Friday's How She Does It featuring Erin Moore "#MFRWauthor

We all know there are six elements of fiction. Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. I believe the first five lead to the sixth which for me is plot. What's your take on this?

            Totally agree. In a romance novel, we kind of know how it’s going to end. So it’s really all about the journey. How do we make our reader feel as if they can relate to these characters, even if they aren’t anything like them in real life? How can we make our characters different and unique?

1.       How do you create your characters? Do you have a specific method?

The setting, both time and place, always comes first for me, and then the characters develop from there.

2.       Do your characters come before the plot?

Most definitely. I mean, who they are as people sort of defines the plot and what sort of conflict they will have. For instance, in my latest book, Lara is very accomplished and bright, but she’s also always felt this strange lack in herself. And Teo, the hero, is really so stuck inside of his own issues – the whole “I’m a minotaur” thing, that he can’t see past that to accept how he feels about Lara. He also doesn’t believe that he can allow himself to get close to anyone else after what happened to his fiancée. So a lot going on for the two of them even before I started thinking about plot. I just knew there would be some sort of rites and a dark past for Teo.

3.       Do you know how the story will end before you begin? In a general way or a specific one?

In a very general way. I sort of envision that last scene – you know, the big “I love you, stay with me” one, sort of like a movie in my head, and that helps me to see where the characters have to get to.

   

4.       Do you choose settings you know or do you have books of settings and plans of houses sitting around?

Sort of both. For instance, in “Minotaur”, I’ve been to Greece (and loved it!), but I still had to research Crete to nail down the details. There are so many places that I want to set a story in that I find it hard to choose just one.

5.       Where do you do your research? On line or from books?

Both. For images, nothing beats Google Images. But for sense of place, any type of books help – novels, non-fiction, guide books.

6.       Are you a draft writer or do you revise as you go along and why? Do you sketch out your plot or do you let the characters develop the route to the end?

The one time I really tried to outline my plot, I ended up chucking the novel about halfway through. So I have gone back to just revising as I go, even though I know it’s taking more time. And, while I definitely have an end in mind, sometimes in the midst of a conversation my characters end up really surprising me with something they say. So I just let that develop.

Blurb:

When man becomes minotaur, dark passion takes hold…

Lara Castille always plays it safe in both love and life. But when she arrives on vacation in Crete, she is determined to enjoy herself. Old habits die hard, though. Drawn to her tour guide, the enigmatic and sexy Teo Lambros, she cannot let down her guard—until she takes part in the ancient and sensual rites at the ruins of Knossos. She dreams of the minotaur who takes her upon the altar, and wonders if it could be Teo who brought her to ecstasy.

A gray haze clouds Teo’s memory of the rites; he knows only that the bull has chosen him for his own. He fears that the land will once again need a sacrifice, as it did when it claimed his fiancée the year before. Though he cannot deny his need for Lara, he knows that protecting her from his desire is the only way to keep her safe.

As the island’s magic demands everything they have, Lara and Teo must discover what’s real and what’s imagined if they’re to survive the passionate sexuality that draws them together…

Excerpt:

Jesus, the way she said his name. Why did her voice have to be so warm and inviting? He was having a hard time concentrating on his driving. He hadn’t expected this—her—when he’d agreed to drive an American tourist around. He’d been expecting someone older. Graying. Overweight. Not this gorgeous girl with hair the color of honey.

She was petite, trim, her ivory white skin liable to burn in the hot Greek sun. And then she’d smiled—what color were her eyes? Blue. Definitely blue. He had to think about it, because he hadn’t been really looking at her eyes. The first thing he’d noticed were her lean, shapely calves. Now in the car he was trying not to look down and watch her perfect legs cross and uncross next to him. And not to think of the way her dress had clung to her ripe breasts when she’d emerged into the heat from the airport.

She reminded him of orchids opening. No, not orchids; he was thinking of her opening to him, spreading those sweet white legs for him and showing him her pink petals.

He downshifted angrily. He could not be thinking about her this way. He was supposed to be her guide, for Christ’s sake. Just concentrating on what she was saying was difficult; he didn’t know how he was going to make it through the week with her. His hand grazed her leg as he shifted again. Oh, sweet gods, that smooth skin. The supple warmth beneath his palm had enflamed him, made him want to push her dress up around her waist and welcome her to Greece.

“Sorry,” he said instead.

“It’s okay.” She seemed to be implying that it was more than okay, her voice soft and sultry. Was that an invitation?

He grew hard at the thought and they were almost to the pension. He was going to have to get out and pretend like nothing was wrong. He reminded himself again that he was only supposed to be her guide. And that the rites were tonight. Someone else would be writhing beneath him, satisfying his growing hunger. But it wouldn’t—couldn’t—be the gorgeous American next to him.

Bio:

Erin writes sensuous paranormal romances set in exotic locales. Her latest book is a sexy minotaur shifter story in Crete.

A regular blogger for Marketing for Romance Writers and Heroes and Heartbreakers, she struggles to find time for writing her own. At home in Atlanta, she has two little paranormal beings as well as one unruly husband.

Look her up on www.AuthorErinMoore.com or, of course, on Twitter: @AuthorErinMoore.