Friday, June 15, 2012

New Release: Wild Thing by Tawny Weber!



A new treat for those who’ve loved Tawny’s earlier “bedtime stories”and a delight for those looking for a new sexy short read.  Besides what’s not to like: dogs, a hunky guy and great romance. Let me know what you think.
Quick synopsis: When groomer Andrea Tanner finds herself tied up and with one of her employers prized pooches dog napped, she definitely hopes for a hero. But the hero she expected wasn’t hunky private eye Percy Graham, whose body still fills her fantasies as she fills up his dreams. The two set out to catch a dog napper, if the passion between them doesn't catch them first….


Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Beginning in the Middle


Lately, we’ve gotten a lot of submissions that could use to begin in the middle. The submissions are interesting, well written, and, ultimately, enjoyable. But before we can get to the interesting parts, they’re weighed down by heavy backstory, long descriptions of setting, or by the story just not starting in the right place. In those first few pages, the reader doesn’t need to know every detail about the character before the story starts: that’s what the book is for! Nor do we need to know about the character’s entire surroundings. Description is good, but it should entice and intrigue, not weigh down your beginning.

Now, in terms of the reading I’ve been doing this summer, why does this matter so much? In a partial manuscript, you have fifty pages to make us really want to read on and request more pages. Truthfully, you don’t even have fifty—while I always read all the way to the end, those initial pages determine my opinion of your writing style, your characters, and how tightly paced the novel is. If the beginning is slow, you have to win me back in the next thirty or so pages. You have to wow me enough that I forget the opening and want to keep reading. That’s a lot of pressure on those later pages.

One way to capture the reader more effectively with your manuscript is to begin in medias res—or in the middle. There is little that is more intriguing than watching a character who’s been thrown directly into a situation, trying to handle it while the reader slowly gets the details. This creates action, it introduces us to the character as we’ll see her throughout, and most importantly, it means we aren’t waiting to be interested.

Keeping the action moving while providing the reader with necessary information isn’t easy. It’s the mark of a good writer—which is why that approach, done correctly, will move your partial to the top of the pile.

Good luck!

--Intern Grace