Congratulations to Lindsay Pryor!!!

Photo: bayasaa

We are so very thrilled to announce that Hot Pink sister Lindsay J. Pryor has just signed a three-book deal with publisher Bookouture! Read all about Lindsay's exciting news here, and please join with us in extending your congratulations!

Mechanics on Monday: Backstory vs. TMI, by Natalie Charles

It's not easy being omniscient. When I set out to write a book, I know a lot about my characters and their baggage. From the very first line of the book, I know what secrets my hero and heroine are hiding from each other, and I know how these secrets shape their biases and interactions. I also know that I have to thread their secrets carefully into the narrative, slowly unraveling them rather than committing the dreaded Info Dump. Dumping information will slow down my narrative, after all, and discourage a reader from continuing with the story. Why read on if you know what's going to happen?

But Info Dumps aren't just bad form because they slow pacing. They're bad form because they're not realistic. They're socially weird, like that person you barely know who tells you about her embarrassing medical problem. I don't want to learn about anyone's gynecological history while standing in line for coffee, and my readers don't want to know in chapter one that my heroine really does want to fall in love, deep down, but fears rejection after her fiancé jumped into bed with another woman days before the wedding. That's all too much information for a first meeting.

Besides, let's get real: do any of us know, I mean really know, why we behave the way we do? Don't most of us react first and analyze later? To get a better perspective on my current work in progress, I started thinking about what I might look like as a romance heroine and how my backstory might read. My youngest brother is a childhood cancer survivor, and going through that experience with him has changed my life. His cancer was suspected of being environmental, so it's the reason I became a lawyer and now work in the public interest. It's the reason I ran two marathons and write even when I don't want to, because I saw my healthy, athletic brother's life change in an instant and I know I only have today. I'm sure that experience of visiting the children's cancer wing of the hospital—of seeing infants with tubes in them and hearing about a child my brother's age dying in the room next door—I'm sure that has affected me in ways I don't understand. It's colored my entire worldview and changed who I am. But I would never tell anyone about it unless it was relevant. It's simply too much information for a first chapter or a coffee line.

So let's go to my current work in progress, where I have a heroine who is genuinely warm, engaging and sensitive at her best and melodramatic and haughty at her worst. She is also fiercely independent, which can be either good or bad. Upon first meeting, my commitment phobic heroine may not consciously be aware of why she viscerally hates the hero. Rather, she will throw up defensive rationales that correspond with her worst tendencies: he's invading her territory, he's threatening her happiness, he's hurt her in the past and he's a big fat jerk. But then hero surprises her by being decent and by revealing a little bit of himself that changes her impression. When her initial theory of him fails, she is forced to look inward and to figure out how she could have been so wrong. This is when she realizes that she is very attracted to hero. All of her other knee-jerk reactions—he's a jerk, he's on my turf, etc.—protected her from having to deal with the real pain he stirred up: she is attracted to him, but her fiancé cheated and she doesn't want to be hurt again. That's the core of her pain, but it's not something that comes out until later in the book.

My point is that our real life baggage affects us in ways we don't always understand, and our responses as a result of that baggage are not always logical and orderly. People are complicated. The challenge of writing compelling characters is to make them human: to bring them on a journey in which they will come to understand their own history and how it has prevented them from being their best selves. Just as we don't always understand our responses to situations and people, our characters shouldn't, either. That's what will make them fascinating and wonderful and, ultimately, people we want to spend more time getting to know.

About Us: Tina Vaughn

Have you enjoyed getting to know the ladies of The Hot Pink Typewriter a little better? I know I have...except, now it's my turn in The Hot Seat, and I'm a little nervous. *gulp* So pull up a chair, grab some coffee or a cocktail, and let's chat. Just in case you need some incentive, I may mention Damon Salvatore and Daryl Dixon somewhere in this post. ; )

How and why did you get involved with The Hot Pink Typewriter?

Natalie Charles and Olivia Miles approached me (first through Twitter and subsequently emails) about this idea they had for a group blog. I was immediately excited to be included in this lovely group of talented authors I admire and respect. I also loved the idea of sharing our ups and downs, knowledge and experience and creating an atmosphere where we could meet and make new friends who enjoy reading and/or writing romance as much as we do.

What sub-genre of romance do you write and why?

I write steamy contemporary novellas and category-length romances, though I read across the romance sub-genres. I think I gravitate toward contemporary because of my years as a newspaper editor, where I focused on current events and pop culture. I just have to know what's going on now!

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer? What prompted this interest?

 

I did. Some of my earliest memories are of reading fairy tales. But, while other girls my age pretended to be princesses, I wanted to be Lois Lane. I remember poking the lenses out of an old pair of sunglasses, wearing them and scribbling in a little notebook, then writing my stories on my Winnie the Pooh typewriter. Seriously, I was three or four at the time. I also had a weird obsession with red lipstick, but that's for a different blog post, I think.

Did contests play a role in your writing journey? If so, in what ways did you find them beneficial? And what, if any, were the drawbacks?

Yes. No Sweeter Love was actually published as the result of a contest. I didn't win, but the editor who was judging requested my manuscript. I also met a lot of my writing friends (The Hot Pink Typewriter ladies included) through online contests. Personally, I've not experienced any drawbacks with contests, but then again, I've never approached a writing contest as if it's a competition. Does that make sense? I can imagine contests being very frustrating if your only goal is to win – and then you don't. As long as a writer thinks of the contest as a learning experience and chance to network with other like-minded writers, then I don't see a drawback.

What point are you currently at in your writing journey?

 I'm still writing. Still submitting. Still sitting on pins and needles and obsessively checking my email inbox. Writing and publishing is such an exciting journey. I'm enjoying the ride.

Describe what makes a perfect hero for you. And what makes a perfect heroine?

I don't know why I think this is the hardest question. Ugh. I guess some of the basic must-haves for a perfect hero (at least for me) are strength, intelligence, wit and humor. Actually, those same characteristics apply to my heroines, as well. Together, I think they should bring out the worst and best in each other. Other than that, I just try to write characters that I can picture myself hanging out with. If I don't like them, who will?

What does HEA mean to you?

It means the hero and heroine are in love and will be together forever. I need more than the words “I love you,” though. When I'm reading, I need to feel that the relationship has been twisted, tormented and tested – that it went though an emotional zombie apocalypse and survived.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

All around me. People, articles, conversations I overhear, beautiful scenery, etc. You name it. A great story can be found anywhere you look.

Name your five favorite movies/books, or those that have influenced you the most and how.

Pride & Prejudice

Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet, feminism, challenge to social conventions, a forbidden attraction, the crazy Bennet family and Pemberly. *sigh* What's not to love?

Jane Eyre

It's such a dark and passionate novel, and so progressive for its time. The push and pull of morality and sexuality, combined with the themes of gender and societal norms and expectations fascinates me. Every time I read Jane Eyre I feel like I'm reading it for the first time.

Gone With the Wind

I watched the movie before I read the book, and when it ended, I think I actually yelled at the television screen. I could not believe that Rhett and Scarlett did not get their happily ever after. I think I was severely traumatized and this could be the main reason I write HEA romance. I love the book, as well. There's a part where Rhett compliments Scarlett's eyes by comparing them to fish in fishbowls. I still die laughing every time I read that.

The Vampire Diaries

Teenage angst. Vampires. Love triangle. These books, but especially the television show, pushes all my hot buttons. Also, I have an unhealthy, and sometimes debilitating crush, on Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore. Make of that what you will.

The Walking Dead

This is probably my favorite television show. Aside from the fact that I'm equal parts scared to death and fascinated by zombies, this is one of the best-written shows I've ever watched. Want a crash course in character development? Take a day or two to watch the series and take particular note of Daryl Dixon's character arc. I. Love. Him.

Tell us about your greatest writing challenges and how you work through them.

 

I'm a perfectionist. I also edit as I write. This really slows down the writing process for me and can be very frustrating. I also go through bouts of my writing is crap, though I try to keep myself out of the doldrums for any length of time, usually by enjoying a cocktail or two, eating some chocolate or reading a great book. There's nothing like a little break to get your creative juices flowing again.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

“Prove you were there.”
When I was first starting out as a journalist, one of my first assignments was to cover a high-profile murder trial, and I was scared. While writing my article, I double-checked all the legal terms and quotes. I meticulously fact-checked every piece of information I used in my story, then I submitted it to my editor. She said: “this is great, but (oh, the evil but) you need to prove you were there.”
Huh?
“You could've written this from your desk,” she explained. “Show me you were in that courtroom.” And then I understood. I'd gotten so caught up in the black and white of the facts that I'd neglected the color. What were people actually doing in that packed courtroom that day? That little piece of advice always pops into my head when I'm writing. Have I set the scene? Have I used all five senses? Are the descriptions vivid and accurate?

What are your hopes and aspirations for your career?

The world is full of dark and depressing news. Fear and hate and worry. I want a reader to get lost in one of my books, forget their fears and worries for a little while, and smile.

Thanks so much for joining me.

Questions? Fire away.

I look forward to chatting with you.

Dude, that's so trope: by Tina Vaughn

Trope.

I just hate that word. I'm not sure why. To me, trope sounds like some kind of teenage slang. *shakes fist* “Get off my lawn, you pesky kids.”

Webster's Dictionary basically tells me that a trope is a cliché. I know. I know. Maybe that's why I have a problem with the word. Trope, by its very definition, implies both overuse and unoriginality. (Gasp. The horror!)

You know what's pretty awesome, though? Among the many synonyms for trope and cliché, you'll find the word truism–and that, my fellow writers and readers, is why we love tropes, especially in short and category-length romance. A universal truth. An undoubted truth. Some situation we identify with and/or intrinsically know.

Some examples of romance tropes include, but aren't limited to: boss/employee, makeovers, amnesia, secret baby, accidental pregnancy, blackmail or revenge, marriage of convenience, fake engagement, etc.

If it helps, you can think of your trope as the hook of your story, the idea that attracts readers. And just because an author uses a trope, or several, doesn't mean a book will be predictable, boring or lacking in excitement and creativity. It's all in what you do with your plot, characters and conflict.

Readers love certain types of stories. I will devour a marriage of convenience or fake engagement story in one sitting. I've read hundreds of them. Maybe even thousands. But I never get tired of that trope, and other readers who are fans of certain types of stories, won't get tired either…as long as the writing is strong and original.

Think of it this way. Two nights per week my family eats chicken for dinner, and I'm in charge of the cooking. What if I all I did was grill some chicken breast and leave it at that? That chicken's pretty good the first night. Okay the second night. By week four, I can guarantee you my family, and my own taste buds, are rebelling. That's why I change it up. We have stir-fry, fajitas, pasta, burgers, gumbo and anything else I feel like cooking. We're still eating chicken, but I've changed the other ingredients.

Everyone's full, happy and looking forward to more. Isn't that exactly what we writers and readers want?

What are your favorite tropes to read and/or write?

Can you share some book recommendations?

We're Having a Party-Congrats Jennifer Faye!!!

 

Jennifer Faye

has sold to Harlequin Mills & Boon Romance/Cherish!!!!!

Raise your glass and join us in a celebratory toast!

 

Congratulations Jennifer, we're so thrilled for you!!!!