to judge by appearances, but…you do, don’t you? As soon as the plaintiff and defendant walk down the aisle, sworn in, you begin to think about who’s right and who’s wrong. You use little clues about their behaviour, their dress, what they say. This isn’t always correct–I’ll admit that I’m often mistaken–but it’s certainly a lesson on how appearances can manipulate an audience’s attitude.

What I like the best is how you’re given the bare facts of these often quite poignant cases, and you can read between the lines. You can see, in the countersuit for loss of wages, the defendant’s depths of jealousy and despair. You can guess at the months of malice behind that video of fueding neighbours. How can I write depth like that? Emotion simmering beneath the surface, an ending much more complicated than being awarded $526.35 to repair a vehicle damaged when the plaintiff’s sister-in-law stormed off in a huff after an argument about who was going to play Mrs Claus in the Christmas parade?

Yup. All of life’s rich tapestry is there in Judge Judy. You just have to have the hours…and hours…and hours…to watch it.

NOTE: All cases have been changed to protect the innocent. Now excuse me, I have to go nurse.

There’s a women’s fiction meme going around here and here and here and really, I love memes like this one. But the one question that caught my eye was this:

Amazon or Brick & Mortar?

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’m an Amazon Prime Junkie (for those of you who don’t know what it is, it’s a way to pay one set price for shipping at the start of the year, ensuring you get free, 2-day delivery on any purchase you make through the year. And trust me, if you buy as many books as I do, and you hate to wait, it’s the perfect plan for you.)

But the question had me reminiscing about my days as an Assistant Manager, first at the now defunct Encore Books and later at a Borders.

I love books – the feel, the smell, the covers – everything about them. And for a long, long time, I loved browsing in bookstores, especially since I knew my way around them so well, knew what would be on the front tables, where to find the bestsellers and the niche books.

But these days, when time out is limited, I find Amazon to be my savior. And since I’d probably label myself as a writer over a reader, even though I am both, I’ve been wondering about all the statistics about how little online sales contribute to an author’s sales – I’ve heard numbers that hover around 10%. Meaning that most book buying is done offline.

That got me thinking about book buying habits – and wondering just how much influence an online person / book buyer / blogger can influence non-online buying types. I’ve got two friends who are great examples of this – the majority of their book buying is done from the bestseller lists and the bookstore front tables or recs from friends. Friends like me, who haunt online sites and glean recs from all over the blogosphere and give them titles and authors they might never pick up on their own.

So even if online sales seem like a small percentage of a book’s sales, can’t one online-type person make a real difference by spreading recs offline? Maybe online book buyers’ influence can – and should be looked at in a different light – as in, perhaps the online figure is really higher but it’s just that online influence isn’t counted in? What do you think?

And what about you? Amazon or Brick & Mortar? And do you give recs to your friends who don’t haunt online the way we all do?

by Jean Lauzier

I love popcorn. Just the smell of fresh popped popcorn can start my mouth watering in anticipation. I especially like the extreme butter but sometimes I’ll be in the mood for a something different and go for the sweet and salty flavor. In my household we each have our own favorite flavor. My husband goes for caramel covered, the youngest likes cinnamon roll flavored and my oldest daughter likes her popcorn with cheese. And while I haven’t gotten the nerve up to try them, I’ve seen bar-b-que, spicy and many other specialty flavors.

What does popcorn have to do with romance though you ask?

Just like the many flavors of popcorn, there is a romance novel for everyone. No matter your taste, from sweet to hot and spicy you can find it. You can also find a romance for every mood. Want a little action? Try a military romance or action adventure. In the mood to be frightened just a little? Then paranormal is the flavor for you. From vampires, werewolves and ghosts the choice is yours. Not much beats curling up in front of a fireplace with a good romantic suspense
to my way of thinking. And if you really want to escape; historicals, fantasy or science fiction romance novels will carry you to another world and time.

I remember when there was only plain popcorn. And I also remember when the heroines of romance novels were plain. Not today though. Heroines are doing it all. Spies, detectives, doctors, veterinarians, cowgirls, CEOs of business empires, pilots and soldiers just to name a
few.

Romance novels are meant to be shared, just like popcorn. My daughter and I share the sweet and inspirational lines. She isn’t quite old enough for spicy yet. But we enjoy discussing the plots and how we think things should have gone. It makes for nice conversation on the
long drive to town when it is just the two of us.

And for the true popcorn lover, one bite just isn’t enough. Same thing with a good romance novel. I wait in anticipation for each new release from my favorite authors.

Popcorn is the perfect companion to a romance novel. Try a different flavor or settle in with your favorite. Either way, it’s all good.

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It’s amazing how one purchase can change your life. In my case, the purchase was an audiobook of J.D. Robb’s Imitation in Death. I bought it because a mall bookstore was closing, and everything was on sale for fifty-percent off. Why not give it a try? I thought.

As I said, it turned out to be a life-changing decision.

I played it in my car’s tape deck as I drove to and from work. I had already bought and read and liked the book. I liked it even more after I heard it and the story leapt to life. For me, listening to an audiobook is like listening to a play—and it’s a treat.

I’m working my way through all the In Death audiobooks—the unabridged versions (of course). I’ve bought or checked out of the library audio versions of dozens of other books by authors including Linda Howard, Nora Roberts, and J.K. Rowling. A few of my favorite books and readers:

• Kelley Armstrong’s Bitten: read by Aasne Vigesaa
• Suzanne Brockmann’s The Defiant Hero: read by Carrington MacDuffie
• J.D. Robb’s In Death series: read by Susan Ericksen
• Nora Roberts’ Midnight Bayou: read by James Daniels

I wondered if it would be creepy to listen to love scenes—so far, my answer is no.

Listening hasn’t replaced reading, but it’s enriched my life nonetheless. I’ve switched from tapes to CDs and MP3s, and the best part is I don’t have to bother with the radio in the car. I can listen to books I already love.

I audio. Do you? If so, I want to hear about your favorite books and readers.

Romancing the Blog is looking to expand our list of columnists to include more romance readers. If you are interested in writing for us, please send an email that includes your blog link (required) to contactus @ romancingtheblog.com (remove the spaces) to be consider for one of our few remaining reader columnist positions. We look forward to hearing from you!

Writing is my day job and I work eight hours a day, five days a week. Rewarding, but very lonely at times. To keep my sanity, I schedule in three or so conferences a year. However, they are expensive to attend and time consuming.

So how do I decide which ones are the most beneficial? The National RWA conference is a given. I can network with writers, aspiring writers, readers and publishers from all over the world. I can attend workshops that will keep me on the cutting edge. I can receive a much needed injection of inspiration.

The second conference is also a given for me. Since I am an inspirational novelist, the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS) is a must. It is different from RWA Nationals in that it is only open to the trade. The folks attending are publishers, bookstore owners and industry professionals. Authors can only attend on the coattails of their publishers.

That leaves me with time for just one more. But there are so many to choose from, how do I decide? In the past, I have tried to mix it up a bit. One year I attended Donald Maass’s Intensive Workshop (which was fabulous). Another time, I attended ACFW’s conference (American Christian Fiction Writers). I attended my first RT convention in Tampa Bay. I’ve also attended several regional RWA chapter conferences throughout the country.

One of my all time favorites is the PASIC conference–which occurs once every two years. PASIC (Published Authors’ Special Interest Chapter) is an online RWA community for published authors only. It is something totally different from PAN.

This conference is a must for any published author. It is short and sweet (lasts two-and-a-half days) and always takes place in New York City–so authors have an opportunity for face time with their editors and agents. The first day is “Industry Day.” This is when editors from top publishing houses come and give inside information on what’s happening with their house and what they are looking for. Agents, book buyers and booksellers also have an opportunity to present.

The second day is “Career Enhancement Day.” Publicists, web design experts and other career enhancing speakers present in the morning, followed by a round table discussion for attendees only. Which means, all the authors attending gather together in a room, sit in a big circle and have an open discussion.

I walked away from that conference so informed and rejuvenated. It was truly worth every penny. And if you’re wondering: No, I’m not on the board of PASIC. I’m not on the conference committee. I’m not even a regular on their internet loop. I’m simply a published author looking for conferences worth my time and money. And when I find one, I want to shout it from the rooftops.

What about you? What are your favorite conferences and why?

by Beth Ciotta

I consider myself a tolerant person. I don’t judge. I don’t stereotype. Or so I thought.

Like many published authors, I work a day job to supplement my writing career. In addition to being a writer, I’m also a professional performer and a library assistant. Occasionally these worlds collide.

Most recently, the librarian who leads the monthly book discussion group asked how I would feel about being a featured author and participating in a Q&A. An opportunity to talk about my books, to win over new readers? I jumped at the chance.

Soon, however, excitement gave way to anxiety. I’d been working at my local library for over a year. I’d never seen a ‘romance novel’ on display as the pick of the month for the book discussion club. Not even by an author as mainstream as Danielle Steel or as popular as Nora Roberts. Mostly every other genre had been covered, but never romance. And to my recollection, never a paperback.

So when several copies of my titles (three contemporary, one historical, one paranormal) went on that featured shelf, I was certain they were going to collect dust for a month. No one in the book discussion club would want to read a paperback romance.

I was wrong. Each day I’d come into work, notice how many of my books were checked out, and do a subdued happy jig. My books proved popular all month long. I was stunned. Even though I’m very proud of what I write and even though romantic fiction is fairly popular at our library, I had it in my head that the book discussion group would consider the genre of my heart as ( insert clichéd derogatory term of your choice).

Still, I was hardheaded. The signage announcing the featured books and author was generic, no mention of romance. Maybe, even though the cover and blurb should have been a giveaway, they didn’t realize what they were checking out. Did they get three chapters in and fling the book against the wall? Did they groan at the graphic language? Skip the sex scenes? Roll their eyes at the happy ending?

All of these worries and more plagued me as I stuffed bookmarks and cover flats into a book bag and headed for the library on my designated ‘featured’ night. I also had it in my head that I’d be lucky if three people showed up for the Q&A. I was prepared to field rude questions and to defend my beloved genre. When, I wondered, did I become such a pessimist?

In fact, there was a great turn out. There were no rude questions, only enthusiastic, intriguing questions. They asked me about publishing in general, about my writing process specifically. They quoted passages from my books, mentioned how I had touched them or made them laugh. I was floating on air and the hour whizzed by. At the end, it occurred to me that no one had prompted me to defend the romance genre in any way. I had to ask. “So do you read typically read romance novels?”

To a man (or in this case woman) each and every one replied, no. Most said that I was their first. All commented on the ‘feel good’ factor and how it was a welcome change. It was as if I’d opened their eyes to a new world. As you can imagine it was humbling and exciting.

I realized in that moment that I had been guilty of a form of discrimination. I assumed mainstream or literary readers would look down on romantic fiction when all they really cared about was an entertaining story. Without even knowing it, I’d fallen into that “if you’re not one of us, you’re one of them” mentality. It’s had my wheels spinning for weeks.

Romance writers and readers are constantly struggling to gain wider acceptance and approval. How much of the attitude adjustment, I wonder, needs to start at home? Have you unwittingly absorbed an overdose of the ‘trashy novel’ stigma? Have you started to believe the bad press? When you think of writers and readers, are you thinking ‘Us vs. Them’?

My goal is to think ‘We’ and I’m learning that it starts with me.

Lately I’ve realized that some things I’ve come across in my reading didn’t work for me because the characters’ motivations either were unclear to me, or ran counter to my own values. I think it’s very difficult in a romance to empathize with a hero or heroine who make choices for reasons we perceive as dumb, insufficient, unclear, or even wrong from the perspective of our individual value systems.

As an author, this makes me even more aware of the need for clarity in my characters’ motivations. Making sure that as it reads on the page, why he or she does and says the things they say and do makes sense, at least within the “rules” of the story. (Every story has its own internal logic and rules, which everything that takes place has to remain consistent with. This is as true for contemporary as it is for a story set on an alien planet.)

Fictional people have it tough. They have a higher standard than real people, who are often inconsistent, foolish, contradictory, make decisions for incomprehensible reasons. And yet, deep down, even the most seemingly erratic human behavior always has an underlying purpose or cause if we look hard enough. The trick is to bring that human quality to a fictional character without making them or their actions impossible to believe, or empathize with.

So, okay, we have fictional people whose motives are not murky and are consistent with who they are and the fictional world they live in. Now we come to the next sticking point, which is what to do when a character is faced with a choice that must be dictated by their value system…and I find it in conflict with my own? When faced with a choice between A and B, I would choose B without hesitation, I feel deeply that it is the right choice, the only choice…and the hero or heroine chooses A.

Is it right or fair to impose a real standard on a fictional character? No. And yet, I do it. But the author doesn’t necessarily lose me there, if I can see with absolute certainty that THAT character, based on who he or she is, could not make any other choice without undergoing some radical transformation. Their choice, however strongly I disagree, however hard it goes against my own sense of priorities, can be one that makes me nod and say, “Well, of course. That’s who he/she is. That’s what he/she had to do.” I may not like the character at that point. But I can believe them. Their actions and decisions are believable, and so I will read on.

Now we come to the real crux; a believable character is not necessarily a sympathetic one. I have read romance novels with unsympathetic heroines and yet they became classics. (Forever Amber, anyone?) Why? Because however unlikable, the characters were believable. Suspension of disbelief, plausibility, ringing true, consistency within the world and rules of the story, these all trump “likeable”.

What do you think? Will you stay with a story if you believe the characters even when you don’t like them or their choices? Do stories that fail for you often fail at character motivation, either because the motives were unclear or impossible to empathize with?

by Nina Roy

I’ve heard several authors liken the process of writing a book to watching a movie. That is, they see the scenes and characters in their head as if they were watching it on a screen. I’ve always thought that was an entirely apt metaphor – and certainly one that I’ve used myself
– until I started thinking that most writers have much deeper relationships with their books than they do with a film they’re watching.

For me, writing a book is not just about seeing the characters play out their roles on a mini-movie screen inside my head (albeit one with THX surround sound and a high-def screen). Instead it is a very personal theater – one in which there is no distinction between the actors/characters and the audience/readers. I may write the play being staged, but ultimately I’m also a primary member of the audience who, like everyone else, has to watch the scenes unfold right in front of
them.

As a member of this theater, I not only see the expressions and gestures of the characters and hear their voices; I also feel the chill of a foggy afternoon and smell the scent of gardenias or shaving cream or baking bread. Right there on the stage with the characters, everything that can be perceived with the senses becomes tangible to me – the tactility of a camel-hair coat, the rush of traffic on a busy street, the sticky sweetness of suntan lotion on a hot day, the taste
of the heroine’s favorite ice cream, the splash of cool water. I don’t experience that same tangibility when watching a movie; at least, not on the same visceral level.

The intangibles, too, are also all real – a breaking heart, the sensation elicited by a warm glance, the delight of anticipation. It’s almost a voyeuristic thing – feeling that as a writer you are standing right beside the characters and both creating and watching their most dramatic and intimate moments.

It’s an experimental theater of the most creative kind because you have the power to change the motives and personalities of the actors and the direction the plot will take them. You can decide you don’t like the setting of a rainy Parisian afternoon and move everyone to a baked Los Angeles summer. You can change costumes, scenery, hairstyles, even the size and style of the theater itself. You can decide that you don’t like the genre of farce or pantomime and try your hand at musical theater or melodrama instead. You’re a part of the audience, yes, but ultimately the theater belongs to you.

*For information on how you can submit to Open Blog Night, click here.