HelenKay Dimon

Expanding on a comment from yesterday’s blog…Jeanne said: “It’s a shame authors have to try and write something that truly isn’t their desire to write.” Jeanne hit on a pet peeve of mine. What she says is what a great many authors feel: write to the market trend or you won’t get published, be successful, etc. I truly believe this is backwards. The idea that all books need to look the same way or be of the same subgenre is – in my view – what gets us in trouble.

The cycle looks like this: Romantic suspense sells so everyone rushes out to write romantic suspense because that’s what publishers are looking for and want to see, and writers want to get their foot in the door, so… Then the market gets flooded. All of the publishers are putting out romantic suspense. Many of the works aren’t that good. Many authors who don’t write romantic suspense try it. Many of the books start to sound and look the same. The majority of what is on the shelves for readers to choose from is romantic suspense in some form. Readers get bored. Readers step away from romantic suspense. Readers look for something new and interesting.

The cycle applies to chick lit. Happened with historicals, westerns and paranormals in the past. I think it will hit erotic romance soon. If this is how it works, then to break out and rise above everything else by writing to your strengths, by strengthening craft, by highlighting your unique voice,by having a hook or that something that sets your book apart from the others – isn’t this the real secret? And, yes, there isn’t a secret, but you get my point.

Diana Gabaldon is an example of this theory. No one else writes what she writes. She didn’t write to the market when she started. She seems to be doing fine. Yesterday I mentioned Stephanie Bond and Jennifer Crusie and pointed out that they write what they write and haven’t started writing really hot single titles in order to appeal to what’s “in” right now. Not to be naive, but it seems to me if you really want to capture an editor’s attention you don’t write what everyone else is writing and write it the same way everyone else is writing it.

As I said, this is a pet peeve. The rush to be like everyone else has always escaped me. In the context of writing, it makes even less sense. Readers only have so much money to spend. Readers have author favorites they buy first. Maybe, just maybe, an author becomes an author favorite by not writing what everyone else is writing just because they’re writing it.

First…congrats to Jennifer K. who won the random contest this week. Email me and let me know which book you want and your contact information.

Second…I survived last evening’s speaker panel. Actually, I had a very nice time. The lovely ladies of MRW were very welcoming and funny. These women should write books…oh, wait… My fellow panel members were Treva Harte, Jordanna Kay and Emma Sinclair – all of whom were very entertaining.

Some things I learned:

1. I officially have no idea how to pronounce the “Samhain” in Samhain Publishing.

2. The controversy over “cannot” versus “can not” continues.

3. There is a general concern/thought among some unpublished authors that they must write hot. No, no, no. I went off on how no one is making Stephanie Bond write super hot at HQN or Jennifer Crusie write super hot in her new line of books with Mayer. Seems to me you need to write what works for you. If it’s sweet, write sweet. This whole writing to the market thing makes me a bit nutty.

4. On the how-long-will-erotic-romance-be-hot question, I am more of a naysayer than others. I truly believe the market is saturating faster than the chick lit market did – that the market will fall and a few imprints and many authors, but not anywhere near the number we have now, will be left and the readers will demand they write strong, engaging and hot. All of these new lines and the push for hot, hotter, hottest – yeah, I’m a skeptic. Some, like Aphrodisia, appear to have made an impact on the market in terms of positive sales. Others? Well, no. At this point, Bantam Dell may have the right idea with introducing a few rather than investing a huge slice of its resources.

5. The erotica versus erotic romance versus hot/steamy romance distinctions have blurred – likely on purpose and for marketing reasons – to the point of being confusing and potentially misleading. And, whatever the definitions are in the romance writing world, they don’t match what I internally believe the lines to be. For me, it goes like this – and, again, this does not match what the publishers are doing, this is just me…and, this is a work in progress:

-Porn: Unemotional and sexually explicit material where the only goal is to stimulate and arouse.
-Erotica: A sexually or sensually explicit literary form with all of the hallmarks and characteristics inherent in novel writing (character development, plot, etc) and a heightened connection between the characters. The goal being to stimulate or arouse. Not romance but can include one.
-Erotic Romance: Sexually or sensually explicit romance with all of the hallmarks and characteristics inherent in novel writing (character development, plot, etc) and a heightened emotional connection between the characters. One man/one woman is not required but a romance on some level and a satisfying ending (in more than a sexual sense) is required.
-Hot/Steamy (yes, I need a better title for this one) Romance: Sexually or sensually explicit romance – but possibly less so than in erotic romance – with all of the hallmarks and characteristics inherent in novel writing (character development, plot, etc) and a heightened emotional connection between the two main characters. One partner only. An emotionally satisfying ending where an emotional attachment between them is required. A happy ending – possibly a Happily Ever After ending – is expected but may occur after the book.
-Romance: Same as Hot/Steamy but less explicit and possibly not explicit at all.

Under this definition, I write Hot/Steamy.

Actually, she sits there respectfully and answers questions when asked. Yeah, that’s the plan when I take my seat at the Erotic Romance Panel at the Maryland Romance Writers’ meeting this evening. They invited, so I will be there.

I’m not a member of MRW, but I owe MRW a great deal. I attended a query workshop back in September 2004 (or thereabouts). Brava editor Kate Duffy came, sat there and read out loud query letters from the audience. She then said what she liked or didn’t from the letters, and asked to see a full or a few chapters if she was interested in a particular project.

Well, she read my query and asked for a full of the novella she eventually bought – the one for which I received The Call – and which became Hardhats and Silk Stockings in the April ‘06 Brava anthology release When Good Things Happen To Bad Boys. As far as I’m concerned, I owe MRW. If the nice ladies ask for something reasonable from me, they’re likely to get it.

So, if you’re a member of MRW and didn’t know if you wanted to come to the meeting, please come. While I don’t plan to say anything brilliant, my fellow panel members are likely to, and you don’t want to miss that.

And, as a reminder, if Maryland is too far away, but Roanoke, Virginia is within striking distance, I will be a featured speaker at Valley Bookfest on August 26th. At 11:00 a.m. on August 26th, you can hear me speak (about something…) or go hear James Morrison, the author of Bedford Goes To War, who will be speaking at the same time. Or, you can skip Valley Bookfest…but why would you do that?

You can find me a few other places today. Booksquare and I did a joint review of Stephanie Bond’s Body Movers over at Paperback Reader (PBR). Bond is one of those authors I read and will keep reading because she’s clever and funny and writes very well. She always entertains. I am waiting for her to leave me breathless. My sense is that she has the talent to do that. Up until now, there’s always been that one thing that to me – me, my opinion only – is a bit off and keeps each book from shooting into the “star” realm. This time, the heroine (Carlotta) seemed off to me. But, Bond wrote two of the more interesting male characters that I’ve read this year. One, a guy named Coop, was compelling enough to carry the entire book even though he came in about 75-100 pages in and played a secondary role. Really, I may stalk Bond for a book where Coop is the star. That better be coming soon.

I also want to highlight Sybil and her website The Good, The Bad and The Unread. She has a series on authors and does a little focus on the Brava Bad Boy authors. Yours truly was supposed to be up yesterday. Alas, life intervened and I got behind. My posts should be up today or tomorrow. Go visit. Erin McCarthy, Jo Goodman, Sabrina Jeffries, JR Ward, Pamela Clare…the list of guest authors goes on and on. The line-up is amazing. The schedule is on the left side of her blog, so check it out. Those who have already paid a visit are listed in the Previous posts section. Enjoy!

Not that.

I’m talking about mass market paperbacks (the “normal” size books that cost about $6.99), trade paperbacks (the bigger books that cost more like $14.00 – like mine, for instance) and hardcovers (no definition needed…I hope), as well as single title versus novella formats. Two comments got me thinking about my buying preferences yesterday. First, when commenting on my entry about Dianne Emley’s upcoming release The First Cut, both Angie and Stacy talked about a reluctance to buy hardcovers. Second, in her terrific review of Viva Las Bad Boys!, Romance Reading Mom/Tara Marie said: “I’ve never been a real fan of the anthology/novella format…” For the record, she goes on to say she liked my anthology and calls it “a perfect beach read” – thank you!

I got to thinking – do I choose books based on mass market versus trade? Do I shy away from novellas? I have to say that these considerations rarely play a role in my book-buying choices. Now, sure, if there’s a hardcover that I can’t get with some kind of discount I think twice unless the author is a fav or the book is one I’ve been waiting on for some time. But, really, that’s about it. I actually enjoy the novella format when I’m traveling and as a way to try new authors. I prefer the cost of mass market to trade, but I don’t let that stop me since, well, everything seems to be in trade format these days. I tend to stay away from ebooks because I read and edit my books on a laptop, so when I’m reading for enjoyment I want paper.

For Tara Marie, the single title preference is based on her finding that novellas tend to be lacking – not mine, of course… I wonder what preferences other folks have and why. Is it just cost related? Is it something else?

As a random weekly contest opportunity for those who stop by regularly, I’ll choose one person commenting on this entry to receive his/her choice of a copy of When Good Things Happen To Bad Boys or a copy of Viva Las Bad Boys! Winner announced on Friday.

Normally cover quotes don’t get my attention. Normally. But, when the quotes are highlighted in a full-page color ad in RT, and those quoted are Lisa Jackson, Lisa Gardner, Tess Gerritsen and Michael Connelly…well, I listen. Rather, I go searching for information about the book an author.

The book in question is The First Cut by Dianne Emley. This appears to be a debut book by a new author. Actually, in case you want to add it to your list, it’s a debut September hardcover release. Impressive. The ad worked, as did the quotes, because the book got my attention.

Here’s the description from the publisher:

The assailant was vicious, the attack brutal–and it left her lifeless . . . until her pulse fluttered and she jolted awake. Now, a year later, detective Nan Vining is still questioning her strength, her safety, even her sanity: Can she ever again be the cop–and mother–she was before? And will her attacker someday return to finish the job, before she can track him down herself?

Shaky but determined, Vining rejoins the Pasadena PD, only to confront a murder case that strikes close to home: A slain policewoman has been discovered beneath the Colorado Street Bridge, her body bruised, her throat slit. Even as Vining struggles to recover her standing within the department, she can’t help but feel profoundly drawn to the murdered officer, Frankie Lynde–and she is deeply troubled by the baffling otherworldly visions that haunt her waking hours. Are these mere fever dreams? Or could they be, as Vining’s daughter insists, messages from beyond the grave?

Digging deeper into Lynde’s past, Vining discovers clues that set her on the twisted trail of a killer as ruthless as he is depraved–a predator whose methods and madness recall those of her own attacker. Amid a rising tide of danger, she pushes herself to bold new limits, desperate to avenge the murder of a fellow police officer . . . and to reclaim the life she lost a year ago.

Packed with suspense and action, this pulse-pounding novel will hold you breathless from the first cut to the last.

Saw this book deal in PW:

Mary Higgins Clark’s first children’s book GHOST SHIP: A Cape Cod Story, illustrated by Wendell Minor, about a friendship between two boys, one visiting his grandmother on summer vacation in Cape Cod and another a cabin boy for a sea captain with stories to tell of his adventures on the high seas centuries before, to Paula Wiseman at Paula Wiseman Books, for publication in April 2007 (and fall 2007 by Simon & Schuster UK).

I’m assuming this is different from this GHOST SHIP. And, yes, I’ve Tivo’d this movie and watched it…more than once.

And for those who think Higgins Clark is the only one expanding her horizons (and sucking up all of the shelf space in the bookstores), I offer this new deal:

Fiction bestseller Debbie Macomber’s KNIT TOGETHER: Discover God’s Pattern for Your Life, saying that when we come to recognize our deepest longing, we can discover our potential and reach for our dreams, with her own journey of discovery weaved throughout the book, to Chip Macgregor of FaithWords (formerly Warner Faith), in a major deal, by Wendy Lawton of Books & Such Literary Agency (world).

“Major” means Macomber got $500,000 or more for the book. A book about faith from Macomber isn’t exactly a surprise, but it does sound like a departure from her romance writing.

Romantic Times – the real name of the magazine being Romantic Times Book Reviews – has changed its format. I blogged about this previously but the change was an “in the future” thing then. It’s a “just happened” thing now.

Have to say I was on the Pro team for RT’s clearer ratings system. In the past, one book would get a 4 and another would get a 3 and there would be no way to tell what distinguished them. So, when the newest edition arrived, I looked to see if RT managed to achieve the desired clarity. Here’s a breakdown from the contemporary release section for August so you can decide for yourself:

4 1/2 stars (considered “Fantastic – Keeper”) and a Top Pick: Behind Those Eyes by T.P. Carter (Dafina).

First-time author Carter is a wordsmith. Her a [sic] prologue is both rhythmically delightful and romantically intense. Typically a story of adultery would be unappealing or unacceptable, but it’s clear that Nat and Taiylor must be together. Without the one, there cannot be the other. This touching, moving tale works on all levels.

4 stars (considered “Compelling – Page-turner”): You Had Me At Goodbye by Jane Blackwood (Zebra).

In this wonderful romance, which has delightfully likable characters, the secondary romance is as enjoyable to watch as the major one. The characters’ inner struggles to accept the course of their lives take when love slips in are engrossing and makes a charming read.

3 stars (considered “Enjoyable – Pleasant read”): Hysterical Blondeness by Suzanne Macpherson (Avon).

Macpherson has an enjoyable, very smooth writing style, and her love of old movies shows up in the delightful film references her characters make throughout the story. This book has a wackiness that can be fun at times, but it also lacks the kind of depth readers hope for when tackling a topic as serious as society’s obsession with appearances. The heroine doesn’t confront her shallowness until it’s almost too late to sympathize with her, and the two male love interests seem consumed by similar superficialities.

2 stars (considered “Problematic – May Struggle To Finish”): Real Women Don’t Wear Size Two by Kelley St. John (Warner).

St. John has two very personable protagonists, and a creative way to use a fun-filled pirate festival as a key setting. Unfortunately, the characters encounter very little genuine conflict during the course of the story, their dialogue doesn’t always ring true and the plot lacks complexity. The heroine’s primary objective – to get the hero to find her attractive enough despite her unusually curvaceous figure – is stated so often it becomes a one-note goal.

My view: It’s now much easier to tell why the reviewer ranked a 2 versus a 3 versus a 4. I’m still not clear on the difference between a 4 and a 4 1/2 Top Pick, but this is a definite improvement in my book.

First things first: the winner of the remaining RWA giveaway books is…Joanne V. from her comment on the Something New blog entry. Congrats! Email me with your information.

Confused by what, you ask? Review opinions. While paging through Romantic Times (RT) last night I saw that the new ratings system is in place (will discuss that one tomorrow…). Also saw that Suzanne Brockmann’s newest, Into The Storm, got a 4 1/2 Stars Top Pick rating. On the RT scale, that means “fantastic” and the only rating higher is 4 1/2 Gold. None of the romantic suspense offerings this month earned the highest ranking, but Brockmann came close. Reviewer Jill M. Smith said:

Instead of international terrorists, the men and women of Troubleshooters and Seal Team 16 are up against a home-grown horrific killer. The interplay and character development make this story especially entertaining for longtime fans of the series. All of the protagonists are haunted by their own brand of ghosts; how they cope and who they choose to let in ratchet up the emotional drama in another excellently paced, action-filled read. Brockmann delivers yet again!

AAR disagrees. Reviewer Sandy Coleman gave the book a D+. That’s not a good grade. That would be the exact opposite of a good grade, in case you’re confused. Of the book, Coleman says:

Frankly, Into the Storm reads to me as if Brockmann changed her target audience – well, without letting that target audience know, of course – because this truly is a book that doesn’t deliver any of the complexities of those that showcase the author at her best, including Over the Edge and Gone Too Far. From the juvenile dialogue, the childish actions and reactions, and the fact that the plot isn’t really a plot, it seemed as if I were reading an entirely different author despite the familiarity of many of the names.

Now, AAR is known for tough reviews. In the interest of full disclosure, Sandy Coleman gave me a B- for Viva Las Bad Boys!. Frankly, after seeing how NYT bestseller Brockmann got a D+, I was absolutely thrilled with my B-. Coleman said very nice things about my dialogue – something I view to be one of my strengths. She didn’t think my premises were all that probable, but said: “Helen Kay Dimon keeps Brava’s successful Bad Boys franchise moving along nicely with a trio of pleasant stories” [notice how I'm ingoring the fact she spelled my name wrong - for the record, HelenKay is correct but "Helen" and "Helen Kay" are not] and “A perfect book to tuck into a beach bag…” I did find it interesting that she didn’t care for Player’s Club, the second novella in the anthology since, almost universally, people loved Player’s Club. So, this was new. But, again, I didn’t get a D+ so all is well in my household.

Enough about me, back to Brockmann: What’s the real story on the divergent review responses? Review prejudices, different tastes, fangirl v. non fangirl, honest disagreement – I have no idea. Thanks to this dispute, I will have to buy the damn book and decide for myself, which is what I usually do anyway.

You may not have known I left again but, well, I did. Actually, we did. The hubby and I went to San Diego for a few days – it was business-related, I swear. Enjoyed the beautiful weather, intruded on Wendy and Tod’s vacation (even sat between them on the beach) and…got burnt to a little red crisp. I’m sure my skin will return to normal by November.

And, yes, I still insist this was work-related.

In my absence, Jane at Dear Author reviewed Viva Las Bad Boys! She says:

Overall, this was a good anthology with great dialogue, good humor and belieavable HEAs. Based on the first two novellas, I can’t wait for your single title: Your Mouth Makes Me Crazy.

Sinclair Reed at Romance Reviews Today also reviewed Viva. She said:

Author HelenKay Dimon writes a charming, explosive anthology about what can happen, and does, when the lights go out. Are you ready for a little fun in the dark? If the guy is Jack, Zach, or Alex, I’m ready, willing and able. Grab your copy of VIVA LAS BAD BOYS today. It’s one you don’t want to miss.

Thanks ladies!