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y separately published work icon Heart and Craft : Bestselling Romance Writers Share Their Secrets with You anthology   criticism  
Issue Details: First known date: 2009... 2009 Heart and Craft : Bestselling Romance Writers Share Their Secrets with You
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Contents

* Contents derived from the Crows Nest, North Sydney - Lane Cove area, Sydney Northern Suburbs, Sydney, New South Wales,:Allen and Unwin , 2009 version. Please note that other versions/publications may contain different contents. See the Publication Details.
Latin Lovers and Others, Helen Bianchin , single work criticism
There's something about a foreign hero...that dark, faintly brooding quality, with a touch of arrogance. A little bit ruthless, but possessed of integrity. Tall - he should be tall! Good athletic build. Preferably dark-haired, with dark eyes, and sculptured facial features. Wealthy, with all the assets wealth can provide...the mansion, luxury car/s, a sizeable sea cruiser, designer clothes. And he knows women!
 (p. 19-39)
Packing an Emotional Punch, Valerie Parv , single work criticism
What do editors mean when they say your writing lacks emotional depth, or needs more emotional punch? Isn't your heroine falling to the ground bewailing the loss of the home she loves? Isn't your hero gritting his teeth as he fights for truth and justice?
 (p. 40-62)
Crossing the Lines and Getting it Right, Lilian Darcy , single work criticism

'When most readers go into a bookstore, they don't take a lot of notice of who publishes the book they're browsing through or looking for, they just want to buy the darn thing. They take even less notice of what imprint the book is published under. One thing that regular readers of series romance are much more aware of, however, is lines. They may not use this word. They're more likely to say, 'the ones with the purple covers', 'the Silhouette Special Edition', or 'the medical romances'. But they know that when they pick up any book with a particular look - the purple cover, the word 'sexy' emblazoned on the front - they're being promised certain ingredients.

 (p. 63-94)
Tons of Romance in the Regency, Elizabeth Rolls , single work criticism

This chapter is my take on why research is fun and how to make it not only relevant, but vital to your story. This is about concepts and ideas, not detail. Although I use Regency examples, the principles can be applied to any period.

 (p. 95-114)
Two Worlds : Weaving Romance with Fantasy, Kelly Ethan , single work criticism
Like any good story, a fantasy romance has to have a strong plot. Given most fantasy romances,in particular epic fantasies, tend to be of a much longer word count than traditional romances, usually in the 100 000-word range, the plot must be strong enough to carry the story right to the end. It might be sparked by a magazine article about nanotechnology or DNA. Or something I see on television. Some little thing that ignites my imagination and gets me excited.
 (p. 115-141)
Keeping Readers in Suspense, Valerie Parv , single work criticism
Long before romance novels branched out into sub-genres containing suspense, intrigue and real-life conflicts, I enjoyed writing these elements into my books. In my first romance novel, Love's Greatest Gamble, the heroine's late husband, a Vietnam War serviceman, was a victim of what's now called post-traumatic stress syndrome. The term may have existed then but wasn't in common use.
 (p. 142-162)
The Big 'O' : Opportunities in Erotic Romance, Alexis Fleming , single work criticism
When I started writing, I had no doubt that I would write romance. Whether set in this world or a fantasy world I created, romance was it. I read across all the sub-genres within the romance spectrum, but fantasy romance was my first love. I never actually set out to write erotic romance. Little did I know!
 (p. 163-185)
A Foolproof Editing System, Jennie Adams , single work criticism (p. 214-235)
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