When I agreed to write a blog for We Write Romance, I was kind of worried about finding a topic. All these fabulous Modern/Presents authors are blogging here; they have pictures of their gorgeous covers and blurbs of their latest books, etc.
And then there’s me, the newest (and still wide-eyed) Modern/Presents author. I’m so new that all I have is a title and a UK release date: SPANISH MAGNATE, RED-HOT REVENGE, Aug 2009. I could talk about my journey and my call story, but my journey was a very public one with all my ups and downs on display over at the I Heart Presents site. If you followed me from the Instant Seduction win, then you know I went through two rounds of revisions, a minor set of tweaks, and got the glorious call on October 6, 2008. Like I said, very new.
The contest was most certainly the propellant that launched me into this new direction, but it would have been impossible to write a believable, emotional story about two strong characters falling in love in spite of themselves had I not already been a huge fan of Harlequin Presents. As a teen reader, I never asked myself why I loved these larger than life stories. As an adult, I wanted to know the answer.
And I finally figured it out: it’s Beauty and the Beast (it might not be for you, but that’s how I see it). I watched the Disney cartoon a zillion times. The Beast was pretty nasty, wasn’t he? He frightened Belle, but not enough to cower before him. She always stood up for what was right, always challenged him when she believed he was wrong, and ultimately fell in love with him. And it was Belle’s love that saved the Beast. She saw beneath his hardened veneer to his heart of gold. She saw his goodness and softness, his kindness and care. And she loved him for it, even when he was at his most beastly and trying to frighten her away.
Belle’s love wasn’t a one-way street either. The Beast loved Belle because first she nobly sacrificed her freedom for her father’s, and then she cared enough to chip away at his veneer, to want to know him as he was. And when he opened up just a little, she wanted more. She wasn’t frightened of him any longer and she taught him that he did have a beautiful soul.
When I sat down to write my story for the Instant Seduction contest, I knew that my hero and heroine had a very emotional past together. My beast, Alejandro, was hurt very deeply by an event for which he blames my beauty, Rebecca. Alejandro’s sole purpose in life is to hurt Rebecca as badly as he has been hurt. He starts by taking her family business away, but of course doesn’t bargain on what her presence in his life again will mean. She chips away at his veneer, falling for the man beneath the surface, until he has to admit his love in return.
It’s a story that makes me cry every time, whether it’s told on film or in the pages of a Harlequin Presents. The Beast exists inside all of us. So does the Beauty. When we read a story with such passion and strong emotion, I think it calls to those twin needs within us. We want to be loved for who we are, and we want to love with purity and goodness. This is why I love Harlequin Presents, and why I am so happy and proud to call myself a Presents author. I’m already hard at work on my next book, a story about a prince and the woman who sees the beauty beneath the veneer of the beast….
Please visit me at www.lynnrayeharris.com for more information on SPANISH MAGNATE, RED-HOT REVENGE and all my future books. Click over to my blog for a chance to win a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card.
on October 23rd, 2008
Great analogy Lynn. You reminded me of when I flew to the States from the UK a couple of years ago and was dreading all those hours in the air…until I found one of the in flight movies was Disney’s Beauty and the Beast I just stuck it on repeat and snuggled up under a blanket whilst my hubby was quite content watching Denzel Washington save the world beside me :)
Anyway, I digress! I think it’s a great point, and that the hero’s ‘beastly veneer’ is basically self-defence to protect his heart (having been hurt in the past). The heroine’s beauty (internal not just external) breaks through that…and teaches him that love is not a weakness but a strength.
Good luck with the 2nd book, congrats again, and just wait for the thrill of holding your book in your hands – I’m still reeling from when mine arrived this weekend! Ooh and I love the idea of an ex-bull fighter, very Antonio Banderas!
on October 23rd, 2008
Hi, Lynn! Waving at you from the Heart of Dixie.
I’m in agreement with you. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is my all-time favorite romance scenario. Who can’t fall in love with a man struggling against his emotions in an act of self-preservation or the woman bold enough to prove our hero is better off experiencing love than not? Deep down, we all want to tame the brawny beast and be the woman of wit and grit who can do it. These are the stories I love to read and I can’t wait to read about Alejandro and Rebecca!!! :-)
on October 23rd, 2008
Hey, Lynn! Loved the comparison with Beauty and the Beast. You’re right, that’s one of my all-time favorite movies and I love strong characters who ultimately can’t resist each other.
Congrats again on your contract. Can’t wait to buy the book!
on October 23rd, 2008
Hi, Sabrina, and thank you! I’m so glad you liked my analogy. :) Congrats on getting your box of books! I can’t wait for that day, though it’s several months away, sigh. I’ll be looking for your book to hit the US! (I used pics of Antonio in my inspiration file, btw! The blurb is my own; no telling what my editor will come up with. She may not mention the bullfight part at all.)
Kathy, absolutely! The Beast struggles against his emotions but the Beauty brings them out regardless. :)
Hi, C.J., fellow Pixie Chick! Thank you so much for coming by and commenting. :) Isn’t Beauty and the Beast just he best movie? It doesn’t surprise me we love it.
on October 23rd, 2008
THE best movie. Duh.
on October 23rd, 2008
I also like Belle because she’s one of the few Princesses who doesn’t need saving by the hero. :-)
on October 23rd, 2008
Absolutely, Kimberly!! Very important, that. :)
on October 23rd, 2008
Lynn,
This is an excellent post. Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite movies (after Star Wars, of course). But, now that I think about it, Princess Leia and Han Solo are a Beauty and the Beast pair in a sense. “Who’s scruffy-looking?” ;-)
I also enjoy stories where the woman doesn’t need saving as well.
Looking forward to reading your Presents when it comes out. (Kimberly’s MH as well. )
Barbara Burnham
on October 23rd, 2008
Hi, Barbara! Absolutely, Leia and Solo are a type of B&B pairing — except that Solo is more of a trickster hero. But oh so sexy!! I love the trickster too. They are also very alpha, and they don’t give a darn what anyone thinks. :)
on October 23rd, 2008
Lynn,
I can’t wait to read your story and see how Rebecca refuses to buy Alejandro’s beastly façade, digs beneath the surface to find his heart and gets her HEA.
Keli
on October 23rd, 2008
Great example, Lynn! I love that story. I’m old enough to have been TV viewing age when the series was on, but wasn’t quite old enough that it interested me back then. :-)
Cheers again on the sale to Presents! Can’t wait to read it!!!
on October 23rd, 2008
Hi, Keli! I hope you like the book! :)
on October 24th, 2008
Hi, Kay! Don’t know how it happened, but your comment just appeared to me. I honestly wasn’t ignoring you when I answered Keli. :)
I remember the series too, but I think I was living in Europe at the time and didn’t get it there.
Thanks again!!
on October 28th, 2008
Sorry to chime in late…been on vacation! Kids were out of school so we took advantage.
I’m absolutely fascinated by the way you’ve took a child’s fairytale and made it describe a Presents book…so cool! I can’t believe I’ve never thought of the Presents hero in that way. I really believe there’s something to that theory, because sometimes the heroes are so gruff, so unyielding. Having them explained away like this makes me want to go grab some of the really old ones I have and read them again to put the theory into play and see if I can really believe the “beast” thing about the heroes in Presents. The newer heroes are awesome, more contemporary with today’s feel but I like that the older Presents can be made more enjoyable by this theory.
Thanks, Lynne and congratulations. I’m definitely looking forward to reading the book that beat out the others for the win!
on February 5th, 2009
This is great!