A Novella Idea
Cynthia Sax, Author Of He Watches Me
Reading erotic romances makes me happy. For the duration of the story, I escape the world, leave all of my problems behind, become the heroine, and fall in love with the hero. When the story ends, I feel hopeful, optimistic, able to tackle my own less life-threatening challenges.
I’m a busy reader though. I don’t often have the time to read 300 pages in one sitting but I still want that happy ever after feeling. That’s why I read novellas. A great romance novella leaves me with that same high a romance novel does. I can fall in love with novella heroes as easily as I can fall in love with novel heroes.
Another benefit of novellas is I can try new-to-me writers, genres, storylines without a huge investment of time and money. If I’ve never read a serial, I can pick up a novella such as He Watches Me and find out if I like serials in 100 pages. (Although He Watches Me is the first story in a serial, it DOES have a satisfying ending – Anna and Blaine don’t say “I love you” at the end of the story but you should feel the love.)
The love part is important. Erotic romance novellas are still romances. The ending should be a happy ever after or at least a happy for now. That’s why common novella themes are fated to mate romances (a sexy dragon shifter finds his destined mate), friends to lovers romances (he’s the sexy best friend she has always secretly lusted after), or reunion romances (she attends her high school reunion and bumps into the first boy she ever loved – he’s now tall, dark, handsome and successful). The couple (or more) already has a relationship or the forever is already decided with only the happy requiring resolution.
Of course, not every couple finds a convincing happy ever after in a single novella. He Watches Me, my first release with Avon Impulse, is novella number one in The Seen Trilogy, a three-part serial (the second and third stories being He Touches Me and He Claims Me). I thought it was unrealistic for Anna and Blaine to fall in love, have their love truly tested, and prove their love will last forever in one novella. They are both too cautious and too broken to move so quickly.
That’s one of the wonderful things about novellas. They give us flexibility. All three novellas in The Seen Trilogy can be read in one sitting if we’re in the mood for a long, leisurely read or we can read the first novella on Monday, the second novella on Tuesday, the third novella on Wednesday.
Why do you like reading novellas?
She desires to be seen. He wants to watch.
Anna Sampson has a naughty secret. Every night, she slips into her neighbor’s yard and swims naked in his pool. She fantasizes that the dynamic young billionaire watches her nightly nude aquatics, his brilliant green eyes gleaming with lust.
She discovers this isn’t pure fantasy. Gabriel Blaine has been watching her via his security cameras, and now that he has returned to L.A., he doesn’t plan to stop. That’s all he wants—to watch. Anna knows she shouldn’t allow him and she certainly shouldn’t want more, but she craves Blaine’s attention, needing his gaze fixed on her body.
His touch enflames her desires.
Anna Sampson has allowed billionaire businessman Gabriel Blaine to watch her, all of her. And looking is all he’s done—until now. After giving him permission to touch her, Anna realizes she won’t be satisfied until she has all of this handsome and secretive man.
Soon she tempts him, shreds his control, and pushes him too far. Blaine’s reluctance to take her virginity frustrates Anna. He fulfills her fantasy, but what is their reality together?
A billionaire’s desires and a virgin’s wish to be claimed come together.
Two men want Anna Sampson. Gabriel Blaine is powerful, intelligent, the CEO of a successful company, and a billionaire. He’s watched her, touched her, encouraged her to become a strong, independent woman, a woman unafraid of her desires.
Now secrets from the past are exposed, threatening Anna’s freedom and safety. Will the man she loves stand by her side, or will he desert her, leaving Anna once again to face the future alone?
The searing climax of The Seen Trilogy.
Author Bio
Cynthia Sax lives in a world filled with magic and romance. Although her heroes may not always say, “I love you”, they will do anything for the women they adore. They live passionately. They play hard. They love the same women forever.
Cynthia has loved the same wonderful man forever. Her supportive hubby offers himself up to the joys and pains of research, while they travel the world together, meeting fascinating people and finding inspiration in exotic places such as Istanbul, Bali, and Chicago.Please visit her on the web at www.CynthiaSax.com
Links: Website * Blog * Twitter * Facebook
Contest
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I think this triology sounds really exciting. I am getting ready to go buy them on amazon. I see they are only .99 at this time. Thanks for the giveaway.
Sounds like a terrific series. Thanks for the giveaway!
Thank you Janet!!! Happy Monday!
Thank you for hosting today!
Thank you, Christine. Yes, He Watches Me is priced at a ridiculously low 99 cents, less than the cost of a convenience store chocolate bar. I LOVE this because new-to-me reading buddies can try my writing at little risk.
Thank you for hosting me today, Kathy! (big hugs)
You’re very welcome!
I do love novellas! They are great for this busy mom. This series looks like something I could get into. Thanks.
Mel
Novellas are AWESOME, Mel! I love them also. That’s why I write them.
I love the titles of this series, both creepy and compelling! I like novellas because, as a fast reader, short stories or too short, but a novella is long enough to be satisfying. Thanks!
Urb
brendurbanist@gmail.com
LOL about the creepy, Urb! I thought about suggesting we add … “and I like it” but that would have been too long for the title.
This sounds like a very emotional series. I can’t wait to read it and discover what Blaine does. Thanks for sharing! I love novellas, but am like you and sometimes have a hard time of believing the couple meets and falls in everlasting love in 40 pages.
Rhonda D
Yes, that’s the challenge with novellas, Rhonda… the happy ever after. I fell in love with my hubby at first sight and, after 20 wonderful years, I know love at first sight can last, but it is challenging to convey that in a novella.
Thanks for sharing and for the giveaway. Sounds like a great Trilogy.
Thank you for dropping by, Eva! (big hugs) It was a fun trilogy to write!
The trilogy looks intriguing. I look forward to reading it. Thank you for the giveaway.
Thank you for dropping by, Kim! He Watches Me is one of my favorites of the stories I’ve written. It means a lot to me.
I love the sound of this trilogy…definitely sounds like something I’d enjoy reading!
Thank you, Timitra (LOVE your name – don’t be surprised if a future heroine of mine is called Timitra)
It sounds great, thanks.
Thanks Deb! (big hugs)
These sound like my kind of books. Thanks for the giveaway!
Thank you Sherry!!!
Cynthia, you gave me some food for thought on novellas. I really hadn’t considered that perspective because I’m fortunate enough to have a lot of reading time where I’m not trying to fit in books into small chunks (though, of course, that does happen to me, too). Now I can those themes you mentioned in novellas I’ve read, and I can see how it really does cut down the page count you need to tell your story. Very cool.
Thanks for sharing both your words and prize! And thanks to you, Kathy, for hosting.
That’s so awesome that you have plenty of reading time, Carolyn! I’m envious!
Thanks for a great contest! I love novellas mainly because its a quick fix for my booktooth. 🙂 It lessens the chances of being interrupted before I get to the ending.
Ohhhh… I’m adding lessening a chance of being interrupted to my list of why I love novellas, Yvonne! Thank you!
I like novellas because the story and characters are given more pages to develop, but the story is not too long where I don’t have the time to read a novel length book.
That’s so true, Jess!