ATTENTION PLAYGROUND READERS:
This just in from Sunny
This just in from Sunny
The third person to post after 3 pm EST wins a download of their choice from Lyn Cash OR Bobbie Cole's books with Samhain. Red Hot Lover is the erotic romance from Lyn, and Leaving Mama is the mainstream from Bobbie.
Hello Honorary Playfriends...Instead of your regular Tuesday blog with me, I get to introduce Sunny Lyn, who writes hot erotic romance for Loose ID, Samhain, and Ellora's Cave. She was kind enough to share some secrets Under the Bleachers this month on the Playground, and she's here to dish with us today. I hope you'll all give her a big Playground welcome--and feel free to ask questions...
TMI: How much is kosher to share with readers?
When I wrote confessions, I learned that anonymity had its rewards. The confessions (for magazines formerly owned by Sterling/Mcfadden that are now owned by Dorchester Media…magazines such as True Confessions, True Romance, True Love, etc)…well, these didn’t have bylines, so nobody save the editors and writers knew who’d written what.
With magazine articles, there were real names and pseudonyms. Nobody I know checks up on magazine writers to find out just who they are, where they live, what they feed their cat.
Novels? You’re out there. Exposed. So you’d better make a good showing. Ack. But what if you write erotica? There’s the rub, as the saying goes. Air the laundry, but...it's not easy. Do you show the stains on the sheets or let everyone assume perfection?
In confession writing, it’s fairly easy to emote, to share, to give everything you’ve got…but then not really. You can only go so far before you cross lines that conflict with magazine regulations. The stories, despite their titillating titles are really pretty 
tame as far as language. They may cover some territories with trepidation, but for the most part they’re ‘safe’ and carry no shame.
tame as far as language. They may cover some territories with trepidation, but for the most part they’re ‘safe’ and carry no shame.With erotica, self-confidence is paramount when you stick your name out there, because the lights surrounding you might as well be neon. Occasional religious factions swear you’re heathen, writers who once thought they wrote ‘hot’ now look upon you with disdain since you’re stealing their thunder, and people who know you personally fall back in shock that you knew such words, much less such positions and that you had such an imagination. (I think that’s the shocking part for them, that they don’t know for sure just HOW you came to write the stuff, from imagination or experience. I swear, every old boyfriend or ex-husband at some point either asks me or asks a friend…”Is she talking about ME in this”? - They wish.)
And this brings me to my blog for today. (Don’t you just hate pre-writing? The prequel or the prelude or the prologue?)
My chief complaint from editors (and critique partners) is that I go so far and then pull back, that when the emotion builds to the point that everything is about to explode, I undercut myself with humor or an interruption of some sort. Close friends say it’s because I’m afraid of putting myself on the line, that I’m afraid readers will get to know the real me. Funny, that. Because when I write, I don’t see myself as the character. My question to you is this: Do you share this malady with me, and if so, what the heck do you do to remedy the situation? Thanks, and have a great day.
(psst…Thanks to The Playground for letting me host your blog today.)
Sunny Lyn
www.authorlyncash.blogspot.com
*******
(Notes from PC...)
Book-a-day giveaway continues today. Don't forget to comment.
PS: My life has returned to normal. Everyone who's been patiently waiting on me to send them books and prizes will be pleased to hear I made a Postal Worker very unhappy when I showed up with a ton of packages to mail. He actually thought I was mailing Christmas presents. Ha! I only wish...
PPS: American Title III finalist Lindsey Brookes will be blogging on the Playground tomorrow!
19 comments:
Hi Sunny/Bobbie
I have to ask (since you opened by talking about by-lines and such)--I noticed that you write under more than one name. Why? Is it due to the "type" of book or another reason?
Welcome to the Playground, Sunny. I don't take my writing to that level and pull back because I'm not a very emotional writer to begin with. Those big heart wrenching scenes are torture for me. I'm not the emotional one. I count on Angel to read a scene and tell me if I need to punch up the drama. I'm far too black and white/logical. Some might say that yeah, I was afraid to put myself out there, but really, this is what you get when I do... I think like a man. Hmm....
How long did you write for Confessions before making the leap to erotica (or do you still write for them)? Our Playground Monitor is quite the Confessions Diva these days.
SP
So far my writing has been pretty tame -- telling tales about oddball family members or taking a stranger-than-fiction headline and creating a story around it -- but I did sell one very hot story recently and I'll admit I struggled with the hot parts. It was for one of the confessions magazines so I didn't have to worry about a byline letting folks know that this grandmother wrote about S-E-X. I wonder if it's just a little bit natural for us, especially those of us raised in a different generation, to instinctively hold back.
Just a thought from the "Diva." :grin:
PM
Hi Sunny,
Welcome to the Playground.
I tell all. Yep, I give all the dirt. If readers don't want to hear what I have to say about myself (I'm writing about my life in the band now) they can skip the book. If it ever gets published...lol!
Welcome Sunny!!!
Interesting topic, this. I think I'm learning more and more to let go in my writing. When you think about it, all writing is an expression of ourselves. But some writing is a deeper expression than others. For some that might be sex, for others it might be something like the mother-daughter relationship because of their mother having died at a young age, or something like that.
Anyway, I like to tap all those emotions and am learning not to hesitate in that. Like meljprincess said, if someone doesn't like that in a book, there are plenty of other authors out there to offer what they're looking for.
How do I do this? Constantly pushing away the hesitation. Usually that hesitation, the pause when an idea or sentence comes to you, is a good thing. It means you are on the verge of revealing something significant. If you have the courage to do so. I just walk through it one step at a time, then let my critique partners tell me if its too much.
Sounds like you've learned to delay deep moments throughout your book, which is the right thing to do. You just have to watch that tendency toward the end or your characters might not reach the depth you want them too. ( I say as if I know anything. You're the one who is published!!!) :)
Angel
ack - haven't been able to get past Blogger's browser for hours. The suspense as to what ya'll were saying was killing me - lol.
Tam, that thrills me for you - really. Erotic writers worth their salt WANT a good story and to be able to do what every other author does, to entertain and/or inform.
PC, I really didn't expect the erotica to take off like it did. Didn't expect the mainstream to follow so closely either. So yes, that's why the Lyn Cash and Bobbie Cole...two totally different types of books.
Then the 1st m/m romance sold, and I thought hmm. Do I want those who read Lyn Cash to pick up a m/m story if that's not their cup of tea? No. So I differentiated between the two erotic writers.
*blows kiss to Beth* Love your answer.
SP, I wrote confessions for approximately two years then stopped submitting when my editors were fired or quit. When Dorchester Media took over, they changed so many things, such as the pay scale, their regular authors (not all) being able to submit via email and get a response within a day or two, and what really frosted me, having to wait 60-90 days to get paid for something that used to pay out within 30 days.
*grinning just thinking of your Monitor here* I have thoroughly enjoyed corresponding with La Diva.
THANKS, MEL! Sending warm, fuzzy, bubble wrapped thoughts that you sell SOON. You sound like a hoot, as we say here. ROFL. I'm sure your writing is a reflection of your personality.
When you think about it, all writing is an expression of ourselves. But some writing is a deeper expression than others.
Angel, you got that right!
Usually that hesitation, the pause when an idea or sentence comes to you, is a good thing. It means you are on the verge of revealing something significant. If you have the courage to do so. I just walk through it one step at a time, then let my critique partners tell me if its too much.
Girl, I need to just follow you around with a tape record - you have some provocative thoughts today. Revealing something significant...hesitation...I'll be mulling all of that for a day or two. Thanks!
And here's another: Sounds like you've learned to delay deep moments throughout your book, which is the right thing to do. You just have to watch that tendency toward the end or your characters might not reach the depth you want them too.
You sure you're not an editor? I swear, I've had precisely this come from two very trusted editors, my Ellora's Cave editor and my Samhain editor, not to mention 15 critique partners - LOL.
As for the nonpubs giving the pubs advice? Sweetie, the only difference between any of us is that some submitted and had good timing while others are given the chance to hone their craft more before pulling down their pants in public. Much of the best advice I've ever received came from someone with the objective view of someone looking at the same thing I did from a distance. Long or short distance, doesn't matter - they were able to catch something I wasn't and had the confidence to grab me and say HEY - take a look here and see if this doesn't work better.
Ya'll are awesome. Marilyn, THANK YOU for inviting me here.
That's a nice picture, by the way. There's never too much eye candy. *g*
hehehe...He was one of several a friend sent me, and his caption was "someone to change the sheets". The gardener was pretty hot, too, as I recall.
Well, the other day I saw another nice picture on Gena Showalter's blog called breakfast in bed...
Debby, that's very sweet of you!
Mina, holy cow - I had to go look, of course, and you're right. Her Monday the 20th blog post? Oh-my-my!
For interested parties, here's the website - just click on 'my blog' then drop down a day to the 20th:
http://members.cox.net/genashowalter/
Oh, and if anyone's interested, I just received the cover for my 2nd mainstream - color me happy. Here tis:
http://samhainpublishing.com/coming/la-bella-luna
Mina, choose your poison. Email me at milkboneundies@excite.com and let me know which book you want, Red Hot Lover, or Leaving Mama. Debby, I'll extend the offer to you as well since I posted in between the two of you. *grin*
Will check back in a few...
~ Sunny
Thank you!
Gena sure has nice pictures in her blog on mondays. By the way, there was one very nice looking pumpkin around Halloween in her blog.
Well, I have to say good night! It's nearly midnight here where I am.
Guess I'm not the 3rd, but i'll post anyway!! Have a good week eveyone!
Just stopping by to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Interesting post!
Hi, Sheryl & Jennifer! Glad you stopped by today.
Ladies on the Playground, it's past 6 pm here, and I have a lemon pound cake to make. I've enjoyed myself tremendously! Thank you for inviting me, thanks to those of you who posted and made me feel so welcome. I'll go check the Milkbone Undies email for the winners' info, and I'll try to pop back on tonight before bedtime.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!
Carol - ack - I missed your post. Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
The wonderful thing about being surrounded by other writers is the support they offer in the face of derogatory comments and advice on how to handle people who might criticize you. Makes things a whole lot easier!
As does appreciative readers like y'all!!! Great turnout today! Thank you, Sunny, for joining us.
Angel
Thanks for coming by today Sunny. We loved having you here (and for providing the eye candy).
"THANKS, MEL! Sending warm, fuzzy, bubble wrapped thoughts that you sell SOON. You sound like a hoot, as we say here. ROFL. I'm sure your writing is a reflection of your personality."
LMAO! Thanks, Sunny. You made my day with this!!
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