Tag: books

July 2, 2019

Book Review: Romancing the Page

I just finished a novella collection that combines keen publishing industry insights with charming f/f romance. Presenting Romancing the Page!

Written by fantasy author Laura Lam (Pantomime, False Hearts) writing and self-publishing under the open pen name Laura Ambrose, the three novellas in this series spin love stories between writers and publishing employees in the world of science fiction and fantasy. One reviewer likened them to “f/f candy,” and the comparison is apt. I found the romances compellingly paced, and raced my way through the characters’ conflicts and nuanced inner worlds to the payoff of each happy ending. I also enjoyed the novellas’ settings in London and Edinburgh, the UK cities I’ve been living in these past couple years.

In the first novella, A Hidden Hope, two American writers – former critique partners and lovers – meet at London a conference three years after their falling out. Neither had been published when they knew each other. Now Natalie has a precarious midlist career penning the fantasy novels she loves, and El, formerly convinced of the superiority of her “literary fiction,” has a big-budget fantasy debut coming out under a male pseudonym. Due to their previous involvement, there’s a lot of chemistry between the duo from the get-go, and hurt simmers beneath their resentment. The characters’ differing reactions to each other convey their temperaments: Natalie lashes out while El tries to make up. Once the two inevitably get together, expect quirky dates and plenty of heat. The conference setting allows for sharp industry insights as well. The uncertain fate awaiting authors of big debuts, Natalie’s need to support herself through a grueling secondary freelance career, the panel on sex with its skewering of sexism, the question of to what extent El using a male pen name has impacted her success… it’s all keenly observed, an insider’s point of view. The ending is an optimistic take – a realistic best-case-scenario if you will – not just for the central relationship but for the two writers’ careers, with neither skyrocketing but both finding their perfect balance.

The second novella, A Perfect Balance (see what I did there?), focuses on a likeable side character from the first: Emma, a friend of Natalie and El who has written urban fantasy about a rock band of zombie women and now work as an SFF editor. I really want to read Emma’s books! In fact, the novellas, and this one in particular, are packed with imaginary books that sound like fantastic additions to bookshelves, and I wish that Laura would write them. But on to the book at hand. Emma has been hooking up with a woman she met through an app, with neither using their real name or looking to pursue a relationship. Their dynamic is low-key kinky: Emma likes being told what to do, and the other woman likes giving orders. That is, until Emma comes back from a vacation to find that her company’s new marketing employee, Sage, is none other than her anonymous lover! Now Emma is the one giving orders as they work together on the marketing campaign for the biggest debut of the year. Both of them have reasons, rooted in their pasts, to fear committing to a relationship, but as they get to know each other, down to exchanging favorite childhood books, it gets increasingly challenging to avoid one. In her point of view chapters, Sage’s difficult relationship with her wealthy and demanding father is a big focus. She’s trying to break away and find herself, and by the end of the story, she does. Emma’s reasons for avoiding commitment seemed thinner to me – not necessarily invalid, but underdeveloped in comparison. Both characters’ passion for their work and competence at doing it were joys to read. In all the novellas, the satisfaction of doing good work is a deep part of the happy endings, and that’s something I appreciate. I also like how the author mixes things up with each character dynamic. While the other two pairings in Romancing the Page read as butch/femme-ish, Emma and Sage read as a femme/femme couple and Emma is bi or pan. The focus on power dynamics is lovingly rendered.

Speaking of power dynamics, An Unheard Song is rife with them (though not in a kinky context). Annalie, the author of the hit fantasy debut from the last novella, has been agoraphobic since her second book tanked. Her anxiety is compounded because this is her second career failure – she was previously a musician. She’s working on a third book, but isn’t able to go to the library to do the necessary research, so she hires an under-the-table assistant. Cam was a music scholar who lost out on dissertation funding because a woman on the committee propositioned her and then turned down her application after she said no. As Cam and Annalie work together and their attraction grows, they discover that the same woman is Annalie’s ex, responsible for halting her music career, and they decide to get revenge. In a romance context, the employee – employer dynamic feels borderline uncomfortable at times, though the characters tread sensitively around this dynamic. As people, though, Annalie and Cam are a powerfully complementary pair. This is the novella where the conflict felt most real, as the characters are dealing with much deeper issues than poor communication. Cam is afraid of telling her mother about her sexuality, of speaking out against harassers, and of fully expressing herself. Annalie is working on her anxiety through therapy and, at the onset of the story, is too afraid to leave her Edinburgh flat. The characters push each other to grow, speak up, find courage, and reclaim their power. While each takes the necessary action for her own growth, neither does so alone.

If you’re looking for some light, insightful summer reading, give Romancing the Page a read! I’ve linked to each novella separately in their reviews, too, in case one particularly appeals to you.

What are you reading this summer?

June 3, 2019

Lessons on Writing Relationships… from Romance Novels

Feedback on the first draft of a fiction manuscript I’ve been working on for a while, while positive in other aspects, suggested that the characters’ relationships lacked a certain spark. So, while working on the second draft, I turned to a genre that models relationship writing: romance.

Romance writing is a realm where constraint fuels creativity. A relationship focus and a happy ending are key to meeting the genre’s expectations. Readers know that the main characters are going to get together in the end; the fun (and literary skill) is in finding out how they get there. As well as being enjoyable to read, romance offers wonderful insights into building characters and crafting the dynamics between them. There’s nothing like a romance novel – focused on chemistry, rapport, and relationship development above all else – to illustrate how to write effective relationships in fiction!

Here are a few of the romance titles I’ve enjoyed recently, and the insights I’ve gleaned from them.

The Bride Test, by Helen Hoang: For Hoang, writing romance intersected with discovering that she was on the autism spectrum and creating characters who share neuro-similarities. In this delightful novel, the mother of Khai, an accountant on the spectrum who wants nothing to do with relationships, returns to Vietnam to find him an ideal bride. Esme, a whip-smart janitor with a young daughter (inspired in part by Hoang’s immigrant mom), is eager to seek new opportunities in America. But to secure a better life for herself and her family, she must, in one summer, win the heart of a man who believes himself unable to love. The relationship between Khai and Esme evolves with sensitivity to their very different needs and experiences. While there’s mutual attraction, it comes with a lot of misunderstandings, often related to culture or neurology, that the characters must overcome. Hoang excels at creating interpersonal conflict with solid reasons behind it, both internal and interpersonal. Read this novel for a great example of how two very different characters, with realistically divergent experiences, can convincingly come together.

The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles), by Amy Spalding: In this queer YA romance, Abby begins a summer internship at her favourite clothing store only to discover that a co-intern, Jordi, is also vying for the single job available once the summer ends. But the two girls hit it off so well that sparks fly between them, and private, plus-sized Abby, who’d cast herself in the archetypal romantic-comedy “friend” role, must come to grips with photographer Jordi’s view of her as a leading lady. Abby’s thoughtful perspective definitely leads here, with Jordi being more of a secondary character. I found her a great example of crafting a non-point-of-view romantic interest who is appealing and fleshed out – scenes with her photography and family are charming, though not central. Another great secondary character is the funny jock Jax, best friend of Abby’s best friend’s boyfriend. A secondary storyline follows the “friend chemistry” that evolves between him and Abby as the unlikely pair sample L.A.’s burgers for a rating app.

Outback Billionaire, by Nikki Steele: The cover cracked me up, but the writing kept me reading until I finished it in one sitting. This was a fun read with a tight perspective on the two romantic leads, alternating POVs between Marlo, an American aspiring actress brought to Australia by her good-for-nothing manager fiance (they break up quickly thereafter), and Jack, a wealthy cattle station owner who offers her a job on his land. In a genre often focused on the heroine, I would have liked to know Marlo better, but found Jack’s concerns (health problems, hot buttons, vulnerabilities) to be particularly well explored. His interests are appealing and understated. The fantasy of wealth is conveyed through the understated sensuality of French press coffee, good wine, and a love of open spaces. The Australian Outback is described with precision and gorgeous language – you get a romance and armchair travel in one!

Hate to Want You and Wrong to Need You, by Alisha Rai: In this family-drama romance series, two families that once co-owned a grocery chain have a bitter falling out after a parent in each family dies in a car crash. Hate to Want You is the story of Nick and Livvy, children of the respective families, a couple forced to break up after the families split. Since then, they’ve hooked up once a year, and when Livvy comes back to town, both of their suppressed feelings for each other threaten to reignite old wounds. Wrong to Need You develops a romance between Sadia, single mom and widow of Livvy’s brother, and the surviving brother, Jackson, a once-close friend who cut Sadia off after being accused of burning the flagship grocery store. I have yet to read the third book, Hurts to Love You, which ties up loose ends in this angsty saga of family secrets. Rai’s series excels at developing multiple character relationships at once. Family, friendships, and romantic ties are all complicated and all matter deeply to both plot and characters. Every heated moment has emotional heft. Mental health issues are integral to the plot, and the characters are diverse and deep. If you’re interested in writing romantic relationships, an ensemble cast, or both, the Forbidden Hearts series is well worth your time.

If you’re looking to bring more romance in your reading life (either for fun, for writerly insights, or both), Smart Bitches, Trashy Books is an awesome resource for discussions and recommendations of what’s good, what’s not so good, and what’s out there. And of course, there are lots of romance deals available on Amazon to get you started!

I’m delighted to see this genre getting growing critical respect (the New York Times Book Review now has a romance critic!) and publishing a wider variety of voices. In an often harsh world, there’s something both comforting and radical in reading about all kinds of people finding happiness.

October 3, 2018

5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Editor

You’ve invested time, effort, and skill in a writing project that matters to you. You’ve taken your idea from inspiration to a complete draft, with all the hours that it’s entailed. Congratulations! Not everyone has the tenacity and productive habits to finish a project. It’s truly something to be proud of. As happy as you are to have completed something, though, you know that it can be better. Maybe the structure, phrasing, and grammar would benefit from an external eye. With this in mind, you’re wondering if a professional edit would be a good investment.

Here are five things to consider before getting in touch with an editor.

1. Is your work as good as you can make it on your own?

First drafts are usually messy. This is where writers work out their ideas on the page; subsequent drafts are where they iron out the kinks. If you’ve only written one draft, it’s useful to take some time away from the page, and then come back to it with your own editorial eye. Look for any problems and try your hand at fixing them, a process which may, in some cases, take several drafts. Beta readers and critique groups are also valuable sources for feedback as you self-edit. If you take the time to edit your own work as best you can, you’ll know that it’s as strong as you can make it. If you then seek input from an editor, they’ll be providing insights that you couldn’t think of for yourself.

2. What type of editing are you looking for?

If you’ve taken the self-editing process as far as you can, an editor can be an excellent investment. Not all editing is identical, however. The key is to start the process with a good sense of what type of input you’re looking for. If you’re interested in having high-level input on your manuscript, dealing with topics such as structure and logic, look for a developmental edit. A manuscript assessment (usually an in-depth report rather than a full edit) is a good choice if you primarily want an opinion on whether your work is publishable at this point and what will get it to that stage. Line editing and copy editing focus on refining your manuscript’s language. If spelling and grammar are difficult for you, or if you want to prepare your manuscript for self-publishing, you might be interested in a proofread. Proofreading isn’t editing, per se, although it’s a similar service. It’s all about catching errors rather than changing content, so it’s a good investment to consider if you’re just looking for that final polish.

3. What’s your timeline?

Some editors have faster turnarounds than others, depending on their schedules. Make sure to negotiate timelines up front. You don’t want the editing to be a rush job on either end. Editors may also need you to be available for back-and-forth input. Make sure that you have the time to commit to the process.

4. What are the editor’s qualifications?

As you do your research on available editors, look into the experience they bring to the table. Some editorial services may come cheap, but how qualified are the editors? While a lack of qualifications doesn’t necessarily equate with a lack of ability – some excellent editors are just starting out – there is an element of risk involved. I’ve had clients approach me because they were disappointed with previous editorial or proofreading services, and they ended up paying two professionals where they could have hired one. Look for editorial experience, client lists, testimonials, and other signs that the people you’re researching have a track record of good work.

5. Do you require additional services?

If you’re looking to self-publish after editing, you may want further professional help to make your manuscript into a book. Most editors aren’t graphic designers, cover artists, or publicists. However, they might know and be able to recommend people who offer these services. There are also companies that offer package services, with editing, design, and publishing assistance. As always, be sure to research, look for experience and quality, and seek a personal fit.

Getting a manuscript from draft stage to its final form takes lots of careful handling. You don’t have to do it alone. The internet is full of experienced editors whose skills can help your work shine!

May 1, 2017

Our Favorite Enneagram Resources

Co-written with Kacie Berghoef

In our years of Enneagram teaching and learning, we’ve had the benefit of many wonderful resources. With the Enneagram growing in popularity, there are books, videos, courses, apps, and a plethora of other options for learning about its many applications. Writing our book The Modern Enneagram gave us an opportunity to contribute to this conversation. We wanted to create an entry point for newcomers to this complex system. For readers who want to continue their learning, we included a list of resources for going deeper, focusing on different applications of the Enneagram such as careers or relationships. This month, we’d like to spotlight a few of our favorite resources that we recommend in The Modern Enneagram.

For Beginners: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People by Elizabeth Wagele and Renee Baron

If you’re new to the Enneagram and looking for an engaging starting point, or if you’re seeking a fun way to introduce the system to friends, family, or clients, this book is a perfect pick. It introduces the nine types in simple, accessible language. Liz’s cartoons, sprinkled liberally throughout the text, give funny and relatable examples of how the types behave and see things. They flesh out the Enneagram theory in ways beyond what words can convey alone, and make for great conversation points. The book’s breezy nature makes it easy to pick up and put down for busy readers.

Business and Career: Awareness to Action: The Enneagram, Emotional Intelligence, and Change by Robert Tallon and Mario Sikora

This is an excellent practical guide for using the Enneagram in the workplace. It presents the nine types as strategies that can be used skillfully or unskillfully, and introduces a simple framework for building on your strengths and growing your performance. Many mainstream Enneagram resources have a spiritual slant or use language that doesn’t work in corporate environments. This book speaks to the workplace in ways that are both thorough and usable, without skimping on the depth and growth that working with the Enneagram can provide.

Personal Growth: Personality Types by Don Riso and Russ Hudson

An Enneagram classic, Riso and Hudson’s book delves deeply into the types’ dynamics and journeys of growth. It remains the most comprehensive resource for understanding the Levels of Development: the progression of personality through mental health, from our darkest struggles to our highest potential. Check out this book if you’re looking for in-depth insight and a thorough psychological take on the Enneagram types, as well as an inspiring view of what your best self can look like.

Relationships: Sex, Love, and Your Personality: The 9 Faces of Intimacy by Mona Coates and Judith Searle

This relationship book by a seasoned sex therapist goes beyond type and explores the three instincts, or subtypes, within each Enneagram number. Coates’ 35 years of working in the field allow her to offer rich and varied case studies for each type-instinct combo, illuminating real-life relationship challenges and ways of working with your type toward relationship success. This book also includes a scale for assessing relationship compatibility. Personal and thorough, it’s both an intriguing read and an excellent tool for understanding yourself and your partner.

Spiritual Growth: The Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram: Nine Faces of the Soul by Sandra Maitri

This book is geared toward the advanced Enneagram student and spiritual seeker. Maitri expands on basic familiarity with the system by presenting some of the Enneagram’s spiritual context. She views the types as stemming from loss of contact with our essential nature, resulting in the development of a particular ego structure. The book goes into detail in explaining how these structures operate and how we can get more deeply in touch again with our essential selves. It also presents a unique take on each type’s repressed inner child.

One wonderful thing about the Enneagram today is the wealth of resources available. Our recommendations above are just the tip of the iceberg. See our book, The Modern Enneagram, for a more thorough list of recommended resources, or feel free to recommend your own in the comments!