Cover Art for Small-Town Bachelor!

My dog just took a drink from my coffee mug. Yuck. Now I have to rinse it out and get a new cup!

Anyway, I'm sitting in my living room on a gorgeous, sunny winter day. It's almost Christmas. I have a to-do list six miles long, but we're on break, and I'm relaxing for an hour.

This year has been full of ups and downs, and lately there have been some shiny bright spots I'm thrilled to share!!

1. My second book has an official title: Unexpected Family! It will be released September 2015 through Harlequin Love Inspired!

2. My first book, Small-Town Bachelor has a cover AND is officially up for preorder on most retail sites!

3. The short story and recipe collection, A Recipe for Romance, by twenty-two Love Inspired authors is available now and climbed the Amazon charts the first week it was on sale!

Only $2.99 on Kindle! And all royalties go to children's charities!

For some reason Blogger isn't allowing me to add links today. I'll try to get them up later. In the meantime, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!! And I'll see you back here after the new year!

Do you have pets? Do they try to drink your coffee??

Please sign up for my newsletter! The sign-up form (just your name and an email address) is at the top right of the blog under my profile! You can unsubscribe at any time!

Have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!!

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Rule Busters: Romance Genre

Ever read a book about the craft of fiction writing? I've read (and own) many! I'm grateful for talented authors who share their hard-earned knowledge with the rest of us. Advice about the writing craft tends to focus on the same concepts, such as plot, structure, dialogue, action, and narrative, but some of the "rules" need to be tamed for the genre you write.

Romance novels have been my favorite genre to read since I was a teenager. Naturally, I write romance novels, too! But I went overboard on the advice when I started writing, and my books suffered for it. Here are three "rules" to be cautious about when writing romance.

1. Conflict

Have you ever started reading a romance novel and been turned off at the hostility between the hero and heroine? I know. It's confusing. You've bought the book with the hopes of reading a love story only to be flung into a war--one you don't want to continue reading. What's romantic about that?

Romance novels need a compelling romantic conflict--a reason the hero and heroine can't fall in love and live happily-ever-after. The book would be B.O.R.I.N.G without it. But writers can go overboard on the conflict, creating unlikable characters whom the reader can't root for or extreme circumstances no couple can realistically recover from.

If you have a hero and heroine at war with each other, show us the backstory. Let us in on why they are at each other's throats. Don't make them mean just to make a point. And give them downtime where they call a truce and begin to understand each other. Whatever your romantic conflict, make sure neither character is coming across as petty, immature, or spiteful. I can't fall in love with those traits, and most other romance readers can't either.

 

2. Character Growth

Another rule romance writers can take to the extreme is character growth. Character growth doesn't mean giving characters terrible personality traits to overcome. Readers will toss the book or Kindle across the room rather than continue reading about a spoiled, jerky, or mean main character. Character growth should be about making a character stronger in some way.

3. Action/Introspection

Romance is character-based. We want to feel what the heroine is feeling. We need to understand why the hero reacts the way he does. And more than anything, we want to experience the rush of falling in love.

Mainstream fiction rules talk about action, pacing, and dialogue, and they typically say to minimize introspection. Obviously, all writers need to strike a balance. But romance writers shouldn't skimp on introspection or deep point-of-view. Remember, romance readers crave an emotional read. If your characters are running from one crisis to another without any time to reflect, the romance gets lost.

What is your favorite genre to read? Any pet-peeves when reading it?

Happy Monday!

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Misconceptions About Romance

Romance novels have been my favorite books to read since I turned thirteen. While I've always read a variety of genres, I still love romance the best.


Since I have such affection for the genre, I still get surprised by the misconceptions others have about it. In many circles, romance novels are the wart-filled stepsister of other mass-market genres. Even though romance outsells every other fiction genre in the U.S. market--see Romance Literature Statistics here--the books and their authors continue to get snubbed.

In yesterday's On the Ether, Porter Anderson shared a fun article by Larry Brooks via StoryFix called "What I Just Learned from a Room Full of Romance Writers." (Full article is linked.) I loved Larry's open attitude and willingness to embrace the romance genre after he taught an advanced workshop for the Rose City Romance Writers of America. (I've been a member of RWA for five years, and I have nothing but great things to say about this organization.) Larry's piece brought back memories of all the odd things people have said to me about romance over the years.

Here are some of the misconceptions people have about the romance genre:

- The books are all about sex, sex, and more sex.
- Romance writers don't take the craft of writing seriously.
- Romance writers just pop words into a formula.
- Romance novels are less literary than other genres.
- The words Christian and romance don't belong together.

I try not to get offended by these ideas. People unfamiliar with the genre can't be expected to understand it. However, I do try to clear these false concepts up whenever possible.

- There are different levels of spice in romance novels. I write for the inspirational market which is the "sweetest" genre and quite strict about intimacy. You might find a few kisses but everything else will be after marriage and behind closed doors. Mainstream romances range from sweet to extra spicy, and the erotic genres still have a love story, but the emphasis is on the physical relationship.

- I've yet to meet a writer of romance who does not take the craft of writing seriously. We want to be good writers, put out excellent books, and we strive to get better with each book.

- There is no formula for a romance beyond the normal plot structure most novels adhere to. Our readers do have expectations--they want to see the hero and heroine together in the majority of scenes, the romance journey is the main arc, and there must be a happily ever after. That leaves a lot of room for ingenuity in between!

- The literary debate will probably never end. What makes one book more literary than another? Does a steamy cover cancel the literary value of the book? I say no, but many say yes.

- Christians do fall in love---shocking, I know! As I mentioned earlier, the inspirational market does not focus on the physical relationship. Readers of this genre want to see two people fall in love against a faith-based backdrop. While my books feature plenty of attraction, they never cross a line.

The bottom line? People read romances because they want to experience the rush of falling in love.

Have you ever read a romance  novel? Do you like the genre? Have you come across any misconceptions about it?

The winner of Monday's giveaway--hosted by the amazing Jennifer Shirk--is SARAH FORGRAVE!! Congratulations, Sarah! You won a copy of Jennifer's new release Sunny Days for Sam and Teeccino!!

I also want to thank all of the new followers! I really appreciate you supporting my blog. :)

Have a terrific weekend!

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