16 March 2009
Being brave
At the weekend, I wrote a scene involving my hero and heroine, a stoned party guest, a flamingo and a canape. I think this might have to change. If Mills & Boon don't approve of characters who smoke then I can't imagine they'd allow a character (however minor) who's high on cocaine. It would be a shame as the scene is quite revealing, but I suspect the drug thing, although entirely relevant, may be a bit too edgy. Any thoughts?
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10 comments:
This sounds intriguing Lucy. I hope it gets through. I find the MHs I enjoy the most are the gritty ones that really push the boundaries!! In one of my wips, I had the heroine's drinks spiked in the first chap. It needs tweaking to ever be an MH though!!
I would think you'd be more likely to get away with a minor character misbehaving.
I remember reading one a while back where the hero's brother had drugged the heroine then placed her in a suspect position to break up the relationship(can't remember who wrote it - published in the last few years). I suppose it depends how it's done - in the example I'm using, the scene was played out off stage and related through dialogue.
I would hope it gets through as a MH although if it were a Presents I would think not. Drugs are a real issue these days and I think MH have tended to tackle 'issues' rather than shoving them under the carpet.
Hmm, interesting comments, thank you :) I'd hope that a MH could push the boundaries a bit and I guess it is all in the execution.
(Suzanne, was that India Grey's first book? Actually come to think of it, in that one the heroine's sister had died of an overdose, so maybe drugs aren't so taboo these days).
Actually I remember the one Suzanne is talking about, I think it was a Presents - the brother took pictures of the heroine...
If it was one of your major characters' problems my gut feel is they wouldn't like it but as part of the social fabric (or a minor character) I'd have thought it would be okay...
That's the one, Lorraine. Still can't remember who wrote it - I think it was before India Grey was published. (Memory failing - old age and all.)
India Grey's one had (I think) the hero's brother drugging the heroine's sister and then taking photos. So it sounds like quite a well-worn theme and maybe I might just be able to get away with it. But in both those cases it seems the drugs were well off stage. In my scene they're very much on stage, although very briefly and my H&h are both very disapproving. Hmmmm.
(According to an article in yesterday's paper, old age begins at 27 and memory starts to decline at 37. No hope left for me then.)
I'm with Rach, I prefer the gritty ones too. Keep the coke scene and see what your editor says. Dying to read it now!
BTW, that article was in our paper today. I guess by 38, I'm bordering on senile. :-)
One of Melanie Milburnes also had a drug addled sister, but can't remember which one. The heroine was a curator at an art gallery if I remember rightly. I think you are right and it is all in the execution. Leave it in as they can always ask you to rework.
That's what I shall do. I did think about winging an email to my editor to ask, but then decided that out of context it would sound weird. I'll leave it, send in the first 3 chaps and see what happens.
(I'm 36 but as my memory is is already terrible, am way ahead of the game.)
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