Point of View

I don't know why I just realized this, since I'm well into chapter 5, but I have chapter 1 entirely in the hero's point of view. I like it, I think it really works, but does anyone else? Okay, I don't know all the rules for this, and I don't think it matters if I break this particular one, but I need another opinion.

How much of the hero's point of view do readers like?

Readers not me, since I love knowing what everyone's thinking. :) I don't mind first person stories, but I hate not knowing what's going on in all the characters's minds. Even if it's just a little bit, or a few paragraphs every now and then.

Inspiration

I've read several blog posts about where a certain story came from and how it evolved from an idea into a full-fledged novel. I can relate, though my ideas aren't nearly as lofty-or coherent-as those posts I've read.

My short Inamorata came out of a book I read ages ago called A Venetian Affair: A True Tale of Forbidden Love in the 18th Century by Andrea Di Robilant. If you haven't read it, you should-it's the true story told from family history and discovered (and encrypted!) letters between the lovers.

I loved the book and became obsessed with Venice from then on. When I wrote my first (contracted I should mention) short, I wanted to do something about the era, to capture the flavor of the city which was so very different than any other in Europe.

I don't know why I chose to make it a threesome, other than that was what the anthology call was for-threesomes. I find the merging of three lives fascinating, to see how they live and survive. it's hard enough with two people, adding in a third there's always the risk someone might feel left out or ignored.

Makes it more interesting, I think. :) Don't you?

New story

I couldn't sleep last night, not sure why. It's sure not because I mysteriously caught up on sleep and therefore wasn't tired! But I couldn't sleep so instead of tossing & turning or watching absolutely nothing on TV I wandered to my trustworthy laptop and outlined a new story.

Still working hard on my Regency one, I'm about 4 completed chapters into it and really liking where the story is going. But this one...it must have been the late hour of the night.

It's a story about three friends exploring the steamier side of life and love. I don't have it all worked out, just know that it'll be divided into parts, 1 for each friend, showing her story. It'll all start with the same scene/event, told from each woman's perspective then move on from there. This one is a contemporary, very modern day experimental. Chic lit possibly, not sure, but with more sex.

Writing

I don't use Twitter, but I understand there's a tag for use when writing which is #amwriting. I like it, though I have a feeling that if I'm on Twiter I'd spend more time tweeting than #amwriting. I have that problem with research already. I tend to get lost in it, find really cool things about a person or place or event and forget myself for hours. Really cuts into my #amwriting time.

Yesterday I read about the Hohokam Indian tribe of Arizona. (it's Liz Fichera's fault!) Granted, it was only a wiki article, but I wanted my facts fast and dirty. :) Still, what did I do instead of write? Read about the tribe which disappeared over 600 years ago. I wonder if there's a History Channel documentary on them. I know they did something on the Anasazi once.

Still, very little #amwriting was done yesterday. I did plot out the next couple chapters (I tend to write by the seat of my pants) so I'll work on those next. Check it out, my story's developing a plot! Coolness.

Learning the ropes

Such as it is. I'm slowly learning about promotion and jumping into the fray. It's a little scary out there! Lots I don't know but I didn't know how to write a coherent story once upon a time so I suppose it's all learnable. I've joined 1 Yahoo group (Long and Short Reviews) and tring to remember the other ones a friend told me about. And have now followed 3 blogs. I'm getting there.

Any other suggestions?

Started

Chapter one completed, tentatively entitled, Seductive Secrets. Lots of erotic setup, verbal foreplay, always fun. Not as much verbal foreplay as I'd like, but it seemed stilted when I tried it in the first couple pages. Now it's a seductive game of cat and mouse.

I've also started reading more stories in this vein. Granted, since I'm new to publishing they're from Ravenous Romance, but I understand Ellora's Cave has some hot stories, too. So I've started Champagne by Inara LaVey and the Threesomes Anthology, and am heading on over to Ellora's Cave.

New ideas

I'm thinking of new story ideas tonight. Trying to flesh out a regency plot with...well...actual plot. It looks as if this story is more internal conflict than external. So far I have a very typical historical plot for 1804 England story:

Girl is forced to marry much older man, decides to loses virginity to sexy hero who also invites her closest friend.
Now this close friend has always loved and wanted my intrepid heroine so this is a win-win situation all round.
Hero teaches heroine all he can in a single night but in the end, heroine still believes she has to marry older man (yes friend plans on staying by her side somehow, though neither really knows how).

Then of course there's the obligatory your mine I won't have you marrying anyone else scene and how to get rid of the older man. And sex. Lots of sex.

Welcome!

I'm new to the blogging world and this is my first post. But I wanted to start something now that Ravenous Romance accepted my first short story. It's all very exciting! OK, I'm excited. ;)

My story takes place in 1690 Venice. Elisabetta and Antonio are lovers, but he's set to marry another. When Bianca arrives, it's not Antonio she's interested in, but Elisabetta.