I Killed Off A Writer!

By Vonnie Davis

No, I've not confused things. I haven't killed off a character. I've choked the life out of a writer. And the writer was me to a degree. My nom de plume.

Renae DeVeau.

A pretty name, isn't it? More melodious to the ear than Vonnie Davis. I've always disliked my first name. I get tired of saying, "No, not Bonnie...not Connie...or Lonnie...or Ronnie...and so forth."

But why create another persona after writing eighteen or so books? I've finally amassed a small amount of readers who auto-buy my new releases. Great for me, but not always for them. Sometimes my books are on the edge of being erotic. And my readers aren't happy about that.

So, why not lower the heat level? Sometimes my characters won't allow me. They have their own agenda. I recently wrote an erotic with light-hearted almost humorous elements of BDSM. I'd decided halfway through writing it, the author would be Renae DeVeau. A safe place to put all my erotic stories.

I contracted the book with The Wild Rose Press. Alicia is my editor. We were good with using this new identity.

Then I was asked to write a Kindle Worlds novella for Carly Phillips series, "Dare to Love." I was humbled and excited. It wasn't until after I agreed that I found out the heat level had to be erotic with some BDSM. **head desk** Renae was to publish those kinds of stories. She wasn't wanted. I was.

Well, drats.

This releases the 25th of this month.

Then I was asked to be part of a holiday boxed set with Desiree Holt. She wanted nine authors and I was one. How cool was that? Well, we all know Ms Desiree doesn't write "cool." She writes hot erotic. So would I to be included in the set. Not Renae...me.

So, here I was with a website, a facebook page, a twitter account for an author with one freaking book while Vonnie Davis who wrote very spicy reads was now cranking out erotic with spanking--something I'd never allow a man to do to me.

How much sense did it make to have this second identity? Aly and I talked about it and decided to use my real name on Mr. OH, a Dominant and Jazz a reluctant submissive.

I've killed off a writer...me...Renae DeVeau.

Do any of you write under more than one identity? How do you handle it?

"But I Don't Write Erotic!" I Gasped.

A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from Long and Short Reviews (LASR) that they'd reviewed one of my books, For the Love of a Fireman. They ranked this romantic comedy four and a half stars and wrote a lovely review. I was pleased because I knew the rating would make it eligible for voting as book of the month. Yay me!

Part of the review read:

"This book has it all – humor, excitement, a bit if heavy hitting drama, romance, some eccentric but adorable characters, rambunctious dogs and last but not least, sexy shenanigans. For the Love of a Fireman is complete entertainment.

When I got this book, I had no idea there was BDSM in it, but the premise sounded so good, I took a chance. I’m happy to say that it’s light BDSM, and the heroine was the one being introduced to it. I actually liked how the author presented it, explored it between her characters and made it about emotions, trust and other positives that helped Barclay and Molly’s relationship grow. Because the lifestyle is a tad unconventional, the author used it as part of the internal plot conflict. It worked.

For the Love of a Fireman is truly delightful. It’s sexy, funny and warmhearted with just the right amount of external conflict to keep a reader engaged and fascinated. I had an awesome time reading this novel and have no problem recommending it to other romance readers. The story is that good."

Most of you realize I'm known for writing with the bedroom door wide open, if the characters even make it to the bedroom. To me, this is real life. I'd wanted to try a bit of Domination and submission, or D/s in my story. So I did. I didn't go into it heavily. I approached it more philosophically and with strong doses of humor. Most readers liked it. A few reviewers said they didn't. Such is life.

This was also a book that was never edited. I emailed it to my editor at HarperImpulse and she sent it on through the pipeline. Two weeks before release, I was frantic waiting for my edits to arrive, so I emailed her. "Where are my edits?"

"Your books are always so lovely, I didn't feel the need to edit, I just sent it on through." GASP! Lovely? Nothing I write is lovely or grammatically correct or plot hole free. Dear Lord, help me, I'm going to have an unedited book floating around out there. The final book of the series was never edited either! *bangs head on desk*

All that aside, I got an email from LASR on June 30th. For the Love of a Fireman  is up for Erotic Book of the Month. Erotic! But I don't write erotic! All I did was sprinkle in some references to Domination and submission. Okay, so they may have been some hot sprinkles, but we don't need to go there.

Won't I be pleased as punch to promote the upcoming vote? The winner of Erotic Book of the Month will be announced tomorrow. Honestly, I don't know how I get myself into these messes. I'm not fit to be left alone.

Take the past couple of weeks, for example. My editor at Random House and I have been going round and round about a single title she wants me to write based on Calvin's and my experience traveling home from our granddaughter's wedding. Our flight was delayed, then changed to another gate in a difference concourse, and finally cancelled. My mind got to working...two strangers in an airport, eager to get home...their flight gets cancelled...they start talking...and then. By the time Calvin and I got to our hotel room provided by the airline, I'd had chapter one roughed out in my mind. Chapter two was formed by the time I'd showered and collapsed between the sheets. The story was flowing out. A great sign, right?

I sent my editor the first three chapters. She "said" she loved it and passed it onto her boss who said she had some concerns. My over-the-top descriptions, for one. My humor, secondly. My use of polysyllabic words. Couldn't I "dummy it down"?

My humor and over-the-top descriptions are part of my voice. As for using polysyllabic words, how many times have we all looked up a word in the dictionary? Our vocabulary levels are enriched by the experience. But I know not all readers have a dictionary, much less one nearby or on their eReaders.

So I toned down my descriptions. I removed most of my humor. I used simple sentences, avoiding compound and complex ones. I used words I felt everyone should know. I sent the dummied version back.

It was returned.

They didn't like my title. No problem. I've had nearly every title I've chosen changed. It's not my strong suit. I accept that. They didn't like my characters' names down to the dentist the heroine worked for and told me what to use. I could feel my undies bunch and twist. Choosing names does not come easily for an author. My description of the heroine's hair frizzing like Marge Simpson's had to go. I loved the visual. I still had too much humor. Then they changed my plot. Grrrr! They wanted the abusive ex-boyfriend to approach the heroine, give his smarmy apologies and promises, and for her to vacillate between the hero, who's treated her well and the jerk. I couldn't see writing about a smart, sassy woman for three-fourths of the book only to have her turn into an easily conflicted, indecisive woman. Surely the reader wouldn't buy it.

I was livid.

I wrote an email stating what I would change and what I wouldn't. I told them what my characters' names would be AND my plotline. I left it percolate for two days, taking a little of the venom out each day. Meanwhile, the publisher had evidently put the book on their release calendar. I sent a calmer version of my original email. My editor replied that all was good, giving me the date I'd need to have the manuscript to her and it's release date. "Oh," she wrote, "Make sure it's erotic."

Erotic Dead Faint

For the Love of a Fireman is on sale for .99 -- https://amzn.com/B00PV4YCXG

The Amazing, Ever-Expanding Spectrum of Genres by Rolynn Anderson

I thought I was a limber writer, moving among the suspense, mystery and thriller genres, usually setting my novels in modern times.   Some of my stories come with a touch of paranormal, so pedestrian and not far-fetched, I call them ‘normal paranormal.’   I always thought I was an eclectic reader as well…until I read the list of plots Carina Press was looking for.  Wow!  I’m amazed at what the readers are craving…and how inept I’d be at writing most of the following ‘types’ of books! 

So I ask you, which of the following genres (quoted directly from Carina Press) would you read, and how many could/would you write?

“Although we (Carina Press) remain open to all submissions that meet our guidelines, we’re looking to acquire full- and novella-length manuscripts in these 6 subgenres in particular. This call is open-ended; there’s no closing date or submission deadline:

1.       Paranormals and urban fantasy: Other publishers are saying no to paranormals—not us! While we’ll consider manuscripts across the genre, here are some things we’re seeking in particular: great sexual tension, high heat levels, male/male protagonists, series featuring shifters, unique twist on old paranormal tropes and elements, band of brother/alpha heroes, paranormal with suspense elements, and stories that delve into clan politics.

2.       Male/male romance: Though we acquire across LGBTQ, we have the most success with male/male. Right now we’re especially interested in paranormal, sexy contemporary/erotic, stepbrother romance, romances that tackle unlikely pairings or more “taboo” subjects, suspense/mystery, and scifi/fantasy series.

3.       Sexy sci fi romance: We’re looking for the fun, the unusual, the sexy, the silly, and even the over-the-top. Maybe the hero or heroine is an alien—a true alien. Or maybe it’s set on different worlds, has a Firefly-esque space opera feel, or features space pirates or space cowboys.

4.       Erotic romance: We’d like to sign someone who can write a series that’s extremely erotic (maybe even filthy). We’d love to see ménage or more, BDSM that’s not set in a club, darker erotic romance and…there’s that word taboo again.

5.       Capers, heists, jewel thieves, etc. Books, characters and setups that are sexy and possibly cross-genre. You could have an anti-hero (or heroine), or maybe hero/heroine are on opposite sides, or maybe they’re both thieves, moving from friends to lovers. Give us fast-paced adventure and a fun duo facing off or teaming up!

6.       Cowboys and contemporary westerns. We’re looking to add to our list! There are so many possibilities here— give it a unique twist, make it a foreign locale. Or it can be high tension, high stakes American-set contemporary cowboy romance.”

As you ponder what you’d read and/or write from the list above, here’s my latest novel, FEAR LAND, a romantic suspense, slightly paranormal ;-)...and finalist for a Rone Award.  Yippee!  

http://amzn.com/B012JE75ES

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/587797

http://rolynnanderson.com

“Rolynn Anderson’s writing is tight and stays on point, always following the plot through

to the nail-biting climax.” –Melissa Snark

FEAR LAND

Tally hates to hear rants from people’s brains.  What does she do when those mind-screams threaten the man she loves?

****

Tally Rosella, an acclaimed psychiatrist who helps children fraught with anxiety, avoids adults because their brains rant at her.  But the chance to start a second child study and connect her findings to PTSD, sets her squarely among devious colleagues at a big California university.

Army Major Cole Messer, Tally’s new neighbor, won’t admit that trauma from combat tours in Afghanistan, destroyed his marriage and hampered his ability to lead.  As a teacher of college ROTC and single parent, he’s focused on enrolling his highly anxious son in Tally’s study and getting back to active duty.

Someone is dead set against Tally’s presence at the university, and blowback from her battles with co-workers put Cole and his son in jeopardy.  Watch what happens when people struggling with shades of anxiety collide with corrupt, revengeful foes.

HOT OR COLD? Phew! It Can Be So Confusing!

 

When it comes to sensuality ratings in books, the hot or cold designations have always confused me.

 I’ve read wonderfully sensual passages where the couple reached the bedroom door and then..well, the rest was left to the readers’ (often very fertile) imaginations.

And I’ve read scenes where the writer has tried so hard to be outrageously hot that the love scene reads more like a sex ed manual.

And then there’s the totally I’ll-write-erotic-or-die scenes where I’ve wound up giggling in amazement and thinking, gee, that would be physically impossible unless you were eight feet tall and built like an Orangutan.

And who but another Orangutan would find that kind of sexy description hot?

Yep, in my humble opinion, writing really hot and sexy scenes that make the reader all hot and bothered is an art form and is done well only by really exceptional writers who have a knack for it. These scenes are usually highly emotionally charged as well as very physically hot.

I write romantic suspense, so the sexy hot and the murderously hot have to balance. It's also a mistake to try to forcer oneself to write hot - at least, it never works for me. Possibly because when I get to a certain point where it’s obvious I’m trying too hard to get  erotic - I’ll read it to my DH and we both fall about laughing.

My books usually have a couple of sensual scenes in them, but also a lot of banter between the hero and heroine which is both funny and sexy. I’ve been amazed when a couple of reviewers have described my heroines as bitchy, when they’ve actually been showing irritation or standing up for themselves with an Alpha male who’d swamp them if they didn’t. I wonder if these reviewers think women should always be meek and submissive and hide their true feelings?

Still, I’ve always considered my books to be in the ‘mild’ rather than ‘hot’ category, and I’ve often wondered if I should make them hotter. I’ve been surprised when publishers have put them in the ‘sensual’ category. And even more so with reader response. Here’s a few of the reader comments I’ve got:

“Phew – that book is sooooo hot!” Reader fanning herself with said book.

“Gee, I didn’t know sex could be like that!” Uhmmm, wistful reader….

“I marked the sexy parts in yellow highlighter to read to my partner.” What could I say to that?

"Hey, if you ever want help with the research, you know where to find me." Yeah, and I know where to find your wife, as well.

And the all-time most embarrassing of all? “I just loved the sex in that book. Do you think your husband would give mine some tips?” Okay, my poor DH is still squirming from that one, spoken loudly at a party.

Going sort of off-topic: when I was a kid, I used to watch old war movies with my dad. (Yes, I was a Daddy’s Girl). One of them involved a battleship slowly sinking in the freezing cold Atlantic. The Captain talks to the crew about abandoning ship. “We can either wait and hope we get rescued before she blows up, or we can take to the life boats. Would you rather freeze or fry?”

Freeze or fry. Be cool or hot. It’s a question I’ve wrestled with ever since.

Maybe I’ll solve it in the next book.

I'd love to hear comments about how other people feel on the hot/cool/cold issue! To get an idea of how I'm coping with the 'heat', click here to read the first chapters of  some of my books. :-)