March 26, 2008
Behind the Book
Roxanne St. Claire is a national bestselling author of more than twenty books. She currently writes a romantic suspense series for Pocket Books, called “The Bullet Catchers” featuring a cadre of high-end bodyguards and security specialists. Her books have earned numerous awards and recognitions, including the RITA Award, the Maggie, the Daphne du Maurier, the Holt Medallion, the Booksellers Best, the Book Buyers Best, Borders Top Pick for 2007, the Aspen Gold and several other prestigious writing contests. She is a full-time author, mother of two, active RWA member and certified lover of all pink shoes.
FIRST YOU RUN—Roxanne St. Claire
Thank you for the invitation to be a Chica today – I go waaaaaay back with Raine (have even been known to steal *one* of her names for an upcoming heroine!) and I’m honored to keep the book talk going today. Especially today, since this is “release week” for me, with a new book hitting stores and, I hope, reader’s hands and hearts.
As many of you know, that makes for a nerve wracking week. Will the book fly off the shelves or end up stripped and naked in the back of Borders? Will reviewers be kind, or slice and dice my baby in public? Will my hero be loved, my heroine cheered, my villain hated? Will my numbers be good? My publisher happy? My future secure?
Guess what? I have NO control over any of that now. While that is a frightening feeling, it’s also pretty liberating, reminding us all that no matter where we are in our career, which book has been published, or how much promo we give our work…the only thing we truly control is the writing.
So I tend to celebrate the supreme accomplishment of finishing a book much more than actual release. And that’s what I did on Friday, when I turned in the third book in the Bullet Catchers trilogy that will be released this year.
The Bullet Catchers are an elite team of hot, fearless, fabulous bodyguards run by an ultra-cool former spy by the name of Lucy Sharpe. Over the past three years, I’ve had three Bullet Catcher books out, and two novellas. This year, my publisher, Pocket Books, is publishing a connected trilogy within the series. The books are FIRST YOU RUN (available now), THEN YOU HIDE (out in July), and NOW YOU DIE (a September release). Each is a stand-alone romantic suspense but they are connected by one over-arching mystery and, of course, a cast of characters. Let me tell you, that was one monster of a writing challenge.
A few days ago, when I finished the third book in the trilogy, I poured that rather large glass of celebratory wine and assessed just what I’d written in the past year. Three books, six protagonists, seven villains, a dozen red herrings, somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 named characters, 300,000 words (plus a million in revisions); sex on the beach, in a jungle, in the shower, in the Caribbean Sea, on a private jet, in numerous hotel rooms across five states; death by shooting, stabbing, drowning, exploding, burning, and poison; and last minute saves of heroines who are crashing in a helicopter, falling off a cliff, buried alive, locked in a burning apartment, wrestling an alligator and (my favorite) nailed to a wall in a building about to explode. More grins, winks, sighs, shrieks, shocks, bullets and orgasms than I thought I was capable of writing and one jawdropper twist at the end.
No wonder I’m exhausted! But, guess what? I’m already thinking about the next book.
Because while I’m thrilled to see them sell, to read the reader’s emails, and relish the idea of knowing my book kept someone awake all night, the real joy is still when I’m deep, lost, and madly in love all over again, alone at my computer. That’s why I write. Well, that and the celebratory wine.
How do you celebrate reaching “the end” of a book? And…how long until you’re thinking about the next one? I’m giving away one signed copy of FIRST YOU RUN to a commenter, so drop a line! And I’m checking in all day, so please feel free to Ask Me Anything (I mean that – and ask Raine – I’ll answer any question about writing!). I’ll be happy to chat with all the Chicas today!
Xoxo
Rocki
Welcome, Rocki, and thanks so much for joining us!
Reading about what you’ve written in the past year has left ME exhausted. Wow. (Especially the “death by” sequence—loved it, lol).
How do I celebrate finishing a book?
Sleep, sleep, sweet sleep. And more sleep.
And by the time I’m 1/2 to 2/3 of the way through one book, I’m already mentally well into the next.
Always good to see you.
And congrats on the new release!!
Hi Rocki, welcome to Chicas!
I’m with Raine, you output makes me want to weep. Love the titles of this trilogy, BTW.
How do I celebrate? I walk around with a goofy smile on my face. Boring, but effective.
~of course, I hate you~
But the series sounds absolutely delicious, action, red herrings, hunks and sex!
I’ve read FIRST YOU RUN (twice actually) and looooved it (imagine Simon Cowell inflection there). Since I”ve never finished writing a book, I haven’t had that celebration yet. But I’ll be taking notes of how y’all do it and if/when I ever do, I’ll already have a good idea of what to do.
Hi Raine!
Rocki, you’re a suspenseful
Wild wave!!! It’s great seeing the Bullet Catchers on the loose so we can sweep them up in our hot hands. :D
Who was your inspiration for Adrien Fletcher in FIRST YOU RUN?
Hey, Raine. You have a beautiful presence on the internet. :D
Hugs, Nancy/Blue
Hi everyone! Slight delay while I read the wild and crazy emoticons. I LIKE these!! Nancy/Blue - I think I owe you an email, but I’m just digging out from my deadline. The inspiration for Adrien…well, to be honest, I have a picture of Gabriel Aubry that captured him perfectly. Who is Gabriel Aubry, you ask. Go look him up on the internet. Google. Go ahead, I’ll just be here reading emoticons. Okay. You back? Wipe the drool, ladies. THAT is what you get to wake up next to when you are Halle Barry.
Life is so unfair.
The goofy smile works for me. I’ve been wearing one for a few days, too. Looks like this:
No, no. It looks like this: 
Maybe this: 
I’m sorry, but this is my favorite. My hero: 
Wait, maybe this is my hero: 
Clearly, I better start a new book. I’m having too much fun here.
Any other writing questions? Ask away - I’ll tell all the secrets.
xoxo
Rocki
I also love the death by sequence. I might have to pick up the first book.
How do I celebrate?
I grab a glass of wine and revel at how amazing I am. That last for about five minutes before the unfinished WIP, that I started mid-way through the book I just finished, starts to nag at me. It’s a vicious cycle, but I love it.
Rocki, I see you’ve discovered our smilies.
I have a couple of questions…
When the heroes are all big, hunky Bulletcatchers, so all of them brave, all willing to put themselves out there, take a risk, etc.–is it difficult to individualize their personalities?
And how in the world do you accomplish all this and manage to maintain any kind of normal home life?
I usually celebrate by starting another book or even rereading the book I just finished. I loved your story in “What You Can’t See.” I wish it was longer. Chase is hot. Did you ioriginally intend for Chase’s story to be a full length novel? Can’t wait for Adrian’s story.
How do you celebrate reaching “the end” of a book?
I get the dh take me out to dinner! no cooking for me!
And…how long until you’re thinking about the next one?
always . . . there’s awlays something brewing in my mind!
The post office can wait….I want to play with the Chicas some more. Good question, Raine - how to “individualize” the heroes when they are all hot alpha hunks. I usually start with one overriding character trait that defines them, then that always help shape them, and dictates their dialogue and actions. It’s kind of a jumping off point, and, in many cases (all, perhaps, I have to think about it), that one trait is the thing that threatens them, too. It’s their Achilles heel, and it’s what defines them and makes them attractive. For Fletch, it was him impulsiveness, his tendence to act and act BIG. For Max (Thrill Me To Death) it is his lack (on the outside) of emotions. He’s stoic, until someone undoes him. For Alex (Kill Me Twice), it’s his libido, he’s a sexual, sensual Latin man who loves pleasure, but that gets him in deep trouble with his boss - he starts the book off “on probation” and then gets handed a totally hot client he cannot touch. For Lucy, it’s her absolute need to control everything - that makes her an amazing boss and Bullet Catcher owner, but when someone takes that away, it cripples her.
Long answer, but that’s how I craft individual heroes - they all have one major “guiding” trait and when I wonder “how” they’ll respond, I have that to help me. Best if you give them a heroine who really taps into that trait, too! Helps to torture them!
Thank you for mentioning Chase, Jane. I love him, too. He’s got kind of a cool story. He was my first hero in a book that never sold - about an astronaut! I live here on the “Space Coast” near Kennedy Space Center, and in 2000 I wrote a manuscript called DANGEROUS SKIES about an astronaut who gets the unlucky job of being the “NASA poster boy” when there is a PR campaign to improve NASA’s image in America. The campaign is run by a huge PR firm and the VP in charge is the heroine. Sparks fly faster than the space shuttle.
The MS went on to win a lot of contests and garnered me an agent, but didn’t sell. While it was being shopped around, I went on to write TROPICAL GETAWAY, my first romantic suspense. Shortly after Pocket bought TG, they expressed interest in publishing DANGEROUS SKIES; weeks later, the space shuttle Columia exploded on re-entry. Unbelievably, this possibility was the basis of the suspense element in the story. I was just unable to consider putting that into a book, and didn’t really want to change it. I went on to write (many!) others.
BUT…Chase was a powerful hero and he never disappeared. When I needed to create a Bullet Catcher for that paranormal novella, I instantly thought of him because he was SUCH a man of science (which was the basis for much of his conflict with the PR girl) - making him the perfect foil for the flighty psychic heroine. So, that’s why his backstory in that novella is that he was an astronaut - he was a very real guy to me.
Now I better hit the Post Office. But I’ll be back!!
xoxo
Rocki
I didn’t have to look Gabriel Aubry up, Rocki. :D I began drooling right away.
You’re talking about DANGEROUS SKIES !!! What bad timing for the MS to make an appearance in the submission process but I bet it’s a great story!!!
I know you’re busy. Email me when you find the time. I’m a happy camper while I wait. :D
Hugs, Nancy/Blue
Hi there!
I usually celebrate by calling my DH and screaming YIPPIE, then he brings me something special for dinner and we chow down.
Roxanne,
Huge CONGRATS on the brand new release!!!!! I’m so thrilled about this closely connected trilogy! Finger’s crossed for great things.
See you this summer in San Francisco. ;-) I’m looking forward to another long chat.
Bella
hey rocki…. and dreqmweaver
nice to see you both.
rocki. i can’t wait to dig into this book. you “ROCK” MY WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE YA
KATHI H
Hey, Kathi!!
Hope you’re feeling better, sweetie!
Woo Hoo, Rocki! I can’t wait to get my hands on your new book.
I love the Bullet Catcher series and these next three books look awesome.
I know you poured your heart and soul into writing them…along with lots of other things. ha ha
I for one am relieved you’re already thinking about your next book.
Love you, love your books.
Hugs,
Lara
Rocki, hi! You’re an amazing talent, and I love concept and titles of The Bullet Catchers!
Thanks, too, for the reminder that we’re only in control of the writing. I have a debut book coming out on Tuesday, and, tho the reviews have been wonderful, and I’ve been invited to blog and whatnot, the story and the writing are all I can control.
The second book in the series is ready for the next phase of layering and editing, and I’m thinking about the next book, too. Coming off the draft deadline, I was at a loss as to what to do with myself other than write!
Best wishes that the entire Bullet Catchers series is a HUGE hit!
Light,
Nancy Haddock
Hey Nancy didn’t I see you were going to be at the DARA Conference? I”m DYING for a copy of La Vida Vampire
Sorry to be so late with a response, chicas! That’s what life does to you, huh? Thanks for the nod, Nancy. I’m so glad you like the books! And Kathi H - be on the lookout in your hood today. I’m cruising in.
Bella! How wonderful to “see” you - I really am looking forward to another fun chat in SF. I don’t know how many of you will be at RWA this summer - I’m planning on it, so please say hey if you see me. I’ll be the one in the pink shoes. 
xoxo
Rocki
Raine reminded me that I didn’t pick a winner yet! When this job is left up to me, I read the responses to my daughter, Mia, and let her pick the one she likes. (Because if it were up to me, I’d give everyone a copy!) Mia chose Tanya because anyone who screams “Yippie” is her kind of girl, and she noted that your husband cooks, just like her daddy and she likes that, too. So, yippie, Tanya!
Send me a snail mail address (to roxannestc@cfl.rr.com) and I’ll send you an autographed copy of FIRST YOU RUN! And thank you, again, chicas, for the warm welcome and good time!
xoxo
Rocki
Thanks for joining us, Roxanne!