Live to Love on the Edge Blog

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Sexual Tension and a Poll on LOST

I’m going to spill a deep dark secret – I’m obsessive, especially about good writing which explains in part my interest in All Things Buffy.  Buffy probably had some of the best writing ever on television and with it gone, I’ve experienced a profound television viewing void.  Of course, I’m filling that void with programs like House, Veronica Mars, Supernatural and another cult favorite – LOST.

On the topic of LOST, somehow television executives have decided that we should go for weeks on end with no new shows, a phenomenon I can’t understand and a sure fire way to lose viewers in my humble opinion.  So, since we will apparently face weeks without a new show shortly–  and since I’m obsessive remember – what better way to pass the time than to conduct a scientific study on sexual tension on LOST!! How you ask?  We’ll I’ve set up a poll at my Newsletter/Contest loop and I’m asking you to vote on the question of:

Who would you like to see together on Lost?

Kate and Jack

Kate and Sawyer

Because I understand obsession, I’ve also added a few long shots like:

Kate and Locke

Kate and Hurley

and of course, Kate and Juliet for all of you into Slash Fiction out there.

If you’d like to offer your comments on the poll and/or the choices, please post them here!

Here’s a link to the Poll Blog:

Kate/Sawyer/Jack/Hurley/Locke/Juliet/LOST Poll 

Thanks for all your votes and comments in advance! Caridad

P.S. – For those of you who have visited the blog, you can also click on the link for Naughty Nibbles and see just how far my Buffy obsession goes!   

 

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

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My Buffy Obsession

So if you’ve read the blog, you know I’ve got a Buffy Obsession.  How bad?  My husband joked that if I was the victim in a Law and Order Ripped from the Headlines story, Lennie Brisco would walk into my office, walk out and say to his partner “You gotta see this!”

So, here’s a photo from an Edison-Metuchen Sentinel article a few years back.  This is just a small section of my office.  In addition to what you see, I’ve got a collection of action figures, skateboard and even props from the show!

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Realms of Fantasy

I can’t tell you how excited I am about all the promotions that are going on for Harlequin’s new Nocturne line!

Look for the December issue of Realms of Fantasy magazine which has a free Nocturne sampler containing my short novella DESIRE CALLS which will be a free electronic read on eharlequin.com in April. In January, this magazine will have an interview with me about THE CALLING Vampire series.

Also check out the Realms of Fantasy Community Forum where I’ve posted some information about DESIRE CALLS! Come join me and ask some questions about this novella, my December release, Death Calls (Nocturne), or any of the other books in THE CALLING vampire series.

I was recently featured in the Detroit Free Press and here’s a link to the article:
PAGING ALL MONSTERS

Check out the cover of my January release, Devotion Calls (Nocturne). I’ve given you a change of pace since the blood-sucking demon in this book is a chupacabra! The hero, Ricardo Fernandez, is a psychic healer who is posing as a Santero in Spanish Harlem.

Thanks for all your support!
Caridad

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An America Encounter

I’m so excited to see how well UGLY BETTY is doing.

Plus, I love America Ferreira! She was great in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and my family had the opportunity of seeing her off-off Broadway in a show called DOG SEES GOD. The show also had Eliza Dushku (Faith from Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Eddie Kaye Thomas (of American Pie fame and now on ‘Til Death on Fox) and Ian Somerholder (Boone from LOST).

We waited at the stage door to meet the stars of the show. Somerholder completely ignored his fans which totally disappointed my daughter. He ran out without stopping for pictures or autographs, but not America and Eddie Kaye Thomas.

Even though it was freezing, they both signed autographs, talked to the fans and posed for pictures. Here’s a cute one with America pre-Ugly Betty! Thanks for being so gracious, America!

America Ferreira - Ugly Better

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Mix One Part Mystery, One Part Action and How Many Parts Passion?

This Article was first published in August 2006 in the New Jersey Romance Writers Heartline Herald:

Mystery.  Action.  Passion.  These are the integral elements of the romance subgenre titled Romantic Suspense.  In the 2005 Romance Writers of America Market survey, “Mystery, Action and Thriller” were plot elements that nearly 48% of readers indicated that they enjoyed, a testament to the enduring appeal of the Romantic Suspense subgenre. According to industry statistics gathered by RWA, nearly 29.6% of popular fiction sales were for Mystery/Detective/Suspense novels.

But just how many parts of each of these elements do you need in order for a novel to be considered Romantic Suspense and not just a mystery, thriller or romance?

A balance of romance and mystery is key to creating a Romantic Suspense because readers of this subgenre expect two key things:  1) that there is some mystery that will need to be solved; and 2) that the protagonists will eventually fall in love.  With today’s trends toward stronger, more independent heroines, expect that many Romantic Suspenses may also have a fair share of action as part of the mystery subplot.  In addition, with the growing popularity of paranormals, you may also find paranormal elements creeping into Romantic Suspense.  For example, my first vampire novel, DARKNESS CALLS, was crafted to be predominantly a Romantic Suspense with a secondary vampire subplot.

What kinds of novels fit the mold of Romantic Suspense?  Single titles such as  BREAKWATER by Carla Neggers, CLOSE-UP by Virginia Kantra, and COLD TRUTH by Mariah Stewart exemplify the subgenre.  Single title novels generally run from 85,000 to 100,000 words and with the longer length thanks to this word count, both the mystery and romance elements may include secondary characters and plots, but key to having a Romantic Suspense will be the coexistence of both romance and mystery in the storyline and the resolution that Romantic Suspense readers expect, namely, a happily-ever-after for a hero and heroine who have found love along the way to solving the mystery.

Romantic Suspense single titles are being sought by publishers like Avon, Berkley/Jove, Dorchester and Harlequin just to name a few although there are many others (check out http://www.karenafox.com/publishers.htm for addtional information).

Series such as Silhouette Bombshell, Harlequin Intrigue and Silhouette Intimate Moments typify Romantic Suspense category novels.

Silhouette Bombshell personifies the trend toward action-packed novels with larger-than-life kick butt heroines.  Think Alias, Lara Croft and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, all of which contained peril, mystery and of course, romance.  For Bombshell, keep in mind that the guidelines stress that the heroine’s savvy, sexiness and strength will help her get herself and others out of difficult situations and provide a thrill-ride for the reader.  The novels, however, “also contain an exciting romance subplot, and, in the end, the heroine always gets her man!”  The Bombshell word count is from 70,000 to 75,000.

So if Bombshell is one part mystery, two parts action and one part romance, how can we categorize Romantic Suspense lines such as Harlequin Intrigue and Silhouette Intimate Moments?

Silhouette Intimate Moments seems to have struggled with its identity in past years, but the rebranding that will begin in October and finish with the line being renamed Silhouette Romantic Suspense in February 2007 makes it clear what this line is all about – action, mystery and romance.  But are Silhouette Intimate Moments one part mystery and two parts romance?  The guidelines available at eharlequin.com make it clear that “(a) strong, compelling romance should dominate the book, but there must be a suspense plot. Silhouette Intimate Moments romances are fueled by the romance and not the suspense.”

The Capturing the Crown Series from Silhouette Intimate Moments is one example of a Romantic Suspense continuity series.  A continuity series is a set of novels written by several different authors, but with a story arc that spans all the novels.  This involves working with a detailed “bible” created by either the publisher or the authors.  The “bible” will detail the elements of each novel as well as the continuing story threads that each author must place in their novels in order to keep the story arc going from one novel to the next.

The Silhouette Intimate Moments/Romantic Suspense word count is from 60,000 to 65,000.

Harlequin Intrigue, on the other hand, clearly places its focus on having two parts peril to one part romance.  As noted in the guidelines at eharlequin.com, “(w)hether a murder mystery, psychological suspense or thriller, the love story must be inextricably bound to the mystery where all loose ends are tied up neatly…and shared dangers lead right to shared passions.”  Kathleen Long’s WHEN A STRANGER CALLS is one example of  the kind of Romantic Suspense in the Harlequin Intrigue line, which has a word count of 60,000 to 65,000.

So what is the perfect recipe for a Romantic Suspense?

Regardless of how many parts action, mystery or thriller you include in your recipe, there’s one element you can’t be without – romance.  It’s the spice providing the essential flavoring to all the other elements in the subgenre known as Romantic Suspense.

Copyright 2006 Caridad Pineiro Scordato

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Catalina Magazine’s Book Clubs and Events

I’ve mentioned that SEX AND THE SOUTH BEACH CHICAS is the October Selection at the Catalina Magazine book club.  I’ve been having a blast all month answering readers’ questions, putting out some questions to them and giving out some fun prizes.

Catalina has also hosted a series of wonderful events as part of its Essence of Latinas National Tour.  I participated at a spa event at the Crescent Court Hotel (gorgeous place) in Dallas in August.  We also just did a gig at the Rittenhouse Hotel (another beautiful luxury hotel) in Philadelphia.

It’s been so rewarding to get a chance to sit and talk to so many new people and not just about the books.  There are some truly inspiring women out there and it’s been a delight to get to meet them.  The events are open to one and all, you just have to visit the site and RSVP with the location where you want to attend (space is limited though, so be sure to do it quickly before the event closes out!)

 

 

 

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Welcome to Guilty Pleasures!

While the romantic suspense and paranormal genres give me plenty of places to kick butt, I wanted to be able to craft books where women kicked butt in real life situations, like the work place and home.  And of course, with men.  My first women’s fiction book, SEX AND THE SOUTH BEACH CHICAS, let me do that by examining what happens with a life-long friendship when one of those friends elopes!

I hope you will join me for discussions here on not just my women’s fiction books, but friends, life challenges and all those things that real women face on a daily basis.

 

 

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