West Houston RWA

Chemistry: How to create the sizzle that will keep your readers glued to the page

Chemistry is one of the most important ingredients in a dynamic, can’t-put-down romance.  And yet it is also one of the most elusive qualities to define and pin down.

The first half of the workshop aims to present a cohesive definition of chemistry: that combustible combination of sexual attraction and intellectual common ground spiced by both emotional connection and emotional conflict.  It is my goal to illustrate chemistry in the context of both story development and character arc.  I will also make clear what chemistry isn’t and highlight mistakes that writers commonly make when trying to generate chemistry.

The second half of the workshop focuses on the specifics of creating and deepening chemistry, from

big-scope tools—what kind of character pairing leads to greater chemistry—to paragraph-level detailing for enhancing the hero and heroine’s awareness of each other.

Sherry Thomas is a Rita-nominated, award-winning author of historical romances.  Her debut book, Private Arrangements, is a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2008.  Her sophomore book, Delicious, is a Library Journal Best Romance of 2008.  Lisa Kleypas calls her “the most powerfully original historical romance author working today.”

Her story is all the more interesting given that English is Sherry’s second language–she has come a long way from the days when she made her laborious way through Rosemary Roger’s Sweet Savage Love with an English-Chinese dictionary.  She enjoys creating stories.  And when she is not writing, she thinks about the zen and zaniness of her profession, plays computer games with her sons, and reads as many fabulous books as she can find.

Her latest release, His at Night, arrives on shelves May 25, 2010.

Happy May! Let’s get started. We have tons of news this month, starting with tons of finalist announcements and awards!

Jessica Trapp’s THE PLEASURES OF SIN was a finalist in the Write Touch contest!

Nina Bangs was honored to have ETERNAL CRAVING, the second book in her Gods of the Night series, win the Romantic Times award as Best Shape Shifter Romance of 2009. She just turned in ETERNAL PREY, book 3 in that same series, due out later this year from Avon!

Kim Lenox shares that her book, SO STILL THE NIGHT, won the 2009 Romantic Times Best Vampire/Shapeshifter/Werewolf Romance award!

Linda Barrett’s SUMMER AT THE LAKE is a contest finalist in the WRITE TOUCH READERS’ AWARD sponsored by WisRWA as well as for the AWARD OF EXCELLENCE sponsored by Colorado Romance Writers!

P.J. Mellor’s February 2009 release, DRIVE ME WILD, was named Best Erotic Anthology 2009 by RRT (Romance Reviews Today)!

TJ Bennett’s sophomore novel, THE PROMISE finaled in the OCC RWA Book Buyers Best historical category. She also signed with Lucienne Diver of The Knight Agency. And the foreign rights to her debut novel, THE LEGACY, sold to France!

Kay Hudson’s PAPER HEARTS, set in coastal Texas in 1878, made the finals of the Hearts Through History online chapter’s Romance Through the Ages contest, in the Colonial/Western/Civil War category. This manuscript has followed Kay around for a number of years, through several life changes (and computers), until she finally finished it last year. Unless someone waving a contract asks for revisions, of course!

Kimberly Frost was awarded the 2010 PEARL award for Best New Author. Kimberly was also delighted to learn that Book 1 in the Southern Witch series, WOULD-BE WITCH, is being turned into an audio book!

If you are in a charitable mood, Cheryl Bolen is once again participating in Brenda Novak’s online auction to raise money for juvenile diabetes research. Cheryl is donating a critique of a synopsis.

The auction runs the entire month of May. Many other chapter PAN members are participating. Check it out at www.BrendaNovak.com.!

In sale news, Colleen Thompson and Joanna Wayne have new sales to report, of two connected books for Harlequin Intrigue’s new “Shiver” books, described as eerie, horroresque romantic suspense geared toward a somewhat younger reader. Colleen’s story, tentatively titled SHADOWED DAWN, is the first in a New Orleans series, to be followed by Joanna Wayne’s conclusion, GOSSAMER MOON. The books are currently scheduled for Sept. and Oct. 2011.!

Christie Craig signed a three-book contract with Grand Central Publishing for her new series, Don’t Mess With Texas. Her young adult, BORN AT MIDNIGHT, to be released by St. Martins Press in 2011, is already garnering interest in foreign markets. Also Christie’s latest release, DIVORCED, DESPERATE AND DECEIVED finaled in the Book Buyers Best Contest, and her June release, SHUT UP AND KISS ME received a wonderful review from Publishers Weekly!

Congratulations everyone!