Hi all,
It’s great to be back on the Blaze authors’ blog!
In addition to my usual work, I’m currently reading a book on screenwriting called Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder. Every year the editors at Harlequin read and discuss books that help us develop our skills and broaden our understanding of story structure and creation. I love those “ah” moments when I’m reading one of these books and I suddenly realize why something in one of my current projects isn’t 
working. Don’t worry, I also have those moments when I understand why something IS working. 
One of the first things Snyder says is that the hero has to be likeable. Of course this applies to both the hero and the heroine in a romance novel. And how do you make a hero likeable when he does some pretty nasty things (not that our Blaze heroes would do nasty things)? According to Snyder, we need to put in a “save the cat” scene where “the hero does something—like saving a cat—that defines who he is and makes us, the audience, like him.”
I couldn’t help applying this to a TV show that I enjoy despite myself—The Vampire Diaries. One of the most interesting characters is the hero’s brother, Damon. Stephen, the hero, and Damon are both very hot, Blaze-worthy hunks, but Stephen has given up drinking human blood and is a “good” vampire who only wants to protect people. Damon is his “evil” counterpart. Damon is a total bad boy, but somehow 
the writers have made us care about him as well as lust after him. And they’ve done this by throwing in some “save the cat” moments. For instance, in the last episode I saw, Damon fought a houseful of vampires to save his brother.
I think it’s the belief that this character may be redeemable that keeps us interested. But is that what we really want? If he is redeemed and becomes like his brother, Stephen, will we lose interest? What do you think?
I also wondered if you could give me a bit of insight. I’ve been asked to say a few words when I go with Brenda for a discussion and Q&A at the Toronto RWA chapter. If you were in the audience, what would you want me to talk about? What would you find most interesting and helpful?
Thanks in advance!
Laura
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I’ve caught a few episodes of Vampire Diaries since it began and I gotta say… Stefen doesn’t do a thing for me. I know he’s the hero and trying to be all “good” but as the story unfolded and you learned what he did and how it affected Damon, I started rooting for Damon. LOL. That’s totally not to say Damon is a “good guy.” He totally has that evil bad boy street, but dang you want to see him redeemed. Not to the point he’s a Stefan, but still. Redeemed enough. I’m such a sucker for those Bad Boys.
As for Q&A discussion topics, I think good topics could include how to build a novel’s opening and closing to be reflective/full circle with each other, how to build a sense of intimacy into sex scenes so it’s clearly not “just sex,” and something to explain and illustrate how the core idea of a character (say that bad boy or that free-spirited heroine) can be translated to the page via symbolism and/or details. I don’t mean, like, physical description, but in selecting everything from the type of home they have to the car they drive, to the colors you surround the character with, to word choice for movement, etc. All those things, of course, can be used as great tools and even subliminal messengers for the character’s journey and change. Some of us do it instinctive and subconsciously, but it might be neat to see how you can consciously make such choices for effect. Hopefully that last one made sense and was along the lines of what you were looking for.
Julie
Q&A – I would love to know when, please not if, BLAZE will make the decision to allow authors to query and send partials via email.
Lisa
I think you should talk about how hard it is to keep us all in line.
I know I definitely couldn’t manage without you.
Brenda
I definitely think our love of bad boys has something to do with the belief that we can ‘fix’ them. We can be the one and only reason why they turn good. I mean, you’ve got to have a pretty dang glittery hoo-ha in order to turn a bad boy good. It’s not only the challenge but it says something about our strength.
There’s always the usual what’s going on with the line stuff that I enjoy hearing about. But before I was published what I really liked was hearing what people were doing wrong…so I could hopefully fix those problems in my own writing before anyone else saw it.
Kira,
Your reference to one needing a dang glittery hoo-ha to turn a bad boy good had me ROTFLMAO. Loved it.
Q&A – I’d ask, if an editor has told you she likes your writing voice and would be happy to see anything else you write, if it’s okay to write requested material on a submission?
Hey, Lisa.
Sounds as if you’ve had some really nice feedback from an editor. That’s fantastic! I think you could mention that in your query letter, but save the “requested material” notification for manuscripts that have been specifically requested.
Look, Kira, get your dang glittery hoo-ha right here! Vajazzling! http://www.completelybare.com/brazilian-bikini-wax.php
Hi Laura
I do love those bad boys!!! Maybe its because you just know bad boys now how to do ‘stuff’ that good boys don’t LOL.
Q&A – I’d love to know what new things are going on for Blaze. I’d also want to ask what you look for in a submission- what makes it stand out?
Oh, I do like Brenda’s question, too
How DO you keep us all in line?
Thanks for the great comments!
Julie, I think you need to come and give the talk for me–you seem to gave great insight. (Y)
Lisa, the e-mail thing is not Blaze-specific. I know many writers would like to submit electronically, and we’re definitely moving towards more of a paper-free process in general. But when we will move to electronic slush is a mystery to me, as well.
Kira, your comment about the glittery hoo-ha just about made me fall off my chair.
As for keeping people in line, it’s a finely balanced combination of nagging and cheerleading.
Here’s what I’d like to know about Blaze and Harlequin:
Apart from the levels of sensuality, how does Blaze stand apart from the other passion-driven series like Desire and Presents?
Do Blaze heroes and heroines have to fit a certain archetype i.e. Contemporary, strong, sensual beings? Or is the line open to a wider range of characters?
When will we see GBLT heroes and heroines and relationships in Harlequin series? Do you think Blaze could be a platform for that subgenre?
Hey, Vicki!
Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll think about that and hopefully have a decent answer for you by day of the meeting. One way that Blaze stands apart from Desire and Presents–off the top of my head–is by having stronger heroines and heroes who are totally hot, but not such alpha-males.
The GBLT question is one I’ve wondered about for some time, as well.
Hi Laura, I love bad boys or those heroes that toe the line, so to speak. I think that redeemable quality in them as well as the idea of them crossing the line into the badlands is what makes me fall for them. These types of characters demonstrate that people are not all perfect and good. They also show that there are people out there who are “bad” because of what hand they were dealt, and they are playing them the best way they know how.
In regards to Damon, I think that if he does get redeemed, that latent badness in him will still be there, and the potential for it to resurface is what would make him an even better character to watch and love.
I am not sure what to ask.
Peace and love,
Paula R.
Thanks for your comments, Paula. I like your suggestion regarding Damon. I bet we’ll see something like that happen as the show develops. And I wonder if Stephen will slip a little now that he’s had a taste of human blood. It seemed as if they were hinting at that in the last episode I saw.
Hey Laura!!
I just wanted to say hi and give you thank you smooches for always being so helpful in times of crisis!!
LOVE your “save the cat” example and how it makes a tough concept easy to understand.
As for questions–urk. Sorry, I’m blank from too much plotting!! (H)
Hey, Laura Marie!
Thanks for checking out my post and for being a sweetheart. I’m glad you liked the “save the cat” example. Snyder’s book was really interesting–I learned a lot, and it was a fun, easy read. He’s great at simplifying.
Can’t wait to meet you at RWA nationals!
Laura
Vampire Diaries–Redeeming Damon would be the equivalent of the H/H saying I love you two pages from the end of the book. THE END, basically. Keep him a bad boy. It’s what keeps us coming back for more!!
Q&A–I would love to learn more about Blaze Historicals. After mentioning how much I loved Joanne Rock’s THE CAPTIVE on my goals loop, many folks were surprised that the line (??) even existed. I definitely think you’re onto something there.
Thanks!
Thanks for your comments, Tracey.
I don’t think Damon will ever be completely good–I hope not! The show would be pretty dull without his bad-boy self.
I’ll definitely keep your question about Blaze Historicals in mind for the discussion. Glad you loved THE CAPTIVE!