Inspired to Change History

A young woman sits alone by the side of the road. She’s very nervous, frightened, actually. Tomorrow is her wedding day. But that’s not why she’s scared. She's scared because she's waiting for a stranger to assault her.

Like all writers, I read a lot. I come across these little factoids that surprise me or intrigue me or, in this case, sadden me. And that’s where the inspiration for my stories comes from. Like most romance readers, I like my happy ending. So I took this sad fact and started the ‘what if’ game. So that I could twist this upsetting practice and give it a happy ending.

That’s how my story The Star Necklace was born.

The fact I read was about an ancient culture (somewhere around Greece). Their practice was this: On the night before her wedding, every woman would have to sit at a certain point on the road. The first man who chanced upon her (a stranger, according to the article) got to take her virginity. And then, he’d make a “donation” to the local temple, presumably in thanks for this good fortune.

My first thought on reading this terrible practice was for the poor women. What did they think about this custom? History will never tell. (It’s not told by the victims, is it?)

My second thought was, what an innovative money-making scheme! (Let’s not call it forced prostitution.) Anyway, I immediately started writing a story which turned into The Star Necklace, which has been sold (not published yet). Oddly enough, it’s a futuristic, not an historical. Though I made sure my heroine was not a helpless victim, and she does get her happy ending (luckily, a fabulous hero chances upon her), it still bothered me that she had to do the side of the road thing.

So I started a second story, a contemporary called Scarlet and the Sheriff, currently available at eRedSage. Scarlet is no one’s victim and I designed her to be able to enjoy and even flaunt her sexuality on her own terms. She served as a counterpoint to the helpless women I envisioned when I thought of that ancient custom (which, by the way, I don't think was widespread). I did find Scarlet easier to write since it didn’t hinge on such a troublesome practice.

These are two very different stories, but both started with the germ of one idea. I find that I get most of my inspiration from the constant reading I do.

I will raise a glass to my mother on Mother’s Day for raising me to understand injustice, and to look beyond the surface of things to figure out why something might be wrong, even if it seems okay because it’s our custom.

Of all the things your mother taught you, what resonates still?

Introducing Fierce New Member Carly Carson

Here at Fierce Romance, we're happy to be adding another new member to our group, Carly Carson!

Welcome, Carly!! Please tell us about yourself and your story.

Carly: “Writing is like dancing. You’re never really ready, but at some point, it’s just your turn.”

I am paraphrasing a guy from Dancing with the Stars. But his words express a truth that has made a difference in my writing career. I don’t mean if you just sit around and wait, your turn will come. But if you’ve worked hard, and written a story that you think represents your best work, then you must get up on the stage. You must send it out – to a contest, an agent or editor, send it somewhere! That’s how you get in the game. That’s how I got my first story published. It’s called Scarlet and the Sheriff and here’s the blurb:

Fleeing a cheating fiancé, Scarlet breaks down on the Fourth of July in a sultry Southern town where the Sheriff is even hotter than the firecrackers. With no car and no money, she finds teasing the Sheriff a fun way to pass the time. Unfortunately, the Sheriff holds all the cards when he receives the warrants for her arrest issued by her ex. Now Scarlet has to dance to his tune – and the only song he wants to sing is about hot sex.

Click here for an excerpt and reviews!

Carly's advice to unpublished authors: Once you’ve sent your query or story out and gotten a contract for publishing, is it time to climb off the stage and relax? Nope, no way. It’s time to get on another stage. Now you have to think about promoting your work. This brings me to what I wish I had known before publication, and what is my most important piece of advice for writers. Get your domain name now. Not very sexy advice, I know. But if you want to be successful, recognize that this is a business. Enjoy the creative writing part. But don’t lose sight of the mundane business part.

Decide what name you wish to be published under. Do a bit of research. Make sure your name is not already in use by someone else, it’s not a serial killer, etc. Establish it wherever you think you might need it (with an email account, on Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, etc.) Domain names cost $10/year and are available at GoDaddy, Register.com and other places. A word of warning, however: Do not google your intended name all over the place. There are firms who will scoop up a name that appears frequently on the major search engines and then offer to sell it to you – even if it’s your own legal name - for money that you don’t want to spend. (This is their business! Don’t build your own trap.) Doing this work to establish a name early on will save aggravation later. Then start thinking about your website.

What am I working on now? I have an offer on a completed futuristic. I’m working on another contemporary that’s been requested. Finally, I’m pitching a romantic suspense at a writing conference this weekend. All I need are more hours in the day!

You may have noticed there’s more than one romance genre hiding in that list. I don’t recommend doing it that way, because it seems better to build a name in one genre before maybe moving on to another. My hopscotching is partly a result of contest wins and partly because I like different genres. At least they are all romances and I try to be grateful for that! I will always write romances because I love building that relationship between the hero and the heroine.

If you feel like responding to a mini-survey, please tell me this: What forms of promotion entice you to buy a book? Recommendation of friend, cover, blurb on back of book, a review, have read and liked the author previously, read about it online. Something else? Those who comment will be entered to win an ebook download of Scarlet and the Sheriff.

Thanks so much for having me. I’m thrilled to be joining the group!

Nicole: And we're thrilled to have you join us, Carly! Congratulations on your latest sale!

Scarlet and the Sheriff by Carly Carson

Today I've invited fellow Red Sage author Carly Carson to tell us about her first published book Scarlet and the Sheriff.

Nicole North: Welcome, Carly! I'm so glad you're here with us! Please tell us about yourself.

Carly Carson: Like most writers, I’ve always wanted to write. I have an MBA in Finance, which may not be the most expected detour along the way, but it helped to pay the rent. Now, my husband travels the globe while I take care of our three perfect, well-behaved…uh, hellions…(they are lovable!) and sit at my computer. He cannot fathom how I can spend all day in the house, lol, but he is a fabulous cheerleader.

Nicole: Please tell us about your latest release, Scarlet and the Sheriff. (By the way, what a beautiful cover!!)

Fleeing a cheating fiancé, Scarlet breaks down on the Fourth of July in a sultry Southern town where the Sheriff is even hotter than the firecrackers. With no car and no money, she finds teasing the Sheriff a fun way to pass the time. Unfortunately, the Sheriff holds all the cards when he receives the warrants for her arrest issued by her vengeful ex. Now Scarlet has to dance to his tune – and the only song he wants to sing is about hot sex.

Nicole: Oooh sounds hot!!! Is this your first book? Can you tell us how this sale came about?

Carly: This is my first finished book and was sold as a result of my first query. Sounds easy? Not. I spent years studying the craft and writing stories, etc. until I felt I had something worth submitting. And still, the sale was an exciting surprise.

Nicole: Absolutely! What was your favorite element in this story?

Carly: Definitely the heroine – her ability to bounce back after every setback - and her naughty sexuality.

Nicole: And which element did you find most difficult?

Carly: The ending is always hard for me because I don’t want to leave my characters – and this is probably why I have a long novella.

Nicole: I know what you mean. Leaving those characters is hard. Do you have any advice for unpublished authors?

Carly: Study the craft of writing and then practice your writing with a purpose. Practice everything you learn. It’s not just telling a story, but crafting a story.
Nicole: So true! What’s next for you?

Carly: I’ve almost finished a full-length novel which I intend to submit to agents and I have a futuristic under consideration with Red Sage.
Nicole: I wish you the best of luck with those projects! Would you like to ask blog readers a question?

Carly: What is your favorite type of hero? Historical (Regency, Highlander, American Western)? Contemporary (Military/cop, Tycoon, Family man)? Otherworldly (Vampire, Wizard, Elves)?

Nicole: Excellent question! To learn more about Carly's book, to read a sexy excerpt or buy a copy: Scarlet and the Sheriff