Maya Writes...: March 2010

Wednesday, 31 March 2010

Pushing the Boundaries

Editors love it when you push the boundaries, or so they say. They love it when you bring something fresh, something different, something totally whacky to the table. Er, maybe not totally whacky. But you get my meaning. Basically, they want you to take a tried and tested idea and put your own spin on it, make it stand out in a completely unique way.

And here’s where I start getting palpitations! I think the last time I read anything totally unique that blew me away was when the book (Presents, of course) started with fairies being given their assignments as to who to pair up back on Earth. I kid you not. I remember thinking, fairies, in Presents? And yep, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Now don't get me wrong, there are new authors and even well-established authors who blow me away on a regular basis. But something soo different that I'm left thinking, wow? Hasn't happened since the fairies sprinkled their dust.

Cue major heart failure now. How on earth can I make my work stand out in a way that makes an editor's heart beat faster without my hero growing fangs or my heroine literally sprouting wings and flying into the sunset with said fanged hero? I think my new ms is unique enough. I've certainly not read anything like it, but am I kidding myself here?

How do you know when you've pushed enough to be different, but not so far out as to be mistaken for a complete nut job?

Answers on a postcard please (or barring that, comments in the er, comment box).

Happy Easter to everyone!!!

Friday, 26 March 2010

To Err is Human…To Forgive Divine?

(part 2)

In Part 1, my hero bravely went off to confess his sins and ask for forgiveness. Only, it turns out he didn’t have just one confession to make…he had three.

The first confession my heroine readily forgives. She knows he’s a stubborn alpha who likes to carry his family’s burden on his broad, masculine shoulders.

The second confession rocks her to the core, but my heroine is a very strong, feisty woman who’s survived the love of her life walking away from her. She reiterates this to herself, tells herself she can do this.

Only to be hit with the third and most devastating secret of all. This secret dates back to her childhood and rocks everything she's ever believed of herself.

At this stage, forgive is certainly not divine. It’s very much get-in-my-car-and-drive-far-far-away!

My hero of course, is not expecting this. When he returns to the terrace, he is crushed! I don't need to ask him how it went. I can see for myself.

He looks at me, devastated. "But I love her," he says.

And I say, "hmmm, but you should have trusted her with this long before now.”
He wants to growl at me, but he knows I’m right. He collapses into the seat and asks for help. Now he’s learning, my hero. Asking for help is huge, HUGE! There’s hope for him yet.

But he’s also an intelligent alpha. Before I can make a suggestion, he makes one of his own. I give my seal of approval and wave him off.

Two days later, my heroine returns with her hero in tow. He has admitted he’s erred. And from the smile on their faces, I can tell…

Forgiveness has indeed been divine!

Are you a sucker for a happy ending as I am?

Saturday, 20 March 2010

To Err Is Human...

(part 1)

Before I carry on with this post I need to give a quick background on how I write my posts.

I always try and write the first line of my next blog post when I finish the last. After my last post I knew there was something my current hero needed to address. So I typed this heading. He read it, slanted me a very dirty look and stalked off.

After he returned from terrorising the countryside in his sleek sports car (he’s a Presents hero, after all), I told him again…To Err Is Human.

He clenched his fists and walked away.

Now, he knows he’s wronged his heroine. Very badly. He’s kept a very big secret from her that he should’ve revealed quite a while back. This secret has kept them apart for two years and for all that time he’s felt justified in “shouldering the burden” on his own. Now he feels in his bones that all hell is about to break loose, but he’s hung on to this secret for so long, he just doesn’t know how to let go of it.

So, I tell him again…To Err Is Human.

This time he sits and he listens. We share a glass of Chateau Lafite Rothschild while watching the glorious sunset from the terrace of his spectacular villa and slowly he understands why he has to confess all to his heroine. For a split second, he looks terrified because he knows confessing might cost him everything he holds dear.

But my hero is not a wimp.

He drains his glass, sets it down and stands. Before he leaves to confront his demons, he asks, “To err is human, but will forgiveness be divine or…bring divine retribution?”

Alas, I don’t have any answers for him.

Not yet anyway.

This will be revealed in Part 2, after I’ve interviewed my heroine!

Monday, 15 March 2010

Voice - Is It Panic Stations Not To Have One?

In the past few weeks I've blog-hopped/forum-browsed and generally procrastinated (what else is new?) when I should've been finishing my ms. And in that time, I’ve come across this word A LOT.

Voice.

If an editor loves yours you’re almost there, I've heard. Don't get me wrong, there’s a serious amount of back-breaking work to be done besides having, you know...voice.

So, this got me wondering. I know successful writers who say they had to work hard to "find" their voice. Before they did, however, they sold to various publishing houses. I’ve also heard of one editor hating someone’s writing and another absolutely falling in love with it.

One example of a writer who eventually found her “true voice” is Tess Gerritsen, whose books I love. She writes pure crime thrillers.

BUT before she did, she wrote romantic suspense for Harlequin. It’s very clear from reading her earlier work that she CAN write romance and while I think she excels at writing crime thrillers, she more than held my interest with her earlier books.

I’ve had two manuscripts rejected and two requested from the same publishing house. So was it all about my "voice" that attracted them to request more of my work, or was it the whole Ok-ish package?

I guess what I’m trying to understand is, how important is this magical word in the grand scheme of things? What exactly is it about voice that attracts one editor and repels another?

Is it a “you-either-have-it-or-you-don't” scenario? Is it the difference between a New York Times Bestseller and a doomed-forever-to-be-a-wannabe writer or is there a middle ground to work on? How important is voice to you?

Would love to hear your thoughts.

Monday, 8 March 2010

Another Obsession

Yep, I know, I’m as fickle as the finger of fate. But as a writer, I have to learn to love more than one hero. It's my cross to bear, ;). Well, that’s my excuse anyway.

So imagine my excitement when Henry Cavill and I were introduced (via the magic medium that is tv!). He had me at a disadvantage as I was sick in bed and unable to move very far. He forced me to watch him as Charles Brandon in The Tudors, where he proceeded to nail anything that moved in Season 1 and most of Season 2! But even while I shook my head sadly at how utterly scandalous his behaviour was, I was secretly rooting for him to be worthy of his part.

And he came through.

By the end of Series 2 and through all of Season 3, he'd grown a conscience, had shown his wife Catherine that he truly loved and desired her and their son above all else and had proved he could be ruthless when he needed to be to save his country and his friend (Henry VIII).

It was very very natural therefore, seeing as he’s just the sort of man I love writing about (not so much the nailing part, but the redeemed rake part), that I model him on my next hero. Before I do, however, I will enjoy him for a little while longer!

And seeing as I'm feeling magnanimous today, I thought I'd share his pic with y'all.