Private Property

Leah and I have been friends and crit partners for a long time. We've laughed and screamed and cried together, and the more interesting of those stories may yet come out at some later date. ;)

But for today, I could not be more pleased to introduce her and her first release. It's been exciting for me because I've been alongside her so much of the way. I've known she was a talented writer from the beginning and I'm proud (very proud) to have helped her along with what support and emotional encouragement I could give.

*Raises frosted mug* So here's to Leah, her first sale and to many more.


When Sue asked me to write something up for her blog, I said, “Sure, I can whip something up for you.” Then I sat and stared at a blank page for a while. You see, Sue has been a huge influence on me. She’s the one who pushed and shoved me toward where I am today, not listening to me whinge and rant the way I’m prone.

Sue and I started off writing a round-robin story with several other aspiring writers. That was the first time I’d ever written from a male point of view and it was quite eye-opening. And surprising, especially the time when I posted my character (a warrior) talking to Sue’s character (a barmaid) saying that he wanted an ale but perhaps he needed shave, or perhaps he needed both. Sue misread my post and had her character thinking he’d asked her for a BATH. Okay, you had to be there to understand how hilarious that was. But you see, that was the beginning of our partnership. I went on to write quite a few more stories involving that character, and Sue very generously allowed me to use her character in some of those stories.


For the next year I concentrated on writing fantasies, where before I’d usually written science fiction or suspense. When not writing my next chapter, Sue would challenge me to write drabbles to make me write tighter. She’d push me to write outside of my comfort level. We’d exchange numerous emails about writing techniques and ‘the rules’ and when you could break them, or if you should. And with each critique, with each email, I learned more and more from her.


So when Sue challenged me to write an erotica back in the spring of 2007, I looked at it as another exercise. The first one I wrote was a sci-fi involving dragons and shapeshifters on an earth in the future, the next was a contemporary paranormal, again involving shapeshifters. But then for some reason I can’t explain, when I created the world around Private Property, there wasn’t a shapeshifter in sight. Set in contemporary Dallas, there was no fancy hardware involved (unless you count the BDSM equipment lining the shelves in Sam’s private bedroom.) No swords and chainmail, no elves, no evil wizard in sight. Yet these characters, Mark Rodriguez and Jodi Tyler, and especially Sam Watson, just leapt off the page in a way none had since I wrote that very first round-robin story. It’s about jealousy and betrayal, and the search for trust and boundaries and respect for both your friends and your lovers. All universal themes, no matter what the genre. Oh, and I mustn’t forget, there’s some really hot, wicked sex in it too.


If you want to read an excerpt you can go here, or here. (I will warn you, the first one is for those 18 years of age or over.) And you can buy Private Property here. But whether you buy it or not, I still owe Sue a huge “Thank You.” Because I really wouldn’t have gotten where I have without her guidance.

10 comments:

Dani said...

Sue you have done an amazing job pushing Leah. Now do we need to do some pushing for you?

I can't wait to see more from BOTH of you!

Leah Braemel said...

Dani - Yes, we should push Sue some more. But you know, Dani, you need that *nudge* too. How's your WIP coming along? *push push, shove shove*

Dani said...

HA! Yes I do need that push. But I'm also comfortable enough to know that my writing QUALITY isn't as good as yours and Sue's YET. Notice I said YET.

Actually, I have an interview set up with someone on my local Vice Squad for some background information. I think that will give me the info I need to finish up the details that I haven't quite figured out on my current WIP.

Becky Burkheart said...

Vice-squad? That's one I haven't seen!?

and yes, on the pushing. I'm getting close to done on my 'Ice' draft and will soon be sending it around for you to tell me how wonderful it is. ... or not! LOL!

Anonymous said...

The interactive character exercise sounds interesting. It takes a village to get a writer published doesn't it, ladies. Hopefully, we'll all push each other to reach that goal.

Dani said...

Great! I can't wait to see Ice.

Here's the blog about my current WIP. I'm still in the begining stages, but I'm trying to outline everything before I start the writing. I seem to get stuck in the details, so I want to get the details first this time.

http://daniellebaer.blogspot.com/2009/01/lies-deception.html

Becky Burkheart said...

>>The interactive character exercise sounds interesting. It takes a village to get a writer published doesn't it, ladies. Hopefully, we'll all push each other to reach that goal.

I have truly enjoyed the co-writing I've done. It always seems to be one of those "sum is greater" kinds of things and I find it very exciting when you are all in the zone and the collective-conscious starts running wild .... ummm.... ok - that probably sounds a little strange.

*blink*blink*

move along folks, move along. ;)

Becky Burkheart said...

Dani! That sounds like fun. I don't know how I've missed it. I tried to add you to my 'last updated' list and you're already there. (eep!) I haven't been reading around enough lately and it looks like I've been missing a lot of good stuff.

but it's been hard to stay inside much, we're having such a mild winter, I've been spending too much time at the barn.

Dani said...

Thanks! I'm excited about this piece.

I know about not geting to everything. I've signed up for a bunch of online classes and then trying to keep up with the writing groups is hard!

The winter has been nice until this past Tues. But I sure did enjoy Miss M's day out of school.

L.A. Mitchell said...

Congrats, Leah. Great cover art :)