Wednesday, 30 June 2021

FINDING PLOT IDEAS… TROPES

FINDING PLOT IDEAS… TROPES

Writing a romance can be difficult and ideas for characters and a romantic plot don’t always spring to mind. So, what can an author do when one book is finished and another is about to begin but ideas are in short supply?

If I’m really stuck and the spontaneous “got to write this” inspiration well is dry, I’ve been known to pin TROPES along with ARCHETYPES on a board and fire off the darts. This gets me started and gives me something to work with.

Once I’ve got, eg. FRIENDS TO LOVERS and THE REBEL or the EXPLORER, etc., I work through the STASIS, TRIGGER, QUEST, etc. until a RESOLUTION is found. Using this method, in no time at all, there’s a rough outline of a synopsis that I can work with. And if the characters happen to take me on a different journey to the one I’ve plotted and planned … I go with it!

So, what TROPES are on offer? The most common tropes used in romance are:

 

Friends to Lovers

It might be they work together professionally, or they’ve know one another for years and were the typical boy and girl next door – only now attraction kicks in and things are getting hot. As it says on the tin, their relationships changes from friends to lovers.

 

Stuck Together

Two people are forced into a situation and there’s no getting away from each other. It might be they have to pretend to the outside world that they are a couple, or they could be confined in a location, and a romance evolves between them

 

Soul Mates

The couple are usually destined to be together although more often than not, during the story, they must be driven apart before they can be reunited.

 

Forbidden Love

Something or someone, family, religion, beliefs, etc. are keeping the two lovers apart. But their love for one another is so strong, that no matter what their problems are, they find a way to be together.

 

Fake Relationship

Usually, the couple pretends to be lovers in love. They could be together in a marriage of convenience or they could fake being together to give society a false impression of who they really are. Whatever the reason and whatever the situation, the couple eventually find true love with one another.

 

Secret Billionaire

A billionaire who has everything, a lavish jet-set lifestyle, answerable to one, and can do what he/she likes whenever he/she likes, is mistaken for an ‘ordinary’ person. Usually, the end result is that the billionaire is loved for their personal qualities/goodness, and not for their possessions.

 

Love Triangle

Three characters and only two will find true love. It’s an emotional struggle to choose who to love – the handsome inconsiderate CEO or the hard-working, caring nerdy-looking executive – the beauty queen or the wallflower. You’re rooting for all three characters, but someone has to lose.

 

Enemies to Lovers

They can’t stand one another, but somehow they find themselves in a situation where their hate and dislike for one another turn to respect and love.

 

These are just a few of the most popular TROPES. There are many more, and I hope you find a combination that inspires you…

Arabella

Website:  www.arabellasheen.co.uk 






Wednesday, 23 June 2021

Heat Levels - How Hot Do You Write?

WHAT SHOULD YOU EXPECT FROM EROTIC NOVELS...?



I write contemporary and historical novels and offer them to my readers as: Tender love stories with a hint of sensual passion . . . and moreMy publisher, when choosing search engine categories for my novels, brackets me in the #erotic romance genre. So, how do you decide where your novel fits into the world of romance and erotica.
The “hotness” or “heat levels” in this post have been split into four groups. I’ve tried to include in each section what I believe are the expected ranges of sexual interaction and heat.
The boundaries between these groupings can be a bit blurred and merge, so please don’t take what is written as absolutely true or without variations. Each publisher's requirements are different and every reader's personal expectations are individual.

As a Rule of Thumb...
Sweet/Clean = the bedroom door is closed
Sensual = a romance for the mainstream reader - use imagination
Erotic = a romance story with varying heat levels of sexual interaction
Erotica = a story heavy on sexual interaction, with a high heat level, and some romance in the storyline
Pornography = the graphic depiction of sexually explicit scenes – end of.

Heat Level 1
Minimal or no physical sexual interaction.
There might only be kissing and touching. Physical romance is usually implied or mentioned in vague general terms.
Often described as “sweet or “clean” romance.
The emphasis is on the romantic emotional journey.

Heat Level 2
Usually found in the mainstream romance section of book stores.
Might contain graphic sex, subtle erotic content, and adult language.
A bit of hanky-panky happens and the physical details are described, but they are not “full-on” or graphically depicted. Most of the “bedroom” interaction is left to the reader’s imagination.

Heat Level 3
Contains graphic sex, erotic content, and adult language. May offend mainstream readers.
Explicit descriptive narrative and adult language used. Sex is portrayed in graphic terms. Lots of sex scenes and likely to depict acts beyond intercourse.

Heat Level 4
Hardcore erotic content. Graphic descriptive sex and adult language used. Will offend mainstream readers.
This heat level tends to stray from the elements of erotic romance and enter the boundaries of strong pure erotica.

I hope you find your romantic reading and writing comfort zone...





Tuesday, 22 June 2021

RELUCTANT BRIDE - ANTHOLOGY

Sharing the NEWS!!! 

PUBLICATION DAY... Amazon #1 in Fiction Anthologies


RELUCTANT BRIDE - ANTHOLOGY    Evernight Publishing ​
12 amazing #erotic #contemporary #romances    


He’s older, wiser, and always gets what he wants. This wedding is happening ... whether the bride likes it or not.
Twelve hand-picked stories that feature young reluctant brides and the older men determined to claim them. These forced marriages may start out frigid, but they will prove that love can conquer all.

Evernight Publishing's Reluctant Bride anthology stories are sure to deliver passion that is off the charts, scorching hot sex, and sigh-worthy happy ever afters.



         

Reluctant Love is included in the 
Reluctant Bride - Anthology



Can Amal commit to an unwanted marriage?


Amal Khan doesn’t want a new man in her life and she certainly doesn’t need a sexy, silver-haired Frenchman nearly twice her age as a lover. But when design engineer, Lucas Martinez, arrives to troubleshoot during the pandemic, he invades not only her world, but also her bed and her heart.

Lucas falls ill with the deadly virus and in an attempt to solve a family problem, he forces the unwilling Amal into a hasty marriage.

Amal’s faced with a dilemma. It’s one thing to have a fling with an older man, but another to marry, knowing Lucas might die.

Dare she take a chance, or would she be out of her depth and facing heartache?

Sunday, 23 May 2021

Reluctant Bride - Anthology

Sharing the NEWS!!! 

Available to Pre-Order NOW

Released ... June 2021

Evernight Publishing ​
ANTHOLOGY - Reluctant Bride - June 2021
Amazing #erotic #contemporary #romances                          




Reluctant Love is included in the Reluctant Bride - Anthology

Can Amal commit to an unwanted marriage?

Amal Khan doesn’t want a new man in her life and she certainly doesn’t need a sexy, silver-haired Frenchman nearly twice her age as a lover. But when design engineer, Lucas Martinez, arrives to troubleshoot during the pandemic, he invades not only her world, but also her bed and her heart.

Lucas falls ill with the deadly virus and in an attempt to solve a family problem, he forces the unwilling Amal into a hasty marriage.

Amal’s faced with a dilemma. It’s one thing to have a fling with an older man, but another to marry, knowing Lucas might die.

Dare she take a chance, or would she be out of her depth and facing heartache?

 

Wednesday, 5 May 2021

COVER REVEAL - Reluctant Bride - Anthology

 Sharing the NEWS!!! 

Coming Soon...  June 2021

Evernight Publishing ​
ANTHOLOGY - Reluctant Bride - June 2021
Amazing #erotic #contemporary #romances                          



Reluctant Love is included in the Reluctant Bride - Anthology

Can Amal commit to an unwanted marriage?

Amal Khan doesn’t want a new man in her life and she certainly doesn’t need a sexy, silver-haired Frenchman nearly twice her age as a lover. But when design engineer, Lucas Martinez, arrives to troubleshoot during the pandemic, he invades not only her world, but also her bed and her heart.

Lucas falls ill with the deadly virus and in an attempt to solve a family problem, he forces the unwilling Amal into a hasty marriage.

Amal’s faced with a dilemma. It’s one thing to have a fling with an older man, but another to marry, knowing Lucas might die.

Dare she take a chance, or would she be out of her depth and facing heartache?

Friday, 30 April 2021

Wednesday, 28 April 2021

Welcome to Romance Author - Victoria Cooke

I’m delighted to have romance author, Victoria Cooke on my blog.


Victoria Cooke - Author

Hi Victoria – It was lovely to connect with you via the Romantic Novelists’ Association and I’m pleased to hear you have a new book on the horizon. But before we discover more about The Single Mum’s Book Club, here are a few questions that will hopefully give your readers and followers an insight into some of the things that matter to you.


Arabella: We all love the creativity of writing – otherwise we wouldn’t spend hours at a keyboard pounding away in the hope someone will read and enjoy our novels. But what do you like most about our craft?

The editing and proofreading, the author/reader relationship, promotional book signings, or is there something else that has you hooked to the world of books?

Victoria:  I love the mystery of writing the first draft. Terry Pratchett once said ‘writing the first draft is just you telling yourself the story’ and it’s true, that’s why I enjoy it so much. Even with the most in-depth planning, the story can evolve in the most surprising of ways and I love that. My second favourite part of the process is the line-editing phase. That’s the part where we can really hone in on how we say things; can that line be funnier, more vivid, sassier or more emotive etc. I also love it when a reader tells me they enjoyed one of my stories, it makes the hard work worthwhile.



Arabella: Who or what inspired you to write your latest release, The Single Mum’s Book Club?

Victoria:  The Single Mum’s Book Club was inspired by my own experiences of being a working mum. I’m the disorganised mum who packs the PE bag at the last minute, forgets about the PTA bake sale and sends her children to school with their breakfast in their hands. A few of my friends once suggested we start a book club and we never got around to it (we got as far as setting up a Whatsapp group). You’ll see in the story that the characters are pretty terrible book-clubbers too.

 

Arabella:  You are out for a walk and see a twenty-pound note (or a twenty-dollar bill, etc.) lying on the road. What do you do with the unclaimed funds?

Victoria:  I’d ask around to try to reunite it with its owner. If that failed, I’d donate it to charity.

 

Arabella: Some authors cannot work without a business planner, others cannot write without an editing app…  Are there any “essentials” you need to help your writing move forward?

Victoria:  Coffee. I’m not a huge planner. I do plan but then I hardly ever refer back to it or I lose my notebook etc. I always have my copy of Save The Cat and The Emotional Thesaurus on hand though.



Arabella: An Indian Curry, Italian Paste Bake, Fish and Chips, or ______?

Victoria:  This is why I love those ‘buffets from around the world’ places — you can have all of the above! On a normal day, it would depend on what mood I’m in but there are very few foods I don’t like.

 

Arabella: If the person of your dreams, (husband/wife/partner/or superstar), were to take you out for the day, social distancing restrictions permitting, where would they take you and what would you do?

Victoria:  I love a trip to the seaside. Reading a book on a beach followed by fish and chips would be perfect.



Arabella: Do you have any great writing, publishing, or marketing tips you would like to share with “want-to-be” authors starting out on their writing journey?

Victoria:  It’s what everyone always says but you have to write. It doesn’t matter if you feel it’s terrible, it can be improved but you have to have something to work with. I’d also recommend signing up to a few writing courses (there are some free ones that are really useful). I did a couple and they really helped me to start out. Finally, you need to get used to letting people read your work. I used to blog about my writing journey. I’d write about time management, finding inspiration, editing, etc. as well as publishing short stories just to get used to people commenting on my work. It can feel like quite a big step at first but it’s good to get used to feedback early on.


Victoria, thank you for being a guest on Arabella’s Blog and Chit-Chat, today. A trip to the seaside and a walk along the beach as the waves hit the shore sounds lovely.

Wishing you the best for your latest release, The Single Mum’s Book Club

Arabella

www.arabellasheen.co.uk




 

About  Victoria Cooke

Victoria Cooke - Author

Victoria Cooke grew up in the city of Manchester before crossing the Pennines in pursuit of a career in education. She now lives in Huddersfield with her husband and two young daughters and when she's not at home writing by the fire with a cup of coffee in hand, she loves working out in the gym and travelling. Victoria was first published at the tender age of eight by her classroom teacher who saw potential in a six-page story about an invisible man. Since then she's always had a passion for reading and writing, undertaking several writers' courses before completing her first novel, 'The Secret to Falling in Love,' in 2016.

 

Book Blurb   The Single Mum’s Book Club



Three friends, three single mums, one quest to find love…

It’s 8:30am and I’m already utterly exhausted. My son has lost his football boots, my daughter is ready for school dressed only in her vest and knickers, and of course, my 1-year-old has filled his nappy for what feels like the tenth time this morning.

As for my husband? He’s decided marriage doesn’t suit him, and well… buggered off.

All hope of ‘me time’ has but dwindled to sipping half a glass of wine whilst shouting after the kids. But everything is about to change.

I’m taking control of my life! I’ve joined… a book club.

Yes, I know what you’re thinking. ‘Wow… live a little.’ But my fellow book clubbers, Amanda and Janey, are my lifelines. They understand the daily struggle because they’re mothers too.

And in between the prosecco, Doritos and googling everything about Mr Darcy on SparkNotes, they’ve convinced me to go on a date with my boss.

A single mum of three looking for romance… what could possibly go wrong?

BUY LINK:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08Z7WM5P5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0 

HER THREE CAPTAINS - Arabella Sheen - Excerpt 1

      Her Three Captains Arabella Sheen     The Honorable Olivia Trevillion lifted the long skirts of her embroidered silk evening g...