I am a serial mistake-maker. When I was writing my first category novel, Rules of Negotiation, I mistakenly made my heroine a driven career woman. Until Entangled came along, this mistake meant that Tori’s book would never see the light of day. Category heroines aren’t supposed to have careers, I was later told. Such a heroine wouldn’t be empathetic. Women wouldn’t like her.
(Note: I beg to differ. I think career women can be quite likeable. At least, being a career woman, sure I hope this is so!).
Then, for my follow up book, The Boss’s Fake Fiancee (BFF), I wrote about hero that wasn’t a perfect ladies man. He wasn’t all confidence and arrogance. My hero was uncomfortable with crowds, had three little white dogs that he loved, and knew how to speak Klingon.
Can you imagine? I shudder to think what most editors would have said about that!
Now, as I work my way through Ross Bencher’s book, Falling for Mr. Wrong, I find I’m doing it again. Ross is a big, sexy hunky guy. But he’s also a single dad who is worried about taking care of his family and having enough time with his kids. My heroine, Kelsey, is preparing to climb Annapurna, the world’s deadliest mountain. She’s terrified of families.
See the problem?
Ug.
I’d like to claim that I’m some kind of “break the mold” crusader, but really, I’m not. I just write the stories that speak to me. I even try to write classic category novels, but they always take a weird turn as I go along. When I started writing BFF, I knew Garth was a recluse, but I had no idea his fears about relationships stemmed from deeper issues about the way he related to people. When I first met Ross, he seemed to be a prototypical ladies man. It wasn’t until I started writing his book that I realized how he’d been misunderstood by his family, and how his role as a single dad changed him.
So as much as I want to write classic category novels, I’m afraid I’m stuck here in mistake-land.
Which brings me to my question–what are your favorite mistakes? Ever fallen for a blonde hero? What about a divorced heroine? Make me feel better about my mistakes–what are the non-traditional books that you enjoyed?
Hmm… you ask me, mistakes aren’t always bad. Especially yours!
Thanks Tonya! At some point I’m going to have to embrace this as my style, and not just a series of bad decisions! LOL!
I did not know those rules existed either, but I got told repeatedly “like the voice; don’t like kids” etc. Even in Single Title there are rules, apparently. But I’m so glad you broke them…your books are all the better for it!
Oh Kathryn, there are rules EVERYWHERE! Thanks so much for the kind words. I’ve often wished I could write the other stuff, but I guess then I wouldn’t be me.
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Hi Inara,
I’d say we’re all really lucky you’re such a rule break! And that’s what I love so much about the Indulgence titles, so many fresh stories! Keep ‘em coming!
Thanks Barbara! I think everyone who writes for Indulgence brings a fantastic new perspective to their books. That’s why I love writing for the line so much.
What I didn’t like about Rules wasn’t that the heroine was a career woman, but that as a confident, educated, career woman, she so quickly fell for the charm and lines Brit threw her way. Seriously??? No confident, educated, female lawyer I know would have done that. She was supposed to be a high profile lawyer and you made her seem like a hormone driven, sex deprived weakling.
Oh wow, I’m sorry it didn’t work for you, Debbie! I guess I’d like to think that she saw something deeper in Brit–perhaps something even deeper than he saw in himself. And I’m a firm believer that giving in to love and making ourselves vulnerable doesn’t make us weak. But not every story works for every reader!
Inara – I’m thrilled you’re a rule breaker – your books are wonderful! I absolutely LOVE Garth and thought The Boss’s Fake Fiancee was one of the best books I’ve read in years. Love, love, love him!
Addison
That’s so sweet of you to say, Addison! Garth is one of my all time favorites too. I have a little white dog and it makes me giddy every time my bear of a husband (who is a former football player and definitely not the little dog type!) picks him up and puts him in his lap. It’s like the fireman saving the little kitten. Instant love.
Any idea when “Falling for Mr. Wrong” will be available? I loved both of the previous books so much!!! Maybe because they AREN’T the typical formula.
One of my favorite non-traditional books of 2012 was one where there was a good guy and a hot bad guy (alpha male). I read the whole book thinking I needed to hate the good guy because clearly he would NOT be the one who got the girl… In the end she walked away from the hot bad guy and did live happily ever after with the good guy. I did NOT see this coming. I won’t say what the title of this books is because clearly this would be a BIG spoiler…
Another book that I thought was great non-traditional book was. JM Madden’s “A Needful Heart”. LOVED all the characters in this book! The hero was not the rich alpha male. He was actually very shy and insecure. The whole time I read it, I was actually imagining people living in the town where I live… Real people – not perfect. But still a great love story!
Wow, Janell, I totally need to read both of these books!! Can you email me and tell me the name of the first one? I’ll never find it otherwise!!
Sure will!
I just sent you the name of the book in a message on Goodreads.
Oh, and I think Falling for Mr. Wrong will be out in late fall 2013, but I’m not sure!
Congratulations on writing outside the box, Inara! I think that’s wonderful, and I applaud you for writing about unconventional characters, which I think adds a charming twist to your stories. When I finished the first novel in my Sunset Vampire Series, I caught a lot of flak for having an alpha female vampire coupled with a beta male human. However, my fans love it.
Upward and onward to continued success with your future quirky character pairings! You go, girl!
Best wishes,
Jaz
Thanks Jaz–I love the beta man with all my heart. So glad you’re breaking the rules and throwing him into your books! Yay!
Inara, congratulations on all your success. I agree with you completely-and as a reader, I truly enjoy reading about smart, successful career-women who can find love along the way. Your characters are multi-faceted and passionate and it’s easy to see why your books resonate with so many readers.
Can’t wait to read more from you!!
All the best,
Victoria