Hi everyone. Today I’m hosting Velda Brotherton on
Romancing the Novelist.
Christine, thanks so much for inviting me to be a
guest on your blog.
Velda, what
draws you as a reader to the romance genre?
Probably what appears to draw most readers. The
ideal man who knows how to please a
woman. What woman doesn't dream of that? Then, of course, the happy endings.
We know we're not going to be hit by something dreadful like the hero or heroine dying or
being unhappy when all is said and done. Funny, I once had a man complain that he could
never live up to the heroes in romances. On the other hand, I've had a lot of male readers.
Maybe because I write hard-hitting Westerns, I don't know.
woman. What woman doesn't dream of that? Then, of course, the happy endings.
We know we're not going to be hit by something dreadful like the hero or heroine dying or
being unhappy when all is said and done. Funny, I once had a man complain that he could
never live up to the heroes in romances. On the other hand, I've had a lot of male readers.
Maybe because I write hard-hitting Westerns, I don't know.
I’m so
glad to hear you have lots of male readers. What’s the most difficult part of
writing
a love story?
a love story?
When I first learned that my Western would sell if
I turned it into a romance, I told my daughter
that I simply couldn't imagine writing the intimate and sensual love scenes. She gave me this advice.
Turn down the lights, put on a sexy negligee, hang up a photo of Tom Selleck
(this was back in the 90s when he was playing Thomas Magnum) light a candle and it would
come. It worked, but I had one result I hadn't imagined. We used printers then that produced
the continuous paper and I accidentally set my manuscript on fire when I printed out the
chapter. As the pages rolled out I didn't notice them touching the still-lit candle.
that I simply couldn't imagine writing the intimate and sensual love scenes. She gave me this advice.
Turn down the lights, put on a sexy negligee, hang up a photo of Tom Selleck
(this was back in the 90s when he was playing Thomas Magnum) light a candle and it would
come. It worked, but I had one result I hadn't imagined. We used printers then that produced
the continuous paper and I accidentally set my manuscript on fire when I printed out the
chapter. As the pages rolled out I didn't notice them touching the still-lit candle.
Glad you
caught that fire before it got out of hand. By the way, is creating a book
title easy
for you?
for you?
No, it's harder than writing the book.
I’ve
heard that from other writers. Tell us about the process.
I first try to find a paragraph or grouping of
words in the story itself. Then I fill pages of
possibilities from those words. Once in a while I get lucky and something comes out of the
story itself. When it doesn't I'm in trouble. Publishers often don't want to use the first title
and ask that we think up a few more, adding to the difficulty. I've even done such things
as reading poetry looking for a likely title. Once I titled a book after a song title.
I knew the songwriter and we talked about it. The book, Fly With the Mourning Dove,
went on to be a finalist in the WILLA Literary Awards. The full title of the song was
Fly With the Mourning Dove, Fly With the Angels. I played it a lot while I wrote the book.
I also collect phrases I think would make a good book title. It's a difficult process.
possibilities from those words. Once in a while I get lucky and something comes out of the
story itself. When it doesn't I'm in trouble. Publishers often don't want to use the first title
and ask that we think up a few more, adding to the difficulty. I've even done such things
as reading poetry looking for a likely title. Once I titled a book after a song title.
I knew the songwriter and we talked about it. The book, Fly With the Mourning Dove,
went on to be a finalist in the WILLA Literary Awards. The full title of the song was
Fly With the Mourning Dove, Fly With the Angels. I played it a lot while I wrote the book.
I also collect phrases I think would make a good book title. It's a difficult process.
Those are
some great ideas, Velda. Do your characters love the direction you take for
them or do they have other ideas?
them or do they have other ideas?
Sometimes they get so stubborn, I'll finally let
them have their way wondering why they're
doing something. It usually turns out for the best, though, occasionally I have to rein them in.
I've been told this is a writer's subconscious, guided by what we know, think, feel. But I'm
not so sure. My characters become so real they have a subconscious of their own as well
as free will.
doing something. It usually turns out for the best, though, occasionally I have to rein them in.
I've been told this is a writer's subconscious, guided by what we know, think, feel. But I'm
not so sure. My characters become so real they have a subconscious of their own as well
as free will.
Any tips
for writers that you'd love to share?
Yes, enjoy what you do. When you no longer enjoy
writing, then do something else because
your displeasure will show in your writing. This is a tough business and often we are
disappointed in the results. It's the process of writing that gives us our main enjoyment.
And share with other writers, spend time with them. They're the only ones who truly
understand what you're going through. Ever notice how non-writer's eyes glaze over
when you start talking about your writing?
your displeasure will show in your writing. This is a tough business and often we are
disappointed in the results. It's the process of writing that gives us our main enjoyment.
And share with other writers, spend time with them. They're the only ones who truly
understand what you're going through. Ever notice how non-writer's eyes glaze over
when you start talking about your writing?
Good
advice. I enjoy sharing with fellow writers. Tell us about your next book.
I just finished a novella based on the life of the
legendary Rose of Cimarron,
which I plan to publish to Kindle. No title as yet.
which I plan to publish to Kindle. No title as yet.
My next book is the second in The Victorian series,
which will go to The Wild Rose Press.
Working title is Rowena's Lord. In the first book, Rowena fell in love with her sister Wilda's
intended husband Lord Blair Prescott. With her sister out of the picture (read Wilda's Outlaw
to learn what happened) Rowena sets about trying to win him over. Suffering from his time on
the battlefield, Blair drinks too much and has nightmares. What today we call PTSD.
Rowena has her work cut out for her, but she's strong and resilient and madly in love
with Blair. The book is set in Kansas in 1879, when the English settled Victoria and
built castles in an effort to continue to live their Victorian life in the Wild West.
Working title is Rowena's Lord. In the first book, Rowena fell in love with her sister Wilda's
intended husband Lord Blair Prescott. With her sister out of the picture (read Wilda's Outlaw
to learn what happened) Rowena sets about trying to win him over. Suffering from his time on
the battlefield, Blair drinks too much and has nightmares. What today we call PTSD.
Rowena has her work cut out for her, but she's strong and resilient and madly in love
with Blair. The book is set in Kansas in 1879, when the English settled Victoria and
built castles in an effort to continue to live their Victorian life in the Wild West.
Here's a blurb from Wilda's Outlaw: The Victorians
Calder Raines and his outlaw gang may be more than Wilda
bargained for.
All she wanted was to escape an unwanted
marriage, now she finds herself in the arms of a tantalizing
man whose warm kisses arouse a storm of forbidden desires.
Calder never wanted to rob banks, but it's a family tradition.
When he embraces the alluring redhead, passion conquers
good sense and he imagines a life he cannot have.
He vows to return her to the Lord's castle before she gets hurt.
All she wanted was to escape an unwanted
marriage, now she finds herself in the arms of a tantalizing
man whose warm kisses arouse a storm of forbidden desires.
Calder never wanted to rob banks, but it's a family tradition.
When he embraces the alluring redhead, passion conquers
good sense and he imagines a life he cannot have.
He vows to return her to the Lord's castle before she gets hurt.
