Thanks to Collette Cameron for this weeks questions, and thanks to Jo Richardson for linking to me this week. At the time of writing this post, her post wasn't live yet so I can't give you any insight on her answers (in case you didn't land here from her blog!) but I'm sure they are awesome? Why so sure? Because while here on the blog you get to know us authors, we are also getting to know each other pretty well, and I'm thrilled to say that the Romance Weekly group of writers are turning into some pretty great pals. So yay for that. And now, on to this weeks questions:
1. How do you respond to someone calling your writing smut or demeaning your work in some other way?
Luckily, no one has dared call my work smut to my face. If they think it, then in all likelihood they haven't even read my books. There's a difference in demeaning the genre, which happens (see this post) and demeaning my work in particular. The most I've had happen is well-meaning people ask me when I'm going to write "a real book." That hurts a bit. My books are real books. I know they mean when are you going to write the historical fiction that you've been thinking about for years. But what they don't realize is that even those books are romances. I just smile, try and educate them on the romance genre, and move on.
2. When critiquing or beta reading, do you ever find the voice of the other author creeping into your writing?
Not really. I wish I had a longer answer here, but I don't.
3. What’s one quirky thing you do or must have around you while writing?
I make faces and touch myself. NOT that way! Geesh. Dirty minds! ;) But I find I'm mimicking the actions of my characters to see how it feels, how to describe it, etc. I also wiggle in my chair a lot and wiggle my fingers above the keyboard as I think. I'm a bit of public show when I'm writing in a coffee shop, I bet!
And now, let's head over to Veronica Forand to see how she's answered these questions. She's new to the group so she'll likely have a fresh new take on these questions. AND a big congrats to Veronica, who just signed a three novel contract with Entangled Publishing! Well done you! I'll be pimping her books when they come out, you can be sure of that!
Speaking of pimping, just a tiny reminder about the Passionate Kisses Boxed Set, just .99 cents right now for 10 novels.
And Collette Cameron's The Vicount's Vow is also on sale for .99 cents. You should get both of them. :)