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Someone emailed me and told me that I really shouldn't concentrate on the human trafficking theme any more, that my last three books were a downer, that I must be running out of ideas because I've used the same idea for three books and that my heroines are all rape victims. The email continued with quite a bit of analysis, ending with an admonishment that I should make my romances happy.
Ooops. Girl, spies spy and they don't play nice. Just saying.
I'm trying very hard to write a nice reply back without sounding condescending ;-). There's a reason why the last three books had the same human trafficking theme, you know. It's a TRILOGY. That means, there are tying themes and story-arcs that flow from the first book to the last. It just happened to be 1)human trafficking in different forms in different countries, 2)three different victims and not all are the heroines, and 3)well, okay, so I snuck in a bomb trigger device for the SEALs to be macho with.
As for my heroines being just victims...whoa...now that puzzled me.
Vivi, in book one, could have been a victim but she took charge. Her best friend didn't make it. Rose's father is part of the problem in Asia today.
Amber, in book two, was NEVER a victim. Sheesh. The idea in this book is to show how traffickers work in Europe and how the victims are transported.
Lily, in book three, shows evil comes in many twists. Sure she's a victim, but heck, she's the only one in the three books who is and she dealt with her demons her own way. This is the story of ONE victim, and the human trafficking factor is in the background.
So there, that's my explanation. I'm sorry the theme is a downer. It's tough not to write about terrorists and evil dudes when you're writing about spies and military macho men. And it's not as if these people's lives weren't filled with moments of humor. You don't think tying a note on Hawk's dick funny? Oh well.
Okay, enough prickles showing ;-). I wanted to balance my stream-of-consciousness blogging of the Super Bowl this weekend with some serious writing-craft stuff. Got to act authorly, ya know.
My work-in-progress has no human trafficking in Book One, at least not as of now ;-). It's about a Super Spy who's in a government experiment using CIA drug programming and virtual reality. And I've upped the technical quotient because I didn't want to sound woo-woo about my heroine going into a virtual reality environment and HEY SUDDENLY she can see and do stuff! I wanted to explain how immersive virtual reality in its most sophisticated version is being used today. The only difference is that I'm using it for spying.
Well, at least I can take comfort that this reader didn't complain that my super spy wasn't a virgin.
Question: In your rules, reader, is the heroine allowed to kiss more than one man in the book? Because Hell wants to kiss a couple of commandos to see whether she could figure out which one of them is her monitor-in-virtual reality. ;-) Or is that going to bend your nose out of joint?
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Uber Spies Who Actually Spy!
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8 comments:
Just remember, Jenn, the email was expressing that person's "opinion" and that's all it is. You're the author, you're the one that sold the TRILOGY. Sheesh! Your books are works of fiction. Yeah, there's a lot of bad stuff that goes on the world and I know that you must have done a lot of research, but your books have great pacing, great (read witty & strong) women, and Rick, I uh, mean men! Not to mention the HEA we always get.
Take what you can from the email, remember, she (?) read all your books or else she wouldn't have been able to comment, so that alone is positive.
You're not going to make everyone happy, but you'll make MANY happy. I for one enjoy the unique twists you put in your books. It's not easy to write a tired plot in a new way but you do it. What's the saying...There are only seven stories and everything else is just a variation of those seven...or something like that.
Keep at, Girl, I'm rooting for Hell. Oh, and I'm glad she couldn't kill in cold blood. Not only would that take her to a new level but this way the repercussions will allow for more plot twists.
Long-winded Dee
Gennita,
I didn't know you took requests from readers. Can you make your next book about a guy who's a chef, but who really wants to be an actor. And can you have him rescue people from a burning building, then rob a bank, then give all the money back??? Please??? And can you also make him part French, cause I like French guys.
I'll check back in a month or two. I hope you'll be finished by then!
Ta ta
Sure, let Hell kiss more than one commando. As long as the one she comes back to is the hero. ;-) That would be my only suggestion. Other than that, write me a Gennita Low book and I'll be happy!
Gennita,
Re: the kissing more than one boy per book issue: I find the whole "rule" against it to be really bougeousie and boring. I'd love to read more books about slutty chicks - why the hell not?? They're people, too.
Re: the human trafficing theme: I was surprised on a recent trip to Taiwan where I made pals with a bunch of Phillipino nanniess - that indentured servitude/slavery really does exist, so, in books, it's a really interesting theme. Dark, sure, but interesting.
BTW, I heart Gennita Low 4ever. You're awesome, baby
Just kiss?!? Why not a menage? Kidding! Just kidding! Though if you want to... ;>
Hell can kiss as many guys as she wants! And it's all in the pursuit of finding that right commando, heh? And remember, you're the uber-author, so you're books always uber-rock. :)
A few replies:
Milady I,
I like coloring outside the lines too. And, of course, have to be prepared for some backlash ;-). But you have to admit, some readers view kissing another man more sacrilegious than...killing in cold blood. ;-)
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Dee,
Thanks for taking the time for writing the long post, sweetie. I understand about the one reader's reaction thingie...believe me, I'm not hurt/mad/saddened by the email at all, just reactive to one point about it--that I was selling a lousy heroine.
Now, a girl's got to defend herself sometimes! Especially when the email is sent direct to me, meaning it is not an open discussion between people talking about my books/characters in forum. The latter I keep out of.
As for killing in cold blood...yah, I think it's good to show Hell isn't an assassin.
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Reese darling,
Please contact me for order form, heh heh.
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SQ,
I'm leaning towards the multiple kissing too ;-). It's a three book story, so why can't the girl have a life before committing herself to ummm...James, or Flyboy, or Jed, or Armando, or Heath or...heh heh.
Wait till you see Hell's car! ;-)
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Mary Stella,
Of course! There can be no other than the true love at the end of the day.
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Reese,
Yah, on a serious note, the statistics for female human trafficking and CHILD trafficking are horrific. The whole world's involved in this--from Third World countries to our USA. Here in Florida, a few years ago, they found a human-indentured-slave nest happening right here working "free" to clean hotel rooms and boat decks! It was an horrifying story that I'll include one day. Oh no, another human trafficking theme! ;-P I guess the selling of humans fascinate me????
I heart Reese too!
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Kathleen,
Menage is tempting and will get me in trouble. I might have to change Hell's name to Anita Blakehell. Ahem.
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Thank you, anonymous! Yes, yes, I keep forgetting. (puffing up chest) I am uber-author and I so can make uber-decisions!
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