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In writing, as in real life, relationships between particular characters drive the action along. I’m grateful for the day a very close friend of mine, who is also “my mentor,” asked me if I’d be interested in writing a tale for Amber Heat. She’d written several releases for them but was moving in a different direction with her own work. I studied the genre by downloading a few books from Amber Heat, then took a shot at writing a piece along the story guidelines. After rewriting according to my mentor’s suggestions, I submitted it. Luckily, the market was just taking off and they were open to new authors. It was a glorious moment to hear from the publishers—they agreed I had a flair for what they wanted!

It had taken me quite some time to get to this point, however. I had written several short screenplays and one full length, many short stories and a full length chick lit novel that got positive feedback, but no contract. Up to this point, the only time my writing made it to press was via articles for a couple of privately owned, regional newspapers in the area where I now live. It seemed that I couldn’t find the right “fit” for bringing my characters to life. I now realize that the specificity of writing erotic romance actually helped me sculpt my storytelling ability. While I intend to branch out into other areas of writing, I realize how writing in this genre has helped me improve my overall abilities.

Working with my fabulous editor is a plus. She also happens to be a fine writer and always points me in the right direction when something isn’t quite right. There are times, for example, when knowing a bit about a character’s inner process can help deepen the reader’s involvement. I’m more than glad to comply with rewrites, just as I have no problem cutting superfluous information, or action that doesn’t further the story along. My editor is adept at the nuances in helping shape a story before it goes to press, and I listen to each and every suggestion she makes with an open mind. I’m also grateful when she acknowledges areas that please her, where I’ve succeeded in my job. She’s great about knowing how to balance her suggestions for change with positive feedback. In this, too, I’m very lucky!

In my recent Amber Heat release, “A Hard Day’s Night,” for example, I cut copious passages from the relationship between the eccentric father, Roy Weiner, and his girlfriend, Charlene. It was more important to stay focused on his daughter, Zoe, and her paramours. I listened to my editor’s reasoning, made the changes, and brought a tighter, better storyline forward.

On the other hand, I sometimes nail a story right away. When I wrote the magical tale “A Portal In the Park,” where a faun and his nymphs take a beautiful dancer to new levels of sexual awareness, the story played out so completely that few changes were necessary prior to publication. That’s the beauty of art—nothing’s exact. Yet, when it works, that’s a certainty.

These stories and others can be checked out at www.amberheat.com.