While I haven't heard anything corporately about Intrigue guidelines changing, I do get a sense from talking to other authors and in my own writing that there are some subtle changes--all directly related to marketing. One, they're definitely looking for young voices since they really want to pull in and keep younger readers--I think that's another reason we can push some of the content as well--younger readers have been exposed to a lot more technology; the news is in their faces from a lot of sources; younger readers tend to take more chances/be more flexible; and they tend to like more action/steam/danger/unpredictability than veteran readers who are used to seeing a line a certain way.
I know the more books I write, the more the editors trust my judgment--for example, in my first books, the H/h got together pretty quickly. In one of my recent books, they didn't meet until Ch. 3. My characters can curse more now than before, if the situation calls for it. Some of my stories are getting more mainstream, but they still have that satisfying ending (still a must for me).
I don't know how much I push the envelope, content-wise (though I've dealt with some pretty traumatic issues, created some unusual characters, made up plausible technology, litter the place with dead bodies
As far as specific trends, they come and go. But right now I think paranormal and Gothic are hot (hence, the success of the Eclipse sub-series).
Just some thoughts.
Julie Miller
www.juliemiller.org
Posts
Julie, in the book I'm writing now, the h/h don't meet until chapter 3. And I'm nervous about it. I've never done that before. But there were parts of the story I wanted to tell before they met--so that's how they ended up not getting together for so long. On the other hand, the heroine knew she was going to ask the hero for help in rescuing her sister. She she was thinking about him a lot before she met him.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't mind my asking--what kinds of cursing are your characters doing? Having to watch the language of my characters has always been a frustrtion for me at Intrigue.
Ruth
LOL--cursing, I seem to have the cursing capabilities of a sailor!!! I always have to tone it down and figure I'm putting my frustration on the page until I start editing :)
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of pushing the envelope, I'm terrified of the idea of a 'young' voice. People say I have a strong voice, so what if it isn't the right voice? Yikes!!
I figure as I'm pitching at Reno I'll find out soon enough whether I have something for intrigue--or not.
One question though. I sometimes find the need for the H/h to both be personally/emotionally linked into the plot a little contrived. My story is an undercover agent investigating the heroine for drugs smuggling. I've found myself adding a partner, killed by the drug ring he's investigating to make it more personal to him--but it feels wrong. Any thoughts on this (not on my story...just the concept)
Okay, I decided to stop lurking and comment as Patricia R. dared me to do. :-)
ReplyDeleteWhen I started reading Intrigue, the stories had a different feel/tone than they do now. They are edgier, tauter, more mainstream. I enjoyed the old Intrigues-- many are on my keeper shelf--but I also love the new ones.
I'm glad to hear Julie say that gothic and paranormals are hot since my next few projects deal in those two areas. I'm curious to hear from Ruth, however, if she thinks Intrigue is looking to move more into paranormal as she mentioned having an upcoming book with a vampire hero. I know SIM has two books this month with a werewolf and shape shifter (I think). Does anyone know of other Intrigues with strong paranormal overtones coming out?
This is fun! I'm glad to see so many of my favorite authors gathered in one place. Thank you for sharing.
Patrizia
Mallory, you might be right. I'm thinking on it :)
ReplyDeleteRuth & Toni--
ReplyDeleteI've had the S-word edited out--the copyeditor said "Intrigue doesn't do cursing". But the hero had just witnessed the execution of an innocent man and I didn't think just "D***" could sufficiently convey his emotion. They let me use "SOB".
Actually, I use SOB, d***, h*** in dialogue in nearly every book. They let me use cr*p and a** sparingly through narrative, but not in dialogue. I think I did get to use a** in dialogue one time, when the hero refers to the heroine getting her "pretty little a** in gear".
I also use phrases like, "He swore"/He cursed/and creative variations thereof.
In my Blazes, they've let me use a couple of words they edit out of my Intrigues.
Not that my characters are cussing all the time, but, you know, when a soldier you've served with on the battlefield gets executed by a terrorist for the sake of a videotape, I don't think, realistically, my hero is going to respond with a "Darn." Even if he is a man of view words.
In LAST MAN STANDING, the last of my Taylor Clan series, the H/h don't meet until Ch. 3. They're both working undercover for different legal entities, though, so there's a bit to set up. Before they meet, he has spied on her once, and she's had people talk to her about him. No contact, though, until he catches her breaking into a security system he's responsible for. I ratchet up the tension between them quickly--pretty much as soon as they meet, they're already sharing a torrid kiss!
Julie Miller
Toni--I'm curious like Mallory--why does it feel "wrong" to have the murdered partner in your story?
ReplyDeleteTypically, just having him work the case because he's assigned to it isn't enough of a hook for Intrigue. But being assigned to a case where he might get to extract a little justice for his partner's murder at the same time is right up their alley!
Is there another way to tie the hero to the plot in a personal way that feels more natural to you?
Good luck with the pitch!
Julie Miller
I hadn't really thought about the new direction Intrigues are taking, but I think you're right. It does seem as if they're looking for more cutting-edge type stories. I doubt I would have been allowed to do a series like QUANTUM MEN a few years ago. As the name implies, it deals with quantum physics and borders on SciFi with interdimensional travel, altered realities, and time-warping. I received some interesting feedback on that series.
ReplyDeleteI'm thrilled that gothics are so hot right now because it's one of my favorite genres. Do you think they're looking for edgier, mainstreamy stories for Eclipse, or are these stories more traditional in tone?
From Rebecca York--
ReplyDeleteI went away for a couple of days and found a lot of posts here. (I was busy giving a baby shower for my niece. It was a lot of fun but also a lot of work. I played around with all kinds of cute decorations--like using my son's old Tonka dump truck for a napkin holder and my grandkids' Playskool barn to hold the dessert plates. And I had all kinds of stuffed animals watching the proceedings. Including that wolf we got at BEA in Chicago, Patricia. Remember?)
Meanwhile, I agree with Julie. When something horrible happens, you feel stupid having your characters say, "Oh damn." I particularly want my bad guys to use strong language when they're under stress.
Sometimes it takes being clever. I always love it when I manage to sneak something in. In OUT OF NOWHERE, my heroine was from ---.
Well, I don't want to tell you, in case you read the book. But in the place where she lived, the word "Carp" was a really bad word. So she used it frequently. And in PRINCE OF TIME, my space alien hero said Klat! when he was upset. I equated that with "sh-t."
And another one of my heroines said "jeez." Which was apparently okay.
But, yes, I fall back on "he cursed under his breath," a lot.
Rickey, I try to have my h/h personally involved in the suspense plot. But there are times where the hero gets involved because it's his job. I'm writing a Berkley now where the heroine is trying to find out who pushed her sister off a cliff--and put her in the hospital in a coma. The hero gets into the story because he's writing an expose on the nasty group of people who injured the heroine's sister. But he quickly gets personally involved because he gets drawn into caring about the heroine. That's not my favorite way to get them both involved. But I have written a lot of books, and it's not always possible to have them both start off personally involved.
But if you can make it make sense--then it is the ideal situation.
Ruth/Rebecca York
On the subject of language, the manuscript I'm working on right now (not for Intrigue but for another category line) has two wiseguys kidnapping my heroine for reasons as yet unknown. Something happens to put their kidnapping plan in jeopardy. Needless to say, these mobsters aren't going to say, "Oh darn, somebody's spotted us."
ReplyDeleteThe way I've handled it so far is using one term I think will be fine and one I'm not so sure about. The one I think will be fine is "let loose a dizzying volley of expletives." The one I'm less sure of involves one character "dropping a series of f-bombs."
We'll see if I get away with that. ;)
I've used all sorts of rough language in my Intrigues, including the S-word (in Desert Sons). No one said anything.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the envelope is concerned, I was worried about them balking at my October book, which is very brutal. I did get a warning from my editor that I was pushing a bit far, but she didn't ask me to change anything. Quite a relief, since I don't believe the book would have worked if I didn't push it as far as I did.
-Ann Voss Peterson
I love your ways of handling the language problem, Paula. ;) That definitely would work for me as a reader.
ReplyDelete-Ann Voss Peterson
Sorry--I was busy for a few days :)
ReplyDeleteThe murdered partner felt contrived at first because the hero is a real loner. But I think I've tied up his 'growth' with the death of a young rookie he'd repeatedly fobbed off. I'm hoping that learning to work with others and trust more helps the hero's character development.
But really I don't see why a police officer investigating a case couldn't become emotionally involved...without a personal loss. I see it all the time in real life, and I know fiction isn't real life, but you know what I mean. LOL. There's no way I can really tie the H/h together much more--although the villain does affect them both :)
I hope it is enough. My setting has a slight gothic feel--east coast Scotland is a misty mysterious place, and there are plenty of ghosts hanging around. I hope my pitch is successfull but I really like the story myself, so I'm hoping :)
PS. Personally I feel the language issue is so as not to offend old ladies. I think it really ages the books and turns some readers off. Like you all say, it doesn't seem realistic for characters in some situations to say 'darn'.
It isn't what I say LOL.