Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 126425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 632(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 421(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 632(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 421(@300wpm)
She pulls her hand away from mine and leans back into the booth. “I thought I did that.”
“You did. You absolutely did. But you wrote a standalone. And an unfinished series. You haven’t given your readers time to fall in love with your characters and world.”
“The unfinished series then, that’s my problem?”
“That’s only part of it. Because it implies that you just need more books. But again, if you just write more books that’s not gonna get you there. You have to deepen your characterization, make your world a little bit bigger, up the tension and conflict so it leads to a nail-biting crisis, and resolve it with an ending that is surprising yet inevitable. Then calm everything down with a perfect, sweet, romantic happily ever after which may or may not include a wedding and a baby.”
She smiles as she huffs. “Is that all?”
“That’s all.”
“You make it sound so easy, but it’s not.”
“It’s really not,” I agree. “It just looks easy because… well, despite the fact that I named that girl Sugar, I’m kind of good at it.”
This makes her chuckle. “I really hated that name. But—” She looks up at me with those melty brown eyes of hers. “But I really love Sugar. She’s feisty. And even though Choke goes all alpha-asshole on her, she only gives in just enough. She defies him quietly.” Cordelia sighs. “I really like that about her.”
“Yeah. I think everyone likes that about her. After book six, after I got the movie deal, there were a slew of Sugar lookalikes in the romance world. One after the other. But almost none of those writers understood why she was so popular. They would make their Sugars mouthy and crass. Defiant at all times. Bossy, and some of them were even bitchy. But my Sugar was none of those things. She was intelligent, but down on her luck. She was strong and courageous, but knew her limits and wore her vulnerability on her sleeve. And she gave in to Choke, not because he told her to, but because she trusted him.”
“God.” Cordelia sighs. “I need to reread that series. It was so good. And you’re so right. Sugar was the best.”
I take Cordelia’s hand again and I look her in the eyes. “You write Sugars, Cordy. You do. The reason why you haven’t broken through yet is because you didn’t give readers enough to fall in love with. Whether you start a new series or finish the one you have, you’re gonna get there. I have complete faith in your talent.” Then I point to the tablet. “Don’t put this out into the world. Save it for us. In ten years. When we’re sitting in bed, bored with everything, I’ll pull this out, and do my best Tank voice, and we’ll have the best night ever. Save it for us.”
She just stares at me, open-mouthed.
“What?”
“That… was like…” She lets out a breath.
“Cheesy? Cliché?”
“Fucking hot, Steve. It was fucking hot. And you didn’t even use the word ‘panties.’”
I laugh. “Is it universal that we all have a love-hate relationship with the word ‘panties?’”
She nods, a ridiculously huge smile on her face. Then she goes all serious and stares into my eyes. “Thank you.” She squeezes my hand because I’m still holding hers. “Seriously. I needed this talk. And… you’re… so good at this. I’m just kind of in awe of how easily it comes to you.”
“Well, if it makes you feel any better, remember that I’m a spectacular failure in science fiction.”
“That doesn’t make me feel better. Why do you think you’re such a failure?”
“Because I am. You can look it up online. Readers hated what I wrote. Two point five stars.”
“Shut up. How is that even possible? You’re like… a writing genius. I’m gonna read it.”
“Please don’t. Please, please, please don’t read it.”
“I bet it’s good. There’s no way it can’t be.”
I just sigh.
“Anyway.” She checks her phone. “The signing starts again in three minutes, so…”
“Right. We should go.” I slip out of the booth and offer Cordelia my hand to help her out. It’s kind of a risky move on my part. She doesn’t need help.
But I’m not really offering help, either. I just want to touch her. And let her know I’m here.
She takes my hand, smiling, looking down a little, like she’s not sure what to think of that, but it wasn’t terrible and no one died, so then she looks back up and smiles at me again. “What are your plans for this afternoon? Gonna hang out at Essie’s table?”
“Oh, hell no. Hell. No. I don’t go there.” We’re walking out of the lounge now, making our way back to the signing hall.
“Why not?”
“It got weird. Well, this was before Mike. People thought I was her boyfriend. We’re twins. And even though we’re different sexes, we look alike, right?”