Starting Over: STIRRING THE EMBERS

by Mary Jo

Historical romance is my first and lasting writing love, and I’ve been writing it continuously since—heavens, 1986!  But the muse craves variety, so I’ve written in other directions along the way.  Always there is romance and a happy ending, and almost always there is history—except for my venture into contemporary romance. 

I wrote three novellas and one related novella in my Circle of Friends series, and it was a wonderful and challenging experience.  I had to develop a contemporary “voice,” and all the books were demanding, high research stories.  They were actually halfway between contemporary romance and mainstream women’s fiction.  If I had to categorize them, it would be as “romantic women’s fiction.”

From a marketing point of view, my timing was terrible.  I was writing serious books at a time when the market was moving to very frothy, light contemporary romances.  (Remember all those cartoon covers?) 

The books were well reviewed, but they didn’t set the world on fire.  I learned many interesting things, such as the fact that there isn’t a huge crossover between historical and contemporary readers.  I got emails on the contemporaries asking if I’d ever written any other books. <G>

 So after the trilogy was done, I didn’t write any more contemporaries.  I had never quit my “day job”—I was still writing historical romance--so in the great scheme of things, the contemporaries were an interesting side excursion.  When they went out of print, I got the rights back as a matter of principle and that was that.

RELAUNCH:

Then came the e-book revolution, and all of a sudden, it was possible to make backlist books available to readers.  Authors LOVE this!  All of our children, free at last!  The contemporaries were the very first books I published in e-form since they wouldn’t conflict with my ongoing historical work.

So the series has been available, though never selling as well as my historical backlist.  Then Nina Paules, who has built an amazing business producing and publishing e-books, casually mentioned that she thought the contemporaries would do well if they were renamed, repackaged, and relaunched with a more women’s fiction look.  (Nina and I met through this blog,  One of many benefits I’ve received at Word Wenches!)

I was reluctant to change titles because I don’t ever want to confuse readers into accidentally buying a book they’ve already read.  But I was persuaded that the titles needed to be changed to escape bad earlier reviews in online sites. Most of these reviews were for the first book, The Burning Point, and they dated back to the original release in 2000. 

STIRRING THE EMBERS

All of the COF stories had edgy, controversial elements because I like exploring complicated issues and complicated people.  And in TBP, I tackled the most challenging situation I’ve ever done: Is it possible for two people who divorced over domestic violence to move on, grow, change—and then come together again to build on the love that never died to create a strong, healthy relationship?

The story is built around a romance, but the premise is very mainstream.  Escapist?  Not even close.  But powerful, important, and ultimately romantic?  Well, I thought so.  So did others—TBP was listed by LIBRARY JOURNAL as one of the top five romances of the year 2000, a recognition I’m very proud of.  It was also a Top Pick at Romantic Times. 

But light hearted escapism the books were not.  I understand that readers who were looking for more traditional romance wouldn’t like the story line.  But since I love all my books and want to find readers who enjoy them, I decided to work with Nina to repackage the contemporaries in hopes of finding a more women’s fiction audience. 

And so the Circle of Friends Series has become the Starting Over Series.  The Burning Point became Stirring the Embers.  The Spiral Path became Phoenix Fallling.  Twist of Fate became An Imperfect Process.  The covers are dramatic and emotional, but not particularly sexy. 

But the story hasn’t changed.  Stirring the Embers is one of the rare books where I remember the exact inspiration: a feature article in the Baltimore Sun Sunday business section about the world famous explosive demolition company Controlled Demolition, Inc. 

RESEARCH

CDI is a Baltimore company founded by Jack Loizeaux, a former army explosive expert who started by blowing up tree stumps and over time developed techniques for demolishing buildings in one grand bang rather than bashing away piece by piece. 

These days the company is run by his two sons, Mark and Doug.  In the article, they talked about studying a building till they know it on a deep, almost spiritual level.  They work with such precision that they don’t always feel the need to clear the parking lot next door to the imploded building.

I thought, “Wow, this is really interesting!!!  It would make a great story if a daughter of the company wanted to be one of their demolition engineers but her old-fashioned father won’t allow it. So she goes away and comes back later…”

I had years to think about the story before I had the chance to write it. I decided that a romance that had exploded and now might be rebuilt seemed like a good fit with the story of an explosive demolition company.  And by setting it in my hometown of Baltimore, I could use the flavor and texture of the city as my backdrop. 

I did lots of research!  Stacey Loizeaux, a third generation demolition engineer, was tremendously helpful in explaining how the business works.  Some of her anecdotes are in the story.  I looked at lots of movies of imploding buildings , and watched a couple of them live. 

I also researched violence, a subject that I have been exploring in my books since my very first Signet Regency. I talked with the director of the House of Ruth, Baltimore’s safe house for battered women and children.  I studied the role of substance abuse in domestic violence, and found people who had overcome abusive tendencies and saved their marriages. 

THE STORY

The result was Kate Corsi, daughter of a mother who comes from old money and an energetic Italian American father who’d founded Phoenix Demolition, Inc.  She and Patrick Donovan fell madly in love and married young, with Donovan becoming the son Sam Corsi had always wanted.  When the marriage implodes, it’s Kate who takes off to California to become an architect while Donovan becomes Sam’s right hand man. 

When Sam is killed in an accident, Kate returns home for the first time in ten years—and finds that her father has left a diabolical will that requires Kate and Donovan to live under the same roof for a year, or the firm will be sold to a competitor.  Kate and Donovan are equally horrified—but ultimately agree as a way of finally laying the past to rest. 

As Kate finally gets her chance to blow things up, she also sees how Donovan has grown and changed—and maybe dealt with his issues better than she has.  As they discover who they are now, they also find the old attraction is burningly alive.  But they discover that a broken heart isn’t the only danger that faces them and the business they both love, and maybe Sam's death wasn't an accident….

Here’s an excerpt of Stirring the Embers if you’d like to take a look.  I guarantee a happy ending!  At some later time, I’ll blog about Phoenix Falling and An Imperfect Process and give you the story-behind-the-story on them.

As a lagniappe of the relaunch of my contemporaries, I’ll give away an original print copy of Stirring the Embers/The Burning Point to someone who leaves a comment between now and midnight Saturday. 

Here’s also the cover for "A Holiday Fling," the Christmas novella I wrote with two secondary characters from Phoenix Falling.  This is the only cover that is allowed to look happy!

Mary Jo

 

 

Comments

[HJ]

This was a fascinating article! I'm sorry to see "The Spiral Path" go because I loved the reference to a maze. And I *really* hate it when titles change, both because I tend to buy everything certain authors write and because when I discover an author I'll buy her whole back-list. In both instances I get pretty fed-up to discover I've bought duplicates. And if you give the warning that they are the same book then how does the re-titling give you the benefit you feel you need? But I hope that the re-launch works. At the very least it will draw the books to the attention of a whole new generation of readers!

And thank you for a brand new word which I have never seen before, "lagniappe" (I'm now guaranteed to see it three times over the next week such is the way of these things). As I already own the books in print, don't include me in the giveaway.

[Cathy P]

Hi, Mary Jo! Thanks for the informative and interesting blog and the excerpt for Stirring the Embers. I really enjoyed them.

[Mary Jo Putney]

**And if you give the warning that they are the same book then how does the re-titling give you the benefit you feel you need?**

It's a function of the sales sites, Helena Justina. Their 'bots will automatically pull up the old comments and repost them unless the title changes. So we're definitely not trying to fake out the readers--just the 'bots. *G*

[Mary Jo Putney]

Cathy P, you're welcome. I figure that people like knowing what lies behind the stories, and it's fun to talk about it. I just have to make sure I don't go overboard describing all that delicious research! This is the book where the Mayhem Consultant brought me a nice little piece of rebar from a construction site. Such a romantic!

[CynthiaBryn Williams]

What a great article that taught me a great deal about process and marketing and timing....I'm looking forward to reading these stories.

[Mary Jo Putney]

CynthiaBryn--since e-books are transforming our access to books, I figure the more we all know, the better! I hope you enjoy the Starting Over Series.

[Janga]

I love these books, Mary Jo, especially The Spiral Path, which is one of my top ten all-time favorite contemporaries. I still remember the first time I read it. I stayed up til the wee hours to finish it and even an eight o'clock class to teach the next morning with an hour's commute to start my day was not enough to make me regret the lost sleep. I hope the trilogy finds many new readers with this relaunch.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Janga, I'm honored to have ruined your sleep. The Spiral Path was my favorite of the three also, partly because I really love the characters, but also because I think of it as my contemporary "creative process" book. (River of Fire is my historical creative process book. *G*)

[Laura]

Fascinating article, Mary Jo. Thank you.

And - please keep me out of the drawing - I have The Burning Point and want someone else to have a chance at it :D

[Polly McCrillis]

Mary Jo I'm so glad that you're here today! It gives me a chance to say thank you for being an influence in what I like to read and write. I fell in love with historical romance stories while reading Dearly Beloved. By the time I attended the 2008 Desert Rose Writers' Conference in Phoenix and sat in on your Art of Storytelling presentation, I'd read all your historicals but not ventured into your contemporaries. I have the opportunity to do so without even leaving my secondhand bookshop as it so happens that I have a copy of The Burning Point on the shelves. I look forward to reading this "other" side of you!

[Sarah]

I love all three contemporaries -- I think Twist of Fate is my favourite. I particularly appreciate how you brought in serious topics and made us think while enjoying the three stories. I hope that when you want another break from your day job you can continue with a book about Rachel. Or Laurel.
You may leave me out of the drawing as I have the contemporary books on my shelves with all my MJP books.

[Diane Sallans]

I remember seeing on tv stories about imploding buildings - some went in depth to explain how they controlled the explosions so they'd drop correctly.
I love to read a variety of themes - both historical and contemporary, so I'll follow a good writer like you wherever you go.

[Betty Hamilton]

Your historicals have always been among my favorites. A large number of by "keeper" books are written by you. I would Love to try one of your contemporaries.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Laura--

I'm glad you enjoyed the backstory of the story. It's fun to see how things come together.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Polly--

If your preference is for historicals, you might not like the contemporaries as much, but they are the kinds of characters I always write about, so I hope you like them!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Sarah--

I'm glad you've enjoyed all three contemporaries. I might write Rachel's if I have time--possibly as a novella, since that would take less time. I need a new story for Laurel, though. The one I had in mind was rendered defunct by current events. If I have time, though, I'll sure I can come up with something good for her!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Diane--

Watching a building implode is mesmerizing! There have been several tv shows made about CDI, and not just American channels. CDI has a number of implosions up on Youtube. Nice to watch after a bad day at work. Good fantasy value. *G*

[Jo Banks]

Mary Jo what an interesting article.I seem to remember seeing(possibly only with one eye whilst reading !)a programme about demolition where the family firm included a daughter.Which i found very interesting as things that go bang tend to be a male preserve!!

[Liz]

Controlled demolitions are fascinating. John Dunning had a short description, in The Bookman's Wake, of a family trying to get printing equipment out of a basement as demolition wires were being hung all around them.

Best wishes on your new marketing venture, although I must confess to loving the feel of print books. But then, my great nieces are trying to get me from the 19th Century into the 20th (having given the 21st up as a lost cause).

[Ella Quinn]

Lovely post. I wish you much luck on your backlist.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Liz--like you, I much prefer print, but for re-publishing backlist books e-editions are vastly more affordable! Few authors could afford to do print for the backlist, but e-books are fairly simple. We bow to necessity. *G*

[Mary Jo Putney]

Thanks, Ella!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Jo Banks--

The program you saw was probably the Loizeaux of CDI, since Stacey is a full fledge demolition engineer. She's Mark's daughte, and third generation CDI. She's great! A good model for my character Kate.

[Grace Burrowes]

Thank you so much for sharing the long view, and I'm glad these children of yours are now available to be appreciated by new readers. These topics are more relevant than ever, too.

[Mary Jo Putney]

** These topics are more relevant than ever, too.**

They really are, Grace. We weave our stories from love and dedication and hard work, and we want them to resonate down the years. Now we have opportunities to let them sing again.

MJP, falling over her metaphors