Ensnared Publishing Update and Magical Moments

Before we get to the blog topic, I have big news. The next Ensnared – print version – will be released for Yaoi-con. Meaning, it will be available for purchase on Amazon and other outlets beginning the weekend of Yaoi-con (September 18). There will be a special sale price that weekend to match the convention price. That's usually a 25 to 30% discount on the list price. The ebook will be handled differently than before. We received many complaints about the ebook being too long. It was a surprising number of complaints. So, we will do a staggered release in the run up to Yaoi-con of ebooks that are shorter installments of the whole. We also plan to make sure the print versions of the book are as attractively priced as we can. That may mean that the next print volume could be two. I've been spinning this story into many unexpected places, so it is getting to be far longer than I first thought. Speaking of that, onto the blog!

Magical Moments

I was asked a question during the Valentine's Day online party that was most interesting. The question was what was the best thing about writing. The best part of writing for me are what I call Magical Moments when the characters I've written are so well developed that they begin to act on their own. It can reek havoc on my outlines, but the story is often better when I don't fight the direction the character wants to take. Darius has taken the reins in this book with some astonishing results for me. There were scenes that I thought would be a paragraph or two that turned into these lovely little character moments between Darius or Andreas and supporting characters. And some of those moments gave me a path to the climax of the book that works far better than the one I had planned. I'm not winging the plot by any stretch. The outline I created is still the template. I've just had a detour here and there. These changes have made the book even more fun to write. I suppose it's because these unexpected scenes have all been sweet or funny or hot.

These little scenes are important, because Darius goes through as many changes in this book as Andreas had in the first book. It is essential that readers are able to get past the frosty, aloof nature of the Cosi and see Darius and Mykos in a different light so that this change resonates. I've also been really pleased that I can give my readers time with their favorite supporting characters in some very entertaining ways without it appearing that I was trying to find ways to feature them. All of these scenes happened in a natural way.

It's not really surprising that this sort of magic is occurring. I've been living with the characters for years now. I've spent a great deal of time thinking about the next part of their lives. This cast of characters are very dear friends by now. I think that this knowledge is subconscious like the way I know my friends or family. I innately know how they would react in a given situation. Still, it really feels like magic when a scene starts building right before my eyes with seemingly no effort. And I prefer thinking of it that way.

I have no preview this time. There are too many spoilers in what I'm doing right now. Instead, I give you a quick sketch (30 minutes and out) of a towel clad Darius swinging his hair like a tart. The point of view is Andreas' from a reclining position. I hope you enjoy.