Vixenwriter

I’ve been watching a discussion about words used in erotic romance and erotica. I’m a word whore, I admit it up front and I do believe that words have a unique sort of power to impact what you read. Not “shock” value but in making choices to evoke a certain feel.

In truth, what the choices mean to me may not mean the same to other people when they read. But if I spend all my time thinking about that, I’m not writing the story as it should be written. So I don’t. It’s not that I don’t care, it’s that if a scene calls for “cunt” I’m going to use it. If a scene calls for “cock” I’m going to use it.

I saw a comment - boiled down it was something like “the character wouldn’t have considered what happened fucking” And hmm. That’s fascinating to me on a few levels. Firstly, I love that the book or story resonated so much with that person she felt like she could say that and truly believed it. That’s powerful storytelling, IMO (and it wasn’t about my book so I’m not complimenting myself here, LOL). Secondly, it points to the power of language and words because I don’t see “fucking” as a bad thing or a worthless thing or as a demeaning thing. But some people do, which means the power of the term is watered down by generational/cultural/gender/whatever perspectives. At the same time, what can you do as an author? The author could have said “intercourse” which seems clinical to me. Or she could have said “making love” which is, IMO too soft for what happened between the characters.

There are times when a word can change the scene drastically and yes, that’s using words for a certain sort of shock value. Not in the way it’s meant most often, but words, when used right, can evoke strong feeling.

I didn’t use to use the word cunt. I grew up in a time when it was bandied about as a gender epithet. Admittedly the word comes with baggage. And yet, over time I’ve come to use it in certain scenes because I think the scene calls for it. I don’t actually think only the man should use it, quite the opposite, I’m far more comfortable when my female characters own it for themselves. Still, I know the word carries a lot of reaction - negative and positive. Still? I think it’s a great word. It’s hard. It’s sharp, nearly feral in a sense and sometimes sex is that way.

Anyway, I’m babbling but I’m working on so many things right now I wanted to get my thoughts down! What do you all think about words - strong words like cunt and cock? Do they totally put you off to the point where you don’t read that book or author? Do you skip them? Do you like them?

Why is it that ballet flats always look so much cuter in an ad but when you see them in person and try them on, you’re like, meh, not so much? I wanted these little skimmers, you know slip on sneakers, flats. I can leave them by the front door and be out in moments. But firstly, they’re sort of spendy and secondly, they don’t really look “kicky” on me. I keep thinking, “oh, hmm, I think I had this exact same pair of shoes in 1984.” And the thing is, while i like 80’s music and all, I have no desire to go back to those looks (well, I lie, if my skin could look the way it did in 1984 I’d wear “skimmers”)

I’m very meh today. I need to fix that. Hmpf.

So my husband is a really fabulous guy. I think I may have hinted at that once or twice, heh. Anyway, late last year we took the kids for flu shots and when we were leaving, he handed me a book he found in the hospital auxilary book sale.

Dooood.

The book is called, “Going Steady” and the author, Anne Emery wrote this whole series about the Burnaby sisters in the 1950s and this is one of them. It’s, wow, it’s like a time capsule I have to say. Still, I read it, amused, giggly and actually impressed with how Anne Emery manages to write a pretty darned strong female character for 1950. I’d totally let my daughter read it when she gets older.

Also? He bought me an iPhone. Sigh. He’s so fabulous.

So yeah, I didn’t update at all this weekend. Unsual for me I know but I actually hung out with my family and then did some work yesterday too, got started on Sensual Magic for Spice!

Megan and I finished our revisions on Taking Care of Business and it’s now with beta! If all goes well, we can get this one turned in way before deadline. So yay!

To celebrate poetry monday (which I’ve neglected for a while) how about a sneak peek of TCOB?

Read the rest of this entry ?

You know you want to.

Laura is my fabulous agent and she reps some really fabulous authors like Ann Aguirre, Cynthia Eden, Anya Bast, Megan Hart, Jodi Lynn Copeland and Marissa Scott (most of you haven’t read her yet but i have and she’s wonderful). Anyway, I’ve asked her if she’d be willing to answer questions sent in by my blog commenters and she said she’d be happy to (because as I say, she’s made of awesome)

SO - toss some questions my way in the comments here and I’ll choose one or two and send them her way. I’ll continue to pelt her with them over time and put up her answers as I get them back.

It’s just before the time when I need to leave my warm house again and take my middle kiddo to school. Madonna’s Ray of Light is playing and I’m drinking coffee and taking vitamins.

When I get back I need to finish up some revisions and get them back to Megan so we can turn Taking Care of Business around and get it to readers. Each book is its own journey and I have to say, Kate (my heroine) was hard to learn at first. Part of it was that I’d been interrupted a dozen times so each time I had to put the story aside to finish up something else, I had to re-learn her all over again. But each story has a sweet spot, at least for me. And that sweet spot is like an epiphany. All the sudden it’s clear - whatever it is that’s been lacking. You see it. You know your hero, or your heroine. You finally get what her big problem is, or you know what happened to him in the past and why it’s making him a dick now, or whatever.

It’s not necessarily writing blind - it’s like tasting the book and suddenly the full bouquet of it comes to you and it’s so vivid. I love that moment! Sometimes it doesn’t even come to me when I’m writing. I can be driving and see something out the window or hear a song on the radio or it comes to me while ironing. With Tri-Mates I had no real outline, I just had the idea of this tri mate bond thing and started writing (the concept came to me when I was writing Enforcer but I don’t do brother menages) and I’d planned on making Tracy good friends with Sarah, the Alpha female of her new Pack. but suddenly Tracy and Nick were fighting about Sarah and Sarah was not the character I’d imagined. She was such a fun villain to write because she was so totally unexpected. The whole money laundering storyline was something that just fell into my head as I was writing the first scene at the Pacific Pack House.

Other times, I plot very carefully and follow the synopsis I craft. But even then I still have the epiphany moment at some point or other. Because for me, the process is a surprise. I love that! I love that I find new things I hadn’t even imagined no matter how much planning I do. And sometimes I have to go back and re-craft something, other times it changes the ending a bit. It’s flying through my brain fast and furious or slow and sensual but it’s part of me and I couldn’t ask for a job I loved more.

And wow, where did the day go? I ran errands all morning long and then I hung up the new shower curtain I bought, put out the new tub liner thing, answered a hundred emails and I’m still not done. Now my boys are home which means I won’t get finished now for sure!

Oh! Ascension won best Shapeshifter Romance of 2007 from Love Romances and More!

As well as winning a Reviewer’s Choice Award from Ecataromance Sensual!

It’s now up for book of the year (along with some really excellent books) - so check em out and vote for one of em why dontcha?

I just had apple slices with peanut butter and I’m struck by just how delicious something so simple can be. Also? I’m easily amused.

How easily amused you ask? Well, I bought a pair of underwear today, just one pair, and it made me happy. See?

Anyway, I don’t have much to say today. I know, shocking! But I’m slammed and sort of brain fried so I’ll leave you with:

This is what I think of when I’m writing William, Nash’s brother and the hero in Sensual Magic, my next novella for Spice. He’s all totally suave and sexy with that bad boy “I’m not marrying anyone” air. Until he meets the right woman. Heh.

1. Your genre(s)? Dark paranormals, urban fantasy, contemporaries, futuristics and post apocalyptics - nearly almost always with a romantic plot.

2. How many books have you completed?
Oh my, let’s see: 18 full length novels and seven novellas. I’ve also got contracts for two more full length novels and a novella

3. How many books are you working on now? I’m writing a novella, revising a dual author novel and working on two proposals.

4. Are you a linear or chunk writer?
Linear. I cannot jump ahead although I can come back at the end and add new things.

5. The POV you’re most partial to?
Third but I do find myself drawn for first for just the right story.

6. The theme that keeps cropping up in your books?
Well this is a hard one. I suppose strength of conviction even in a challenge. Strength of character. Class and gender issues pop up frequently and well, I do love a big, bad alpha male and tend to write women who can hold their own with them.

7. How many days a week do you write?
Seven. Occasionally I take the day off, but most weeks I write every day.

8. What time of day do you get your best writing done? I have three kids and one of them is still home all day so I don’t get much done until after 8 when they’re in bed. So I write from about 8 - 11 nightly. It used to be 9 - 1 so I’m getting better and sleeping a tiny bit more.

9. Who are your inspirations? Authors who excite my imagination. Authors like William Gibson who can say in 3 words what it takes other authors 15 to say. Margaret Atwood whose writing has a sense of grace and beauty even when the subject is stark. Authors like Jenny Crusie and Nora Roberts who can create characters you can sink your teeth into but who aren’t one dimensional stereotypes. Nalini Singh and Eileen Wilks who can take a genre like paranormal romance and simply turn it upside down and breathe new life into it.

10. Who are your favorite authors to read? (different from mentors) William Gibson, Patricia Briggs, Frank Herbert, Kim Harrison, Margaret Atwood, Eileen Wilks, Nalini Singh, Liz Maverick, Marge Piercy, Sherri Tepper, Louise Marley, Richard Morgan, Linda Howard, Megan Hart, Anya Bast, Susan Elizabeth Phillips - the list goes on and on

I am convinced that love is the most durable power in the world. It is not an expression of impractical idealism, but of practical realism. Far from being the pious injunction of a Utopian dreamer, love is an absolute necessity for the survival of our civilization. To return hate for hate does nothing but intensify the existence of evil in the universe. Someone must have sense enough and religion enough to cut off the chain of hate and evil, and this can only be done through love.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

This is one of my favorite King quotes - as my oldest son told me earlier today, today isn’t a day off, it’s a day on.

I finished my part of Taking Care of Business yesterday and now it’s on to blending my part with Megan’s in as seamless a manner as possible. I’m actually quite happy with how it turned out, which is nice, LOL.

Now I need to finish a few synopses this weekend - two are totally done but need slight tweaks, one is 3/4 done and I got an idea late last wee, something I’d been sort of kicking around for a while but I want to get it written while I’m thinking about it. After that, I need to start Sensual Magic, my novella in the second Spice anthology.

In further happy news - Shelley Munro’s Playing To Win - released this week from Cerridwen. If you haven’t read Shell yet, you really need to!

Blurb: Professional rugby player Lane Gerrard is used to women throwing themselves at him, but a scurrilous tabloid article naming him as father of a child sends his temper soaring. The woman he confronts doesn’t fit the blackmailer profile. Kate Alexander is attractive with an enchanting innocence, enticing. A total stranger. Her feistiness draws his unwilling admiration, but the child…he is the image of Lane.

Kate can’t deny her son’s similarity to the sexy man at her door but no way will she hand him over without a fight. Kate doesn’t possess money but she can shower her son with love. With public speculation rife, Kate reluctantly works with Lane to discover the truth. They grow closer as distrust slowly turns to mutual fascination, but the tabloid articles bring out a stalker. Mild pranks escalate into danger, and suddenly Lane realizes Kate is a woman he could love. With Kate and her son, he could have a family. Now, with his heart on the line, this is one game he’s playing to win.

I’ve got it in my hard drive right now and I’m hoping to sneak some time to read it this weekend.

Have a good day, all and if you live round here, stay dry!!