What happens when an historical author writes a contemporary story…

What happens when an historical author writes a contemporary story? It’s like that old fable about stone soup.

A stranger comes to town and starts heating up a large pot of water with a stone in it. The townspeople gather around, curious about what the old guy is doing. He tells them he is making stone soup and makes a show of tasting the water as it heats, adding a bit of salt and pepper.

As a crowd gathers, he offers to share his meal. “But,” he says. “It would taste better with a carrot in it.” One housewife hurries home to get a carrot, which he then cuts up and adds to the pot. “And maybe an onion,” he suggests. Another gal runs home to get an onion.

By the time the stone soup is finished, every person in the village has contributed one item, and the resulting and abundant stew fills them all with a deliciously warm supper.

And how, you are certainly asking yourself, does that apply to a story?

If you are a reader of historicals, then you know that only period-appropriate words, references, and locations can be used if the manuscript is to be authentic. For example: mesmerized. Franz Anton Mesmer died in 1815, and in 1830 his technique using relaxation and suggestion made its way to America. The first time mesmerized was used to describe a general state of being enthralled, however, was in the 1860s.

Up until now, that word has been off-limits to me—not anymore! In it goes.

What else? Computers. The internet. Google. Smart phones. Cable television. Flat screen TVs. DVRs. Microwaves.

All of it goes in. I’m positively giddy!

Online dating services. Reality TV. Social media. Cult classics.

I’m out of control…

YouTube and cameras everywhere: night vision cameras, thermal imaging cameras, motion detection cameras. Even a “rufie” assisted crime.

And it doesn’t stop there—the story takes place in Phoenix, my home town. So local hotels, restaurants, and attractions get thrown in as well.

I can use contractions! Text-speak! Cultural references from the 20^th and 21^st centuries!

And slang! Are you picking up what I’m throwing down? J

The stew of my story is being spiced by all sorts of ingredients that I have never been able to use, and I’m having a blast. Random information that I pick up along the way makes it in. Why not? It’s contemporary!

*sigh*

As much fun as this has been, I won’t stay here for long. Once this trilogy is finished, my next stories will be set either in the 1840s or the 1940s, depending on which I write first—so I’ll be back to Googling, “When was blah-blah-blah invented?” and checking Etymology Online for the earliest use of a questionable word. That’s okay. It’s what we historical writers do.

But for now, I’m going to pull in another popular television genre. And the Arizona Renaissance Faire. And The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Flavor.

New Year - New Adult

B. A. Binns here, back with the Genreistas again, with a little fable I hope you'll enjoy.

Once upon a time there were two kinds of fiction books, children and adults. Marketers loved this, because the primary audience for both were the same – adults. Children were stuck with the books purchased for them by parents and grandparents.   

One day, an entrepreneur noticed how much disposable income young teens had, and began marketing directly to kids who hated the idea of looking for books in the same shelves as Peter Rabbit or The Bobbsey Twins. The Young Adult category was born. (That whole seeking independence from parents thing ) Now, older adolescents and teens have books, both edgy and sweet, that appeal to directly to them. Many adults also read YA, usually after some book like Harry Potter or Hunger Games takes the teen world by storm and the winds whip all the way to adulthood. 

Technically, Young Adult remains part of the Children’s category, but voracious young readers in the 12-16 age bracket have made it a class by itself. (Yes, I know, kids as young as 10 and old as 18 will read YA, but the core market, the kids who buy and tell all their friends, remains in that middle.)

The End.

Not really.

There is a gap. There are few books about life after high school and before the thirties, when young adults are turning into newly minted adults. New Adults books belong on the Adult shelves, but chronicle the story arcs of protagonists in their late teens or early twenties. They tell stories that belong in college, or during the first years in the workplace, the period some call the Quarterlife Crisis. 

These books often have trouble finding readers. Many teens are not yet that interested in life after high school. Readers are split, with many twenty-somethings so busy with college and/or getting started in the workplace that one of the last things they want to do with their leisure time is pick up a book. I've heard a number of reader comments about a New Adult category, such as:

• I can't imagine anyone wanting to read books about 20 somethings learning how not to be mooches and leeching off family and society or wondering what to do next while they work to get out of debt. I wouldn't even consider reading such depressing topics for entertainment.
• I'm 21 and fresh out of college, and I'm stuck living at home and working in retail. In some ways I'm grown up and in other ways I might as well be 16 all over again. I can definitely see a market for books dealing with characters in this situation.

Is there a market for New Adult books – probably. How authors/publishers can reach that market is the great unknown.  

Last year I discussed the New Adult category with authors writing for that audience. Heather Burch, author of a new paranormal series about beings called Halflings, Clover Autry with her books in the Annointed series, and Ophelia Julien author of Saving Jake. Here are their thoughts:

Heather

Protagonists need to be old enough so they aren’t bound by normal teen restraints, but young enough that things like first love are still monumental. (As monumental as saving the world).

Ophelia

 My plots usually have something to do with accepting who you are despite what everyone else tells you that you need to be, and finding ones way back.

Clover

 My protagonists had to be old enough to go off on their own without parental guidance (tracking demons). They have also passed the coming-of-age situation and have more confidence. They are good at their job and know it, while at the same time they feel the weight of responsibility for others. Younger YA is more inner reflective of who am I. New Adult is more where do I fit in society, can I make a difference in the world?

What do you think?

How do you feel about New Adult books? Is there really a need for these novels? Would you be interested in characters meeting the challenges of this time of life? Comment below with your thoughts. If you have a favorite New Adult book, tell the world. Besides the works of these authors, some of my favorites can be found in a New Adult post.

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I Wish You A NaNo Christmas

B. A. Binns here, I'm glad to see you joining the Genreistas today.

First of all, I will admit that Halloween is my number one big holiday of the year. Once I put away my costume and say goodby to the little tricksters, things are all downhill. As a long time victim of SADS (seasonal affective disorder) I totally understand Scrooge.

That said, I will soon be laying in supplies so I can spend the winter curled up in front of the fireplace while the refrain, “let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…” comes from the radio.  I said radio on purpose, I’m not a TV person. 

I want a little music, a roaring fireplace and a good read.

It looks like the 2011 NaNoWriMo might have produced more than just a few good reads. Since I joined the thousands across the world who did the mad NaNoWriMo sprint during November. My effort included completion of the first draft of a new YA novel (Titled LEAH, after the book's heroine) There's nothing Christmasy about this story, althought I did manage to work in a little bit of Halloween. 

The manuscript I finished just before beginning NaNo - BEING GOD, included a dysfunctional family Christmas dinner. Trust me, pulling that chapter together was enough to last me for a good, long time. 

But in the spirit of the season, I took a look at some of the Christmasy things other NaNo writers created. They got into the spirit of the season, no matter what genre they chose.

Genre	Title	Synopsis
Erotic Fiction	Christmas Magic	Kaleb Kraig Kringle has a famous family and secrets to keep, so he can’t afford to get close to anyone. Lonely businessman Russell Lewis should have been just another hook-up. But after last night, dawn feels like a beginning instead of an ending.
Fantasy	S.O.S. Save Our Santa	Santa is caught in the middle of a power struggle between the North and South Poles.
Horror & Supernatural	Christmas Evil	Everything you know about Christmas is a candy cane coated falsehood. The horrifying truth includes demons scampering through the night collecting both the naughty and nice for the feast of the evil one.
Romance	A Cauley Christmas	Obituary Writer Cauley’s Christmas to-do list begins with 1. Identify the Dead Guy. She also wants to win the love of the handsome FBI Special Agent.
Satire, Humor & Parody	The Christmas we decided to kill Dad!	After years of suffering through endless Christmas dinners with Dad, the women of the family conspire to kill him.
Young Adult	Not at Mom’s for Christmas	After years of feeling like a pawn in the battle between his divorced parents, Quincy hatches a plan to spend the holiday without either parent, and winds up changing all their lives forever.

While I won't say which ones, a few of these make me hope the authors get them finished and on the shelves soon.   

MY QUESTION FOR YOU

Is anyone else out there working on a Christmas novel or short story? Share with us, so we can look forward to grabbing your story for that next great holiday read.

I'm glad for NaNo and the way it encourages people all over the world to further their dream of writing a book. For all of you who tried, CONGRATULATIONS!!

P. S.

Don't forget, Barbara Vey, Contributing Editor at Publishers Weekly, is holding her first annual Reader Appreciation Luncheon on April 10, 2012 in Wisconsin, set to occur just before the RT Booklovers convention opens in Chicago. As one of the attending authors, I invite all readers of YA Romance to join me there.   Information on the luncheon is available at a special website - http://www.barbaraveyreaders.com/

Beta Readers – An Author’s Secret Weapon?

It's the holiday season - 1 December. I can't give presents to everyone, but I can offer you some fabulous advice - find BETA READERS.

What’s a Beta Reader, I hear some of you ask? Well, they’re a weapon in a writer’s arsenal, and I find them a tool really worth using – if you find the right beta.

The purpose of a beta reader is to help me write the best story I can, by pointing out the weaknesses in the story, the areas they’d like more, the parts they simply love and just about anything else about your book.

A Beta reader is just that. I use ‘readers’- people who are not writers. I have critique partners amongst my writing friends, so what I want is pure reader input – how has my book entertained them and would they buy it.

Writers use Beta Readers in different ways. Nalini Singh doesn’t give them any direction; she simply wants feedback on the story. I, on the other hand, give my beta readers direction. Here are some of the questions I use:

Did you find anything confusing about the story?

What did you love?

Did the story take any turns that lost you?

What did you think of the characters?

Would you change anything?

Is there any place that you felt the H or h acted out-of-character?

Did you find the ending satisfying?

However, just like critique partners, you don’t have to agree with all their feed back.  In my soon to be released Regency romance, INVITATION TO SCANDAL, one of my cherished Beta readers didn’t like what I did to one character. But that character’s fate was pivotal to the book and therefore, I couldn’t change it.

Here’s some of the fabulous detail I got from my Beta Readers:

Did you find the ending satisfying?
"Again, I would have LOVED!! LOVED!! LOVED to have read that Anthony and Melissa were at the wedding and are living happily ever after that she is expecting or has had a baby or two and that Melissa and Rhea are just as good friends as Rufus and Anthony. I’m a hopeless romantic.  Made me wonder if Samuel and Maggie will have a story? Will they????? Something like Anthony and Melissa?  What about Stephen? Will he have a story? What about Alex? Will his story be coming? What about Stephen? Daniel too? OMG!!!! I CANT wait for this book to come out. I am crossing all my fingers that Alex and Stephen will have books coming out. Do you have any ideas when this Rufus' book will be released? Is there any chance the other characters will have books. I’m very sorry to pester you."

If that isn’t the best pep talk I’ve ever received I don’t know what is! But it’s not all roses…

Did you find anything confusing about the story?
"No, I understood the plot and the storyline.  Two people trying to prove themselves in this world.  One to become independent and the other to redeem his family name. And the both of them would do whatever it took to do to make it happened. My only problem with this book was the number of times that Rhea moaned about her parents’ marriage and that she wasn't going to be dependent on any man and Rufus being betrayed and how he will never love again and that he would never trust a woman."

The last comment was a flashing red ALERT – things need to be tightened. So I have tightened them and it’s made the book much better.

How do you find good beta readers? – ask. Use your blog to request a Beta Reader or Facebook or visit readers forums and ask. Specify what you are after. I was very straight on the point that I wanted ‘READERS’ only.

When a person applies, ask them what they read. It helps if they read and love your genre. Ask them what their favorite books are and why? Ask them if they review books and if so where. Then go and read the review. Do they have a good understanding of the genre and could give you sound feedback.

Tips for good beta reading:

1. Don't be afraid to ask questions.  If something wasn't clear to you, it probably will be unclear to others also.

2. Be specific in your feedback. Point out the exact spots where things don't work, not just vague generalities.

3. Make suggestions (which are free to be ignored) as to how the problem can be solved.

4. Point out the good bits too. I know as an editor, I tended to be oriented towards "fixing the problems", but I realized that one needs to point out favorite bits not only as a leavening of encouragement, but so that one doesn't end up losing those bits in the rewrite!

Tips for authors:

1. Give your beta-readers some direction, especially if they have not done this before.  At the least, tell them the kind of things you wish them to pay particular attention to, such as characterization, plot, or style.  You want them to look at the things you are weakest in, and that they are strongest in, so they can help you improve them.

If they are inexperienced, you might want to give them a list of questions to keep in mind while they read, such as:

* Are there parts of the plot which are confusing?
* Are the characters behaving out-of-character?
* Are there turns of phrase that are clumsy?
* What are your favorite bits?

2. Thank your beta-reader(s) even if what they said wasn't helpful. After all, they spent their precious time reading your story and thinking about it. Worth a ton of thanks.

3. Remember what your beta-reader said is only their opinion, it isn't gospel. This is your story, you have the say. On the other hand, do listen you your beta-reader, because what was the point in asking them to beta-read your story in the first place if you don't?

4. If a suggestion is made that you can't agree with, explain why.
It may be that when you explain your reasoning, or the intent of that bit of the story, you may be able to figure out between you something that works for both of you.

I was lucky. I found several very useful Beta readers and I’ve dedicated my second book, INVITATION TO SCANDAL to them.

I can’t recommend strongly enough that authors try Beta Readers. They give their time for free and offer valuable insight. I can’t do without them…

Have a wonder Christmas everyone and I'll see you in 2012!