Thursday, May 12, 2011

As I'm struggling along on the synopsis for my next Nocturne (have I mentioned that I don't enjoy writing synopsis's?), I think about how lucky I am to write for this line (and the Romantic Suspense line).  Despite what you might have heard elsewhere in rumor land, writing for Harlequin is enjoyable because they let me write the stories I want to write.  Since I've been published with them some 20 odd books ago, they've not once turned down a synopsis.  Sure, they've suggested changes here and there, but in my case I think they know the finished book most often doesn't match the synopsis all that closely.

Yet I put a lot - and I mean a LOT - of thought into writing a synopsis.  The past several contracts, I've sent my agent one synopsis for each line - RS and Nocturne - and she's come back with a six book contract.  The four other books have been "blind" books, meaning I will have to submit a synopsis for them before I write them.  They even divide up the advances that way - 1/3 at contract signing, 1/3 at proposal acceptance, and the final 1/3 at delivery and acceptance of manuscript. 

I enjoy getting paid, so this motivates me to write the dread synopsis.  I enjoy being under contract (which I'm not right now, having turned in the final book on my last contract on May 1st).  So I'm working away. 

All rambling aside, what brought this post to mind (other than escaping from the synopsis writing - LOL!) is that I love introducing new elements into my Pack world.  I've gradually introduced a Healer, a curse, Vampires, a covert agency called The Protectors, Halflings (half shifter, half something else), a race called Tearlach's (half shifter, half vamp, who have other powers besides shifting).  I just turned in a book about royal shapeshifters and enjoyed writing it so much that this new proposal is the brother of that book's heroine.

Oh, and I'm toying with adding another species to the mix.  Just for fun.  Because I've always wanted to write about them.

We'll see.  Going to get back to it.  But before I do, what type of paranormal beings do you most enjoy reading about?  I'd welcome your comments.