Hey, all! I hope you’re ready for another snarky Rom-Com a la Mimi Jean (minus the cliffhanger), because Battle of the Bulge is finally here!
But before I get into the nitty gritty, don’t forget to head over to my GOINGS ON PAGE! I’m giving away hilarious prizes and signed paperbacks. http://mimijean.net/romance_author_news.html
We’ll also be doing giveaways all week long on my FB page: https://www.facebook.com/MimiJeanPamfiloff/
Okay, so below I have the customary blurb for the book, but here’s something you don’t know. Blurbs are INCREDIBLY difficult to write for an author like me.
Why?
Great question!
As my fans will tell you, there’s always a hidden plot twist (or several) waiting in all of my stories. It’s a HUGE challenge to come up with a blurb that gives nothing away, but draws you in. (For example, I can’t say things like… “Mary Jane will find something mysterious in her closet in chapter eight that will shock you.) Plot twists are everything to me. Mostly because I’ve read so many romances/books that I feel like there are a lot of repeat storylines out there. Same goes for movies and TV shows.
Oh, yes. My hubby will tell you that I can call out dialog lines before the characters say them, and 99% of the time I know the ending by 25% of the way into a movie. It’s not because I’m a genius (I wish), but because I’ve seen it before.
Ah, but when I watch a movie or read a book with a twist that WOWS me, I go ape shit. I honestly can’t think of a better example of this than M. Night Shyamalan’s movies. I mean, we all KNOW something’s coming. He’s famous for it. We watch his movies, trying to guess what twist is coming, and then…BOOM! We’re still surprised, yet the twist feels so obvious. Then we watch the movie again, looking for those hints we overlooked. So much fun! (And it’s almost like watching a different movie the second time around because you see the subtle hints you missed the first time.)
Anyway, as you can tell, I seriously love to be surprised and outwitted by a good storyteller.
So, with my own work, I REALLY, REALLY work hard to find a plot angle that strikes a balance between surprising the reader without feeling like it doesn’t flow with the story. (You know those books! Mary Jane is stuck in a flood, trying to save her cattle ranch. Her hunky neighbor comes to the rescue and then…he turns into a Navy Seal and calls in a helicopter. Errr… Not so believable.)
So for my stories, I weave in little hints along the way so when you get to the twist you say, “Oh! Yeah! I should have seen that coming.”
Now on to the HOW…
My fans often accuse me of sitting behind my computer, cackling with evil delight as I put their nerves through the ringer, and they’d be right! My readers are smart, so when I play the game of “gotcha” or “mind fuck” I play to win.
Surprisingly, the process is very simple. (The results are not.)
First, I start with a plot outline. I’m a go-with-the-flow kind of gal, so it’s very general.
Then I literally take the major conflict of the story and list out ALL of the expected solutions.
Example: Mr. Boss falls in love with hot intern.
Conflict is that he’ll lose his job for having an office romance with a direct report. For her, people will say she’s trying to sleep her way to the top. Bad.
Typically, you’d see the hero give in to his lust and find a job elsewhere. Maybe he’d transfer her to another colleague so she’s not his direct employee. Perhaps she quits because she doesn’t want to work for her lover. Maybe the two marry and work as a team. All of these are something we’d expect to see.
So my method is to list those and then….
DO ANYTHING BUT THAT.
Yeah, my solution still has to fit the storyline, but by listing what the reader expects to happen, I can easily steer clear of those clichés. I then brainstorm all other possible solutions.
Which one I ultimately choose is a gut decision, but generally it’s the one that leaves me cackling the loudest. (“Oh! Oh! They’ll so hate me for this. Muahaha…!!!”)
Finally, I’ll close with this thought: I don’t believe that a storyteller has to have HUGE shocking twists to make a story fresh and fun. Sometimes, it’s a matter of small, but delightful tweaks that tickle the soul.
Either way, I hope you enjoy BATTLE OF THE BULGE. But mostly, I hope it makes you smile when you need it most.
And if you’re looking for a free signed bookmark, it’s simple! Just shoot me an email, mimi (at) mimijean (dot) net, with your request and shipping information. It’s first come first get and I to run out. But BE SURE to let me know if you posted a review (include a link or screen shot). If I have extra goodies, I’ll include them!
WITH LOVE,
MIMI
~~~~~~~~~~~~
From New York Times Bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff comes BATTLE OF THE BULGE, Book Four of the OHellNO Series. (A Standalone.)
“Chicks can’t be bodyguards. Especially hot chicks.”
MY NAME IS MITCH HOFER. I’m a world-famous swimmer from Australia, best known for three things: my gold medals, my looks, and filling out a swimsuit with my…eh-hem—bulky equipment. Let’s just say there’s a reason my nickname is “the Bulge.”
But beyond the fame, sponsors, and glory, there’s more to me than people know, including one hell of a mess I’ve gotten mixed up in. Life-or-death stuff, so bring in the professionals. Just don’t give me a chick bodyguard. Especially a young hot one who distracts me at every turn and hates my guts…
MY NAME IS ABI CARTER, and I hate Mitch Hofer. Yeah, he might be the sexiest champion swimmer in the world, but I’d give this guy a gold medal for being a first-class jerk.
Unfortunately, my boss has given me a choice—guard Mitch or get another job. And I really need the money. I can be professional, but if Mitch says “chicks can’t be bodyguards” one more time, I just might strangle him myself.
Still, something about the way Mitch keeps looking at me makes me think there’s more to his story. It’s almost as if he’s trying to drive me away. But why?
ORDER NOW:
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2M51PJx
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Paperback: https://amzn.to/2TxKn3o
I wanna book mark please my Goddess Mimi