MONDAY MUSINGS: Wading Into The Deeps—Conflict And Drama

A Tsunami Storm--notice the person standing there? 

There is no doubt that JR Ward is a successful author. But did you know, at one point she found herself without a contract and having to reinvent herself as a writer?

JR had some success in writing romance but she had a problem with setting a strong black moment, personally didn’t like conflict and so had some problems inserting it into her stories. She says, “I was trying manufacture specific endings and forcing characters into places I thought they should go—as opposed to just letting them do what they’re going to do and getting out of the way.” (Oh, I have so been there and done that!)

Once she lost her contract she had some serious thinking to do. JR started began to read books on craft and even went so far as to take books she enjoyed and deconstructed them chapter by chapter. Her focus was on how to identify, magnify, and resolve conflict between characters. Granted, she ended up tossing much of the formal stuff and *rules* out of her writing process and plots but the studying changed the way she looked at her writing.

JR’s story resonated with me, especially conflict. I’m one that doesn’t like a lot of drama and conflict in my personal life and will go out of my way to avoid it. It’s called looking for and maintaining a peaceful environment—give me lots of sunshine and butterflies.

This is a good thing for my personal life but bad for my stories. 

Conflict and drama are necessary components for a good story. I’m learning that big and messy is okay as is upping the stakes by by adding some hefty thunderstorms of adversity. There’s nothing wrong in pulling out the darker emotions or putting characters in emotional or physically precarious situations. I haven’t gotten it all down but I've been practicing and I’m getting more comfortable in the emotional deeps.

I understand what JR Ward is coming from when she says: “I used to hate conflict. Now when I write, I wallow in it…going dark was something I was steered away from. Now that’s where I’m most comfortable—because I know the inevitable redemption at the end burns all the more brightly for the contrast.”

What about you? Are you comfortable in depths with emotional conflicts? Dramas and the dark places? Or are you inclined to explore those conflicts with humorous situations and laughter?

What are some things you’ve had to overcome to make a better and more satisfying story? 

• .This week's guests OVER COFFEE: Wednesday, Stephanie Rowe and Friday, Donna MacMeans

Is Writing A Novel Hard?

Debut author, Teresa Burrell, is my guest today. She's an author with real life experience as a child advocate representing thousands of children in juvenile court and uses this knowledge to write action packed legal suspense. The end result is The Advocate.

Teresa talks about the need to love what you're doing, whatever your career choice. If you love it, how can it be hard?


When people find out I wrote a book, they inevitably ask me if it was hard. I don’t know exactly what “hard” means. I mean, it didn’t seem hard. I sat down with a computer and an idea and six months later I had written 150,000 words. I guess it can’t be too hard. Even the twelve rewrites that followed didn’t seem that hard. They were time consuming, but I wouldn’t say hard. My second book which is almost finished won’t require as many rewrites because I’ve learned a lot since the first one. So I guess in that respect, it was even easier than the first.

I taught school for many years and I know a lot of people who think that is hard. I knew a few teachers who hated what they were doing and I think it was “hard” for them to just get up in the morning. But to me it didn’t seem so bad either. Although, if I were to rank the two professions, teaching would definitely be ranked “harder” than writing. But is it harder, or do I just enjoy writing more than teaching?

I also practiced law for twelve years, not hard…getting through law school was hard, studying for the bar was hard, and passing the bar was hard…practicing, not so much. I was fortunate to find myself in an area of law, where although the content was unnerving, the work was very interesting. If you asked a professional football player if it’s hard playing football, I would expect very few would say it is difficult. The bottom line is they enjoy it and as a result it doesn’t seem “hard.”

I’ve enjoyed each profession I’ve had just a little more than the one preceding it. Teaching school was an incredible experience for me. I loved seeing the light bulb go on when a child figured something out. Practicing law, especially being in the courtroom, was like playing a giant board game. As long as you knew the rules, and played by them, you could maneuver your way through, winning some, losing some, but always enjoying the sport.

I also had an import business where I manufactured and sold tiki huts and bamboo bars. Until I figured out the whole “customs” thing, I thought it was hard. Once I figured it out, I realized it wasn’t hard, just plain frustrating whether you knew what you were doing or not.

And now writing, being published, and the whole marketing thing is a real head trip for me. It’s exhilarating. And I get to travel, which is probably what I would do for a living if I could find someone to pay me for it. So, now I get to write and travel. Who can ask for a better life? Consequently, writing doesn’t seem hard. So, if you really want to write…just write. If you don’t like to write, then don’t. Because if you expect to get in this business for the money I think you’ll find it really “hard.”

Writing a letter for me is hard. Writing blogs are hard. Writing a novel…not so hard.

Is writing “hard” for you?

~*~*~*~*~*~


Teresa Burrell has dedicated her life to helping children and their families in both the courtroom and the classroom. As an attorney in San Diego, Burrell maintained a private law practice for twelve years, which specialized in domestic, criminal, and civil cases. Her work in juvenile court focused on representing abused minors and juvenile delinquents. Burrell has received several awards and special recognition from the San Diego Bar Association for her countless hours of pro bono work with children and their families. Burrell has also enjoyed a satisfying career as a teacher. She has taught children of all ages with diverse backgrounds and special needs. After creating an after-school program that kept kids off the street, she received a community service award. Now in semi-retirement in California, Burrell continues to educate groups about social issues impacting children and write novels, many of which are inspired by actual legal cases.

The Advocate: For Sabre Orin Brown, life is good; she has it all...or would have, if only she could solve the mysterious disappearance of her brother. The search for her brother and her career as a Juvenile Court attorney collide when she defends a nine-year-old whose father will go to any length to obtain custody. Sabre suddenly finds herself immersed in a case with too many unanswered questions. Her quest for the truth takes her coast to coast and five years into the past. Confronted with mysterious clues and strange occurrences, Sabre is threatened by someone wanting to make her suffer the unbearable anguish of losing everything--including her life. As Sabre's passion to find the answers intensifies, she discovers a twisted history of desperation, deceit, and revenge. And she discovers how obscure and treacherous the truth can be.

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Visit with Teresa:

• Website: Teresa Burrell
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Chat with the authors of Real Men Last ALL Night

My guests today, are three special and talented ladies. Lori Foster, Cheyenne McCray, and Heidi Betts. I’ve read and enjoyed their books. Each write wonderful books but they also have written an anthology, along with Lora Leigh, Real Men Last All Night. The title made me laugh because it sounds like something said among women. The cover is oh-la-la.

I’ve never written an anthology, although I’ve read many. A couple of my favorites were when the authors wrote connected stories, shared characters, and related plots. Not all anthologies do that. Some are merely themes where the authors contribute a story.

I had the opportunity to chat with Lori, Chey and Heidi about their anthology and what we can expect from them in the future. Being the curious person I am, I had several questions, which they were gracious enough to answer. And we also get a peek at the covers of their next releases and a bit about the book.

• Many don’t have a clue as to how anthologies comes about. Could you share a bit about the process? How you get the assignment. Do you get to choose the authors you work with? Or are you just assigned a theme to work with?
  

Lori: For “Real Men,” my story is a reissued story written long ago. St. Martin’s owns 2 novellas from me, and they can pretty much do whatever they want with them. My story is “Luring Lucy,” originally published in the “Hot and Bothered” anthology.

In most anthologies, though, even with new stories, the publisher is the one who decides the authors who will be involved. Each individual author is made a contract offer for the story she’ll contribute.

Heidi: There are some multi-author anthologies that have intertwined stories & plots, but in the case of REAL MEN LAST ALL NIGHT, it was simply a matter of the editor calling & inviting us all to participate. We were pretty much given free rein over our stories, too, being told only that they wanted very strong, Alpha heroes & super-sexy love scenes...but plot & setting & everything else was left to the individual author, as far as I know. I don't think authors are given a choice of who they're going to work with very often when it comes to anthologies, but in this instance I can honestly say that I couldn't have gotten any luckier if I *had* been able to hand-pick my antho-mates. :-D

Chey: Thank you for having me, Sia! In our case, we were just given a theme, which needed to be contemporary and erotic. Sometimes authors do work together in an anthology, but must of the time the publisher provides a theme and we each run with it.

Lori: In MOST cases, the authors do not work together on their stories. They’re simply given a theme – such as a holiday or season theme. Then each author writes her story individually and turns it into the publisher.

• Each of you writes romance. I know a couple of you write in the para subgenre, like Chey and Lori. Is Real Men Last All Night, strictly contemporary romance?
  

Lori: My story is straight contemporary romance.

Heidi: Short answer? Yes. :-)

Chey: I now write suspense with romantic elements and urban fantasy with romantic elements. My urban fantasy is called the "Night Tracker" novels I do have a romantic suspense series also. In the past I wrote only urban paranormal romance and romantic suspense. My piece in RMLAN is romantic suspense, loosely tied to my suspense series, the "Lexi Steele" novels.

• Did you know the Title of this anthology would be called Real Men Last All Night? What was the most fun part of writing this anthology?
  

Lori: Um... yeah. I was told early on what the title would be. Gotta say I’m not crazy about it. LOL. It’s too over the top for my tastes. That said, I’m honored to be in an anthology with the other talented authors. Since my story isn’t new, I can’t really speak on writing for the anthology – but I can say that, through the anthology, I got to know Heidi Betts better and I like her very, very much!

Heidi: Actually, it was originally supposed to be called "I Need a Real Man," but I like REAL MEN LAST ALL NIGHT much, much better, don't you? ;-)

Chey: The title changed a couple of times, but we knew what the theme was! The most fun for me was the two characters. The heroine, Willow, is one of my favorite heroines ever. She was so much fun to write, but truly just wrote herself. I enjoyed the dynamics between the characters, too.

Heidi: The thing that I enjoyed most about writing my novella for this anthology was being able to stretch my writing wings & step out of my comfort zone a bit. I've written passionate, sensual stories for Silhouette Desire & my "Chicks with Sticks" knitting trilogy for St. Martin's Press is very sexy, but also very *funny*...so it was nice to do something a bit more serious, to do a law enforcement hero with an edge, etc.

• Each of you writes some pretty hot and sexy stories. How do you define sexy? Is it the way a person moves or acts, his eyes, the way he talks, or perhaps his humor?
  

Lori: For me, it’s the connection between the hero and heroine. It’s the attention they give to one another, the small things they notice and how they react to each other. The story can be explicit or not, but when that sexual chemistry is there, it’s there!

Heidi: I suspect that the definition of sexy is probably different for everyone. Personally, I find a guy who loves animals & babies pretty irresistible. A man who doesn't mind playing Mr. Fix-it so I don't have to call in reinforcements is nice. A good sense of humor is definitely a plus. And I never complain about strong biceps & rock hard abs. *g*

Chey: Sexy depends on the story and the characters. They have their own personalities and dynamics. I don't force the sex, it needs to come naturally and the way these two characters would come together.

• I know each of you have a new book due out this month. Could you tell us a little bit about the premise and the characters? And when can I buy it?
  

Lori: For August, I have two new novellas in “OUT OF THE LIGHT, INTO THE SHADOW.” The idea is that Erin McCarthy and I each have written a straight contemporary romance novella (mine as Lori Foster) that ties in with a darker, edgier paranormal romance novella (mine as L.L.Foster.) Each story is a romance, but with different tones to show how we write in each style.

My two novellas are connected by siblings. The straight contemporary is Mercy Jardine’s story, and the darker paranormal is about her brother, Brax Jardine. Both are, imo, very sexy, but I hope they’re also fun and romantic. You can read excerpts or see video trailers at www.llfoster.com

Heidi: I am *very* excited about my August release, LOVES ME, LOVES ME KNOT. It's the second book in my "Chicks with Sticks" knitting romance trilogy & revisits the relationship between Gage Marshall & Jenna Langan from TANGLED UP IN LOVE. http://heidibetts.com/

Chey: THE SECOND BETRAYAL comes out Tuesday, August 4th.
As an undercover agent for the NSA’s Recovery Enforcement Division, Alexi Steele is no stranger to the ways and means of the country’s most notorious sex criminals. Still, she’s never seen anything quite like this. Girls from across the globe are being recruited for a modeling competition in New York City, only to end up as enslaved prostitutes. Now it’s up to Lexi and her partner—and lover—Nicholas Donovan to infiltrate the operation.

Finding the mastermind behind the sex trafficking is only one half of the challenge. The other is Nick. Even though she has always trusted him, Lexi can’t help but wonder whether he’s keeping something from her—a shocking secret from his past on the Special Forces unit. Meanwhile, time is running out for the victims…and Lexi may be forced to do the unthinkable to see that the job is done. http://cheyennemccray.com/

• Finally, you’re all accomplished and well-read authors. What advice you would offer an aspiring author today?
  

Lori: First, write what you enjoy writing. Your enthusiasm will show through and win over readers. Trying to follow a trend that you aren’t into rarely works. Second, remember that this is a mega-harsh biz. No matter how good you might be or how hard you try, the variety of responses will vary, and will not always be favorable. There will be brutal reviews, snarky commentators, and candid readers. Don’t ever let it get to you too much. It’s all part and parcel of the industry and no one is immune to the criticism.

Heidi: This soon after National, I'm not sure I have any lucid advice to offer. I guess I would have to say that aspiring writers should be really sure they actually want a career in writing, because it's not nearly as glamorous on this side of things as it might seem. (It's a job, just like any other, with ups & downs & plenty of hard work. :-P) Aside from that, I recommend that people really study the genre they're interested in & hone their craft as much as possible.

Chey: Learn the craft by reading books on writing and attending workshops either online or in person and join writing groups relating to your genre. Read everything you can in the genre you want to write in. When writing your book, don't go back and self-edit, continue to write until you reach "the end"--you can't fix something that isn't written! There will be things you want to change on the way, but just notate them--I put notes to myself in the doc as I go and then I go back and fix or insert things when I'm done. Do something writing related every single day to get in the habit, no matter how small it is. It will get you into such a good habit of writing that it will become easier and easier. Most importantly, never give up on your dream.

• Lori, I loved My Man Michael. When is your next single title romance out, and what’s it about?
  

BACK IN BLACK will hit stands in February 2010. It’s another SBC fighter book, this time about Drew Black. BC president Drew Black is as controversial as they come. But the hot-headed entrepreneur is a perfect match for his popular sports club venture: uncompromising and extreme. Maybe too extreme. With a reputation for saying what he thinks, Drew's been causing a lot of friction. That's why someone's been called in to clean up his image—before he does any permanent damage.

The lucky lady is Gillian Noode, a PR expert who's smoothed out the rough edges on many a man. But Drew is rougher than anyone she's ever met, and he refuses to change for any woman, for any reason. To make matters more complicated, Gillian's starting to like him raw. Now, opposites aren't only attracting, they're igniting. But in the rising heat, which one of them will end up on top?

Drew was a lot of fun to write – I hope readers enjoy his story!

• Ladies, thank you so much for visiting with us, Over Coffee and answering questions. I appreciate the hard work you do and taking time out of your busy schedules to be here!