A Dangerous Side Effect of Becoming a Writer

So if you're reading this, it probably means you're a writer. And whether you are full-time or whenever-you-can-squeeze-it-in, published or taking steps in that direction, it seems many of us suffer from the same affliction once we decide to "get serious" about this writing thing.

We cut our reading time.

Sure, it's not intentional. We only have so much time and we want to grab every second we have to chase this dream. And that means writing, writing ,writing...and blogging and tweeting and facebooking and researching the craft and querying and building a brand and creating a website and ooh, a newsletter, and wow, Tumblr. And oh yeah, my spouse/family/children may want to see me every now and then without a laptop attached.

It's like Alice's rabbit hole. Things start swirling around and we get sucked in to being constantly busy. Making us forget what started us wanting to be writers in the first place...

Books. Reading. Getting lost in a story.

Case and point - My Reading Stats:
(I started writing again at the end of 2008.)
2009 - read 85 books
2010 - read 40 books
2011 - have read 26 so far

This obvious decline makes me sad. Something that used to be such an integral part of my life is becoming an afterthought. I literally have an entire bookcase of unread books staring at me.

And I know it's not just me. I hear the same story from other writers. And once you've got a contract and are working on a deadline, the problem gets even worse because now there is this expectation on you--one you can't fall short on.

And this doesn't just affect your entertainment/downtime in your life; it affects your writing. If all you do is pour out words and never refill the well with reading, you risk your creativity going dry.

New stories feed our muse. They challenge us. They expose us to new things, other types of voices, different styles. Imagine if a film director said he rarely gets time to watch movies. We'd look at him like he was nuts.

Reading helps you become a better writer. It makes you a happier, more balanced person. It reminds you why you spend so many hours typing away on that keyboard in the first place.

So I'm challenging myself to look hard at my schedule and find a pocket of time at least three days a week to read. An extra hour on Twitter may raise my Klout score, but an hour lost in a book will feed my soul.

And my reader soul feels downright anorexic right now.

So how about you? Do you find yourself cutting out your reading time more and more to do more "writerly" things? Do you find your creativity stalls if you stop reading for a while? How big is your TBR pile? 

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“...a sexy, sizzling tale that is sure to have readers begging for more!" –Jo Davis, author of I SPY A DARK OBSESSION
CRASH INTO YOU is now available for pre-order! Read an excerpt here.

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Love Scenes in Fantasy by Paul Anthony Shortt

One thing I love about having guest bloggers is that I get to hear (and share) things from people with different perspectives and expertise. I'll admit that my experience with the fantasy genre is not extensive. Beyond my love for A Wrinkle In Time and The Never Ending Story as a kid and reading some urban fantasy as an adult, I'm woefully under-read in the genre.


So when I held an impromptu "pitch me a guest post idea" contest on Twitter a few weeks ago, I was so happy to see Paul Anthony Shortt throw out this topic. I selected him as the winner (though is it really winning if I make you work and write a guest post, lol.? Not sure.) and he generously put together this fab post for us. Hope you enjoy!

 

Love Scenes in Fantasy by Paul Anthony Shortt

Although I don’t write romance, I believe sexuality is an important part of defining a character. It is one of the most driving needs people have, to feel sexually fulfilled and compatible with another person. As writers, we should take the time to understand the significance of how we choose to, or choose not to, express this need.

Fantasy artwork is filled with images of well-endowed women wearing highly impractical clothing, all manner of bits exposed to swords and arrows and evil, leering wizards. It’s safe to say that the genre hasn’t been especially kind to women in the past. As such, popular fantasy, for all its innovation and imagination, can feature some very stereotypical depictions of sex. Men are often sex-obsessed, while women are either virginal things to be conquered, or temptresses placed there to seduce the male hero away from his goal. Not that all fantasy is like this, or that these stereotypes can’t still be used effectively, but with its roots in ancient myth, it is only natural for the Fantasy genre to incorporate such elements. These motifs harken back to traditional gender roles in storytelling, where women represented two extremes: Purity or temptation. Peacemaker or obstacle. The woman was representative of the rewards the hero would receive for staying true to his goals and serving the greater good, or of the ease with which he can succumb to base desires. 

More modern titles, particularly Urban Fantasy, where women tend to receive more important roles, introduce a new side to this. Newer heroes such as Laurell K Hamilton’s Anita Blake have experienced sex as a means to gain new power, to become more than the mere mortal they were before. Similar situations crop up in The Dresden Files, by Jim Butcher, where sexual energy can be used to fuel spells, or as part of ritual magic. This treatment of sex seems to draw again on ancient myth and occultism, where sex was part of spiritual practices, a way of connecting the mortal self with higher powers. Of course, the danger here is that the spirituality of the act can be forgotten, leaving the reader with the impression of sex becoming a path to power. That said, we can examine such decisions by a writer to determine whether they may be portraying the embracing of sex as being, in and of itself, empowering. By realising their sexual natures, the characters are freed from previous limitations. 

In some cases, there is a more disturbing side shown in characters. In The Baker’s Boy, by J.V. Jones, we see many sex-focused men and just as many women who treat sex as something to be given to a man, simply as a matter of course. As a reader I found this unsettling, and spent a long time wondering exactly what the author was trying to say. These are traits often given to characters with whom we are not meant to sympathise, or who are portrayed as misguided or forced to behave a certain way. Representations of sexual servitude go back to the Gor series and beyond, but can we consider them love scenes, even when they are consensual? Is there any emotional connection between the characters, or is this as mundane to them as being served a cup of coffee?  

The risks inherent in writing love scenes are as present in Fantasy as they are in Romance, if not more so. With Romance, readers expect that relationships and emotion are the focus of the story. Characters grow through experiencing emotional upheaval, rather than by facing physical dangers. In Fantasy, there is no inherent expectation of romantic encounters. Readers may not be used to finding them, and authors may not be used to writing them. If a love scene feels added in just to titillate the reader, it loses its power, and any sense of purpose. Just as in Romance, a love scene should represent something deep and meaningful, for the good or for the ill of the characters involved. It may be the culmination of a love story, where two characters are finally united and become stronger for their new bond. It may be a sign that a character’s innocence is now over, and they must stand as an adult against the threats that come. It may even be a last desperate act to cast aside inhibition, embrace a darker part of the self, and hopefully become stronger for it. 

Then, of course, there’s no reason why it can’t just be a simple act between two lovers. An expression of their feelings as they come together at the height of the story’s tension. For all the different ways a love scene can be included in Fantasy, and all the different themes it can represent, the emotions of those involved, how they react, whether they are at first reluctant or have sought this out, should be as they are in Romance. Human. Stories are about people, and so long as the simple human responses to love and sex are held to with consistency and integrity, an author should be able to give us a scene that is engaging and satisfying to read on an emotional level.

In this way, Fantasy authors can learn an awful lot from Romance authors. Both genres deal with heightened emotions, larger than life stakes, whether internal or external, and the expectation that, in the end, all will be well. So with these similarities in mind, it stands to reason that the attention paid to personal relationships, and their highest form of expression in love scenes, in Romance should guide Fantasy authors to better understand the power that their choices can have in how the readers responds to the story they tell.

 Paul Anthony Shortt is an avid reader and lover of music and film. He lives in Ireland with his wife, who is expecting their first child in a few weeks, and their dog, Pepper. His first novel, which is still undergoing title edits, is due to be released by WiDo Publishing in 2012.

Blog: http://paulanthonyshortt.blogspot.com/

What differences do you see genre to genre with regards to love scenes and the romantic thread? 

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Building a Slow Burning Romance with Janice Hardy

Today I have a special treat for you guys--kickbutt author and uber blogger, Janie Hardy. If you guys aren't following her writing blog The Other Side of the Story, your're truly missing out. She has some great information over there. And it's all so neatly organized that I'm totally jealous. (*eyes my haphazard tags cloud over in the sidebar*)

So today Janice is going to share tips on building a slow burning romance...

 

A Slow Burning Romance

I ran into a snag when creating the romance in my fantasy adventure trilogy, The Healing Wars. Since entire first book (The Shifter) takes place over three days, there wasn’t much opportunity for romance. Nya, the main character, is eyeballs deep in trouble all the time and really didn’t have time for love. She was too busy trying to keep herself and her friends alive and safe. If I was going to make this work (and I really wanted to for these crazy kids), it had to be a romance that developed over the course of the series. I needed a slow burn, not a quick blaze.

It wasn’t my original plan, but I think this worked well considering the younger ages (15-16) of my characters. I got to play with a lot of fun situations that everyone can relate to. Such as having inopportune thoughts at the worst time, like when Nya notices hottie Danello while he’s pointing a rapier at her. And the awkward moment when Nya realizes she’s wearing old, ripped clothes and might possibly smell (she lives on the street). And the really cute exchanges when Danello clearly doesn’t care about any of that and likes her anyway.

It’s also fun because it never occurs to Nya that a boy actually could like her. Readers can see that Danello is clearly smitten the first time they meet, but it takes Nya a while to figure this out. Danello is also a good enough guy to understand that pushing Nya is only going to make her run away – something she’s exceptionally good at.

If you’re considering a slow-burning romance, here are some things that I did to let this romance evolve over time:

1. Let my love interest earn that love

Nya has had a lot of bad things happen to her in her short life and she doesn’t trust anyone. Danello really had to prove that he wasn’t going to let her down, and that she could count on him no matter what. That gave me lots of opportunities to let him be a hero, even though she’s the star of the book. He’s just a quieter hero. Nya’s hero. Which isn’t easy to be considering how strong a girl she is. But because he tries anyway, he’s even more the hero.

2. Let my girl realize she has people she can count on

Part of Danello’s value is that he helps Nya see that she really does have people in her life that she can trust. His actions often surprise her, and his loyalty gets her to realize she isn’t alone in all this. She has more than just her sister in the harsh world they live in. He doesn’t always agree with her, and is willing to stand up to her, but even that shows her she can depend on him for whatever she needs him for.

3. Let my love interest keep my girl off balance

Nya is the type of girl who immediately judges a situation and acts. Her life depends on making fast decisions. But Danello gets her to question some of those actions, and gets her thinking before jumping in. He really grounds her, and that is something that might save her life.

4. Let my love interest be there for my girl, yet ask for nothing

Everything in Nya’s life has been fleeting. Parents, safety, food, home. There hasn’t been a lot of constants, except that people want things from her. They want to use her for their gain. Except Danello. He just wants to love her. He’s the one safe place she can go to when everything else is in chaos.

These two go through a lot together over the course of three books, but their experiences connect them in a way I don’t think I would have gotten had they hooked up in book one. They got to know each other over time, trust each other, and rely on each other. Their romance got to simmer, not burn, but I think that means this romance will last.

Bio:

Janice Hardy always wondered about the darker side of healing. For her fantasy trilogy THE HEALING WARS, she tapped into her own dark side to create a world where healing was dangerous, and those with the best intentions often made the worst choices. Her books include THE SHIFTER, and BLUE FIRE. DARKFALL, the final book of the trilogy, is due out October 4, 2011. She lives in Georgia with her husband, three cats and one very nervous freshwater eel. You can visit her online at www.janicehardy.com, chat with her about writing on her blog, The Other Side of the Story (http://blog.janicehardy.com/), or find her on Twitter @Janice_Hardy.

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Battling the Romance Novel Stigma

Photo by Amber Madden

I don't do it often, but last year I hopped up on my soapbox in the comments section of the blog.  I had mentioned in my post on pen names that part of the reason I wanted to go with one was because I write erotic romance and I have a husband and kiddo who may not want everyone knowing what I write. Well, one of my commenters mentioned that she didn't use a pen name but that if she was writing pornography, then she probably would.

Now, I know she didn't mean anything negative in the comment but was just repeating a belief shared by many.  I did respond to her in the comments and I did the post below as a follow-up. 

Then last week I read Agent Sara's oh-so-on-the-money post over at Kat Latham's blog on Being a Feminist Romance Reader, and I got all rah-rah-go-team again. :) So rather than repeating myself I decided to update and rerun last year's post. Hope you enjoy. And definitely go check out Sara's post as well. It's awesome.

Battling the Stigma...

The genre of romance, not just erotic, has to constantly fight the stigma that it is just "chick porn."  From the days of the bodice ripper covers, women who read romance have been teased and put down for reading it.  The image of the lonely old maid or miserable housewife stealing away with her paperbacks is a familiar stereotype.

And when asked in general company what you're reading (even though over 50% of paperbacks and ebooks sold are romance, so a lot of us are reading them), women often are embarrassed to admit it's a romance or apologize in some way when they admit it.  "Oh, you know just reading one of those silly/trashy novels for fun."

And frankly, I'm over it.

Why are we made to feel that if we're reading romance we're something less than - less classy, less educated, less evolved?  Or even worse, that something must be wrong with us because we can't find a real man and instead look for them in books. No one questions people when they line up to go see the newest Romantic Comedy at the theater--and hello--what is that but a romance on screen? In fact, if you cut out all movies that had a romantic thread in them, not a lot of movies would be left. Romance is a universal theme from the beginning of freaking time.

And what about the resurgence of young adult books? Women often don't have trouble admitting they read those because, hell, everybody's reading them right now. The YA genre is fabulous. I know I can't get enough of it. But guess what? The vast majority of YA is uh, romance, with teens. If not for the age of the protagonists, many of those books would be shelved in the romance section. So are the people reading YA and romance lonely women who aren't smart enough to read "real" books--you know, the super serious tomes Oprah recommends?

Of course not.

I'm thirty-one and married to a wonderful guy.  I was salutatorian in high school.  I graduated with a 4.0 from my Masters program.  I do not read romance because I can't understand high brow lit fic or classic literature, I read it because that's what I enjoy. Reading is my escape, my entertainment. I like my happy endings. The world has enough depressing things going on in it. I don't mind a book tugging at my emotions or making me cry, but I want to see the light at the end of a book. That's my personal preference. 

If yours is different, cool. But why do we need to judge each other for what brings us enjoyment?

And as for the porn assertion so many people make, I beg to differ.  Here are the definitions from Passionate Ink's site that I used in the comments yesterday.

 

Porn: stories written for the express purpose of causing sexual titillation. Plot, character development, and romance are NOT primary to these stories. They are designed to sexually arouse the reader and nothing else.

Erotica: stories written about the sexual journey of the characters and how this impacts them as individuals. Emotion and character growth are important facets of a true erotic story. However, erotica is NOT designed to show the development of a romantic relationship, although it’s not prohibited if the author chooses to explore romance. Happily Ever Afters are NOT an intrinsic part of erotica, though they can be included.

Erotic Romance: stories written about the development of a romantic relationship through sexual interaction. The sex is an inherent part of the story, character growth, and relationship development, and couldn’t be removed without damaging the storyline. Happily Ever After is a REQUIREMENT to be an erotic romance.

Sexy Romance: stories written about the development of a romantic relationship that just happen to have more explicit sex. The sex is not an inherent part of the story, character growth, or relationship development, and it could easily be removed or “toned down” without damaging the storyline. Happily Ever After is a REQUIREMENT as this is basically a standard romance with hotter sex.

What I write are those bottom two (and I read all levels except porn) - sexy (think Charlaine Harris, JR Ward, Harlequin Blaze) and erotic romance (think Shayla Black, Maya Banks, Berkley Heat). And yes, those kinds of stories have hot or explicit sex in them.  BUT if done correctly, they also have character development, plot, tension building, GMCs, etc.  They are at the heart - romances.  And believe me, just as difficult to write as any other novel.

Porn, on the other hand, is the half-dressed pool boy showing up on a woman's doorstep then jumping on top of her before we even know anyone's name.  It's sex for the sake of sex.  This is why most women roll their eyes at porn because we're like--who cares?  I don't know these people.

Now, I'm not saying that reading romance can't put you in a sexy state of mind.  Even YA romance can do that with nary a sex scene present (hello, Mortal Instruments Seelie Court scene.)  But what's wrong with that?  Good books evoke emotions within us.  If a book makes me glance at my husband  and instead of me thinking about how he forgot to take the trash out, I'm thinking how hot he looks, why is that so bad?  (For the record, the hubs is a big fan of my reading habits.)

And I'm not saying that sexy or erotic romance is for everyone--it's not.  If frank language and open bedroom doors make you uncomfortable (or you're under 18)--that's cool.  There are tons of levels of romance from inspirational/Christian to smoking hot/swinging from the chandelier to choose from. 

But please, if you're not a romance reader/writer, stop judging those of us who are.  :)

So what are your thoughts?  Are you a romance reader/writer?  If so, why do you read it?  What's your stance on the idea of romance just being female porn?  And if you're not pro-romance (which is fine), how come? 

Resolution Time: Goals and Reading Challenges for 2011

Last year I made a list of personal and writing goals. Some I accomplished, some I didn't, and some kickass things I never anticipated happening...did. :)  Results were reported here. So I figured I should stick with tradition and set some new goals for the coming year. I think the power of intention and putting stuff out there really can be effective. (Especially when I hold myself accountable to the results publicly, lol.)

So here goes...

Writing Goals:

Complete Book 2 in the Exposure Therapy series way ahead of my June deadline.

Draft at least one additional full length novel.

Sell Wanderlust. (rollover from last year) --It's still under consideration at Harlequin, so if it doesn't sell to them, my alternative goal is to break down the book and rewrite it as a full length to submit to other pubs. I'm not ready to tuck those characters or their story under the bed. :)

Attend RWA Nationals in NYC. --I attended last year's and now can't imagine not going. But logistics with kiddo are going to take some working out.

Attempt to write a short piece (short story or novella) --I am totally intimidated at the idea of writing anything shorter than category length (55k), but I think writing something briefer will be a good exercise for me.

Blogging Goals:

Continue to keep up a regular blogging schedule and hopefully not bore you all. :)

Perhaps start or join a group blog and do more guest blogging.

Reading goals:

Read 50 or more books.
--Last year my goal was 100 and I failed miserably--I hit 40. So I figure this one is more reasonable. :) I'm going to do this by way of the following reading challenges:

This means I will read more books in 2011 than I read in 2010. If you want to sign up for the challenge, hop on over to The Book Vixen.

and

Sign up for Ebook challenge here. I hope to read at least 20 ebooks.

and

Erotic Romance Reading Challenge. Sign up for this one here. I plan to read 20 in this genre.

and

I need to read more in this genre since I, um, kind of write it. My books have a lot of suspense in them and I need to beef up my knowledge of suspense elements. So I plan to read at least 12 of these. Sign up here.

Each of these separate challenges will all count toward my total 50 (outdo) challenge. For a list of all kinds of reading challenges, you can go here.

Personal Goals:

Potty train the kiddo (a rollover goal from last year)

Be in a size ten or lower by the time I go to previously mentioned RWA Nationals.--I've been on Weight Watchers for a month, so I'm already started on this one. :)

Have a better work/life balance.

So those are mine. What are some of your goals for the new year? Are you joining any writing or reading challenges? What goal do you most hope to accomplish?


Hope you all have a wonderful New Year!

Development of a Reader:Why Do You Read What You Read?

My brain is fried. Not from Nano--though that hasn't helped the brain mush--but because my kidlet has decided to completely switch his personality on me overnight. One day this past weekend he woke up and decided everything he ever loved/enjoyed is now everything he hates. So we're dealing with monster, raging tantrums 2-3 times a day for the last few days. I'm starting to wonder if I should call an exorcist. *sigh* We're going to the doc's tomorrow for his 3-yr old well visit, so hopefully she'll have some insight. Everyone say a prayer that he's in a growth spurt or something and this is temporary. I miss my lovely, happy child.

So, I thought it would be fun today to do a rewind post. Below is my very first post I ever did on this blog--when I was speaking into the void and  had no followers. Hope you enjoy and I look forward to hearing about your own journey to your reading tastes...

Why Do You Read What You Read? (My very first post.)

As I start this blog, I found myself wondering how I became such a book-obsessed dork and why I prefer certain types of stories to others. Looking back, I've decided that reading development is kind of like that Plinko game from the Price is Right--certain people and book experiences bump you in one direction or the other. Some of us land in the $5000 slot and become lifelong readers of every type of book, others land in zero and miss out completely, and many of us fall somewhere in between finding a particular reading niche. 

Here's how my Plinko game went:

4th grade: Inspired by my mother's love of mystery novels, I start reading James Howe's Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery  series and Betty Ren Wright's The Dollhouse Murders .

 

Result: A love of stories that scare me and make me laugh. This also leads to me being  convinced that my room is haunted by an evil stuffed monkey that has sat on my shelf since  toddlerhood. Monkey gets evicted to the attic, I sleep on the couch for six months (seriously.)

5th grade: My teacher, Mrs. Hymel, starts reading a chapter a day of Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time  to the class. I'm hooked. I go to the library to get the book because I can't tolerate waiting for her to finish. I proceed to read the rest of the series in rapid succession. When I'm finished with those, I move on to The Neverending Story  by Michael Ende

Result: My love for both fantasy and series books is planted.

6th grade: We're assigned to read Where the Red Fern Grows

and Bridge to Terabithia . Amazing literary books. But both tore me to shreds. I had just lost my grandmother who I was extremely close to and books involving deaths just shattered me.

Result: I develop a respect but also a wariness for literary fiction. In addition, I acquire a lifelong aversion to novels that kill off the dog. I go on a binge of R.L. Stine horror books (such as The Baby-Sitter (Point Horror Series)) and Roald Dahl  instead. I also began to indulge my budding interest in the paranormal. My science fair projects for this year: ESP and Poltergeists.

9th grade: I dig through my mom's book collection and pull out V.C. Andrews' Flowers in the Attic  and Petals on the Wind . These books were depressing, full of drama, gothic, darkly romantic, and totally addictive. (Ironically, they are now be re-branded as YA.) But why do I remember these? Because in the second book there was (wait for it) sex. Gasp. I was a very naive at fourteen and found this to be so scandalous. This is the first time I remember hiding the spine of the book while I was reading in public just in case. Of course, I went on to read like twenty more books by Ms. Andrews.

Result: Discover that romance + sexy + darkness = awesomeness

10th grade: I realize that most of my favorite horror movies started as books. I go through a Stephen King and Anne Rice phase. I also read a "based on true events" book called The Black Hope Horror: The True Story of a Haunting  that scares the bejesus out of me. I have to remove the book from my room at night so I can sleep.

Result: Decide psychics, monsters, vampires, and ghosts are by far way cooler than  normal humans.

9th grade-12th grade: My teachers beat us over the head with the classics because that's their job. I know now these books are works of art, masterpieces, etc. But as a teenager, I thought all of them (outside of Shakespeare and Poe) were big giant suckfests.

Result: I raise the stock of the Cliff Notes company (allowing me to ace all English tests and papers) and am further turned off by the term "literary."

And what do I do with the time I should be using to read my assigned books? I write my  own romance novel because clearly there is no chance of actual romantic interludes in my own angsty life. A hundred and fifty typed pages of sappy teenage indulgence is born and titled Kismet. My male protagonist bears a striking resemblance to Joe McIntyre of New Kids on the Block.

College: I start off with a double major: Psyc and English, but feel overwhelmed. I drop English because it's not as "practical", but still sneak in a few classes. LSU offers a Vampires in Literature class. How frigging cool is that? Not only do I get the chance to read stacks of vamp novels, I get the chance to write short stories about them, too.

Result: Regret dropping the English major. Promise myself that once I get settled in my psychology career, I will try to write in my free time.

So now, years later, where does that leave me?

Reading and writing the same things I grew to love as a child. My Plinko chip landed in the voracious reader of genre fiction slot. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not closed off to the literary side, but honestly its not the first thing I pick up. 

So, I'm curious. What books from your past guided your tastes? Can you remember that first moment or first book that really hooked you on reading? Or something that turned you away from a certain genre? 

Is the First Line Really THAT Important

I've officially started the second book in my contemporary erotic romance series. Yay! (For those of you who have beta read for me, this will be Jace's story.) So I'm facing down that daunting task of writing the all-important first chapter. And what does that chapter start with? The first line of course.

Some writers think the emphasis on the first line is unfounded, believing that as long as your first page is strong, you're good to go. But others believe that first line is vital to hooking your reader. I tend to lean toward the latter.

In Hooked, Les Edgerton says:

Your first sentence or paragraph may be the most important writing in your story. They may well be what sells your manuscript to an agent or editor.

But even more importantly it can be the difference maker on a sale to a reader later on. I have to admit that I am one of those people that opens to the first page and reads the first line when I'm browsing in a bookstore. Even Amazon posts the opening line underneath the titles of many of their books. I read the blurb for the book too, but a great opening line can win me over.

It makes me think that this author is thoughtful--that if they took the time to come up with a rocking first line, the book is probably going to be good. So we may only have seconds to impress that agent/publisher/reader.

No pressure, right?

So what the heck makes a great opening sentence? Les suggests that the first sentence is "part of the whole" and should contain at least a hint of the end.

When I first read that, I was like, oh hell, that seems impossible. But then I thought through some great opening lines I've read and he's right. Many opening sentences hint at the theme or foreshadow future events if only in a subtle way.

I grabbed a few random books off my shelves for some examples:

Olivia Quinn knew she was losing her husband when she discovered his knockout junior partner caressing his crotch by the azalea bush.--When Alex Was Bad, Jo Davis

Just when I though my day couldn't get any worse I saw the dead guy standing next to my locker.--Marked, PC Cast and Kristen Cast

The terror, which would not end for another twenty-eight years--if it ever did end--began, so far as I know or can tell, with a boat made from a sheet of newspaper floating down a gutter swollen with rain.--It, Stephen King

Years later Amy would remember the day she saw inside the spider house.--Nazareth Hill, Ramsey Campbell

Sybil Davison has a genius I.Q. and has been laid by at least six different guys.--Forever, Judy Blume

Great lines, right? Made me want to read more for sure. And having read these books, each one of these hints at the overall theme or the ending.

When writing a rough draft, I try not to stress about this heavily weighted line. But at the same time, I know if I can get that first line in decent shape early on, it will help guide me through the rest of the book. Will keep the theme in my head. So I end up putting a lot of time into it anyway. 

So how about you? What do you think about the whole first line emphasis? Do you wait until you finish drafting to worry about coming up with the perfect first line? What are your first lines or what's your favorite first line from a book?

*This post is a revamped version of one I did in October 2009. Thanks to Sierra, who got me thinking about this post again. 

The Gateway Book - Getting Hooked on a Genre

Photo by UrbanDigger

When selecting which books to read, my guess is that most of us stick to a handful of our favorite genres or sub-genres.  For me, the lion's share of what I read is contemporary romance and young adult.  I also have a fondness for horror, mystery, and romantic suspense--but those are rare reads these days.  I'm not opposed to reading in other areas, but with so little pleasure reading time, I end up sticking to my mainstays most of the time.

Now, that means it's often hard to convince someone to give your genre a try.  For instance, many of you are not romance readers, so when I mention a recommendation/review, you probably don't pay much attention because you've already labeled it as not your thing.  I know I do the same thing.

But as writers (and readers) it's good to expand our horizons and get a feel for what else is out there.  So, with so little free reading time, I'd hate to pick up a book in a genre I haven't explored and accidentally select a crappy one--which may ruin me for exploring the genre further.

So what I thought would be fun to do today is to list a gateway book for your genre of choice.  Meaning:  


If you wanted to "sell" someone on your genre/subgenre and they've never picked up that kind of story, what's the ONE book you would want them to read that you know has the best shot at hooking them on the genre?

For instance, I'm writing erotic romance--a niche genre that is booming, but isn't mainstream for most.  It also isn't for everyone.  However, if someone is curious about testing out the genre, I often recommend Maya Banks' Sweet Surrender because even though it has some seriously risqué elements (it is erotic romance people), the characters are well-developed, the story sucks you in, the romance is primary, and the buildup of tension is deliciously executed.  It also eases the reader in instead of slapping them with erotic elements page one.

When I was looking to try out historical romance, everyone recommended Outlander, which totally sold me on historical romance--something I really hadn't had an interest in before.  So that was my gateway book.

Here are some other books I'd recommend as gateways:

• YA Literary/Edgy - Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson or 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher
• YA Paranormal/Urban Fantasy - Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series, Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series
• Urban Fantasy/Paranormal - Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood series, 
• Paranormal Romance - Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon
• Horror - old school Stephen King - Carrie, The Shining

And if you're looking for a terrific (though a bit outdated) book that lists gateway picks for a slew of different areas, check out The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Ultimate Reading List.  I got a used copy of this a few years ago and still go to it for recommendations.

So you tell me--what's your chosen genre/sub-genre and what gateway book would you recommend to get a newbie hooked?  And for my fellow romance readers, tell me what author/books I HAVE to read to consider myself well-read in my own genre? :)

**Today's Theme Song**

"Best of You" - Foo Fighters

(player in sidebar, take a listen)

Face Off Friday: Reading Fiction While Writing

Alright, this post will be short because today my husband is going in for knee surgery--yuck--so I will be on nurse duty.  So I'm just going to pose a question that I'm curious about.

Obviously, if you are a writer, you're also a reader.  I can't imagine the two not going hand in hand.  However, I have heard many writers say that while they are in the midst of writing (especially a first draft) they abstain from reading fiction so as not to muddle their own ideas.

I'm the opposite.  I actually find that reading stimulates the same part of my mind as writing and helps me stay in the right mindset.  When I stop reading, I often notice that's when I hit a wall with my writing.  The only time that reading becomes detrimental to my writing is when the book is too good.  Like with those Vampire Academy books I reviewed earlier this week--those were bad news for my writing.  When I was supposed to be working on my WIP, I had my head buried in the books.  Not productive--although quite enjoyable nonetheless.

So how about you?  Does reading interfere with your writing or help it?  Can you be actively reading something at the same time you have a new WIP going?

**Today's Theme Song**
"Read My Mind" - The Killers

(player in sidebar if you'd like a listen)

Looking Back at 2009

I know it's not quite the end of the year yet, but I started my writing journey in November of last year, so it's easier for me to recap from that point.  Here's what my year looked like with regards to books, music, and writing.

Books read: 79

Young Adult: 41

Adult Romance (including paranormal/erotic/historic/contemporary): 24

Non-fiction/Writing Books: 7

Other (Literary, Mystery, Horror, etc.): 7

Here's a sampling of what I've read.  For more detail, you can visit my GoodReads page:

Roni's book montage

Roni Griffin's favorite books »

Now as many of you know from reading this blog, I'm also a bit obsessed with music and going to concerts, so I'm going to include that list as well.  Music always inspires me in my writing and this was especially true this year.  The Buckcherry/Aerosmith concert was definitely where I got the idea for writing Wanderlust.  My husband and I have binged on live music a bit this year because the previous year we had a new baby and hadn't found a babysitter we felt comfy with yet, so we barely went to any.

Here's the list (not all of these were separate shows, some were opening bands at the same concert.)

Weezer

Angels and Airwaves

Pink

The Ting-Tings

AC/DC

New Kids on the Block

Fall Out Boy

Chicago

Earth, Wind, & Fire

Kelly Clarkson

The Offspring

The Toadies

Bowling for Soup (2x)

U2

Muse

No Doubt

Paramore

All-American Rejects

Taking Back Sunday

30 Seconds to Mars

Buckcherry

KISS

My Writing Progress:

Two novels completed and revised:

• YA (Shadow Falls) 
• Contemporary Romance (Wanderlust)

Joined a crit group

Joined RWA and local chapter

Started a blog.

• 113 posts
• hit over 200 followers (thanks guys!)

Whew, it's been a fun year!  Can't wait to see what the next one brings.  I have not thought through goals for the next year yet, but I do plan to come up with some, at least with regards to writing.  I know there are a lot of reading challenges popping up around blogs (here's a good list if you're interested), but I"m not sure if I'll commit to any of those.  I read like I write, I can't plan too far ahead.  :)

So how about you?  How was your year with regards to reading or writing or music?  Are you setting any specific goals for yourself for the next year?  Is anyone joining any of these reading challenges?

**Today's Theme Song**
"From Yesterday" - 30 Seconds to Mars

(player in sidebar if you'd like a listen)

Why do you read what you read?*

Since it is Thanksgiving week, I am rerunning some posts I did before I had many followers. I will still be responding to your comments. Here is my very first post, hope you enjoy. I look forward to hearing about your own reading journey

**REPOSTED from 7/15/09**

As I start this blog, I found myself wondering how I became such a book-obsessed dork and why I prefer certain types of stories to others. Looking back, I've decided that reading development is kind of like that Plinko game from the Price is Right--certain people and book experiences bump you in one direction or the other. Some of us land in the $5000 slot and become lifelong readers of every type of book, others land in zero and miss out completely, and many of us fall somewhere in between finding a particular reading niche. Here's how my Plinko game went:

4th grade: Inspired by my mother's love of mystery novels, I start reading James Howe's Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery series and Betty Ren Wright'sThe Dollhouse Murders .

Result: A love of stories that scare me and make me laugh. This also leads to me being convinced that my room is haunted by an evil stuffed monkey that has sat on my shelf since toddlerhood. Monkey gets evicted to the attic, I sleep on the couch for six months (seriously.)

5th grade: My teacher, Mrs. Hymel, starts reading a chapter a day of Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time to the class. I'm hooked. I go to the library to get the book because I can't tolerate waiting for her to finish. I proceed to read the rest of the series in rapid succession. When I'm finished with those, I move on to The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

Result: My love for both fantasy and series books is planted.

6th grade: We're assigned to read Where the Red Fern Grows

and Bridge to Terabithia . Amazing literary books. But both tore me to shreds. I had just lost my grandmother who I was extremely close to and books involving deaths just shattered me.

Result: I develop a respect but also a wariness for literary fiction. In addition, I acquire a lifelong aversion to novels that kill off the dog. I go on a binge of R.L. Stinehorror books (such as The Baby-Sitter (Point Horror Series)

)and Roald Dahl instead. I also began to indulge my budding interest in the paranormal. My science fair projects for this year: ESP and Poltergeists.

9th grade: I dig through my mom's book collection and pull out V.C. Andrews' Flowers in the Attic and Petals on the Wind . These books were depressing, full of drama, gothic, darkly romantic, and totally addictive. But why do I remember these? Because in the second book there was (wait for it) sex. Gasp. I was a very naive at fourteen and found this to be so scandalous. This is the first time I remember hiding the spine of the book while I was reading in public just in case. Of course, I went on to read like twenty more books by Ms. Andrews.

Result: Discover that romance + sexy + darkness = awesomeness

10th grade: I realize that most of my favorite horror movies started as books. I go through a Stephen King and Anne Rice phase. I also read a "based on true events" book called The Black Hope Horror: The True Story of a Haunting that scares the bejesus out of me. I have to remove the book from my room at night so I can sleep.

Result: Decide psychics, monsters, vampires, and ghosts are by far way cooler than normal humans.

9th grade-12th grade: My teachers beat us over the head with the classics because that's their job. I know now these books are works of art, masterpieces, etc. But as a teenager, I thought all of them (outside of Shakespeare and Poe) were big giant suckfests.

Result: I raise the stock of the Cliff Notes company (allowing me to ace all English tests and papers) and am further turned off by the term "literary."

And what do I do with the time I should be using to read my assigned books? I write my own romance novel because clearly there is no chance of actual romantic interludes in my own angsty life. A hundred and fifty typed pages of sappy teenage indulgence is born and titled Kismet. My male protagonist bears a strikingresemblance to Joe McIntyre of New Kids on the Block.

College: I start off with a double major: Psyc and English, but feel overwhelmed. I drop English because it's not as "practical", but still sneak in a few classes. LSU offers a Vampires in Literature class. How frigging cool is that? Not only do I get the chance to read stacks of vamp novels, I get the chance to write short stories about them, too.

Result: Regret dropping the English major. Promise myself that once I get settled in my psychology career, I will try to write in my free time.

So now, years later, where does that leave me?

Reading and writing the same things I grew to love as a child. My Plinko chip landed in the voracious reader of genre fiction slot. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not closed off to the literary side, but honestly its not the first thing I pick up. So, be warned that most of my reviews on here will fall under genre fiction.

So, I'm curious. What books from your past guided your tastes? Can you remember that first moment or first book that really hooked you on reading? Or something that turned you away from a certain genre? Leave a comment and let me know.

**Today's Theme Song**

"Thnks Fr Th Mmrs"-- Fall Out Boy

(player in sidebar, take a listen)

Something for Everyone: Reviews

It's been a while since my last book review. Why is that? Well, as you can see from my right sidebar, I am currently reading Outlander. This is the first book I've read on my brand spanking new Kindle. So, having no actual book in my hand, I had no idea the sheer size of the book. I'm the kind of girl who can get through a normal sized book in a few days (if not in one day), so when I kept reading and reading and the percentage meter on the Kindle wasn't increasing very much, I looked up the page count. The paperback comes in at 650 pages! Okay, so needless to say it's taking me a while. I hope to be done by the end of this week.

So instead of one detailed review like normal, I decided to select my top non-YA picks from my last few months of reading. If you want to check out my YA picks, I have an earlier post on those.

Romance:

Fantasy Lover (Dark-Hunter, Book 1)

by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Back Cover:

Dear Reader, Being trapped in a bedroom with a woman is a grand thing. Being trapped in hundreds of bedrooms over two thousand years isn't. And being cursed into a book as a love-slave for eternity can ruin even a Spartan warrior's day. As a love-slave, I knew everything about women. How to touch them, how to savor them, and most of all how to pleasure them. But when I was summoned to fulfill Grace Alexander's sexual fantasies, I found the first woman in history who saw me as a man with a tormented past. She, alone, bothered to take me out of the bedroom and into the world. She taught me to love again. But I was not born to know love. I was cursed to walk eternity alone. As a general, I had long ago accepted my sentence. Yet now I have found Grace-the one thing my wounded heart cannot survive without. Sure, love can heal all wounds, but can it break a two thousand year old curse? Julian of Macedon

Review: I know most avid readers will look at this selection and say "well, duh." This book is a classic in paranormal romance and has spawned a long running series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. But as I talked about last week, I didn't read straight romance for a long time, so this was new to me. This book is a great example of why I was such an idiot to avoid romance for so long. The story was funny, touching, and romantic. Add in the paranormal element and greek gods, and I was sold. ★★★★

Freudian Slip

by Erica Orloff

Back Cover:

Everyone loves shock jock Julian Shaw…except the guy who shot him.

The raunchy radio DJ expects the dark tunnel, white lights—even his late grandmother greeting him at the pearly gates. Instead, he gets a coma, a spirit guide named Gus and a pushy demon with a deal. His assignment: Katie Darby.

Katie Darby's best friend just stole her guy! Now she's losing her mind.

All she really wants to do is stay in mope mode, but it feels as if someone is watching her, whispering strange thoughts into her head, making her say and do things she would never normally consider. And it's actually making her life better!

Now Julian wants another chance to prove he's a good guy. But he just might have to sell his soul to the devil to get

Review: This book was so much fun. Think Howard Stern (but good-looking) gets assigned to be a woman's guardian angel. There are angels and demons and Albert Einstein and ABBA music (which scrambles God's listening in ability, ha). Plus, the love story is very touching underneath all the humor. Great beach read. ★★★★

Suspense/Psychological Thriller (with a literary bent):

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Back Cover:

Richard Papen arrived at Hampden College in New England and was quickly seduced by an elite group of five students, all Greek scholars, all worldly, self-assured, and, at first glance, all highly unapproachable. As Richard is drawn into their inner circle, he learns a terrifying secret that binds them to one another...a secret about an incident in the woods in the dead of night where an ancient rite was brought to brutal life...and led to a gruesome death. And that was just the beginning....

Review: This book has been described as a murder mystery in reverse. This novel was a bestseller a few years ago, but I missed it at the time. So on a trip to the used book store one day, I picked it up. I have to say that this book was one of those that I didn't know how to feel about it after I read it. It is not a light read. I was utterly engaged throughout the book (which is quote long) and felt drawn in to the setting and characters. And after it was done, it kept me thinking about it. That is what I'm basing my ratingon. ★★★1/2

Suspense/Mystery:

Killer Takes All by Erica Spindler

Back Cover:

The White Rabbit beckons you to follow him, down the rabbit hole, into his world. He's a deceiver, a trickster. You won't know what is truth and what is a lie. He aims to best you. Beat you. And when he does, you die.

A friend's brutal murder turns former homicide detective Stacy Killian's life upside down. Unwilling to trust Spencer Malone, the overconfident New Orleans detective assigned to the case, Stacy is compelled to return to the investigative role she had fled.

The investigation leads Stacy and Spencer to White Rabbit, a cultish fantasy role-playing game. White Rabbit is dark, violent -- and addictive. As the body count mounts, they find themselves trapped in a terrifying game that's more real than life and death. Because anyone can die before the final moment when White Rabbit is over . . . and the killer takes all.

Review: I discoverd Erica Spindler when I was in college after hearing she was a local author (I was still living in Louisiana at the time). I haven't read a book by her that I haven't enjoyed. Fast-paced suspense stories, sometimes with a dash of romance, that keep you reading into the night. This one was the last I read, but you can't go wrong with any of hers. ★★★★

Horror:

Nazareth Hill by Ramsey Campbell

Back Cover:

A rebellious teenager's tense relationship with her father liberates fearsome monsters of English history. Amy Priestly has always dreaded 'the spider house, ' as she privately calls the abandoned Nazareth Hill monastery. When she and her father, Oswald, move into an apartment in the newly gentrified 'Nazarill, ' her fears are reinforced by the building's gloom--crawly things seem to crouch in its shadowy hallways. Worse, her father is becoming increasingly tyrannical

Review: I found a recommendation for this book somewhere and decided to give it a try. It is no longer in print, but Amazon has used copies. I love a good horror story. I'm not the type of girl who avoids the scary movies, I seek them out. So know that this is the perspective I'm coming from. If you don't like to be scared, then this probably isn't for you.

This story isn't an in your face monsters and murderers kind of thing. The story builds tension slowly, giving an overall sense of dread and creepiness. The house is a character in and of itself. The book is not a happy one and didn't end with sunshine and butterflies, but it stayed with me for a while after I finished it. ★★★1/2

Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance:

Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood Boxed Set by Charlaine Harris

Back Cover (Dead Until Dark):

Sookie Stackhouse is just a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. Until the vampire of her dreams walks into her life-and one of her coworkers checks out....

Maybe having a vampire for a boyfriend isn't such a bright idea.

Review: Okay, so everyone and their mama has probably reviewed these, but I had to mention them. These books are great: vampires, were-animals, shapeshifters, fairies, maenads, witches! Plus, super hot romance mixed in with the murder mysteries. I ♥ these books and I ♥ True Blood (the tv version of the books). If you haven't read these, you're missing out. Don't just watch the show.★★★★★

There you go. Hope you check some of these out. Let me know what you think of my picks.

!!!Reminder!!! The poll for selecting Friday's theme is still open (top right side of page). Please vote. There are only 6 votes so far and I know more than 6 people read this blog (hopefully!). Even if you're not one to comment, you can vote (it's anomymous.) If you need to review what the choices are click here. Thanks!

The Opening Scene: A Litmus Test

 

Friday I blogged about opening lines and pages and their importance. (Thanks for those who gave feedback on my lines, btw!) Based on the comments I received, I am clearly not the only one who freaks out over openings. This, of course, sent me to my piles of writing books to see what the pros had to say about the opening scene.

One of my favorite writing books Make a Scene: Crafting a Powerful Story One Scene at a Time by Jordan Rosenfeld (If you don't have it, get it. The book breaks down the elements of a scene and also goes over types of scenes--dramatic/contemplative/action/flashback etc.) Anyway, the book also has a great litmus test for what needs to be present in an opening scene.

Below are the basic components. I'll put my completed novel to the test as an example and see how it goes.

1. A challenge to your protagonist's status quo.

Ex.) My MC (Willow) finds out that she's received a scholarship to a stuck-up private school out of state. She doesn't want to go. She's found her safe niche at her current school and doesn't want to mess things up.

Thoughts: I think this works. A new school and state would threaten any teen's status quo.

2. An antagonist for your character to encounter. (Doesn't have to be THE antagonist.)

Ex.) Willow's mother wants her to take the scholarship and argues with her.

Thoughts: Perhaps my antagonist and conflict could be stronger. She loves her mother, so although they argue, Willow holds back a lot.

3. Introduce your protagonist's immediate intentions.

ex.) Willow likes to blend in, to play things low key. She has to figure out a way to talk her mom out of moving her to a new school.

Thoughts: I think her intentions are pretty obvious, so this probably works.

4. A glimpse into your MC's history/personality/motivation.

ex.) Willow responses to her mother show her to be sarcastic, smart, and self-deprecating. But also loving and concerned about making her mother happy. In many ways, we see that she has taken on an adult role to offset her mother's flightiness.

Thoughts: I could probably add more heft in my opening for this component to clarify my MC's motivation

5. The protagonist makes a decision that leads immediately to more complications.

ex.) Willow decides to accept the scholarship, which of course leads to the whole rest of the story.

Thoughts: This decision changes everything in her life, so I think this works.

Okay, so putting my scene to these standards definitely shows me some holes I could work on.

What do you think? Are these components a good summary of what you like to read/write in an opening scene? Think back to your favorite books, do they follow these guidelines? Can you think of any other "must haves" in an opening?

Book Covers and Race

Okay, so this just totally shocked me. Author Justine Larbalestier blogged about book covers and protagonists of color. Apparently, her book Liar has a black protagonist, but the publisher insisted on this cover (supposedly for marketing purposes) in the U.S., which clearly features a white girl. (The cover behind it is the Australian version.)

Seriously? I really have my mouth hanging open. What were they thinking? First of all, let me just say that I'm not a fan of faces on covers anyway. I hate when the cover tries to force me into an image of what the character looks like. I'd rather create my own image in my head. However, I'd be super pissed if I picked up a book and the cover image was completely unrelated to the book. It's a betrayal to the author, to the character, and to the reader. Plus, there are so few YA books with protagonists of color to begin with, shouldn't they promoting that this is one? Craziness.

For Love of the Bad Boy

I just recently finished reading Motley Crue: The Dirt - Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band . Even though I usually stick to fiction, I picked up the book for a few reasons. One, I'm a big fan of the band. Two, my current WIP's male protagonist is a lead singer in a rock band, so this was helpful research. I'm not going to go into a detailed review. But I'll say that I really enjoyed the book. It was an unapologetic look into the proverbial world of "sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll." So, if you like rock music, don't mind an r-rated (nc-17?) book, and can handle the overuse of the word "dude" in the Tommy Lee chapters, then I would say go for it.

But in addition to being a fun read, this book also got me to thinking about bad boys. They show up all the time in fiction, especially in romance and YA. It's one of our favorite alpha male types both in books (and for some of us, real life). After reading this true life account of four seriously bad boys, I started to wonder why we're so drawn to them and why certain bad boys are appealing and others appalling.

The Motley members were drug addicts, womanizers, and, at times, criminals. Yet women flocked to them even before they were famous or rich. Therefore, something about them was inherently appealing.

Then there are guys like Wes on the current season of The Bachelorette. He's considered the bad boy of the show. And based on last night's reunion show, he was wildly unpopular with the female viewing audience (including me.)

So what's the difference? Where is the line between uber hot and uber jerk? What traits make a bad boy sexy instead of scary? When writing, how do we create that delicious bad boy that will make our reader not just swoon but fall in love in with the character?

I think the key probably lies in the character's motivation. Your bad boy can't just be bad for the hell of it, just because he thinks it's cool. (Yes, Wes, I'm looking at you.) You have to explore the reasons why he is the way he is with your back story. He also has to have some crack in the armor that the heroine can pry into and heal. Because, otherwise, why are we reading?

Since the Motley Crue guys maintained their appeal (in my mind) even after wildly egregious acts, I'll use them as an example of some appealing types of bad boys. (I'm leaving Mick out because he is not an alpha male.)

The "I've always been pretty" bad boy (Vince Neil, lead singer): This is the bad boy who knows he's hot. Girls have always liked him. Attention has come easily. He can get whomever he wants, which can make things boring for him. It can also lead to going through girls like they're disposable. He's not used to being told no.

Crack: He ain't that confident. Sure, he knows he looks good, but he's not convinced the person underneath the looks is all that great.

Other Examples: Eric in the Sookie Stackhouse books (a personal fave of mine), Keenan in Wicked Lovely, Jordan Catalano on My So-Called Life (to pull out an old 90s reference)

What he needs: A heroine that isn't afraid to knock him down off that pedestal and challenge him.

 

The "Up for anything" wild child (Tommy Lee): This guy appears to have no fear or impulse control. Seeks thrills and fun at all times. He's ruled by the Id. Doesn't take anything seriously including silly things like rules, laws, or social mores. Sees relationships as something that would hold him back from thrill-seeking.

Examples: Jules in Erica Orloff's Freudian Slip (who is basically a good-looking version of Howard Stern), Barney on How I Met Your Mother (although his thrill seeking is limited to women)

Crack: He's actually a sucker for long-term relationships. He's so passionate about everything in his life, that when he finds the right girl, he will give himself over completely to love. Tommy Lee turned lovesick both with Heather Locklear and Pamela Anderson.

What he needs: Someone that can keep up with him, but is also a calming force. A heroine who incites enough passion in him that he seeks thrills with her instead of separate from her.

 

The Wounded Soul (Nikki Sixx): This is my favorite to write and read about. This guy's motto is "get them before they get me". He's been hurt deeply somewhere along the way, and now has locked away all true feelings from others. He's easily angered and shuts down when anyone gets close. He can be the most formidable of bad boys because he doesn't care enough about himself to avoid danger.

Examples: Julian in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Fantasy Lover, Edward in Twilight, Jace in City of Bones, Wrath in J.R. Ward's Dark Lover, Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing

 

Crack: He feels unworthy of genuine love. Nikki Sixx was abandoned by both his parents early on. So later, when people in his life showed him love, he didn't believe them. He'd push them away before he had a chance to care.

What he needs: A super tough girl that can push through that seemingly impenetrable wall. A woman that will call him out on his crap and not be intimidated by his flashes of anger. A woman that will love him fiercely.

So there's my theory. The only bad boys worth writing are the ones that offer a challenge, but that can ultimately evolve. We don't just want to read about the bad boy being bad, we want to see his character heal and reform so that he can keep the good parts (fun, attitude, touch of danger, daring) while taming the undesirable parts (lying, cheating, illegal behavior, etc.).

So, what's your opinion? Do you like a bad boy character or do you think they're overused? What makes you like one better over the other? Who's your favorite bad boy?

Why do you read what you read?

As I start this blog, I found myself wondering how I became such a book-obsessed dork and why I prefer certain types of stories to others. Looking back, I've decided that reading development is kind of like that Plinko game from the Price is Right--certain people and book experiences bump you in one direction or the other. Some of us land in the $5000 slot and become lifelong readers of every type of book, others land in zero and miss out completely, and many of us fall somewhere in between finding a particular reading niche. Here's how my Plinko game went:

4th grade: Inspired by my mother's love of mystery novels, I start reading James Howe's Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery series and Betty Ren Wright's The Dollhouse Murders .

Result: A love of stories that scare me and make me laugh. This also leads to me being convinced that my room is haunted by an evil stuffed monkey that has sat on my shelf since toddlerhood. Monkey gets evicted to the attic, I sleep on the couch for six months (seriously.)

5th grade: My teacher, Mrs. Hymel, starts reading a chapter a day of Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time to the class. I'm hooked. I go to the library to get the book because I can't tolerate waiting for her to finish. I proceed to read the rest of the series in rapid succession. When I'm finished with those, I move on to The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

Result: My love for both fantasy and series books is planted.

6th grade: We're assigned to read Where the Red Fern Grows

and Bridge to Terabithia . Amazing literary books. But both tore me to shreds. I had just lost my grandmother who I was extremely close to and books involving deaths just shattered me.

Result: I develop a respect but also a wariness for literary fiction. In addition, I acquire a lifelong aversion to novels that kill off the dog. I go on a binge of R.L. Stine horror books (such as The Baby-Sitter (Point Horror Series)

)and Roald Dahl instead. I also began to indulge my budding interest in the paranormal. My science fair projects for this year: ESP and Poltergeists.

9th grade: I dig through my mom's book collection and pull out V.C. Andrews' Flowers in the Attic and Petals on the Wind . These books were depressing, full of drama, gothic, darkly romantic, and totally addictive. But why do I remember these? Because in the second book there was (wait for it) sex. Gasp. I was a very naive at fourteen and found this to be so scandalous. This is the first time I remember hiding the spine of the book while I was reading in public just in case. Of course, I went on to read like twenty more books by Ms. Andrews.

Result: Discover that romance + sexy + darkness = awesomeness

10th grade: I realize that most of my favorite horror movies started as books. I go through a Stephen King and Anne Rice phase. I also read a "based on true events" book called The Black Hope Horror: The True Story of a Haunting that scares the bejesus out of me. I have to remove the book from my room at night so I can sleep.

Result: Decide psychics, monsters, vampires, and ghosts are by far way cooler than normal humans.

9th grade-12th grade: My teachers beat us over the head with the classics because that's their job. I know now these books are works of art, masterpieces, etc. But as a teenager, I thought all of them (outside of Shakespeare and Poe) were big giant suckfests.

Result: I raise the stock of the Cliff Notes company (allowing me to ace all English tests and papers) and am further turned off by the term "literary."

And what do I do with the time I should be using to read my assigned books? I write my own romance novel because clearly there is no chance of actual romantic interludes in my own angsty life. A hundred and fifty typed pages of sappy teenage indulgence is born and titled Kismet. My male protagonist bears a striking resemblance to Joe McIntyre of New Kids on the Block.

College: I start off with a double major: Psyc and English, but feel overwhelmed. I drop English because it's not as "practical", but still sneak in a few classes. LSU offers a Vampires in Literature class. How frigging cool is that? Not only do I get the chance to read stacks of vamp novels, I get the chance to write short stories about them, too.

Result: Regret dropping the English major. Promise myself that once I get settled in my psychology career, I will try to write in my free time.

So now, years later, where does that leave me?

Reading and writing the same things I grew to love as a child. My Plinko chip landed in the voracious reader of genre fiction slot. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not closed off to the literary side, but honestly its not the first thing I pick up. So, be warned that most of my reviews on here will fall under genre fiction.

So, I'm curious. What books from your past guided your tastes? Can you remember that first moment or first book that really hooked you on reading? Or something that turned you away from a certain genre? Leave a comment and let me know.