Finding the Book Love for Dangerous Dance

Most of the time, I love each book I’ve written. Ninety-nine percent of the time. My one exception is a book I have…ambivalent feelings about. It’s not the book’s fault. When I read it, I think I did a good job telling the story.

The problem I have with it is the backstory to the story. 

Back in 2003, I had some contracts with a library publisher. I sold library/hardcover rights (limited, thank goodness!) for The Last Enemy, Byte Me, Missing You, The Spy Who Kissed Me, and Dangerous Dance. 

When I sold the rights to all but Dangerous Dance, I had already written the books. The deals were good for me because up until that time, all my books had only been available digitally (and this was before eReading devices!).  The deals gave me credibility as an author and also put my books in libraries (score! Love libraries!). 

The books did well enough for the publisher that one of their editors reached out to me and asked me if I had anything else for them. I had a sort of idea with ONE chapter and after some thought, I mentioned it to him. 

He offered me a contract for the partial and very sketchy synopsis! My first time getting a contract for a book I hadn’t written.

I was excited.

I was scared. 

But I’d written those other books. I knew I could finish books, so I signed on the dotted line.

And then Life Happened. And it Happened some more. And then some more. 

I realized I might not finish the book, so on the recommendation from some author friends, I asked for an extension of a few weeks. And he said no. 

So there I was. I had THREE weeks to write a complete novel. 

I had made a commitment and they were requiring me to keep it. 

So I did. 

I wrote for hours. I wrote for every day of those three weeks. I wrote until my fingertips hurt. I (my daughter’s phrase) pulled it out of my tush. 

And it hurt. 

I poured words onto the page until I felt like a dried-out husk of a person. 

But I delivered it on time and it released in August of 2004.

I didn’t even want to look at it. I’d barely had time to write it, let alone bond with it or the characters. And, to me, it lacked the sense of humor that I feel permeates my other books. 

I called it the “dark” book. 

It released into the world and reviewers liked it. It never got as much traction as my other books and that is my fault. I had a hard time talking about it and after I finished it, it took me quite a while to be able to write again. It was as if the book had drained out all my words. I could barely talk. Lol

Even worse (for current reading preferences) it is the only one of its genre in my backlist. It’s a standalone novel without any genre-similar friends to hang out with. My lone Gothic.

It’s been sixteen years and I’m mostly over the trauma. Lol And I got Dangerous Dance a new cover and in the process of getting the new cover accidentally bought a cover for either a sequel or at least genre-similar book! 

Yup, I committed (with my money at least) to write another Gothic. 

I will admit to being a little nervous at the idea, but I’m also excited to give Dangerous Dance a book friend. 

But what I like more than the idea of a new book, is I’ve finally bonded with the poor book. I think it’s a good story. Yes, it is still darker than most of my books, but I did a good job, despite the obstacles and time frame. 

It’s kind of a miracle, actually. 

And looking back, I wonder at myself. I mean, I did it. I pulled it out and finished the book on time. Why wasn’t I proud of that? I don’t know. But I am now. 

So what is it about?

His whole career, Remy Mistral has fought for reform in a state where corruption is an art form. Now is his chance to quit talking about reform and make his move to change things, but two things stand in his way. 

One is a woman, the other a killer.

Dorothy Morgana Merlinn would like some answers but her parents are dead—her father by an assassin’s bullet—so she’ll have to settle for justice. She’ll do what it takes to get it, including making a deal with Remy Mistral, the man who humiliated her ten years ago.

But when she stirs up the Louisiana mud, she gets more than she bargained for, including a romance with the man she planned to put in the crosshairs to flush out a killer.

Greed, corruption and betrayal clutter the board in a complicated chess game with life, death and love on the line…

Praise for A Dangerous Dance:

“Nail biting fun!” Romantic Times Magazine

“A DANGEROUS DANCE is as dark and sinister as a French Quarter alley.” AOL Romance Fiction Forum

If Gothics are your jam or used to be, I hope you’ll check it out. 

Perilously yours,

Pauline