The story that will not die...

Sometimes as a writer, you run into that story that just will not finish. I have run into just such a beast.

For the past year, I have been writing short stories for Phaze and for Cambridge Press, works between 5,000-15,000 words. Nice easy to handle lengths. I have managed to get six stories published in the last ten months or so, and a couple more due later this year. It's been a nice rhythm to maintain. And then THE STORY happened.

I had this idea for a story revolving around a chef and a food critic. I had a great opening hook and a cute scene where she gets mad and....well, I don't want to reveal too much just yet, but suffice to say, mayhem ensues. In short order I was up to about 5000 words, and I hadn't gotten to the first love scene yet. Hm. I didn't let myself get too concerned just then, but when 10,000 came and went and still I hadn't reached the getting naked part, I began to fret. Had I misjudged my WIP? Was it not a short, but instead a novella?

Well, okay, I could handle that. Actually a novella would be a good thing. It could be priced higher, so I'd get a larger royalty from sales. Yes, I quite liked the sound of that. So I continued. Well, today I reached the lower end of novella length at  20,000 words, and after chapters and chapters of build up and flirting, I'm on the verge finally of the first toe curling love scene. Um, really?? 

It appears I have taken on the story that will not die. It seems it wants to be a novel. I didn't want to write a novel. I don't have time to write a novel. I have two or three novel WIPs already waiting to be finished. Why would I ignore them to write a new one?  But it seems that the choice is not mine. My characters have spoken. I am just their reluctant servant. Le sigh...

release date change

I was just informed that Focused Desire's release is delayed by two weeks due to some cover art issues (my artist had some trouble finding the exactly right image for my heroine). So, that makes the new release date July 17, I believe. I've seen a mock up of the cover and love it, so imagine that the issues have now been solved and we can move on to typesetting etc.

I admire the artists (and particularly my artist at Phaze) who take my vision and create the covers for my books. Such talen!  Considering that the cover is the book's 'first impression' out in the world, the artist's job is so important, and it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to know that an artist is willing to go to great lengths to ensure that my vision...my characters...my make-believe world...is realized.

To cover artists everywhere, I bow to your talent and genius.

stressful times

It's been a couple of weeks since I last posted here. My elderly mother got very ill, very quickly, and was hospitalized. Hence, everything else in my life went on hold. I live an hour away from the hospital, and I have mobility issues of my own, so trekking to the hospital every other day took a toll on me. Thankfully, she's rallied and is improving daily, so the bulk of the stress is behind me, but I'm still dealing with the effect on my poor, beleaguered body. Time and rest will set me right, and then it will be business as usual.

Just a reminder that July 3, my story Focused Desire is released from Phaze. http://www.phaze.com/ As usual, it's a sizzler of a tale, set in the world of high fashion photography. I hope you'll check it out. You can read an excerpt at http://www.paigebennett.homestead.com/

When life hands you lemons...

It's been a bad week. My dear elderly Mom had to be admitted to the hospital, and I am a frazzled ball of worry. On the up side, test results show no serious ailment, so it appears that an infection and resultant wearing down is what we're dealing with. Hopefully, antibiotics, fluids and rest will turn the trick and she'll be back to her old self in no time. I am ever the optimist.
At times like this I'm glad for my extended family. We are a clan who rally around to support whoever is going through some trial or other. My brother and I feel that support now, and it really helps.
And in a strange way, the stress seems to fuel my drive to write. I think that writing is an escape for me. If I can keep my mind occupied on the trials and tribulations of my characters, I spend less time getting angsty about my problems. So I've made great strides with my current WIP and have even started mapping out another story I'm dying to write. I guess this is some of that lemonade you make from all those life lemons...lol.
If you have a moment, please send some good energy my way. I could use it. And I promise to return the favour the next time you're in need.

upcoming new stories

I've had a satisfying couple of days in my writing life. I was offered a contract for my new erotic romance entitled To Sir, With Lust. (Yes, I'm shamelessy making a glancing reference to my all time favourite movie from the 60s. The young Poitier made my heart go pitter-patter, and I can sing every word of Lulu's title song.) My version takes place at the college level (because I'm mindful of the taboos regarding underage sexual content). My heroine, Kendra, falls in lust with her English professor, Ray, and, as with all my books, graphic steaminess ensues. I'll have more details upcoming here and on my website http://www.paigebennett.homestead.com/

And my story, Focused Desire, finally has a release date from Phaze: July 3. So I hope you'll watch for that and consider picking it up. You can read an excerpt of FD at my site.

Blurb:  Five years ago, budding photographer Jessamyn Daniels lost a plum fashion assignment that would have put her on the map, to her then boyfriend well known photographer Dillon Grant. Feeling betrayed, she ended the relationship and for the next five years managed to avoid him while she rose in the ranks of the industry.

Dillon Grant never got over the love of his life, Jess. When the opportunity comes along to work beside her on a shoot, he calls in every last favor owed him to ensure it happens.

Though the situation on the day of the shoot is awkward at first, Jessamyn soon realizes she’s never lost her desire for the talented artist, while he will do anything to bring them back together as they once were.

I'm hard at work on a new story for Phaze which I hope to finish in the next couple of weeks. And I have an outline for a Hallowe'en themed story I hope to write then. At that point, I need to shift focus and do some work for Cambridge Press. They haven't released the work I have contracted with them yet, so I haven't pushed getting new stuff done for them. But the day of reckoning will come and I don't want to be caught flat-footed.

So my darling readers, that's where I am at professionally at the moment. I do this because of you and your support over this past dozen years I've been slogging away at the writing game. Your interest spurs my creativity. So thank you.

more thoughts from the closet

Well, the sky did not fall, and my 'real identity' remains safe. LOL. Why did I worry so much? 'Cause that's who I am. I worry. I worry about everything, it seems. I even worry about worrying so much. I guess I have issues. Maybe I need some therapy.

But then again, perhaps it's this very angsty-ness of my nature that allows me to empathize with my characters so well. I get where they're coming from. All of them struggle with their insecurities on their way to finding love and lust with the right partner. All of them make mistakes and need forgiveness. All of them need a shoulder to cry on, and I offer mine. Sometimes I can work through my own life experiences by writing them through the eyes of one of my characters. It helps. I often find unexpected answers. Sometimes I can write a character who acts and reacts in a far more mature and confident manner than I ever could in real life. And I'm proud to find out I have that in me, somewhere.  There's a great satisfaction to being able to give a character the HEA ending she or he has earned through their struggles in a story. It makes me feel good. And it's cheaper than professional therapy.

So the Masked Smutwriter carries on, secure in the knowledge that she is providing a necessary service to her characters and for her readers: providing romantic smut that warms the heart and tingles the libido.

My latest story, Cheek to Cheek, has been released at Phaze. I hope you'll check it out.

peeking out of the closet

I must confess that I'm still in the closet. No, not in the way you think. I'm in the closet about being a writer of erotic fiction. Most people don't know the real face behind Paige Bennett and I've done that for several reasons: my poor elderly mother would have heart failure, I think; my entire professional life in my day job, required a squeaky clean image and that's hard to shake off; I'm still a little bashful at times that sweet l'il ol' me writes smut.  But my brother, who I trust and adore, knows.

Well, yesterday, after a couple of afternoon cocktails, he teasingly let the proverbial cat out of the bag...in front of our Mom! Thankfully, I don't think she heard clearly, but she did question the swift elbow in the ribs I gave my brother--who merely laughed at my red face. I fudged around about it, and got the subject changed, but ended up being grilled by his son-in-law later who would not let the subject rest. Sigh. So now he knows too.

And there it begins. My outing. Part of me is alarmed that if people in my "real" life find out, it will change their opinion of me. I shouldn't care about this so much, I know. If they love me, they love all of who I am, even the smutty parts...lol. But the fear is there, nonetheless. Another part of me though, is enormously proud of how well my erotic romances have done so far. People are buying them, by the hundreds, and coming back for more. That makes me happy.

I guess I have to have a little intervention with myself and give myself permission to be out and proud and uncaring about stupid prejudicial attitudes that make me want to feel shame. Eroticism is an integral part of who we are as humans. We need to embrace and celebrate this side of our nature too. Right?