Romance Writers & Lovers Introductions!

[Sarashay]

Hi there! I'm getting ready to release a science-fiction romance wherever fine ebooks are sold. (I'll update my signature when it goes live.)

I don't have a huge romance collection, most of it being Amanda Quick and Mary Balogh. I love Mistress by Amanda Quick, if you're looking for recommendations. Fair warning, though, there's one bit of dub-con early on in the relationship. (Dubious consent, in case you wondered.) The Slightly and Simply series by Mary Balogh are also a lot of fun.

The book I'm about to put out is currently in the beta reader stage. I poked people a couple of days ago and some of them hadn't even gotten the book when I sent it! (Or lost it in their inbox--you know how it goes.) Other people did, though, and one of them has even finished it so far. I'm hoping to hear back from the others soon. I'll poke again if I have to. My plan is to have it out by the middle of June and release it on my birthday. I've written two sequels (a trilogy, basically, though I may add other books later on) and I'm getting those into shape while I'm waiting to hear back, so there isn't too much of a delay between books.

I'm really excited about this! I'm figuring out ways to get the word out. Does anybody know of good places to promote romance novels?

 

[Katiebee]

Hi there! I'm getting ready to release a science-fiction romance wherever fine ebooks are sold. (I'll update my signature when it goes live.)

I don't have a huge romance collection, most of it being Amanda Quick and Mary Balogh. I love Mistress by Amanda Quick, if you're looking for recommendations. Fair warning, though, there's one bit of dub-con early on in the relationship. (Dubious consent, in case you wondered.) The Slightly and Simply series by Mary Balogh are also a lot of fun.

The book I'm about to put out is currently in the beta reader stage. I poked people a couple of days ago and some of them hadn't even gotten the book when I sent it! (Or lost it in their inbox--you know how it goes.) Other people did, though, and one of them has even finished it so far. I'm hoping to hear back from the others soon. I'll poke again if I have to. My plan is to have it out by the middle of June and release it on my birthday. I've written two sequels (a trilogy, basically, though I may add other books later on) and I'm getting those into shape while I'm waiting to hear back, so there isn't too much of a delay between books.

I'm really excited about this! I'm figuring out ways to get the word out. Does anybody know of good places to promote romance novels?

Yay congrats on your book! That’s so exciting! I hope your betas love it!

Your plan for having the next ones keyed up to release shortly thereafter is a good one that I’ve seen work great for others! Keeps the momentum going and the algos in your favor.

Promotion hmmm… I’ve heard reader fb groups can be successful, though it partially depends on your niche and they often have tight rules on self promo (only on a certain day of the week, for example). Stuff your kindle days seem effective, I’m not sure if there’s a SFR specific one (I bet there is!). There’s always ads, but I know even less about those. I have heard that the very best promo is your next book! And you’ve already got those cooking!

If you’re on discord, feel free to message me and I can share a romance server I know of that might offer more ideas from the ladies with actual self pubbing experience there (it’s not the one in my signature, though maybe I should add it there)

 

[Em the Over Thinker]

Nice to meet you Em

My WIP is more women's fic with romantic elements, although the overall series arc seems to be heading towards the romance end of the scale. It's got some spice too . My work on the standalone spin-off has stalled, but that will be firmly in the romance genre when it's done.

The vast majority of my reading is romance, mostly in the contemporary section. I haven't really got the brain power for fantasy right now. Current fave authors are Kristen Callihan, Lucy Score, Emily Henry and Kylie Scott.

Nice to meet you too!
Totally normal to stall in your work- this is my first time opening my laptop in weeks! Just did not feel as though I was getting anywhere so stepped back, including on this forum to give myself a break from all things writing. Is your work more contemporary or historical? Love a bit of spice! Do get a bit disappointed when there is no spice!

Fantasy does take a lot of effort at first doesn't it! That's why I really credit fantasy writers with the amount of details and effort that goes into world building. Now- this might be a romance reader sin, but I've never read any Emily Henry- I literally have four of her books on my bookshelf which are unread! Do you have a favourite of hers? And I haven't heard of the others but I'll give them a snoop!

 

[Em the Over Thinker]

An ultimate favorite!!! That’s so hard. Daughter of No Worlds might be it for romantasy right now. My ultimate favorite author is Ilona Andrews, the Kate Daniels series was sooooo good, but probably not enough romance in the early books to qualify as romantasy. Her Hidden Legacy series probably does, so maybe that’s my favorite.

I think folks either loved or hated the MC in the Hating Game. I put a hold on it so I’ll soon find out which camp I’m in!

I did this too. Then rewrote it unrecognizably and requeried it (maybe too soon again, though it was my best work at the time, which will probably always be true as we grow and get better right?)

I highly recommend checking out QLH and the genre critiques, even if you never post yours, there’s soooooo much great info to absorb. I’d also welcome you to try your hand at critting—that’s the very best way, imo, to learn/practice editing

I didn’t enjoy Iron Flame nearly as much as the first. It was so long and didn’t feel nearly as tightly edited as book 1, which maybe makes sense considering the rapid release strategy (which clearly worked very well). Onyx Storm is on my tbr, so I’ll get to that sometime in the next month or two—it’s so long!

I’m looking forward to reading it. I’ve read some of her novellas (not as good as the novels, but I like time to settle into a book so it’s probably just me) but probably not all. Can’t wait to dig into Deep End.

I read the first and wanted to hurl it across the room when I got no answers at the end. A fellow baseball mom is on book 8 and keeps telling me to try again! I may at some point, I just have so many on my tbr to commit to a.. 12? book series? I did read all 31 Stephanie plum books though… so maybe I’m a hypocrite

I haven’t read this series but I’ve heard good things! I need to get on it! I’m halfway through her Throne of Glass series (it has some romance, but maybe not enough to qualify as romantasy) and I’m so very impressed by her wolrdbuilding and characters. I’ll move CC up the list!

I have daughter of no worlds downloaded on my kindle since your recommendation! Just haven't gone for it just yet as I needed something I've already read as I have major brain fog right now! When I'm in a better head space I'll definitely give it a go and get back to you!

Now I personally loved the MMC! Don't know what that says about my taste in fictional men as he's hella grumpy. The MFC was fine in my opinion, I didn't love or hate her.

Its hard isn't it when it comes to sending your work off, of course we think its good because we wouldn't send it off! But I think each time I read my work I become more critical. I recently went back and looked at my second finished story and when I first wrote it I thought it was the best thing i've ever written but now I'm feeling rather meh about it. But that was a few weeks ago and I wasn't in the best head space- i.e the reason I've not been on here!
Today (as in the past hour!) I've started to feel a bit more inspired so finally opened up my laptop again.

I liked Onyx Storm but I'm fuming for having to wait for the next one- I usually only read completed series' but I can forgive Rebecca because I just know its going to be amazing the next book!

'I read the first and wanted to hurl it across the room when I got no answers at the end. A fellow baseball mom is on book 8 and keeps telling me to try again! I may at some point, I just have so many on my tbr to commit to a.. 12? book series? I did read all 31 Stephanie plum books though… so maybe I’m a hypocrite'
^ Is this regarding Zodiac Academy? If so- I totally get it! Again, if I had to wait for the next book I would have gone barmy! I read it on my kindle and it felt like one big book to me as I just didn't stop reading it I got a bit eager for it to end after a while, but overall I found it easy to read and hooking at the same time. I love the two main couples.

Throne of Glass is a good series read but not my favourite. I definitely agree that I don't think it can really count as romantasy... but I loved certain characters! You'll have to let me know where you're at so I don't ruin anything for you! But yeah, definitely give CC ago, I'm looking forward to the next one of them too! (damn unfinished series' and authors having lives!! )

I'm almost halfway through it and having a blast! Super glad I picked it up. The depth of POV is *chef kiss* with all the little details and zooms and moments.

Yay! I'm actually so glad you like it- so confused at the hate! But its definitely one I pick up a lot and I have to admit Josh Templeman is one of my favourite MMC in contemporary romance.

 

[Em the Over Thinker]

Em, if you enjoyed ACOTAR you might like Stacia Stark’s Kingdom of Lies series. She does the spicy scenes really well (I’m kind of picky about those). It took me a little bit to get on board with her main character/love interest pairing but the world building, magic, etc. is really well done and when things came together they really came together.

Previously I really only wrote fantasy. Published one fantasy/horror short, but had to abandon that and the pen name with it because of a protection order and the fact that the dangerous person knows about those identifiers.

Same reason I shelved my old fantasy drafts, and maybe will dust them off some day. But for right now am working on something completely new, a poly romantasy with two guys and a woman. Finished the first draft in Feb and am working through revisions currently. I’m still trying to decide on spice level for the final draft. The people in that world have some anatomical differences and I’m guessing readers who don’t get to see it up close might not be happy about it, haha.

If you ever want to give romantasy a stab I’d totally be up for beta reading! That goes for anyone else needing a beta too!

Oh thank you! I'll make of note of that- I'm definitely picky too on the spice, needs to be hot but not make me cringe.
I'm sorry to hear the circumstances of you shelving your work- I hope you find the inspiration and inclination to perhaps go back to your 'on pause' work.

How have you been finding your revisions? I struggle so much and just want to delete the whole thing at times. I often need to make a concious effort to really access how I'm feeling and if its wise for me to be editing my work. Sometimes I want to work on my writing but I'm just not in the right head space so I have to force myself to take a step backward.

That's really kind- I would also willing to beta read for contemporary romance and fantasy

 

[Em the Over Thinker]

We'll go out together!

My eyes glaze over at the slightest hint of fantasy. And has since I was a kid. I wish I could let my imagination soar beyond the boundaries of the known, but my brain doesn't work that way.

I know I'm in the minority, but I find reality bizarre enough. I admire all of you who can break free of the grounded bubble!

I didn't pick up fantasy again until last year and before then it must have been a decade before! I thought I grew out of it after my tween obsession with Twilight but as it turns out I'm still a big fan of the genre but only once I found the right books for me!

 

[Em the Over Thinker]

I haven't read that much romance at all, only a handful and most of those was decades ago so I don't even remember the titles. Still, the book next to me is 4th wing (I'm only four chapters in). So I kind of feel like an impostor in this subforum.

However, the WIP that's got most of my attention lately is the romantasy-thingy I've mentioned in other posts here at AW. It's still on the planning stage. In part because I'm not used to writing romance beyond subplots, in part because my current health issue have zapped my energy to write (but strangely enough, not my energy to plan). Strangely enough, most of my current question-marks are more about the the fantasy parts than the romance parts (even if there are some few important questions to sort out there as well).

As I mentioned in another post somewhere, I've even got an idea for a sequel, so I can drop in hints in the first book. The first book is basically an enemies to lovers, while they are saving the world together. In the second book, the world is saved, so the external force that made them work together is gone, and the hunt for a serial killer creates mistrust between them.

Nonsense! If you like it- you're a part of it! I hope you're enjoying Fourth Wing- I loved it! Still love it and I will die on that hill that it is the best fantasy first book IMO. I've recently got my husband into reading (shocking- considering I read all the time and always have)- he's read all the ACTOR, and I had so much fun discussing them with him. I'm trying to push him into Fourth Wing, which I think he might even like better.

I think with romantasy/fantasy the most important thing is planning- nothing worse than a fantasy world/storyline which isn't well thought out. They always have a big twist and the world building is sooo important! I totally get what you're saying about your health- currently going through IVF and my willingness to write has just plummeted. Hope you feel better soon and you get your writing mojo back.

Love an enemies to lovers! And the back and forth sounds delicious. I would recommend the Zodiac Academy because I think enemies to lovers is done brilliantly in this series.

 

[Em the Over Thinker]

Hi!

I enjoy the romance genres of contemporary and fantasy
My fav authors to read are Tijan (My fav series of her's is The Fallen Crest series), Chloe Walsh (My fav series of hers is The boys of Tommen series), Abby Glines (My fav series of her's is The Rosmary Beach series), and Lisa Helen Gray (My fav series of her's is The Carter brother series).
There's so many more authors/series I love, but these are at the top of my head so message me if you are in need of anymore book recs!

While I mostly write contemporary, I do plan on in the future writing a fantasy romance of my own!

I've written the first draft of my first story which I don't feel ready to talk about yet (only because I'm not sure the story isn't going to be altered after I start editing the first draft) and have started writing the first draft of my second story while I take a step back from the first so I can edit it with a fresh set of eyes!
I love the sound of your first story and am genuinely in awe of how you were able to handle a hard situation in your life and clearly cope with it in such a healthy and positive way! (I hope all goes well for you and your OH with the IVF btw!!)

Your second novel also sounds interesting in a different way and like what you are doing with your third story, I've already began outlining on the side the other stories I plan to make for the secondary characters of my first story!

I look forward to getting to know you better!

Hi Alexa!

I've never heard of any of these authors so thank you! And thanks for your recs of your favourite series. My TBR list is going crazy now and I love it!!

I'm just like you- I have one idea for fantasy and I've made some notes but still don't feel confident/inspired to go for it yet.

Totally fair! This is a great reminder to me that I'm not 'behind' or 'failing' because my work is just there. I'm proud that I've finished it but I think I've felt a bit of pressure to rush into sending it off and doing something with it! Writing is such a personal and consuming thing that its such a massive thing to share with anyone. I'd love to hear about it when you're ready.

Thank you for your kind words about my first story and my IVF treatment- the meds are kicking my ass! When life gives you lemons and all that- plus, I really wished I had come across a romance story which was sweet but spicy that included infertility. It definitely does not leave you feeling like couple goals!

I actually really like my concept for my second book- I just need to take the time to re-read and revise it, all whilst trying not to get too negative with myself. I hate that I'm so harsh on myself when I make a mistake or read something that doesn't sound just perfect- its all part of being a writer and i just need to try and remember that.

I look forward to getting to know you too

 

[Em the Over Thinker]

Hi there! I'm getting ready to release a science-fiction romance wherever fine ebooks are sold. (I'll update my signature when it goes live.)

I don't have a huge romance collection, most of it being Amanda Quick and Mary Balogh. I love Mistress by Amanda Quick, if you're looking for recommendations. Fair warning, though, there's one bit of dub-con early on in the relationship. (Dubious consent, in case you wondered.) The Slightly and Simply series by Mary Balogh are also a lot of fun.

The book I'm about to put out is currently in the beta reader stage. I poked people a couple of days ago and some of them hadn't even gotten the book when I sent it! (Or lost it in their inbox--you know how it goes.) Other people did, though, and one of them has even finished it so far. I'm hoping to hear back from the others soon. I'll poke again if I have to. My plan is to have it out by the middle of June and release it on my birthday. I've written two sequels (a trilogy, basically, though I may add other books later on) and I'm getting those into shape while I'm waiting to hear back, so there isn't too much of a delay between books.

I'm really excited about this! I'm figuring out ways to get the word out. Does anybody know of good places to promote romance novels?

Hello,
Massive congratulations on your book! How exciting- I wish you all the best with it
Thank you for your recs- I'll give them a look. I always love finding out peoples favourite books and finding out what a book needs for them to not be able to put a book down.
I've not really read any science-fiction romance personally, as its not a genre I particularly love in films etc. Do you have any science fiction romance that you love or perhaps inspired you?

Can't help with the promotion side as I'm very new to this all, but good luck!

 

[Sarashay]

Hello,
Massive congratulations on your book! How exciting- I wish you all the best with it
Thank you for your recs- I'll give them a look. I always love finding out peoples favourite books and finding out what a book needs for them to not be able to put a book down.
I've not really read any science-fiction romance personally, as its not a genre I particularly love in films etc. Do you have any science fiction romance that you love or perhaps inspired you?

Can't help with the promotion side as I'm very new to this all, but good luck!

The one book that really inspires me as far as science-fiction romance isn't a romance--The Silver Metal Lover by Tanith Lee. It's a sci-fi setting, and the plot is a love story but not quite a romance. (It would spoil it to explain why.) Many of my romantic heroes, including the one in Christophina's Wings (the book I'm about to release) take a few pages from Silver.

 

[anaemic_mind]

Totally normal to stall in your work- this is my first time opening my laptop in weeks! Just did not feel as though I was getting anywhere so stepped back, including on this forum to give myself a break from all things writing.

Yeah, I have a ton of stuff going on IRL right now, so my time/energy for writing is precious and tiny, and SG06 (the spin off) has been shelved pretty much, until I can devote some more time to it. Dipping in and out of editing SG01 is slow going, and hard to squeeze in some weeks, but grabbing half an hour here and there makes me feel like I'm chipping away at it, and keeps me sane.

Is your work more contemporary or historical?

I studied History many many years ago, and maybe I'm just kinda done with that part of my life, because I can't really face even reading historical fiction right now, and the idea of writing it, doing it justice/getting it right scares me stupid, so I'm firmly a contemporary writer right now.

...this might be a romance reader sin, but I've never read any Emily Henry- I literally have four of her books on my bookshelf which are unread! Do you have a favourite of hers?

I've only read two so far, Beach Read and Funny Story, and will admit found them hard to get into initially (but then I do most books tbh so that's no reflection on the writing), but once I got over that initial funk, I did fly through them. Of the two, Funny Story is my fave so far. Really adored the characters in that one, especially the MMC.

I have just finished Lucy Score/Claire Kingsley's Bootleg Springs series. It was 6 books so kept me going for a while, but now I'm lost in my TBR pile, starting and dropping things aimlessly. I hate book hangovers. And series hangovers are the worst.

 

[shibazoid!]

I realize this is an older thread, but hello! Welcome!

My first project that I'm currently querying is a romance, and despite writing the genre, I haven't really read any romance novels that I've enjoyed. This may or may not be entirely because I enjoy human/monster relationships more than regular human ones.

I don't suppose you guys have any recommendations for romances that are so strong and compelling that I'd be moved by them despite my bias? Alternatively, monster romances recs?

Good luck with your book, OP, and I wish you and your family success with IVF! Working out your own troubles through your characters and writing can be really helpful emotionally, so I'm glad you found comfort in that!

 

[caesura]

Oh thank you! I'll make of note of that- I'm definitely picky too on the spice, needs to be hot but not make me cringe.
I'm sorry to hear the circumstances of you shelving your work- I hope you find the inspiration and inclination to perhaps go back to your 'on pause' work.

How have you been finding your revisions? I struggle so much and just want to delete the whole thing at times. I often need to make a concious effort to really access how I'm feeling and if its wise for me to be editing my work. Sometimes I want to work on my writing but I'm just not in the right head space so I have to force myself to take a step backward.

That's really kind- I would also willing to beta read for contemporary romance and fantasy

Revisions have been going steady. I find myself enjoying them, because I have a little system and get to finally make sense of all the random scenes and things and make it readable.

Basically I write out one descriptive sentence for each scene in the draft on a white notecard.

Then I lay them out all over the floor, try out different sequences, add new cards for new scenes when necessary until it all makes sense, etc. The new scene cards are hot pink/red, because those scenes have to be written from scratch.

Next I go through all the white cards, look at the 1st draft version, and if the scene is perfect the card stays white (haha that has never ever happened). If it just needs grammar/prose adjustments, yellow. If it needs significant reworking, orange. And a complete rewrite is red/hot pink.

Then I put them all in order on a ring, and work through the scenes. As each one is finished, it gets replaced with a green card. So when the entire ring is green/white cards, that revision is done. I also get to put a bunch of notes on each card, like what characters appear, whose POV it’s in, etc. which makes it easy to reference later.

It really helps my ADHD brain to have the visual device keeping me on track, and it feels rewarding to have the cards all gradually shift to green.

To deal with wanting to hoard my old prose, I create a document specifically for dumping cut orphaned prose into. When I’m working on a scene I write the scene number in the document and just past any cuts or heavy edits directly into it. This helps me feel a lot less inhibited when cutting things since it’s not really gone, just not in the current draft. And keep backups of all your old drafts too. That way if you have a bad day and really butcher it, you can go back to earlier versions.

Best of luck with the IVF treatments too! I hope all goes smoothly with very happy news. My sister in law went through them and came out with a set of healthy triplets, so fingers crossed! They always wanted a big family so were very happy with the outcome.

 

[caesura]

I realize this is an older thread, but hello! Welcome!

My first project that I'm currently querying is a romance, and despite writing the genre, I haven't really read any romance novels that I've enjoyed. This may or may not be entirely because I enjoy human/monster relationships more than regular human ones.

I don't suppose you guys have any recommendations for romances that are so strong and compelling that I'd be moved by them despite my bias? Alternatively, monster romances recs?

Good luck with your book, OP, and I wish you and your family success with IVF! Working out your own troubles through your characters and writing can be really helpful emotionally, so I'm glad you found comfort in that!

The best romance I’ve read recently was the first two of Sarah K.L. Wilson’s series starting with Fly With The Arrow. It’s a fairy retelling of Bluebeard, and I was not sold on someone actually managing to pull off framing it as a romance rather than horror. It’s very slow burn, intense, surprisingly funny, and I am definitely going to be finishing the series. The male love interest’s behavior and thought processes are very non human which may appeal to you. I adore the female main character too.

 

[jappolack]

Yes- I believe it will be a TV series. Not sure how it will live up to it all! I have such high expectations and like you say- adaptations tend to lean to the more 'meh'. Only saving grace is that Yarro's is heavily involved and seems really active on casting etc.

Why choose indeed! Sounds like a good read and definitely something I would pick up- is it based on a Poly relationship or is it simply regular threesome hook up?

I dislike it when movies or TV series are based on some of my favorite books; they often fail to live up to what I envisioned when I read them, and/or they leave out big parts that, in my mind, were significant, but they minimize them. Yes, Fourth Wing is supposed to be a TV series.

 

[Em the Over Thinker]

I dislike it when movies or TV series are based on some of my favorite books; they often fail to live up to what I envisioned when I read them, and/or they leave out big parts that, in my mind, were significant, but they minimize them. Yes, Fourth Wing is supposed to be a TV series.

I do too- for me, its the chosen actors don't quite live up to the character I have in my mind- but its a hard thing to live up to I guess! I'm hoping because Yarro's is involved quite a lot then that would mean not missing out the crucial parts! Well, here's hoping anyway.

 

[VeryVerity]

Hello! Lovely to be here. I know this is a sleepy thread but it seems to be a good intro thread, so *throws caffeine*

I've been writing for many years but never quite finished anything. I've finally found my niche in writing spicy sci-fi romance and I'm just prepping my first novel for beta reading (which is taking far too long!). My WIP features a male human and female alien, and I've gotten massively carried away with behind-the-scenes worldbuilding, I love it.

I read/ have read most genres of romance, but I'm currently sworn off human-human couples (whoever mentioned CM Nacosta – I swear MGMF is a gateway drug to all things marvellous!).

 

[libraryofvalen]

Is dark romance okay? Lol my current novel is full of dark romanticism, but not abusive. It is more along the lines of loving someone so much, that even death can't stop it and being willing to do anything for your person. It has been so, so fun to write