Cynthia Eden Talks Paranormal Power
SUPER HAPPY RELEASE DAY to my friend Cynthia Eden!
Cynthia is here today talking about POWER. Paranormal power, specifically!
~ One random commentor will WIN a copy of NEVER CRY WOLF, which releases today.
~ Five random commentors will WIN a custom bookmark made for NEVER CRY WOLF.
RUNNING WITH A DANGEROUS CROWD
Lucas Simone is not the kind of guy you mess with. He’s big, he’s strong, and his eyes hint at a wilder side most women can’t handle. Of course, that’s because his predatory instincts are no metaphor—he’s a genuine Grade-A top-quality werewolf, tough enough to fight his way to dominance over the scariest pack on the West Coast. There’s only one chink in his armor. Unlike most alpha dogs, Lucas has a reputation for protecting the weak and innocent.
Sarah King is counting on that protective impulse—it’s the only thing standing between her and certain death. There are only two problems: one, she’s not quite as innocent as she’d like Lucas to believe. And two, if he doesn’t stop stoking Sarah’s animal lust, it’s only a matter of time before her own wild side gets unleashed…
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Let’s Talk PowerHi, everyone! Thanks so much for checking out my post today—and a huge thanks to my awesome host Joan for inviting me over!
For this post, I want to talk about power. Power can come in various forms—and when you start talking about paranormal characters, well, power can sure mean many, many things.
The hero of NEVER CRY WOLF is a wolf shifter, the alpha of his pack. So, yeah, he knows a thing or two about power. You want protection, you want strength, then you turn to Lucas because he can generally kick butt.
When I wrote his book, I wanted to give him a heroine that would be just as strong as he was…just as powerful. But I didn’t want her to be a wolf. Instead, I created Sarah King to be a charmer. In my paranormal world, charmers are beings that can communicate with animals. (Think the cool snake charmers, but imagine that those guys actually talked to snakes like Harry Potter could. J) Sarah King is a charmer who can communicate with wolves, and while on the surface, it may seem like her paranormal gift doesn’t give her the same power that Lucas possesses, well, that surface glance would be deceptive.
Different powers…different degrees of danger. Remember the old line about how opposites attract? When I write, I like to give my characters opposite power characteristics. That tends to make things interesting. J When I wrote about my Ignitor heroine (a woman who could burn anything, any time), I paired her up with a demon who could control fire in ETERNAL FLAME. Opposite powers, but when those two got together, the sparks flew.
So, tell me…what’s your favorite paranormal power?
One random commenter will be picked to win a copy of NEVER CRY WOLF.
Cynthia Eden www.cynthiaeden.com
NEVER CRY WOLF—Available 6/28/11 Kensington Brava
Be afraid of the big, bad wolf…
>Cynthia Eden Talks Paranormal Power
>SUPER HAPPY RELEASE DAY to my friend Cynthia Eden!
Cynthia is here today talking about POWER. Paranormal power, specifically!
~ One random commentor will WIN a copy of NEVER CRY WOLF, which releases today.
~ Five random commentors will WIN a custom bookmark made for NEVER CRY WOLF.
RUNNING WITH A DANGEROUS CROWD
Lucas Simone is not the kind of guy you mess with. He’s big, he’s strong, and his eyes hint at a wilder side most women can’t handle. Of course, that’s because his predatory instincts are no metaphor—he’s a genuine Grade-A top-quality werewolf, tough enough to fight his way to dominance over the scariest pack on the West Coast. There’s only one chink in his armor. Unlike most alpha dogs, Lucas has a reputation for protecting the weak and innocent.
Sarah King is counting on that protective impulse—it’s the only thing standing between her and certain death. There are only two problems: one, she’s not quite as innocent as she’d like Lucas to believe. And two, if he doesn’t stop stoking Sarah’s animal lust, it’s only a matter of time before her own wild side gets unleashed…
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Let’s Talk PowerHi, everyone! Thanks so much for checking out my post today—and a huge thanks to my awesome host Joan for inviting me over!
For this post, I want to talk about power. Power can come in various forms—and when you start talking about paranormal characters, well, power can sure mean many, many things.
The hero of NEVER CRY WOLF is a wolf shifter, the alpha of his pack. So, yeah, he knows a thing or two about power. You want protection, you want strength, then you turn to Lucas because he can generally kick butt.
When I wrote his book, I wanted to give him a heroine that would be just as strong as he was…just as powerful. But I didn’t want her to be a wolf. Instead, I created Sarah King to be a charmer. In my paranormal world, charmers are beings that can communicate with animals. (Think the cool snake charmers, but imagine that those guys actually talked to snakes like Harry Potter could. J) Sarah King is a charmer who can communicate with wolves, and while on the surface, it may seem like her paranormal gift doesn’t give her the same power that Lucas possesses, well, that surface glance would be deceptive.
Different powers…different degrees of danger. Remember the old line about how opposites attract? When I write, I like to give my characters opposite power characteristics. That tends to make things interesting. J When I wrote about my Ignitor heroine (a woman who could burn anything, any time), I paired her up with a demon who could control fire in ETERNAL FLAME. Opposite powers, but when those two got together, the sparks flew.
So, tell me…what’s your favorite paranormal power?
One random commenter will be picked to win a copy of NEVER CRY WOLF.
Cynthia Eden www.cynthiaeden.com
NEVER CRY WOLF—Available 6/28/11 Kensington Brava
Be afraid of the big, bad wolf…
Choosing Author Comparisons
>
My agent called a few days ago.
“The edits look good. We’re ready to submit. Why don’t you put together some author comps and email them to me today?”
My response: “Huh?”
Okay, I didn’t really say it; I was thinking it. I actually offered something far more eloquent than that. Something smooth and sophisticated, like, “Uh, er, author comps? I don’t know…” I cut myself off before what you’re talking about came out of my mouth.
An unprepped speaker on literary topics I am not. At least not yet. But I’m learning fast.
Turns out that in preparation for pitching my book to editors, my agent needed a few things from me.
1) Author comps
Author comps, my agent so patiently explained, are comparisons of my work to other authors. The purpose is so editors know how they will market my work.
If an publishing house represents Tami Hoag and Sandra Brown, for example, and my agent walks in and says, “I’ve got an author who write romantic suspense with the intensity of Tami Hoag and the passion of Sandra Brown.” they’re going to know, immediately, how they would market that work. They’ll have marketing plans, artists, editors, copy editors and publicists already on that road. They’ll have tried and true methods.
My agent also suggested I pick certain parts of my writing to compare: not so much the firefighter heroes, but definitely the kick-ass heroines. She also mentioned heat level and of course genre. So, for example, I wouldn’t align myself with erotica writers because my heat level is different. I wouldn’t compare myself to an author whose heroines have a steep self-confidence arc because mine are right-off-the-griddle hot.
2) Book blurbs
This was a shocker. Book blurbs? Um, from who? The only people who’ve read my book are me, you and my crit partner. I’m an unknown. A babe in the woods. A nobody. What NYT or USA Today list author would want to read my book and blurb it even before it sells?
That sure seemed like an insurmountable task. I remained shell-shocked for half the day. When I thawed, I have to admit, I was a touch panicked. But, as she always does, my CP but everything into perspective and gave me the courage to take the right steps. Another writer friend, Kristina McMorris, who had already been down this road gave me some pointers.
Beyond belief, the same day I requested a blurb from a fresh, hot RS author who writes kick-ass heroines and hot, military heroes, she said yes! Thanks Stephanie! You’re a gem! Seriously.
With my awe of the romance writing community reignited and hope for a few more generous offers to read my manuscript, I have learned a couple of valuable lessons today:
Lesson 1: cultivate your author friends early and choose wisely. The good ones will come through for you when you really need them.
Lesson 2: be prepared (i.e. hope, pray and work your ass off) so that one day you are in a position to either return the favor or Pay It Forward.
>Choosing Author Comparisons
> My agent called a few days ago.
“The edits look good. We’re ready to submit. Why don’t you put together some author comps and email them to me today?”
My response: “Huh?”
Okay, I didn’t really say it; I was thinking it. I actually offered something far more eloquent than that. Something smooth and sophisticated, like, “Uh, er, author comps? I don’t know…” I cut myself off before what you’re talking about came out of my mouth.
An unprepped speaker on literary topics I am not. At least not yet. But I’m learning fast.
Turns out that in preparation for pitching my book to editors, my agent needed a few things from me.
1) Author comps
Author comps, my agent so patiently explained, are comparisons of my work to other authors. The purpose is so editors know how they will market my work.
If an publishing house represents Tami Hoag and Sandra Brown, for example, and my agent walks in and says, “I’ve got an author who write romantic suspense with the intensity of Tami Hoag and the passion of Sandra Brown.” they’re going to know, immediately, how they would market that work. They’ll have marketing plans, artists, editors, copy editors and publicists already on that road. They’ll have tried and true methods.
My agent also suggested I pick certain parts of my writing to compare: not so much the firefighter heroes, but definitely the kick-ass heroines. She also mentioned heat level and of course genre. So, for example, I wouldn’t align myself with erotica writers because my heat level is different. I wouldn’t compare myself to an author whose heroines have a steep self-confidence arc because mine are right-off-the-griddle hot.
2) Book blurbs
This was a shocker. Book blurbs? Um, from who? The only people who’ve read my book are me, you and my crit partner. I’m an unknown. A babe in the woods. A nobody. What NYT or USA Today list author would want to read my book and blurb it even before it sells?
That sure seemed like an insurmountable task. I remained shell-shocked for half the day. When I thawed, I have to admit, I was a touch panicked. But, as she always does, my CP but everything into perspective and gave me the courage to take the right steps. Another writer friend, Kristina McMorris, who had already been down this road gave me some pointers.
Beyond belief, the same day I requested a blurb from a fresh, hot RS author who writes kick-ass heroines and hot, military heroes, she said yes! Thanks Stephanie! You’re a gem! Seriously.
With my awe of the romance writing community reignited and hope for a few more generous offers to read my manuscript, I have learned a couple of valuable lessons today:
Lesson 1: cultivate your author friends early and choose wisely. The good ones will come through for you when you really need them.
Lesson 2: be prepared (i.e. hope, pray and work your ass off) so that one day you are in a position to either return the favor or Pay It Forward.