Why Good Girls Like Bad Boys

By Marcia King-Gamble

www.Lovemarcia.com

Call me risk averse, but I’ve never been a fan of bad boys. Yet there are women who love them. And books about bad boys sell. Must be that “I’m going to fix him thing.” To me, that’s way too much work. Come to me fully formed. I’m not looking for a project or to remake anyone. I’m looking for a man.

When I see muscles and an open shirt with ample chest hair peeking through, and too-tight jeans, I run for the hills. I’m not into trouble. But put that kind of guy on a book cover, and watch those books fly off the shelves. Sales are guaranteed to soar.

A cowboy in a ten-gallon hat seated on a stallion gets readers’ attention.  The construction guy in a hard hat is a definite seller Have him lose his shirt and women will buy.

But readers also tend to go for kind. He might look like a bad boy, but he better be a reformed one. Readers might go for the outer trappings of a hunky guy, but they also go for integrity and heroic qualities. That’s why in romance novels the male love interest is called a hero.

Which brings me to my new release, a novella,, titled By Heart. https://amzn.to/3fi4Gg3. You may remember, By Design, released a couple of years back with co-author Sandra Kitt. This time, it’s Cyndy Lawsen’s story. Cyndy was Elle Stanford’s co-worker and friend. They were associates at H.E Caldwell’s in the gift department ETC.

Cyndy’s life undergoes a change when sculptor, Jacques Moreau demands to see the newly promoted manager. But Jacques is no villain, although initially he comes across as such. The villain in this case, is Tanisha Shaw, the manager of the neighboring department, Between the Sheets. Tanisha is after Cyndy’s commissions and the hero’s heart. She will do almost anything to discredit Cyndy and move in on Jacques.

As you can see, villains come in different shapes and forms and aren’t necessarily men.

Here is an excerpt from By Heart.

   “He’s not going to buy squat from you. Bet you I could get him over to Between the Sheets and spending some bucks.” “Tanisha said, pushing Cindy aside and setting off to stalk Cyndy’s potential buyer. Cyndy wasn’t about to let that happen. She cut Tanisha off mid- path.

    “You have customers waiting. I can handle this.” Cyndy turned to the customer in the expensive – looking camel coat.  Peter helping another woman, smothered a grin and went back to showing his customer an intricate cuckoo clock.  “May I help you?”

   The man set down the handmade quilt he’d been fingering. and raised his head. Their eyes connected, and Cyndy’s heart rate went up a beat. “Jacques what are you doing here?”  

   I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by to see you.”               

   Cyndy’s tongue felt as if it was tied in a double loop. She pulled herself together in time to say. “Did your package arrive on time?”     

   “It did, Cheri. I can’t thank you enough. We are still on for tonight, oui?”

   “We are.”  

   Conscious of Tanisha gawking. Cyndy linked an arm through Jacques and, led him to the side. “Pay no attention to that woman. She sees only dollar signs. Her goal is to get you over to Between the Sheets and spending money.”

   Jacques flashed his whites, his eyebrows jiggling.  “Between the sheets. Now that’s an idea.”

 Coming soon is a collaboration with 13 other authors with individual short stories. We hope that you will join us at Last Chance Beach. There, sand, blue skies and romance are definitely on. Who won't like a second chance at love? You can pe-order  here https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CV3GN3R/

In my story, One Last Shot, the villain appears to be a former celebrity photographer, who needs just one good shot to get back into the business. As luck would have it, he’s renting a house right next door to a sitcom star hiding out from a major scandal. All these stories are a definite beach reads and should help lighten an unforgettable summer.  So take the ferry  to Last Chance Beach, grab a beach chair, and get comfortable. Here, villains turn into love interests and hearts aren’t broken.

Do you have  a villain you love to hate?  Then why not enter the Florida Romance Writers Golden Palm Contest?  You still have time.

For more information please check out. www.Frwriters.org.

Marcia King-Gamble is a National Bestselling author of over 45 books and novellas. She originally hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This travel industry executive and current world traveler has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling author, Marcia claims exercise, traveling to exotic locales, and caring for her animal family, keep her sane.

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I Read ...I Buy..Maybe Not!

By: Marcia King-Gamble
www.lovemarcia.com

It's a competitive world out there, and with so many authors offering free reads, I am  mighty selective about what I buy these days. Aren't you? Hard cover books are pushing the $30 mark and paperbacks can cost close to $10.00. So don't you  think twice before getting out that credit card? In today's world of outlet shopping I can get an entire outfit for that same 30.00 bucks.

Like you, I have a tendency to stick to the tried and true. Authors that I know for sure can deliver. Authors like Susan Elizabeth Phillips, because there isn't one of her stories I don't like. The same can be said for Donna Hill, and then there is Sandra Kitt - the reason I began this crazy writing career. Incidentally she is the co-author of my last book, titled By Design.

What most people don't realize is that even if you are traditionally published ( and you get editing services for free,) these professionals with their ivy league degrees are hardly infallible. You, the author, shouldn't leave all the proofing up to them. Your responsibility is to edit your book as best as you can, and even so, you are way too close to your work to catch all the errors.

That said, several things pull me out of a book. A poorly researched book being one of them. Sure I can forgive the occasional typo. I can even  forgive the dangling participles, and I can overlook the chapters that end without a hook. What I can't forgive are misspellings, or the inappropriate use of words. I have difficulty forgiving the author placing her story in a setting she is clearly unfamiliar with. For gosh sakes we live in the world of Google maps and videos.

Case in point, I recently read a novel set in the world of  the affluent, yet the author didn't have a clue that those enjoying that lifestyle would never wait in an airport lounge, or pick up their luggage at the carousel.  Further, she did not understand that the hotels they stayed in would never serve a $8.95 buffet breakfast in the lobby, and that such a thing as room service is a staple in most 4/5 star hotels.

I am by no means suggesting that we are all born with silver spoons in our mouths. I am simply suggesting that a little research could easily have added some authenticity to her story.  Another pet peeve of mine are self published authors with  homemade book covers.  Covers sell a book and if that book looks amateurish there go your sales. The only person you are hurting by being cheap is yourself. There are Internet companies that can help. I have gotten some beautiful covers from upcoming graphic artist looking to build a portfolio for as little as $5.00, and I have tipped them far more than they charged.

This brings me to another pet peeve of mine. Books with no internal conflict. What surprises me are the number of seasoned authors putting out books that are all external conflict. For those of you who don't know what I mean, let me elaborate. An external conflict is an issue created by an outside force; a situation going on in the hero/heroines environment. It drives the dramatic action of the plot. Think Romeo and Juliet and the two feuding families.

 The internal conflict is the war within. The struggle inside that usually prevents the characters from moving forward. It's the dilemma facing the characters and it's impact on them. If these people aren't relatable or flawed why should we care? Everyone has experiences that have scarred them and made them vulnerable. Readers want to read about people they can relate to and root for, and they want to see them grow. At the end of the book they want to have learned something.

When I read a book that is all external conflict, and no internal, it makes me wonder what drives that character. What are the stakes? How can I root for a character that I don't know, and why should they matter when the author has not provided the ground work for me to understand who they are, where they come from, and why is that goal so important to them?

Since I write romance, I need to know  what drives my characters. It's not enough that two people are attracted to each other and find love. What are the obstacles they face? What is so important to them to make them step out of their comfort zone to achieve that goal? It's got to be more important than winning that guy or girl.     

Books with no black moment are downright boring to me.  It's that knuckle biting moment when you think all is lost, and there is no hope of romance between these two people that keep you reading. If everything is hunky dory from start to finish it's yawn city.

I spend money on books to be carried away, and while I'm being transported to another world I want to learn something. If I stumble over sentences that require I reread them four or five times until I understand what the author is saying, then I get frustrated not carried away.

As authors we may only have one time to make a first impression (especially with new readers.) It pays to be your own harsh critic, and it also pays to enlist the services of an editor or proofreader.  It could very well be the best money spent.

About Marcia King-Gamble

Romance writer, Marcia King-Gamble originally hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This former travel industry executive and current world traveler has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned over 34 books and 8 novellas. Her free time is spent at the gym, traveling to exotic locales, and caring for her animal family.

Visit Marcia at www.lovemarcia.com or “friend” her on Facebook: http://bit.ly/1MlnrIS