Monday, October 26, 2009

Discovering My Voice

I'd decided to go to the Romance Writers National Conference with another writing friend. On the Saturday night before we were due to go home the next day, we sat in the room talking to each other and I told my friend I'd realized I stopped writing what I loved.

Alpha heroes. Over the years, I was trying to conform to what I thought editors and agents wanted, but at the same time I was squishing my voice. Knowing what I did, I went home with a new attitude.

I'd always loved Harlequin Presents books, and had continued to read them all this time. The hero is always an alpha male. This was why I kept reading them; I loved that kind of hero.

Back to the drawing board. I started developing a book that was more like what I wanted to read. Yet at the same time, I still had other books out there with editors.

Around the same time e-publisher Ellora's Cave became a topic of conversation. I heard about them, but had not ready one of their books. I went on-line and ordered a bunch of books. These were in print books; I wasn't much for reading an e-book (not at that point.)

I had a week off from work and I sat down with these books and began to read. It was more than eye opening, I found another market. These were stories I could write.

Continuing the journey next Monday

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