Wet Noodle Posse

Monday, November 16, 2009

Thanks to Harlequin!

In this month of Thanksgiving, I thought I'd say a special Thank You to Harlequin Enterprises.

1. Thank you, Harlequin, for supporting genre fiction for over 100 years. Mills & Boon, the UK branch of Harlequin, celebrated their 100th anniversary in 2008, and Harlequin is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. Think of all the pleasure readers received because of this commitement to genre fiction. My The Vanishing Viscountess was a featured book in Mills & Boon's 100 year celebration, and The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor was a featured book in Harlequin's "Diamond" anniversary.
In honor of their 60th anniversary, Harlequin has released some of its vintage books, and vintage office products to go witht them. These are available in bookstores and at eHarlequin.

2. Thank you, Harlequin, for embracing romance fiction. "Harlequin Enterprises sell over 130 million books worldwide each year - approximately 4 books per second" (from
Mills and Boon Australia ). By embracing romance fiction, Harlequin has spread the joy and optimism that are hallmarks of the genre. They have sent the message out over and over and over that love can heal; love can triumph over adversity. They've provided models of what good romantic relationships should be, based on respect and equality.

3. Thank you Harlequin for providing the means for so many authors (Amanda and me, included) to tell their stories and to make money for it. Harlequin has over 1,100 authors worldwide, and has given such industry giants as Nora Roberts an opportunity to break into print and hone their craft.

4. Finally, thank you, Harlequin, for giving me my chance. The day I received "The Call" from Mills & Boon was one of the happiest in my life. Not every day does someone make your dreams come true.

I didn't learn to love Romance by sneaking my mother's Harlequin books, like so many of us. I didn't realize what a wonderful wealth of fiction there was at Harlequin until I started writing and actually started reading Harlequins. (I found some of those early Nora Roberts books and loved them!) I always sign up to judge the series categories of the RITA contest, even though, you know me--the world's worst read romance writer--, I don't read much more than my friend Darlene Gardner's Superromances nowadays. And Harlequin Historicals, of course.

What role has Harlequin played in your life? I'll bet it's touched you somehow!

Come visit my website and see what's new. Enter my contest.

My latest, Gallant Officer, Forbidden Lady is available at eHarlequin right now. On store shelves Dec 1.

Labels: Darlene Gardner, Gallant Officer, Harlequin, Mills and Boon, Nora Roberts

Monday, September 21, 2009

Starting a New Manuscript by Diane Gaston

I'm continuing with my September theme of New Starts (See my blog of Sept 7). I think September is a perfect time to start a new manuscript, like starting school.

I don't have any consistent way of starting a manuscript. Sometimes I start with a story idea; sometimes, a character; sometimes, just an initial situation.

The Mysterious Miss M, my first book, started with a desire to sell a book. I was entering lots of romance writing contests at the time. Most contests are judged on a first chapter so I decided I needed a first chapter with a big WOW factor. What could be a better WOW factor than starting with a sex scene? From that idea the characters came to mind and then the story.

Other books started with a character. Both A Reputable Rake and The Vanishing Viscountess began because the heroes in those books were secondary characters in earlier books and they simply would not stop trying to take over the book. I had to promise them books of their own.

This time I set up a trilogy involving three soldiers. The original idea grew from watching The Lives of a Bengal Lancer but all I took from that was the idea of three soldiers who all experience the same traumatic event that affects each of their lives from then on. I'm working on the third book so I had the hero and heroine who appear in the first book, only I didn't really know much about them. (shown is Gallant Officer, Forbidden Lady, the first book in the trilogy, to be released Dec 2009)

Before I was published I started a book with whatever idea or character that gave me a beginning. I was the classic seat-of-the-pants writer and I liked discovering the story as I went along. Now that I'm published, though, I have to write a proposal. So to start a book, I have to have enough of the story to create a synopsis. No more "pantsing."

Do you start a book with a situation, a character, or something else? Do you plot out the story before writing, or do you fly by the seat of your pants?
If you like a story, what captures your attention the most-the characters? the plot? or something else?

Labels: A Reputable Rake, Forbidden Lady, Gallant Officer, How to Write, The Mysterious Miss M, The Vanishing Viscountess