Top Ten List
This is not the usual end of the year list. Nope. This one is the Top Ten Signs A Book Is Written By Me list. I can’t claim an originality in the idea. Jill Monroe, Jaci Burton and Gena Showalter all posted theirs. I thought it was cool, so here’s mine:
1. The hero, heroine, their families and their friends will all be human. No werewolves, vampires, angels, ghosts or creatures of the night.
2. At least one of the characters will come from a highly dysfunctional family. This is not a reflection on my family, of course. It’s a reflection on my years as a divorce attorney and the corresponding realization that there is a lot of craziness out there.
3. No animal will ever get a point of view. I love animals, but I prefer to guess what they’re thinking rather than pretend I know what they’re thinking.
4. The book will take place in modern times. I am far to lazy to go out and research historical details to write a book. All-contemporary-all-the-time for me.
5. The hero and heroine will have some sort of trust or identity issues. After turning in eight novellas and four novels, I noticed a trend. My folks struggle with who they really are and whether or not, on some level, they can trust each other and themselves.
6. The sex will be one man/one woman. I know the idea of multiple partners is “in” but it’s not for me as an author.
7. The books will always be dialog heavy. I enjoy dialog and creating entertaining banter. Makes me happy.
8. There will be some amount of humor. Maybe not laugh-out-loud stuff, but somewhere in those pages will be something that makes you smile or possibly chuckle.
9. No hero will shun commitment just because.
10. Every book will include a “thank you” to my hubby James.
January 8th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Great list!
So…the dogs don’t get a speaking part, huh?
And it’s funny how many authors have ‘family’ issues in their stories.
January 8th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Awesome list!
January 8th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
That is a great list and the reason I keep reading. Love your honesty.
January 8th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Very neat list, HelenKay! I especially love #6 and 7–I like the one partner thing in books, and love dialog, especially when it’s clever and real, like yours!
January 8th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Hi, HelenKay,
I’m learning so much from this meme about authors who’ve only been names to me until now. I’m going to keep posting those participants I can keep track of on my blog. We’ll see how long that lasts. ;+)
January 8th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
[...] Here are a few more participants with some interesting things to say about their writing. Go have a look: Jeri Smith-Ready, urban fantasy Janni Lee Simner, urban fantasy Dylan Moonfire, writer, programmer, gamer Jaci Burton, erotic and mainstream romance HelenKay Dimon, sexy romance Jocelynn Drake Marie Brennan, anthropologist and fantasy writer [...]
January 8th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
[...] I found this Top Ten meme on HelenKay’s blog, then links to several other authors who’d already posted theirs: Jaci Burton, Jill Monroe, Gena Showalter, Rachel Vincent, Jeri Smith-Ready, and Jocelynn Drake. I figured to give it a go! [...]
January 9th, 2008 at 4:44 am
There’s no vampires? Ever? Gasp! Well dang, I was sure you were just taking awhile to build a really incredible vamp society set in Hawaii, where they all live in volcanoes and go surfing. Drat. I was so looking forward to that book, and now it’s too late, I’m already hooked *g*
January 9th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Hi, HelenKay,
Terrific list!
January 9th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Love the list, Helen!!
I think this is such a cool idea!
And I can’t imagine all the research authors do to write a historical…I’m with you, way to lazy!!
Thanks for sharing!!
January 9th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
i like Stacy’s idea. How about night surfing Vampires in Hawaii?
*grin*
January 9th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Love your list! Love your books! And if you change your mind and write about vampires in Hawaii, I promise I’ll read it!
January 9th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
The vampires in Hawaii idea has merit. Imagine vampires stuck in the land of perpetual sunshine…
January 9th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
This is really fun. I’ll have to post my own …
January 9th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Hi HelenKay,
I love your list! I especially agree with you on #6. I like to read and write about one on one, male/female sexual partnerships. I have no need to get kinky. Just give me a smokin’ hot guy, and I’m in heaven.