Lynn Raye Harris

Last week, I told you to ask yourself why you wanted to write for Harlequin Presents. This week, I hope you’ve done that and your answer is some variation of “because I enjoy the passion, emotion, and seduction of these stories!”

Assuming this is the case, I’m going to talk about why plot is not the driving factor in these stories (we’ll get to the first chapter later in the week!). Plot is external. It’s important, of course, and in a longer length novel it’s essential to have a more complex plot of external factors that feeds into the movement of the story. In a 50K word category novel that is all about intense emotion, you don’t have room for a complicated plot. You need plot as a reason to get the characters together and keep them together.

But plot is not what drives them. Putting two essential strangers in a room together and having them dislike one another is not going to make a satisfactory Presents plot either. Beware the land developer/tree hugger plot. This is a prime example of external factors driving the story. When you toss together two people who are at loggerheads over external factors, such as he wants to build a mall on ten acres of prime real estate and she’s trying to save the rare three-toed spotted flying squirrel that only lives in this ten acres of land, this is not about emotion. She may care very deeply about the squirrel, and he may care very much about his job and building that mall, but where is the personal angst?

Now give them something very deep and personal, like his mother’s life depends on building the mall and her father’s life depends on him not, and you’ve got something you can work with. (Bear in mind these are tongue in cheek examples, and that several authors have very successfully written the LD/TH plot — but usually by adding in deep emotional issues of some sort.) Naturally, there have to be personal emotional issues at stake as well, not just dying parents. This is where what has happened to these characters in their lives, the emotional events that have left scars, will come into play.

I’ve mentioned emotional scars, haven’t I? Well, the first thing you need to realize about writing a classic Harlequin Presents is that there will be emotional baggage. In Spanish Magnate, Red-Hot Revenge, each character suffers emotional scars, aside from the scars of their damaged relationship, that dictates how they respond to each other. Alejandro has suffered a deep personal loss and fears something similar ever happening again; since he blames Rebecca for being the impetus, he also fears caring for her ever again. Rebecca fears failing her family, and she fears falling in love with a man who’s already broken her heart once before. They have a lot to work through!

And that’s the point. Your characters need to have a lot to work through. Even if they’ve never met before, something about the situation they are now in triggers their deepest fears. Something about each other triggers those fears, forces them to deal with the fears. And no one likes dealing with a deep-seated fear, does she?

For a much better explanation to all of this than I am giving, you really should get a copy of Kate Walker’s 12-Point Guide to Writing Romance. There is a US edition available now, which Kate tells you how to get. I have this book and highly recommend it! (If I’d had it before I sold my first book, I might have sold a little quicker!)

Now think about those emotional scars your characters have! I told you on Friday to learn their fears and figure out what is driving them. This is the same thing, really, but make it more specific. What happened to them to make them the way they are? Why is this going to be a problem when these two meet up? Why can’t they just talk about it, laugh at how silly they’ve been to be so hung up on this issue, and move on?

It’s important to figure this out because this is ground zero for their motivation.

For tomorrow: quite probably the centerpiece around which these stories are built, to the dismay of some and delight of others, is the alpha hero in all his wounded glory. It’s a fine line to walk, and not everyone likes this kind of hero. But many, many readers do. Therefore, I’ll be talking about the glorious alpha and why he’s so important to writing for Harlequin Presents.

I hope you’ll join me!

I’ve noticed that I’m getting a lot of traffic lately from the posts over at I Heart Presents about the writing competition. I thank you all for visiting me! Maybe as you gear up for the latest contest, you’re looking for wisdom, the secret, etc. Or maybe you just want to know how to write a Harlequin Presents.

So I’m going to share what I know with you. Bear in mind that no two writers are alike. Bear in mind that my way is not the only way or the correct way, etc. But my way does come from experience. Not a ton of experience, but enough. I’ve now written three books for the line, and I’m working on my fourth.

Ready? Here we go with lesson one:

First, ask yourself why you’re trying to write a Presents. Is it because you love reading them? Because you love the alpha male, the glamor and passion of the exotic settings, the seduction of two people falling in love in spite of chasms of issues between them? Do you love the emotional pull of these intense stories?

Or do you want to write them because they are short and surely must be quick to write? Because you’ve heard the editors are buying? Because you want to be published and think this line is as good as any? Because how hard is it to write a jerk and the doormat that lets him stomp all over her?

If your answer is more in line with the first set of questions, awesome! If it’s the second, you probably need to go back to the drawing board. You need to start reading these books and see why they are beloved by women around the world. If you can’t see it, you probably can’t write it. You must love the line, or at least understand why it works, to write it. MUST.

Secondly, if you’re still here, you need compelling characters. Characters with deep issues, with conflicts that drive them. (There are posts by the editors over at IHP explaining all of this.) The story is not about the plot, it’s about the characters. Believe me, I have trouble with this in the planning stages. Because I start with a scenario and then I start trying to figure out the how and why of the scenario. I’ve finally discovered that I really don’t need to bother with a synopsis (other than the one my editor will want). I won’t follow it and it doesn’t matter. WHO the characters are is what matters.

What they want, what they fear, what they desire, and what it is about all of this that makes them both the best person and the worst for the other one. That’s what you need to know.

Your assignment, should you choose to complete it, is to figure out what is driving your characters. That will feed into their motivation, which is another important facet of writing for HP. Learn their fears. Know them inside and out. Know their emotions.

Another tip, and this one is self-serving I admit, is to read not only the usual Harlequin Presents authors you love and are familiar with, but to read the ones who’ve been brought into the line recently. Sabrina Phillips, Janette Kenny, and I all have releases available in stores now. Read us, see what it is about our voices that clicked for the editors.

Next week, I’ll talk about the nuts and bolts of crafting that first chapter.

A friend sent me an email that basically said, “Hey, why aren’t you blogging?” Well, I am blogging, but I’ve had so many guest blogs recently (and another one coming on Saturday at the Pink Heart Society!) that I’ve not put up too many new posts. And yet, I’m also betting there’s a tiny bit of confusion with the contest post being at the top of the page. People see it and think there’s nothing new — but it’s a sticky post, meaning it stays at the top until I change it. And I don’t want to change it because I want people to easily find the contest. (Scroll down, my lovelies, scroll down!)

Perhaps I need to work with my web designer on a static contest page. It’s something I’m considering, but first we’ll see how this contest goes. Thanks for everyone who has entered thus far! I hope you enjoy the excerpt and the potential goodies you could win.

So what else am I up to? Well, I’m working on two books at once. Since I’m waiting to hear back from my editor on the proposal for Book 4, I decided to work on my idea for Book 5. I’ve written the first scene, and it was a blast! But I can’t tell you what any of it is about just in case my editor doesn’t like any of it. I’ll just say that #4 is set in Buenes Aires. I have ordered Argentina guidebooks and I’ve been having a marvelous time reading them! And now I want to go to Argentina. Who wouldn’t want to learn how to tango or eat beef so tender you can cut it with a spoon?

What is your fantasy travel destination at the moment? Where would you like to be if you could go anywhere?

This totally cracks me up. I love Craig Ferguson.

After I had so much fun at my guest post over at Love is an Exploding Cigar, Blaze author Samantha Hunter was kind enough to ask if I’d like to come blog once a month with them. I said yes! You’ll next see me over there on September 15th. I’ll be sure to remind you.

Go visit the site and see what they have to offer!

The winner is Pamela Varnado! Congratulations, Pamela! I’ll be sending your prize in the next few days. Thanks all who entered, and look for my next contest which I hope to post soon!

School has started again, the Halloween decorations are in the shops, and I’ve even seen Christmas decorations! This is the time of year when it’s still summer, but it seems as if Fall is coming really, really fast. If you have kids, they have homework & school activities where just a few short weeks ago they were free for the summer. You might also think it’s time to start considering where you’ll spend the holidays and, if you stay home, who you’re inviting over for dinner. I’ve already started thinking about Thanksgiving, about the yummy turkey, the pies, the stuffing — and wondering if I’m cooking, if my mom is cooking, or if we’ll all go to my in-laws house.

It’s a little stressful, isn’t it, to be thinking of all these things when the pool is still open and the heat index is in the 90s? To help you out, I’ve decided to give away a nice stress-relieving prize pack!

One lucky winner will receive a satin tote, a microfiber hair wrap, an Alluvia Berry Blast travel set (body wash, soap, and moisturizing lotion), an exfoliating body scrubber, a velvet makeup bag, a set of Vitabath Spa Therapy candles, and a copy of the UK version of Spanish Magnate, Red-Hot Revenge to enjoy while you pamper yourself!

The Rules:

1. By entering, you acknowledge that you will be automatically subscribed to my spam-free newsletter. I don’t send it often, no more than once a month typically, and unsubscribing is very easy.

2. The winner will be drawn at random. All decisions are final. The winner will be announced on this blog and will also be notified via email.

3. If you are related to me, don’t enter. Nice try, but it won’t work.

4. There is no purchase necessary.

5. If you win, I have the right to post your first name and location on my website as my lucky winner!

6. International entries are welcome! I reserve the right to substitute items of equal value due to postal considerations, should it prove necessary. If you win, and you reside in a location other than the United States or Canada, I will give you options before substituting items, should it prove necessary.

7. Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received.

How to enter:

Email me at contest@lynnrayeharris.com with your name, address, email, and the answer to this question: what is Alejandro doing when Rebecca confronts him about his plans for her company (the answer is a breeze to find on this website – try here)? Please include all information or your entry will be considered incomplete and, therefore, ineligible.

The contest ends at midnight, US Central Daylight Time, on September 9th!

Join me today over at Love is an Exploding Cigar for a chance to win a signed book! I’m talking about love, international style!

There are two new toys in the Harris household as of Friday: a Roomba and a Kindle. And may I just say I love them both?

I’ve been wanting a Kindle for a while, but I kept putting it off. Did I really need this piece of technology? I love books, real ones, so why did I want an e-reader? I talked myself into it finally when I made yet another trip to the bookstore and came home with a sack full of novels.

They are piling up around here, especially as I buy and read all the Presents each month. So a Kindle nicely stores all those paperbacks without the need for extra room. The books are taking over my house, and I still love them and want them and will buy them. And yet I can download the latest release *instantly* onto my Kindle.

It’s a fabulous, fabulous device and I no sooner had it out of the box than I wondered where it’d been all my life. I quickly figured out how to operate it, and I downloaded some books to read. Unfortunately, I also downloaded a free fantasy novel for my hubby….

You can guess, can’t you? He’s engrossed in the book and I’ve lost my Kindle, at least for the time being. In all fairness to him, I have been working on the proposal to Book 4. But now that I’ve sent it to my editor, I would like to use my Kindle.

Ahem.

The other toy is a Roomba vacuum. I was skeptical, I admit. But the hubby did some research, read reviews, and told me we needed to buy one. I reluctantly went along with the plan. We purchased the Pet Series 532 — and I am in love. There’s nothing like vacuuming your house while not actually operating the vacuum. This little guy knows what to do. He makes the circuit of the room, vacuuming his little heart out, and when he’s nearly out of charge, he goes home to his base station and backs right in.

Now all I need is a robot to clean the rest of the house.

What about you — any new toys? Or toys you love and can’t live without?

P.S. Tomorrow, I’ll be guest blogging at Love is an Exploding Cigar!

I’ve had a great time this first week of my official release, with guest blogs and giveaways, etc, but nothing is more exciting than finding out that SPANISH MAGNATE, RED-HOT REVENGE debuted at #7 on the Waldenbooks/Borders Bestseller list for series romance and at #76 on the Nielsen Bookscan list of the top 100 romances for the last week.

It’s a great feeling for this first time author, and I thank you for helping me get there by buying my book and telling your friends to buy my book.

What are you celebrating this week (or month, etc)?

Come on over to the Writing Playground for my Book Launch Party! There will be book giveaways — and I think the Playground Monitor is even giving away some sand. Curious? Come find out what it’s all about!