This week’s Snippet Sunday* is pure promo. I’ve re-released my short story, “An Age Play,” as an eshort (digital short story) on Amazon. (It’s .99 or free for Prime members!)
It was previously published in the Cleis Press anthology Sweet Confessions, and received some good reviews. I’m still amazed I was in the same anthology with erotica greats like Portia Da Costa, Alison Tyler, Kay Jaybee, and Rachel Kramer Bussel. If you want more information on the anthology, see my “An Age Play” page.
The set-up is this:
While on a trip researching her next novel, middle-aged romance author Jean Swan encounters a young man from her ballet class. He has a proposition. What will Jean’s husband say?
I’ve chosen the opening lines from the story.
*Snippet Sunday: promoted on Twitter as #SnipSun, #SnipSunday, or #SnippetSunday, and on Facebook, as well as on various blogs (just type Snippet Sunday in your favorite search engine and see what comes up!). Authors post just a snippet — six to ten sentences — of a recently released novel, a WIP (work in progress), or an older manuscript that’s being revived. Lots of different genres are represented — romance, mystery, thriller, sci fi, fantasy, erotica, and more.
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“And then he took her in his arms.”
Every time I wrote those words, I swore I would never write them again. Yet they inexorably flowed from my fingers to the keyboard.
“And then he took her in his arms.”
It was simply part of the romance novel formula: Beautiful, virginal heroine with flowing locks and beseeching eyes falls for the extraordinarily handsome, charismatic – yet enigmatic – hero. Admittedly, it could be tiresome, except that I wrote for the Passion Flower imprint of Thorne Publishing. My characters got to have lots of sex, and I could make it as hot as I wanted, although nothing too shocking or my editor would chastise me later.
I let out a breath.
“Finished?” came my husband’s voice from the next room.
Great line.
It leaves everything open for what could happen next.
Well done!
Thanks!
Oh, I love this snippet! I know exactly what she means about that line! But then how do you get the H/h into each other’s arms unless you write that sentence? Great eight!
“She tripped and stumbled into his strong arms”?
It seems to me that the intimacy of being held is important to the narrator . . . And that she’s ready to break out of her own ‘formula’. . .
I’m heading over to Amazon to see if I’m right! 😀
Excellent and astute observation!
Her husband is one lucky guy. She’s all stoked up and ready to roll! LOL! Gr8T!
She’s one lucky gal to have such an understanding husband…
This gave me shivers. I love nothing more than when my husband pounces the second I close the laptop. This just totally reminded me of that. Rawr!
Yep!
I so feel for her to write that sentence, which by now is a cliche. Can’t think of another way of getting from point A to point B … and beyond. But, of course then Husband calls. Great post.
Husband to the rescue!
Love the voice of this snippet. Nicely done, Regina. 🙂
Thanks!
Either she says yes and then he takes her in his arm. Either she says no and then… he can go back to sleep. 😀
Let’s hope the husband is looking for a bit of fun before sleep!
This snippet certainly peaked my curiosity to know more about this woman who writes romances. Excellent!
Thanks!
Am I the only one who wants to know exactly how her editor “chastises” her?
*pulls mind from gutter and goes on my merry way…*
Heh, heh. 😉