Jennifer Lyon


Monday, July 20th, 2009
Expectations and Stuff

Saturday it was 111 degrees in my town! Where do I lodge a protest? Although it sure makes nice pool weather as long as you don’t try to walk on the cement.  We also rented the movie NEW IN TOWN. We should have known. We had seen previews for the movie and looked for it in the theaters–it never showed up. Must have gone straight to DVD. Why? Boring! At least that’s my opinion. So boring, that while the movie was on, I discovered ants in my kitchen and I was actually grateful for the break in the monotony of the movie. Cleaning up ants was more entertaining than the movie. Seriously, BORING.

I hate ants by the way.  right now I can almost hear them regrouping, strategies, planning more evil to spring on me.

 

angels-blood-nailini-singhOne of my bright spots in my weekend was reading Nalini Singh’s ANGEL’S BLOOD. I love that book! It was different, sexy and fast paced. Really cool. I don’t recommend it if it’s going to bother you that she really twisted Angel Mythology. But if you’re willing to do with her world building, then read it!

Reading this book, though, got my thinking about building up reader expectations.  Of course every reader is different. But for me, the sexual tension was very hot.  So hot, that I found the sex scene (which is a payoff scene) a bit less than I was expecting.  In other words, I didn’t think the payoff matched the build up. NOW this  didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the book,  it’s just something that’s sticking in my mind. I read other books with no full on sex scenes and don’t even notice.  But in this book, I noticed.  I’m curious, do you guys ever feel that way? There’s a build up that doesn’t quite pay off for you personally?

I still highly recommend ANGEL’S BLOOD!! It is hot.

How was your weekend? And for those of you that went the RWA conference, how was it???

18 comments to “Expectations and Stuff”

  1. Margaret A. Golla
    July 20th, 2009 at 7:45 am · Link

    I had a WONDERFUL weekend. Friday night, hubster and I had a date and saw Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, ate at Red Rock Canyon Grill (planned to bring home lefties–didn’t happen–Yummers!), AND came home to an agent requesting a partial of MISSING: One Garden Gnome! YAY!! Query works–I’m so excited.

    Hm, but agent wants 2-page synopsis. All I have is a 5-page synopsis–MUST CONDENSE. Done and done and waiting for the agent this AM. I LOVE this story so much that I wrote this coming Wednesday’s blog about writing your passion.

    Saturday, we watched Inkheart on On Demand. I liked it and don’t know why it didn’t do well in the theaters. Must have been timing and lack of promotional push.

    Now to send of more queries to agents who want a short synopsis, because I have a good one now. :-)Margaret’s a happy camper today.



  2. Kira Daniels
    July 20th, 2009 at 8:13 am · Link

    Woo-Hoo, Margaret!! I told you!!! :P

    And Jen, I have been let down in books. And just for the reason you said…a lot of sexual tension and they leave me hanging at the end. I’ve also read a couple of books where there was no HEA. And then another where the guy I thought was the hero, turned out to be a stalker. What???? She ended up going back to her husband who had cheated on her. Huh??? Needless to say, I reallllly hated that one.

    Great weekend but busy. We did see Harry Potter and we re-did our landscaped waterfall in the backyard for the 5th time. I swear, I’m leaving it!!!



  3. Ban
    July 20th, 2009 at 8:30 am · Link

    I’ve been having trouble with books lately too (not yours :) though my problem seems to be with the actual writing – not the ‘payoff’ – I’m told this is common when the reader is also a writer … personally I enjoy the tension more but I know I’m in the minority :/
    Margaret – congrats !!! I’m sure you’ll keep us posted.
    And yeah, I saw HP6 too this weekend, also went to the beach – enjoyed the movie more.



  4. Kelly
    July 20th, 2009 at 9:06 am · Link

    I do have issues with the tension not paying off as well. Most of what I have read lately has paid off big time, but I picked up a couple series where, while the story is good, something is lacking. I want the details and the dirty……come on, we’ve been waiting for this moment. I believe that this is why I wasn’t crazy about Amanda Ashley.
    Glad you recommend Angel’s Blood, I just picked it up this weekend, I haven’t read any of her books yet. It’s on the TBR pile after I finish Erin McCarthy’s Vegas Vampires and then Candace Havens’ Demon King and I and Dragon’s prefer Blondes. I need a little light and funny sometimes:)
    Yes…also loved Half Blood Prince this weekend, come on….wizards, whats not to love!



  5. Jen Lyon
    July 20th, 2009 at 10:16 am · Link

    Margaret, congratulations! An agent request is big! Now this is the Children’s Story, right? Not a YA? I’m so excited for you!

    Also great that you got the short synopsis done, and can now use it to query more agents.

    You did have a great weekend!



  6. Jen Lyon
    July 20th, 2009 at 10:18 am · Link

    Kira, okay what’s the deal with the waterfall? Why do you keep changing it?

    I think I only saw the first HP. I love the books but am usually not so in love with the movies. My sister sees them all and likes them though. (I think I’m just lazy).

    I would HATE that book to if she went back to the husband that cheated on her. It’s a rare author that can sell me that story line.



  7. Jen Lyon
    July 20th, 2009 at 10:25 am · Link

    Ban, that is common! I found it got a lot better after I published. I think it has something to do with looking so hard to find what sells, what is the magic ingrediant to getting a contract, that we become super aware.

    Having said that, I am reading a book now by a bestseller that I’m about ready to give up on. She has a huge following, but the writing is hurting my brain. It’s just not for me.

    Now a story about MY agent. I didn’t get an agent until I’d alreadys sold four books. It was a process, but basically I sent her a couple books of mine, then met up with her in NY. She said something like, “I read your books and you can actually write.” I laughed. She said, “I’m serious.” I hired her :-)



  8. Jen Lyon
    July 20th, 2009 at 10:28 am · Link

    Hi Kelly. Let me know what you think of Angel’s Blood. I really liked it.

    I love Erin McCarthy, I’ll have to pick up that book!

    If a book is building up to hot sex, then I really do want to read it. If that’s not the story line, then I don’t notice. It’s making promises and not delivering that is frustrating!



  9. Amanda
    July 20th, 2009 at 11:03 am · Link

    I love the Vegas Vampire series, now if my bookstore would just get the fourth one in. I love Candace Haven’s Brownwyn the Witch series but I haven’t read the other series yet, it is on my list to buy though. She is coming to an event here next month with another two authors and I plan on picking them up then. I am super excited about it.

    We saw Harry Potter this weekend also. Very much enjoyed it, my friend and I giggled a lot. We even jumped out of our seats at one point even though we knew what was coming.

    I watched New in Town a few weeks ago and it was a bit blah! As for books I read this weekend I was a bit slacking in the reading area. I took my boys to the pool and took a book(Freudian Slip) with me and started it but I didn’t get very far into it.



  10. Margaret A. Golla
    July 20th, 2009 at 11:32 am · Link

    Yep, Jen, MOGG is a middle grade novel, 8-12 yo. I really like this story. This is actually the ‘back-story’ of an adult fantasy (not romance) that I couldn’t sell. I love these characters!

    Amanda–I jumped in the EXACT same place in the movie!



  11. Kira Daniels
    July 20th, 2009 at 12:17 pm · Link

    I jumped in that same spot in the movie, too! And like you said, Amanda, I knew it was coming. GAH

    The waterfall– first it had a pool of water, and well, that didn’t go well. It always looked nasty no matter what we did. Sooo…we changed that to a bubbler rock with mexican pebble around it. Better, but it still didn’t look right. Not natural. So this time we took everything out, and put it all back…sooo much better! I’m sure it doesn’t look like the pro’s did it, but it’s closer to the look we wanted and I love the bubbly sound. :) Thinks we’re finally happy with it. Thank God!



  12. Jen Lyon
    July 20th, 2009 at 2:29 pm · Link

    Amanda, that’s really cool that she’s coming to town!

    Obviously I am missing out on HP!

    I just couldn’t get interested in NEW IN TOWN. I guess it’s not just me.



  13. Jen Lyon
    July 20th, 2009 at 2:31 pm · Link

    Margaret, “Middle Grade!” That’s the term I was trying to remember. It’s really interesting that this came out of backstory for another novel. Amazing how the creative process works.



  14. Jen Lyon
    July 20th, 2009 at 2:32 pm · Link

    Kira, as long as you’re happy with it! I love the bubbly sound. Our pool has a splash over, but its’ not really a waterfall (not that I’m complaining!)



  15. Amanda
    July 20th, 2009 at 3:52 pm · Link

    Well technically she lives “in town”, I am from the DFW area. But still cool!



  16. Ban
    July 20th, 2009 at 5:45 pm · Link

    jump, yep, me too :)



  17. Jen Lyon
    July 20th, 2009 at 8:31 pm · Link

    Amanda, ah, got it! Still cool that you’ll see her at the event!



  18. Jen Lyon
    July 20th, 2009 at 8:32 pm · Link

    Ban, you guys are all such teases with the “jumping” part in the movie!



Comments are closed.





JenniferLyon.com