Teaching to learn – Original plots
September 14, 2006 | Uncategorized
Story Essentials – Continued
Recapping as we work our way down the romance editor’s wish list, so far we have:
An opening hook
An appealing, human heroine
A hero to fall in love with. He must be human, appealing and honorable
This weeks essential – an original story line.
An original plot has caused me more angst than the rest of the requirements put together. There are no original plots. Even a fresh twist on the well-trodden ground of boy-meets-girl is hard to come by.
Read the lines the stories filling the category display shelves are the opposite of fresh. You pick up a Blaze, a Presents, an Intrigue, a Superromance you know what you’re getting. They are romances. You know what flavor the story comes in. Blaze is spicy, Presents Rich, Intrigue thrilling, Superromance heartwarming. The writer’s voices vary, the romance plots have variations, that’s it.
That’s the way the editors and all the other readers like it.
As a reader I understand. There’s nothing worse than picking up a nice cozy mystery author, finding she’s gone edgy, and hip. Harlequin editors are smart enough to prevent any jarring of their readers sensibilities.
Hence, the cogent advice – read the line. Don’t get distracted by the different title, different names, read the core story that’s what the reader requires.
Core stories from our already pile:
Avon Single title medieval – Heroine’s evil relatives force her into dishonorable acts, which harm the hero. He avenges his damaged honor by subjecting her to the same cruelties she imposed on him. A secondary character reveals the heroine’s noble motives and he forgives her, acknowledges his love and punishes her malevolent stepbrother.
Silhouette Intimate Moments – Recovering alcoholic heroine needs a hero to facilitate making amends to the daughter, who’s in ex-husband’s custody. Stiff-necked hero learns not to judge others failings as he grants heroine’s wish to reconnect with her child. Overcoming their personal demons, they fall in love.
Harlequin Intrigue – Grieving father, burned by psychic who failed to help locate his missing daughter gets a case of missing child. Psychic teacher has visions of missing child. The grieving father cop and psychic teacher work together to find missing child, losing the fight to keep from falling in love during their quest.
Harlequin Intrigue – Guilty hero forced to work with widow, he’s attracted to in order to foil fiendish plot to commit acts of mayhem. Conflicted widow of traitor battled menacing abusive villain women while fight attraction to hero. The duo foiled the evil machinations of the fiend and fell in love.
Harlequin Blaze – Efficient stalker terrorizes woman, who reaches out to hero for help. Underground warrior, hero comes to her rescue. Complications arise as does the sexual tension until their lives, their libidos and their hearts are on the line. Since this is part of continuity the bad guys are only held at bay, not eradicated.
Avon Single Title Contemporary – Disgruntled undercover cop suspects quirky antique dealer of involvement in art heist. When antique dealer assaults the cop she agrees to pretend to be his girlfriend to aid his investigation as part of her plea bargain to avoid prosecution. Enforced propinquity works its magic and love happens.
When both Hunter and Tru bond with Amber their mating triangle threatens everything they hold dear.
Determined to help rescue the princess, Cassandra agrees to act as the dragons’ sex slave, but can she guard her heart from the dominant males?
Camille, a plump, sweet-natured breeder, is caught in New Eden’s endless war with Baldor. Her mates, Jaxon and Aegis, need cunning and courage to rescue her. They need a miracle to capture her heart.
Werewolf-whisper Daniel is the only one who can heal Scarlet’s broken werewolf connection. If he succeeds then the pack’s needs will eclipse his claim on her heart. But if he fails, they'll both die.
A Scarlet Past, the story of Scarlet's parents is available on Amazon or Barnes and Noble for just 99 cents!
A lonely woman finds passion with a dominant much younger lover, when she tries to leave she learns her new master plays for keeps.
The Enyo Chronicles includes both Dalia's Choice and Joon's Tempation.
Three different stories, three dangerous men, and three women who deserve them.
One dangerous warrior woman plus two rogue demon males equals a love to threaten an empire.
Getting paid to watch Eduardo is Desiree’s dream assignment, but when he reaches out to her, crossing the line, everything changes.
Deep in her secret heart, she lusts for a sexy pirate who’d be her master and commander in the bedroom. But, this man may be too dangerous
One woman, two men, three wounded hearts--though already mated their love is still forbidden.
A reluctant reporter and a lone wolf undercover cop work to catch an extortionist, finding love requires the most dangerous risk of all.
Street-smart cop plays princess to catch deadly terrorists. Now,the only man she trusts is the one she can't resist.
What Sam doesn’t know may kill him--the love of his life is his worst nightmare--his enemy’s daughter.r.
