Jenyfer Matthews

Interesting facts about Gone With The Wind:

* The novel won the Pulitzer Prize in 1936.The book sold more than fifty thousand copies in a single day, was a bestseller for two years, and, by 1965, had sold more than 12 million authorized copies.
(from http://www.answers.com/topic/gone-with-the-wind)

* It is the only novel by Margaret Mitchell published during her lifetime, and it took her ten years to write it. The novel is one of the most popular books of all time, selling more than 30 million copies
(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gone_with_the_Wind)

* and it continues to sell 250,000 paperback copies in the United States each year.
(from http://www.answers.com/topic/gone-with-the-wind-novel-6)

* At home all day by herself, Margaret Mitchell occupied much of her time with reading. Regularly, her husband stopped by the library to pick up a book for her. One day, John informed his wife that she had read every book in the library, including the medical journals. Presenting her with a typewriter, he suggested she write her own book.

* Margaret wrote the last chapter of the book first.

* When it went to the publisher, Gone With The Wind had no first chapter.

* Margaret Mitchell first called the Scarlett character “Pansie.”

* The working title to Gone With The Wind was, “Tomorrow Is Another Day,” but another book at that time already had the title.

* Margaret endured much at the hands of her adoring fans. Once, a man from Tennessee appeared at her door, urgently needing to know if Scarlett and Rhett ever got back together again. His wife sent him with orders not to return without an answer for her bridge club!
(from http://www.rvfreewheelin.com/gwtw.htm)

I’m still reading Gone With the Wind, and I admit that I haven’t gotten very far. It’s a LONG book! My edition has 1011 pages. I’ve just passed page 150.

Clearly this is an award winning classic that has been adored by millions of people over the years. It won a Pulitzer for heaven’s sake! I know that when I read it, I’m judging it by more modern writing standards. Still, I can’t help but edit the book in my head (Who do I think I am I anyway?)

I’ve probably been ruined by the fact that I’ve seen the movie a couple of times, but as I’m reading I find myself thinking get on with it already! The action in the first couple of chapters is interrupted by long character sketches of Scarlett’s mother, father, suitors – just about anyone she comes into contact with really. I can only imagine what my own critique partner / editor would say if I tried something like that. “Show, don’t tell!”, “Can’t you introduce this information little by little throughout the story?” and “Information dump!”

Another problem that jumps out at me is the ever shifting point of view (POV) Most of the time it is an omniscient narrator which slips in and out of Scarlett’s head, but there is a paragraph here and there where we’ll suddenly pop into the head of whoever Scarlett is talking to. It might not bother someone who is just reading the story, but as an author, I sometimes find it difficult to ignore the technical aspects of writing. And things like ever shifting POV and excessive backstory really pull me out of the fantasy. I’m all about character development and long books don’t daunt me, nor do classics, but I have yet to lose myself in this story. I’m going to soldier on though. (get it? The Civil War? Soldiers? har har)

Aside from all of the above, Scarlett is a real twit. As I was reading about Gone With the Wind, I saw somewhere that Margaret Mitchell really wrote Melanie as the heroine of the book. She’s a little too insipid for my taste…but then again she’s got almost 1000 pages to improve.

The truth is, it’s always easier to edit someone else’s book than it is to edit your own. Actually, it would be fascinating to get a digital copy of this book and really take it apart and see how it turned out – and how long it would be in the end. Hmmm…

Okay – you caught me, I’m procrastinating again…

I’ve been thinking about music on and off ever since we moved to Egypt – or rather, the lack of it in my life. When I’m writing, I have to have silence, so most of my musical experience was from listening to the radio in the car. Thing is, we don’t have a car anymore.

I’ve mentioned it before, but the radio here in Cairo for western music is really not worth listening to. I have a few CDs I listen to (over and over and over again) while I’m quilting, but that’s usually while the kids are in school. And since my own musical tastes run to rock, alternative, and grunge, once again many of the lyrics are not necessarily child-friendly.

I’m beginning to worry that I’m stunting my children’s growth in popular culture. Thinking back to my own childhood, I can always remember music and even now hearing certain songs will transport me back in time. I can remember sitting in the back of my parent’s giant Chevy Impala (no seatbelt!) and hearing “50 Ways to Leave your Lover” by Paul Simon and “Rhinestone Cowboy” by Glen Campbell on the radio, Olivia Newton John’s “Please Mister Please” brings back memories of summer road trips to see my grandparents, and “Grease (is the word)” was very popular the summer I rode the bus to summercamp.

My own mother would listen to music when she did housework on the weekend. She had a turntable with a very long center stick on which she would put a stack of albums, each dropping down as the last one finished. I listened to what she listened to and as a result I have a vast warehouse of lyrics by Kenny Rodgers, The Oak Ridge Boys, and Tom Jones. I also developed quite a crush on Elvis as a child. I wept buckets when he died.

When I was a little older and had money of my own, I made weekly trip to the local TG&Y to see what 45s singles were on the top ten that week. I had a small turntable in my room and would play one after another, dancing along. (I still have a stack of those in storage, no doubt melted into one big blob by now.) “Whip It”, “Total Eclipse of the Heart”, and “Physical” are a few that I remember buying.

Music today is different, in part because of the digital age. With iPods and iTunes, people don’t necessarily buy albums anymore – they only buy the songs they like. And if they follow the “if you like this, you may also like” that link, they can end up with some fairly eclectic playlists. There was a party for some young teenagers recently where they were using their iPod for the music. Their choices ran from The Who (60s), Van Halen (80s), to Red Hot Chili Peppers (90s), plus a lot of more modern stuff I didn’t recognize. They picked what they liked to hear. The music for them won’t be tied to any point in time for them – other than the point that they chose to download it.

My daughter is going to be eight soon and she still likes The Wiggles. (She doesn’t seem to notice when her more worldly friends roll their eyes at her) Being innocent isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I’m thinking that maybe I need to introduce some more artists into the mix. I don’t want her to be a totally stunted socially. I may have to get on iTunes myself and start their musical education…

Since I can’t really get any writing done when the kids are home raising a ruckus, I decided to make a quilt. My son has been asking me for a new one so I thought now was as good a time as any to make one for him. I had planned to do a blue and yellow pinwheel quilt. I still liked the colors but since I made a double pin wheel for him at Christmas, I decided to try something a little different. This is what I made, from a pattern in Stack a New Deck by Karla Alexander:

Because it sort of reminds me of space and the rings around planets, I was thinking I would quilt it with star shapes. We’ll see how that goes!

My son’s response when he saw it? “I like it, but why couldn’t you have made me one with Ben 10?”

Though author Terry Odell claims to have fallen into writing by accident while writing fan fiction for the Highlander TV series, she’s certainly been taking her work seriously ever since! Terry has numerous romance short stories published by The Wild Rose Press in addition to three romantic suspense novels from Cerridwen Press. Hidden Fire, released May 8th, is a sequel to Finding Sarah.

If writing wasn’t enough, Terry’s also been busy entering contests. Finding Sarah is a second place winner of The Lories, Published Division, Romantic Suspense. What’s in a Name? is a finalist in the prestigious Daphne du Maurier contest, sponsored by the Kiss of Death chapter of RWA. It was also a finalist in the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence contest.

When Danger Calls, is scheduled for release December 2008 from Five Star Expressions.

Terry makes her home in Orlando, Florida. To find out more about Terry visit her website her blog or her Redroom page.

Hidden Fire
Blurb

Returning from a stint as part of a task force on violent crime, Randy Detweiler is eager to reunite with Sarah Tucker in Pine Hills, but she’s having second thoughts about their relationship. Can she deal with a cop who gets called away at a moment’s notice, especially one who won’t talk about his job?

Their reunion is cut short when a body is discovered and rumors fly that it’s the work of a serial killer. To make matters worse, the Town Council might disband their police department, and Randy’s under added pressure to solve the murder before they take action. Forced to work under the radar, Randy struggles to balance work with a shaky relationship.

Sarah can’t cope with apparently meaning less to Randy than his job. Should she force him to choose between his job and the us she envisions for the two of them? All bets are off when Sarah herself becomes a suspect in Randy’s case. Before long, it’s more than their relationship that’s in danger.

From Romance Reviews Today:
HIDDEN FIRE is a fantastic story full of suspense and the delightful ups and downs of relationship negotiations. Readers will find Terry Odell’s book a wonderful escape from the daily grind of life. I found the characters’ insecurities and strengths to be loveably human. I give this book thumbs up for bathtub or beach reading.

When Randy and Sarah Return

True sequels featuring the same hero and heroine aren’t the norm in romance. I thought I’d better check with Randy and Sarah about appearing together again.

“Come in, Sarah,” I say, covering the mouthpiece of the phone with my hand. I motion her to the chairs opposite my desk. “I’ll be with you in a jiffy.”

She smiles, and I detect a hint of nervousness. She takes a seat in the chair closer to the wall, adjusts the collar of her pale blue blouse, then twists the strap of her shoulder bag.

I cut my call short, hang up and stack the array of papers on my desk into a semblance of order, finding a fresh notepad and pen. “Sorry, Sarah. Can I get you something while we wait for Randy? Coffee? Chamomile tea?”

She shakes her head and does more strap-twisting. “I’m fine. I hope this won’t take too long, though. Jennifer has to leave the shop by four today.” She checks her watch.

“Randy should be here shortly. He’s on duty today, right? I’m sure it’s hard for him to get away sometimes.”

Sarah lowers her gaze. “Yes.” Her voice is barely a whisper, but I hear a touch of resentment. Maybe more than a touch. I jot “Conflict” on my notepad, and underneath I write, “Job issues.”

Moments later, Sarah checks her watch again. She frowns. Before the silence becomes uncomfortable, there’s a knock on the door, which opens immediately. Randy Detweiler ambles in, all six-feet-six of him. Unlike Sarah, there’s nothing hesitant about the way he extends his hand, first to me, then to Sarah. He lowers himself into the empty chair. I take him in, still glad I didn’t go with the stereotype ‘drop dead gorgeous’ hero. Tall, lanky, with his hawk-beak nose and the scar through his eyebrow, he’s comfortable with himself as a man, not as a sex object. All cop, all business.

Sarah’s nervousness hasn’t abated. She’s on the pale side, her freckles standing out across her nose and cheeks. I wonder if it’s too soon after the ordeal I put her through to hit her with my new proposal. Too late for that, and she did agree to the meeting, so there’s still hope. However, she’s leaning back in her chair, away from both me and Randy. This might be a harder sell than I thought.

The initial pleasantries dispensed with, I bend forward, resting my hands on my desk. “No point in beating around the bush,” I say. “How do you two feel about a sequel to Finding Sarah?”

“Sounds good to me,” Randy says. He glances in Sarah’s direction. She avoids his eyes. Then he shoves a lock of hair away from his face. “She won’t be kidnapped in this book, will she? I can understand her reluctance to participate if she’s going to have to go through so much trauma again.”

It’s a book. Only trouble is interesting. I don’t voice my thoughts, however. “Of course not. Besides, readers wouldn’t tolerate using the same device in two books.”

“It’s not that.” Sarah twists her purse strap some more. I wonder if I noticed the habit in her earlier interviews or if it’s something she’s picked up from me. “I mean, the first book was a romance, so we’ve already done the basics. First meet, first kiss, the sex, that awful black moment and then we were together. Then, Starting Over was a spinoff with Colleen McDonald’s story. Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to work in romance novels? Wouldn’t another book featuring me and Randy break the rules?”

I try not to grimace. “First of all, they’re not rules. It’s reader expectation. And I think I’ve figured a way around it. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“You’re not going to give me amnesia or anything, are you?” Sarah asks. “Too cliché, I think.”

I chuckle. “No, nothing like that. But what do you think about a little separation?”

“How long?” Randy says immediately. His brown eyes with those enticing hazel flecks narrow.

“Not long,” I reply. “Six weeks. I thought you might like some Violent Crimes Task Force training. But it means you’ll have to go to San Francisco.”

Sarah chews her lip and twirls a strand of her hair. She’s let it grow out some. It seems brighter, more chestnut. Business must be picking up for her boutique. After a moment, she says, “That’s a distinct possibility.”

Randy doesn’t look as positive. “Six weeks. All in San Francisco?”

“Afraid so,” I say. “But think of the reunion scene. Could be intense. I thought we’d open the book with it.”

He nods, obviously suppressing a smile. “I could deal with that.” His cell rings, and he gives me an apologetic glance before he checks the display. “Sorry, I’ll have to take this call. It’s my Chief.”

“Not a problem,” I say. “I think we’ve covered the important points. I’ll be in touch when it’s time for our next interview.”

“It’s a plan.” He lifts the phone to his ear. “Detweiler.” He exits, still talking on the phone, every inch the cop.

Sarah’s lips compress to a thin line.

This could be perfect.

Sarah doesn’t get up. “This might be a bad idea,” she says. “Did you see what just happened?”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s in the middle of a meeting. He gets a call and disappears. It’s like I’m not even in the room. Not like we might have dinner plans. Not like I’m taking off from my job, too. And I can guarantee that when we see each other, he’ll say it was nothing.”

“Maybe I can fix that,” I say.

Her eyes light up, glistening their stone-blue color, the color that Randy found so compelling when he met her. “You can?” She sits up straighter, her hands free of the purse strap at last. “But nothing obvious, right? He’d know if he’s being manipulated.”

“Don’t worry about a thing. Of course, because your relationship was established in the previous book, there will be more emphasis on the mystery this time.”

“That would be great. I’ve always thought that I could be helpful, if only Randy would see me as a partner. Not a cop, but an equal. He still has that white knight thing you gave him in Finding Sarah.”

I jot more notes. “Point taken. But you have to agree that your character has to develop slowly. It’s commercial fiction. I’m going to have to throw stuff at the two of you.” Little does she know what.

“Can I take care of myself? Not get stuck somewhere waiting for Randy to come to the rescue?”

“No trouble at all, but I can’t make you a kick-ass heroine right off the bat. Readers won’t buy it.”

“I have no desire to be kick-ass. I’m no wimp, but I’m happy being Sarah, a boutique owner.”

“You proved that before. You know my style. Things start out with seemingly solvable situations, but they keep escalating. And since it’s categorized as a romance, you know you’ll both be alive and together at the end.” I wink. “But I have a few surprises for Randy.”

We exchange conspiratorial smiles. Sarah rises. “Thanks, Terry. I’ll look forward to the first draft.”

I don’t tell her it’s already written.

Read Ch.1 here!

My daughter’s school put on a production of Grease last night with their fifth and sixth graders (third and fourth singing in the chorus) I think it’s going around because another local school did it earlier in the year. I was wondering how they would handle the story since not only is the original a little long for a school play, but many of the plot points are a bit mature for this age group.

It was interesting to see how they boiled Grease down to a few pivotal scenes. Though I’m not sure that the story made any sense to anyone who hadn’t already seen the original movie!

Lyrics were changed too. Have you ever really listened to the lyrics to Greased Lightning?

Well this car is automatic, it’s systematic, it’s hydromatic
Why it’s greased lightnin’!

We’ll get some overhead lifters, and four barrel quads, oh yeah
Keep talkin’, whoah keep talkin’
Fuel injection cut off, and chrome plated rods, oh yeah
I’ll get the money, I’ll see you get the money
With a four-speed on the floor, they’ll be waitin’ at the door
You know that ain’t shit when we’ll be gettin’ lots of tit in greased lightnin’

Chorus:

Go, greased lightnin’, you’re burnin’ up the quarter mile
Greased lightnin’, go greased lightnin’
Go, greased lightnin’, you’re coastin’ through the heat lap trials
Greased lightnin’, go greased lightnin’
You are supreme, the chicks’ll cream for greased lightnin’

We’ll get some purple French tail lights and thirty-inch fins, oh yeah
A palomino dashboard and duel muffler twins, oh yeah
With new pistons, plugs, and shocks, I can get off my rocks
You know that I ain’t braggin’, she’s a real pussy wagon – greased lightnin’

“Look at me, I’m Sandra Dee, lousy with virginity” was changed to “goddess of purity” and Greased Lighting would make “the chicks scream”. Little did their music teacher know that for most of last week, before I corrected her, my daughter was singing “born to hand job, baby!”

When my daughter came home singing some of these songs, I joined in. She was astonished to find out that Grease was a real movie. And the thing is, now she wants to see it. I wouldn’t mind watching it again myself, but I’m not sure that I’m ready to let her see it. I was her age when the movie came out and in fact I saw it many, many times. Most of the more adult themes just went right over my head, but kids are more savvy today. Not sure I want to explain what a “pussy wagon” is, or why Danny is trying to grope Sandy at the drive-in or what Rizzo’s problem is.

(Or why there are a bunch of near-40 year olds in high school)

I’m not sure what age would be a good age to see that movie for the first time. Assuming she doesn’t see it somewhere else first and I get to choose, her brother is still two and 1/2 years younger than she is and what she does, he does. From that perspective, twenty sounds like a good age

I’m probably over-reacting. After seeing some of the music videos that Disney shows between their programs, Grease seems positively tame…

But it must have been easier to be a parent in the 1970s. One of my first adult albums given to me by my mother was the soundtrack to Hair! Talk about inappropriate lyrics!

And look at me today

Don’t forget to stop by over the weekend. Author Terry Odell will be here talking to two of her characters about doing their sequel, Hidden Fire. It’s getting great reviews, and Terry has the first chapter on her website. Win win

Sarah over at Smart Bitches wrote an article for Tango magazine with her suggestions for great summer reading. As if that wasn’t temptation enough, she then posted a discussion about the best ways to buy books for less. How was I supposed to resist going shopping?

I went to my local used book store first. Not only did I have a stack of books to trade in, the selection at the UBS is better than at the full price store – and it’s closer besides. I picked up five new-to-me books. How thrilled was I to find a copy of Santa Baby which features a story by Jennifer Crusie? Think I can manage to save that one for the holidays?

When I got home, I surfed over to ebookwise.com to have a look around. Not surprisingly, I found another half dozen books to purchase there including Lord of Scoundrels and Your Scandalous Ways by Loretta Chase. My ebookwise reader will still talk to its home planet, fortunately, even though it refuses to speak directly to my computer.

So between all these new books and Gone With the Wind, I should be set for the next several months! (What? Gone With the Wind is LONG) I was especially pleased to find a copy of Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes at the UBS. My study guide for my upcoming trip to Italy

What are you reading these days? Any recommendations for me?

I can strike duct tape off my shopping list for when I’m back in the US this summer. My husband was bustling around preparing for his departure yesterday when he decided that some duct tape would come in handy so he went out and found some. It cost about $5 for a good sized roll – seems a little expensive to me, but then again it’s Italian duct tape.

And on the topic of Italy, I have some exciting news. I’ll be attending the Women’s Fiction Festival in Matera, Italy in September! My very first writer’s conference!! The fact that it is being held in southern Italy had nothing to do with my decision to attend, really (okay, a little!) I admit to being hesitant at first – going alone to a conference where I don’t know anyone? The expense? Will anyone take me seriously? And then I thought Italy and decided that whatever my other reservations were, I wasn’t going to let the opportunity pass me by.

I already have my ticket in hand and have paid my conference registration. Once I get my hotel reservations I’ll be all set. The only thing left is deciding what to pack and preparing a pitch for when I talk to agents and editors. I’m looking forward to the workshops and meeting other writers, but the pitch? It’s been a while since I’ve had a job interview and the pitch to me seems like a job interview and public speaking rolled into one. I’m nervous already and it’s still June!

Any veteran conference attendees out there willing to share secrets to success?

And don’t forget to stop by and say hello if you’re in the neighborhood in September!

There are only four days left until school ends. And it won’t be long until we begin our marathon annual “vacation”. I put that in quotes because really, would any truly relaxing vacation start with a direct flight from Cairo to New York with two small children competing for your attention the entire twelve hours (give or take)? We leave Cairo at noon so chances are they will be awake the whole time.

Though it will be a few weeks left until I take off, my husband is leaving on his travels tomorrow. I know that I still have roughly three weeks here at home, but having his luggage out in the bedroom is creeping into my subconscious and giving me a sense of urgency about our own departure. I first noticed it yesterday when I was at the grocery store. I’ve already slipped into grocery management mode. Will we be able to eat this before we leave? is the basic question I ask myself as I look at my list and peruse the store shelves.

I once had a friend who would clean out her kitchen before she left on her summer vacation and give me all of the things she didn’t get to. And I don’t just mean a couple of eggs and chunks of cheese. She cleaned out everything. She’d give me bags of flour that looked as if they had had a few tablespoons removed, boxes of tea bags, freshly opened boxes of cereal – as well as eggs and cheese and veggies. She was worried about attracting bugs while they were away. I’m not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I could never understand why it was that she had purchased and opened a box of cereal for one bowl when she knew she was leaving. WHY??

You might guess that I’m on the other extreme. I won’t buy cereal the last week we are in town if I don’t think we’ll be able to eat it all. I will make cheese sauce with our remaining chunks of cheese and stick it in the freezer for easy mac-n-cheese when we return. I have even gone so far as to use up eggs making pancakes and then freezing those. My freezer is often stuffed when we leave, but it’s really nice to come back to some brainless meal options when you’re tired and jet-lagged.

As for the other stuff, tea bags live in sealed canisters and my flour is in a canister in the fridge. Let any bugs that creep in try to get into the canned goods…

This year my husband will be returning to Cairo and to work two weeks after I leave, so actually the need to micro-manage the groceries isn’t as urgent. Hmmm…I guess I can relax and get that cereal after all!

Award-winning author Amy Corwin is an insatiable reader and a compulsive writer. She joined the Romance Writers of America at its inception and began writing for publication six years ago. Amy’s books have received numerous writing awards including first place in the 2006 Dixie First Chapter and first place in the 2003 Golden Rose contests. Her first historical novel, SMUGGLED ROSE, was published by Cerridwen Press in 2007 and received excellent reviews, including a 4-star review by “The Romantic Times”. Her second book, a historical romantic mystery, I BID ONE AMERICAN, was published by The Wild Rose Press in May 2008, and has garnered excellent reviews, including a perfect score of 5 books from Long and Short Reviews. She is currently working on her next historical romantic mystery featuring the Regency “detective” agency: Second Sons, Discreet Inquires.

Smuggled Rose

A cynical earl and a rose smuggler are an unlikely pair, particularly when the smuggler is a supposedly fallen woman the earl owes for saving his feckless brother’s life.

Nonetheless, Michael, the earl of Ramsgate, is determined to repay his family’s debt by presenting Margaret at Court — an action calculated to repair even the worst reputation. But Margaret has been burned before and is suspicious that Michael’s intentions aren’t entirely honorable…despite the certainty in her heart that she can trust him.

As the tension between them flares and Michael’s feelings for Margaret strain his self-control, an old enemy bent on revenge returns to challenge Michael’s iron determination…and threatens to take Margaret away from him forever.

* * * * *

Amy’s Tips for Good Characterization

There are hundreds of ways characterization can go wrong. I can’t cover everything, but here are a few tips garnered from editing my own and others’ manuscripts.

Let’s start with some good news. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is terminal. You can fix anything. You would be amazed at what a difference it makes to add a single sentence revealing a character’s motivations. Sometimes, that’s all that is necessary.

Since this is such a huge subject, I’m only going to talk about one major complaint: “I can’t get into or sympathize with your characters”

COMMON MISTAKES
• You didn’t reveal the character’s motivation
• Your first introduction to the character is through the eyes (POV) of another character
• You introduce the character at a bad moment
• Dominance

HOW TO FIX THEM

• You didn’t reveal the character’s motivation

If the reader doesn’t know the character’s goal and motivation, they will not bond with the character. The reader must feel she understands the character so she can be “one with the heroine.” Without that feeling, the reader may drop the book.

Problem: You want to hide motivation to surprise the reader later.

That’s fine, but you must give the heroine a substitute goal and motivation. And don’t assume her goal/motivation should be obvious to the reader by the character’s actions.

If the reader doesn’t understand what is initially driving the character to do what she is doing, then you’ve created the classic “unsympathetic” character that makes the editor complain, “I couldn’t get into your character”.

So how do you reveal goals and yet keep the surprise?

You don’t have to reveal the character’s entire motivation/goals/conflict on page one. You do need to reveal the character’s initial goal, some motivation, and a bit of conflict. Her starter goal isn’t necessarily her main goal.

Let’s say your heroine needs to find her sister’s murder and her motivation is to save her brother, accused of the murder. That’s the major goal/motivation for her. But, what if you don’t want the reader to know that in the beginning?

Reveal a starter goal by defining what she’s after now. This is a technique used a lot in suspense novels where the author wants to keep some mystery around the heroine. The starter goal allows the author to reveal a goal/motivation that is important enough to establish the reader’s bond with the heroine.

Example: In scene one, the heroine is talking to a private investigator. She’s trying to get his help to investigate a theft. Her motivation: she believes she doesn’t know how to investigate on her own, and the theft was a vase that had been in her family for years. So her initial, starter goal is to enlist this man’s assistance to find a thief. That’s the goal and motivation you need to make clear on page one to hook the reader.

Then you can slowly reveal the theft occurred at the time of the murder, and she believes the two are related. And further, if she can find the thief, she can prove her brother is innocent. And she can irritate/conflict with the detective because she did not reveal all of this when she hired him.

One last thing: you should do this for your secondary characters, too, or creating stock or cardboard secondary characters. Every character has to have motivation and goals, even if the goal is only a paycheck. And the more important those motivations/goals are to the character, the more depth your characters will have.

• Your first introduction to the character is through the eyes or POV of another character

This may seem odd or counter-intuitive. For this example, let’s say the book is a romance and your target audience is mostly women. You’ve introduced the hero and you’re in his POV when you introduce him to the heroine. Sometimes this can work, but it almost never works if your heroine is gorgeous, he sees her without any flaws, and he lusts after her immediately.

Here is the problem. Most readers can’t relate to perfection. And if they meet the heroine only from the hero’s perspective of her as the “pink of perfection,” how can the reader relate? The heroine is a beautiful, perfect woman like a plastic Barbie doll with no soul.

That’s why so many romances start in the heroine’s POV, so the reader can understand her fears, anxieties, and flaws. The reader can bond with her before discovering the woman is gorgeous. Or, the author can introduce the hero and heroine separately so the reader bonds with both characters before the two meet.

My preferred method is simpler: don’t make the heroine (or hero) completely perfect. Give your characters flaws, both mental and physical. Flaws make humans more human, real, and therefore more sympathetic.

When the hero first sees the heroine, he should see some flaw in addition to her beauty. And give him a flaw, too. Make her notice a trait she really dislikes in the hero, but even though she sees it, she’s still unable to resist her attraction to him…

Jennifer Crusie uses this method frequently and it works for her, e.g. “Welcome to Temptation”.
If you can’t or won’t add flaws, introduce the characters separately. Show the hero’s starter goals and motivation. Introduce your heroine and do the same. THEN introduce the two of them to each other after the reader already knows them and sympathizes with them.

• You introduce the character at a bad moment

Books always start at crises or changing point. However, avoid portraying your hero or heroine acting out-of-control. Do not make the mistake of thinking that showing your heroine spitting-tacks angry portrays her as a feisty woman who sticks up for herself.

It simply portrays her as an out-of-control bitch. The same is true for the hero.

You want both of them to be the ones in control while those all around are losing their grip. And then, you can gradually make your hero and heroine lose it, too—because by then, your reader will be “one with the heroine.” The reader will feel the agony of the heroine’s slow descent into the maelstrom of your novel.

Think of it this way: what is your reaction when you are in public and stumble upon a scene where a woman is yelling at another person? Do you like the woman or does it make you uncomfortable and wish the woman would get a grip?

Same problem.

You can, however, get away with it if you are Jennifer Crusie and are showing the heroine has a fabulous reason for being angry, and she’s got a sense of humor and is funny. But I have never read a Crusie where the heroine is angry from sentence one. The heroine tries to control it—her action sucks the reader in—and then the heroine loses it in an amusing way. And the humor offsets the anger.

If it is not funny, you are much better off showing some other character haranguing the hero or heroine. That character will be hated by the reader while your heroine is loved for showing self-control. This is good.

• Dominance

This can be less important for heroine, but really, you have to consider it for both hero and heroine. You don’t want either character to appear to be spineless.

Fathers are bad for heroes. If your hero has problems with his father (or worse, his mother), do not place the hero in an initial scene where the parent has the upper hand. Your hero will be perceived as weak and undeserving of hero status.

And avoid downtrodden heroines, unless she is deciding to revolt in chapter one. Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t show someone being mean to her, and her taking it. However, in the heroine’s head, she must recognize what is going on and plot to put an end to it. She must make a decision to show some spine.

That decision is her saving grace and will hook the reader’s sympathy.

Conclusion: There is obviously much more to this, but what I tried to cover are some of the techniques you can use to create characters the reader cannot ignore.
Good luck!

* * * * *

Blurb from I Bid One American

An American heiress nobody wants; a duke every woman desires; and a murder no one expects.

When Nathaniel, Duke of Peckham, meets Charlotte, he’s suspicious of her indifference. Too many women have sought—and failed—to catch him. Happily, Charlotte is more interested in dead pharaohs than English dukes and laughs at both him and his suspicions.

Her resolve crumbles, however, when a debutante seeking to entrap Nathaniel gets murdered. All too soon, his reputation as a misogynist makes him a suspect, and Charlotte impulsively comes to his aide.

Unfortunately, both are unaware that a highwayman interested in rich heiresses is following Charlotte. And that another debutante lies dead in Nathaniel’s carriage.

Some nights just don’t go as planned.