Why Romance?

 Leslie Hachtel   @LeslieHachtel

People ask me two questions all the time. The first is—why do you write romance instead of some other genre? Romance offers respite, like no other type of book. There is always the happily ever after (or, at least, happy for now). The world is suffering and the news every day is terrible. We are all trying to find our way through the ‘new normal’ as we combat a vicious enemy. And romance offers us a break, a means of easing the pain, if only for a little while. That is why I love romance, both writing and reading it. 

The second question that always comes up: where do you get your ideas? And the answer is always the same. Everywhere. For example, I was outside working alone very early one morning and there was no one else around. I imagined that most of the rest of the world was asleep. What if I could focus on one person and get into their dreams? Could I persuade them somehow? And the first book in the Dance series, “The Dream Dancer” was born. 

Another time, I went with a group of people to an escape room. That is one of those places where they ‘lock’ you in and give you a series of puzzles to solve in order to get out. Our scenario was “you have been shanghaied onto a ship and If you don’t escape, you will be taken away forever”. Not only was it so much fun, the idea for the “Morocco” series, where the heroines are kidnapped and taken to serve the sultan in the 1700’s germinated. 

My romantic suspense novels have their own history. “Payback” is based on a real series of killings that happened in Michigan years ago. I changed the villain to a woman and the victimology to older women. But the scenes and the situations were taken from real life. 

“Once Upon a Tablecloth”? What if a “Gordon Ramsey” character fell in love with a restauranteur in grave danger. And not from the food. 

My latest “Memories Never Die” took root with an episode of “Criminal Minds”. In the show, a very disturbed young woman kidnaps other women and turns them into her “dolls”. So, it got me to thinking - how difficult it would be for a woman to target her victims and drug and abduct them, keeping them until she decided to end their misery. 

I started with drug research. I had to find a substance that would control victims into helplessness, without killing them. 

I wanted my heroine to be a little different, so I decided she had her own demons. And who better to come to her aid, both professionally and romantically, than an FBI agent who was on medical leave after a gunshot? Luckily, he just happened to be recuperating nearby. 

Here is an excerpt: 

Memories Never Die

             

For Liza, it was that moment of conscious disconnect, between the feeling and the working. It never got easier when what had just recently been a living human being was spread lifelessly at her feet. Liza focused to shift her brain into clinical mode. After all, this was not her first corpse and it would not be her last. She had to woman up. Luckily, the time it took to shift was less and less, even if the initial response was always the same.

I love my job. I love my job. She did love her job. She just wished she could be less reactive when it came to the staring corpses. No matter that she had been on the streets for going on four years until this recent promotion to detective. She never got okay with the vicious, violent, premature end to a person's life. Which was why she chose this field. She wanted to solve these crimes and get the perps put away before they could cause more damage.

            "You okay?" Grey asked. "You're the color of my name." Sarcasm, not sympathy.

            The derision cut, but she would not give him the satisfaction of knowing it. "I'm fine." No need to elaborate on her weakness.

                                                                    ***

My hope is that you stay safe and well and when the world is too much with you, sit down and read a book. Go to new places, new times in history, meet new people, all within the comfort of your own home. And most of all, I wish you love.

Leslie Hachtel sat down one morning years ago and wrote a novel. It was either that or clean her house. It wasn’t a very good book, but she had found her passion. Her various jobs over the years have also included licensed veterinary technician, caterer, horseback riding instructor for the disabled and advertising media buyer and they have given her a wealth of experiences.

So far, she has sold an episode of a TV show, had a screenplay optioned and produced thirteen novels, including ten historical romances and three romantic suspense. Another romantic suspense, “Memories Never Die”..

Leslie lives in Astor, Florida with a fabulously supportive engineer husband and her new writing buddy, Annie, a terrier. Leslie loves to hear from readers.

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So You Want To Be A Writer?

By Leslie Hachtel

Are you sure? Because you need to know at the beginning that it's a marathon. Not a sprint. You may never make the bestseller list—but, then again you might. But that can't be the reason you decide to sit down at the keyboard and pour out your heart. First, you have to ask yourself if you have a choice. 

Because a writer doesn't.

So, you make the commitment and decide, yes, this is the journey I must take. Pack your 'bags' and fasten your seat belt. It will probably be a bumpy ride. Let me tell you about my (continuing) journey.

Years ago, I was in Los Angeles and I wrote a treatment for a TV show. I thought it was pretty good. I showed it to some of my friends (some who were actually in the industry). They suggested I should submit it to a very well-known (at the time) producer. A few weeks later, I got back a letter from said producer saying I had no talent and should actually get a real job. Ten months later, my idea was a TV show produced by said producer with, of course, her name on the credits. After the anger passed, I realized I was good enough to steal from. And so I took that as a sign, so to speak. After that, I was hired to write an episode of a TV show (my credit this time) and had a screenplay optioned. But, I wanted to write novels. And more specifically, romance novels.

It's hard to work all day and come home and muster the energy to sit down and put words 'on paper'. But I persevered. I was a writer. I had to write.

I wrote my first novel and sent it to a million publishers and another million agents. Nothing. So, I wrote a second novel. At the time I had a critique partner who had a mean streak. She told me, basically, the book sucked. So, I curled up into a fetal position until my husband said "Don't quit". Because I would certainly fail if I gave up. If I kept going, I might have a chance at actually being published.

And sure enough, after submitting novel number two to a million publishers and another million agents, I got The E-Mail. Followed by The Contract.

After that, I wrote more books and signed more contracts. And along the way, I decided to self-publish, too. And so, to date, I have published eleven books, (both traditionally and self-published) and a series bundle (The Dance Series). And I just signed a contract to be part of an anthology. Oh, and last week I made the Amazon bestsellers list in romantic suspense for Once Upon a Tablecloth.

The moral of this story: writing, as with any creative endeavor, has its ups and downs, days when you want to just stop and days when you can't get the words down fast enough. Days when the muse goes out for coffee. But you can't not write. Not if you're a writer. It's too much a part of who you are.

So, let me leave you with the two words that keep me going on the bad days:

Don't Quit.

As if you could.

Now get back to writing.

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Leslie Hachtel was born in Hamilton, Ohio and has lived all over the United States. She started writing years ago when she simply decided to sit down at a typewriter and she was transported to another world. She realized then a writer writes because there is no other choice. Her genres include historical, contemporary, romantic suspense and historical/paranormal since she loves them all. Leslie lives in Memphis, Tennessee with her fabulously supportive husband, Bob. And of course, with Jakita, the terrier. Found out more at: www.lesliehachtel.com

The Lost Art of Reading

By Leslie Hachtel

Apparently, a lot of people don't read anymore. And they boast about it as if it is some kind of accomplishment. I find that hard to understand.

I cannot fathom why people would rob themselves of the pleasure of reading a good book.

The usual reason is: I don't have time. Two things about that are true. One, there are never enough hours in the day and two, we manage to make time for the important things. And I happen to believe that reading is just as vital to life as anything else. Certainly worth fifteen or twenty minutes a day.

I generally read when I go to bed. It takes my mind off the stresses of the day and I can go to sleep thinking about things other than my everyday challenges. I can 'meet' and 'hang out' with interesting people, go to exotic places, time travel, experience the wonders of the world having never left the cozy cocoon of my bed. I can watch conflict and resolution and hug myself with joy at the happily ever after.

When did we lose the simple pleasure of reading? Of course, I think the answer is technology. As fabulous as it is (and as I write this on my computer, I can certainly appreciate it), we are losing much. We don't talk to each other anymore. We text, we scroll through our phones, we post on social media. But we are losing the art of conversation. And with information so readily available, we don't need to take time out for updates, since so much is fed to us in immediate and real time. And that worries me. I miss the "good old days" when we would sit with our friends and actually socialize by talking to each other. And along with that personal loss, many also gave up just reading a book. Sitting quietly with no email, no Facebook, no Twitter.

Now I'm not saying give up social media or stop playing those games. I'm just advocating there is room for more. And the thing about reading—once you start doing it, I think you'll find it hard to stop.

As a writer, I have a special interest in readers. But as a reader, I would love everyone to share in the happiness of just reading.

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Leslie Hachtel was born in Ohio, raised in New York and has been a gypsy most of her adult life.  Her various jobs, including licensed veterinary technician, caterer, horseback riding instructor for the disabled and advertising media buyer have given her a wealth of experiences. However, it has been writing that has consistently been her passion. She sold an episode of a TV show, had a screenplay optioned and has so far produced ten novels, including seven historical and three romantic suspense, including "The Dance Series", "Payback" and "Once Upon a Tablecloth". Leslie lives in Cordova, Tennessee with a fabulously supportive engineer husband and her writing buddy, Jakita, a terrier.