Comments on: Happy Fourth of July http://www.sylviaday.com/blog/2004/07/04/9/ Weblog of National Bestselling, Award-Winning Novelist Sylvia Day Wed, 07 Jan 2009 05:10:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Ireland http://www.sylviaday.com/blog/2004/07/04/9/comment-page-1/#comment-2 Ireland Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.sylviaday.com/blog/2004/07/04/9/#comment-2 Now you have me enticed with your novel! But I find that the books where the hero and heroine aren't typical and unsullied/aristocratic are by authors who have reached best selling lists or books that were published a while ago. It seems that either publishers don't want new authors to push buttons or that new authors are afraid to take risks. I do know that when I submitted a query to a publisher, the editor didn't want to look at it--and had made up her mind not to accept it--based on the fact that the heroine was an actress! <br /> I was dumbfounded when she stated her reasons because there have been actress heroines in traditional regencies. But I do believe that if the writing is strong enough, the editor's preconcieved notions will disappear after the initial query/synopsis/first page. Now you have me enticed with your novel! But I find that the books where the hero and heroine aren’t typical and unsullied/aristocratic are by authors who have reached best selling lists or books that were published a while ago. It seems that either publishers don’t want new authors to push buttons or that new authors are afraid to take risks. I do know that when I submitted a query to a publisher, the editor didn’t want to look at it–and had made up her mind not to accept it–based on the fact that the heroine was an actress!
I was dumbfounded when she stated her reasons because there have been actress heroines in traditional regencies. But I do believe that if the writing is strong enough, the editor’s preconcieved notions will disappear after the initial query/synopsis/first page.

]]> By: Sylvia http://www.sylviaday.com/blog/2004/07/04/9/comment-page-1/#comment-3 Sylvia Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.sylviaday.com/blog/2004/07/04/9/#comment-3 Oh, Ireland, I know what you mean. After a writer establishes a name for herself she can get away with so much more! My heroine, Jayne, is also an actress so she'll be a hard sell. (By the way I've changed the excerpt to an earlier scene at the theatre) <br /> <br /> There are a few stories I've read with tainted heroines (The Prince of Pleasure by Nicole Jordan comes to mind) but Nicole was already established when she wrote it.<br /> <br /> But I can't get this story out of my mind so I have to write it. This is one of my stories from the heart. Oh, Ireland, I know what you mean. After a writer establishes a name for herself she can get away with so much more! My heroine, Jayne, is also an actress so she’ll be a hard sell. (By the way I’ve changed the excerpt to an earlier scene at the theatre)

There are a few stories I’ve read with tainted heroines (The Prince of Pleasure by Nicole Jordan comes to mind) but Nicole was already established when she wrote it.

But I can’t get this story out of my mind so I have to write it. This is one of my stories from the heart.

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