Carrie and Jaycee are two of seven awesome ladies who run NA Alley, a blog that's all about the flourishing New Adult genre.
In short, here are the rules:
1. Post the button and link to http://blog.jayceedelorenzo.com (following would be nice, but not required). Done & done.
2. Share an excerpt from your current WIP, perhaps something you're struggling with, are stuck on, or just can't "get right."
Done...sort of. The section I would have to post to get my question answered is too large for a blog post, so I decided to ask for suggestions on my back cover blurb and take a plot-related poll instead.
3. Ask a question about your excerpt. It can be something easy such as "What do you think?" or something more in-depth, such as "Can you suggest a better way to word such-and-such," or "How can I make the emotions in this scene more realistic?"
I'd like helpful, honest critiques of my blurb and answers to a poll re: meeting romance reader expectations vs the needs of my plot.
4. Tag 8 people.
Whew! 8 seems like such a small number until you go tagging. LOL
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My WIP Come Back is a new adult historical romance set in the mid-1800s.
Here's (a very rough draft of) my blurb:
When 17-year-old Rebecca Garvey set out with her family for the long trip west, she never dreamed she'd be left behind in the wilderness of New Mexico Territory. Would she ever see them again? Would she even survive? ...Of course, she never thought she'd find love in the arms of a nomadic cowboy either.
Running from his past, Seth Emerson stumbles upon a young woman living alone in the wilderness. She nurses him back to health and treats him with kindness he doesn't deserve. Concerned for her safety and unable to get her off his mind, he tries to convince her to come with him back to civilization. Can he get her to leave before her stubborn nature gets her hurt or killed? And can he convince himself—and her—he's worthy of her love?
And here's my question:
(Fwiw, the first few chapters are short.)
Poll will close at 11:00 pm CST on the last day of July.
Now for MY 8 victims...
Elise Falson (If I have to do this twice, so do you. :P)
Natasha Hanova (Same goes for you. LOL)
Hope Roberson
Candilynn Fite
Jennifer Comeaux
Kate The Novelist
Tobi Summers
Andrea Teagan
Consider yourself tagged. :)
I voted they have to meet in the first chapter, but I also want to vote 'they don't have to meet right away, but at least introduce me to them in the first chapter or two.' On thinking about it, I think I like the idea of a lead up, but the sooner the better since their relationship seems to be the point of the story (or so it seems from the blurb). It, of course depends, how you've written it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking time to answer the poll and comment. :)
DeleteI voted that I'm willing to wait to meet him. My stipulation would be, as long as it's all from her point of view. If we're in his POV as well, then I'd want to be introduced to him sooner, even if he doesn't meet her for awhile.
ReplyDeleteThe story sounds interesting! I like the blurb.
Thanks, Rachel. (Currently), to keep them happy, I give the reader some romance right up front, just not with Seth. ;) I have to get her lost before he can find her. LOL
DeleteI like the plot, and even though I'm not a historical romance fan, I'd probably give it a shot :) But here's what confused me about the blurb: the "wilderness" of New Mexico Territory. I suppose technically the desert is a wilderness, but I can't remember my history lessons very well and I hear wilderness and think trees. Lots and lots of trees. How far did the territory stretch? Up into Colorado? Or is she really lost in a desert? Because as an avid watcher of survivor shows (Dual Survival, Man vs. Wild, etc), I know it's easier to survive in trees than a desert :) Then I was a bit thrown to find out Seth's injured. It felt...abrupt, for some reason. I know there's only so much you can put in a blurb without giving away the entire plot, but (and I can't think of a valid reason for this) it just jarred me. Not hard, but enough I was like, wait, what? The rest of the blurb leaves enough to the imagination that I'm thinking Rebecca not only survives, but thrives on her own, completely isolated.
ReplyDeleteAs for meeting, I'm all for them meeting after a few chapters-as long as it's well before the middle of the book!
Thanks for your comments. You're the second person who has commented on lack of trees. She's near the mountains and near a large stream. There are some groves of trees, but not forest. I've never been to NM, but I've looked at pictures of the general area and it's not total desert. Still, it's something to consider if that is the reader's perception. Hmmm... I'll look into that some more.
DeleteI voted that they don't have to meet right away, but should be introduced in the first chapter or two. I think that builds anticipation for them to meet and gives the reader even more incentive to keep reading. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, CB. :)
Delete"They don't have to meet right away, but at least introduce me to them in the first chapter or two."
ReplyDeleteThis. ;) Thank you for the NA Alley shout-out!
You're welcome. :)
DeleteI'm a patient reader so I'd be willing to wait. I obviously know nothing about your work other than what is here but is there any way to introduce them both in their own separate chapters before they meet. Like his and hers chapters and they meet in the middle of the book? Just a thought. Also I really like the blurb. I would definitely open this book and read the first few pages to see if it was something I wanted to invest more time in. This was a fun post, I love to read about what other writers are working on!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind comments, Lisa. :)
DeleteThanks for the tag! I'll be back around to participate later today. :))
ReplyDeleteWoot! :D
DeleteThanks for passing this on to me Melissa! And I love the strong, independent woman with a man after her, wonderful! Especially the "worthy of her love" part, ooooh, gonna be steamy and emotional :)
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! :)
DeleteThanks. I hope my story lives up to it's blurb. :D