His Captive Bride (36 page)

Challenges

Hmm, challenges. That word is much too mild to describe what happened when Dell published
Timeless
in 1998. The memories are so painful, I’m reluctant to revisit them. But I feel an obligation to be candid here, especially for any aspiring writers out there who are unaware of just how quickly—and how badly—the New York publishing industry can break your heart.

Readers, this part is not much fun. You might want to skip ahead to the “Joys” section.

Writers, buckle your seatbelts.

During my seven years at Avon, one of the major problems I faced was the fact that I kept getting “orphaned”—the industry term for what happens to an author when her editor leaves the company.

A good editor is essential to an author’s success. She not only helps make your books as strong as they can be, she acts as your champion inside the publishing house. Your editor works hard to generate in-house excitement about your books, get you the most favorable release dates and best covers, and secure as much marketing support as possible. If she likes your books and views you as a valuable partner, you can become a formidable team.

But if she leaves, you become an “orphan.” Your champion is gone and your career momentum abruptly stalls. The publisher assigns you a new editor—eventually—but you have little or no say in the choice.

This new editor might like your work and become an enthusiastic new champion.

Or she might be indifferent or antagonistic, in which case, you’re toast.

During my seven years with Avon (1990 to 1997), I worked with four different editors. I was orphaned so many times, I started writing my editor’s name in pencil in my address book. It’s pretty much impossible to sustain any kind of career momentum when you’re constantly being handed off from one editor to the next.

When I signed with Dell, I felt confident that my orphan days were behind me. I now had a “dream team” (my agent and I actually called them that) of top-notch editors supporting my career. If Laura Cifelli ever left, Marjorie Braman would still be there. If Marjorie left, Laura would still be there. The odds that
both
of them would leave at the same time were... oh, that could never happen. Not even
I
could be that unlucky.

Could I?

Yes, I could.

My happiness about my Dell contract lasted only weeks. The ink was barely dry on the signatures when I got the call from my agent: Marjorie was leaving Dell to accept an executive position at HarperCollins.

And a month after that, the second call: Laura was leaving Dell to work for the Doubleday Book Club.

She had been my editor for exactly 102 days.

I had been orphaned. Again. In record time. By two editors at once. My dream team was gone.

For solace, we Dell romance authors turned to our private e-mail loop. Anxious rumors flew back and forth about who might be hired as our new editors. We were all relieved and happy when the company brought in Maggie Crawford as the new editorial director. Authors who had worked with Maggie raved about her editing skill and business savvy.

But Dell had far too many romance authors for Maggie to manage on her own. So they hired a second romance editor.

From Avon.

And I was assigned to work with her.

This was not the same editor who had made my last three years at Avon miserable, thank God, but we knew each other. I was familiar with what she had done—or rather, not done—for her authors at Avon. I had little hope that she would become an effective champion of my work.

As always, though, I had no say in the matter. This ex-Avon editor was now in charge of my career at Dell, and I was expected to make the best of it.

The dust had barely settled before I got another upsetting phone call: an important Dell author had missed her deadline, and they needed to delay her release date. They had decided to give her my May slot and move
Timeless
up to March—which meant I had to turn in the manuscript several weeks early.

My new editor didn’t think this would be a problem because “you have such a great reputation for turning in polished manuscripts.”

Um, yes, I did—but that was because I always spent the last several weeks before my deadline polishing the entire book. That revision time was essential to the quality of my work.

My editor assured me that it wouldn’t be a problem to turn in my first draft.

My agent encouraged me to show the new regime that I could “be a team player.”

I, as usual, had no say in the matter.

I flew through the last few chapters of the book, throwing it together as quickly as I could. I had to abandon two love scenes I had planned to write. I never had the chance to smooth out the characters’ emotional journey throughout the book. I crammed major revelations into a few pages of rushed dialogue: “Tell me about your painful past, now I’ll tell you my painful past, and oh look, here comes the villain. Gotta go!”

While the copy-editor worked on the first half of the book, my editor worked on the second half. She faxed me her revision notes, and I faxed back the final scenes as I finished them.

In industry terms, this is known as “crash-publishing”: pushing a book through production at lightning speed and sending it directly to the printing press.

It meant that Dell had no time to send out advance-review galleys or do any kind of promotional campaign. My first lead title was published with an expensive orange cover—and no marketing support at all. No pre-publication reviews. No push in the chain bookstores. No advertising. No galleys sent to independent booksellers. Zip, zilch, nada. Unlike my previous books,
Timeless
didn’t appear on any bestseller lists.

The brass ring had slipped through my fingers.

All because another author missed her deadline.

In the end, my editor brushed the whole thing off with an empty phrase spoken daily by New York editors: “I’m sure we’ll do a big push on your next book.”

I tried to look on the bright side. I still had a lead-title position, and I had proven that I was a team player. I had taken a bullet for a fellow Dell author, and that had to count for something, right? Next time, Dell would keep their promises. On my next book, they would do better. I mean, they couldn’t possibly do any
worse
.

Or could they?

The story continues in the “Behind the Scenes” feature in
After Sundown
.

Joys and Changes

My happiest moment with this book came in May 2011, when I reclaimed the publishing rights from Dell. I had always wanted to make this story something special, but because of the way Dell “crash-published” the first edition, I didn’t have that chance the first time around. The 1998 paperback arrived in bookstores with only two sketchy love scenes, a rushed ending, and a hero who came across as overbearing and manipulative.

Getting the rights back meant that I would finally have the chance to fix all that.

For this new edition, I gave myself all the time I needed to make
His Captive Bride
what I had always wanted it to be. I deepened the hero’s emotional journey. Expanded the existing love scenes. Added new love scenes. And I slowed down the "sharing our painful pasts" conversations, which now take place over two chapters instead of being jammed into seven pages.

I also added a glossary, which my Dell editor had refused to include because “it would make the book seem too much like a fantasy novel.” You’ll find it here in the bonus materials.

I also felt the need to make one more small change. When I wrote the first edition, I didn’t have children yet, so I relied on a friend—the mother of two small boys—to supply me with details about what little Giselle might be like.

Today, I’m the mom of two beautiful, smart, spirited daughters—and as soon as I started revising this book, I realized that I had gotten Giselle all wrong. She seemed more like a three-year-old boy than a three-year-old girl. So I replaced my friend’s “boyish” details with more accurate “girlish” details, inspired by my own daughters. Avril’s love for Giselle feels much more authentic and poignant to me now.

So at long last,
His Captive Bride
is finished, and it’s finally the book I always wanted it to be: a fantasy romance filled with adventure, tears, laughter, characters to cherish—and smokin’ hot love scenes.

Future Sequels

I would love to spend more time on Asgard Island and weave new stories about some of these characters. I’m dying to reveal what happened between the Italian bride and her
innfodt
husband, whom we glimpsed briefly in Chapter 5 and Chapter 9. And now that Asgard needs a new
vokter
, who might be chosen? I also think the English girl, Blythe, has an interesting decision to make as she tries to select a husband.

Then there’s Nina. Okay, yes, she was the villainess in this book, but I believe she could be redeemed. She longs for a family more than she’s willing to admit, and even “bad girls” need love. When Avril questioned why the
innfodt
women aren’t allowed to seek husbands in the outside world, wheels started turning in Nina’s head—and I can just imagine her pursuing that idea and landing herself in serious trouble.

Now that I’m an indie author, I no longer have an editor leaning over my shoulder saying, “You can’t do that.” I’m free to write any stories I choose. Some might be full-length novels, some might be short stories or novellas. It’s all up to my muse and my readers. If you’d like to return to Asgard Island, please let me know via e-mail or Facebook.

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I hope you’ve enjoyed this little trip behind the scenes of
His Captive Bride
. Be sure to subscribe to my e-mail newsletter at
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Until next time, best wishes & happy reading,

Shelly

Althing
– traditional gathering ceremony for
innfodt
raiders and their
utlending
women

Althing-vellir
– place where the
althing
ceremony is held

Eldrer
– council of elders

Frigga – highest among the Norse goddesses, wife of Odin

God kveld
– good evening

Havamal
– ancient text offering advice to the young men of Asgard about how to please a wife and be a good husband

Hel – Hell in Norse mythology

Hjem
– home

Hjerte
– heart

Hneftafl
– game of strategy played on a carved wooden board

Horde
 – small chest, used for holding valuables

Hund feig
– cowardly dog

Innfodt
– the native-born people of Asgard Island

Ja
– yes

Jeg gjor
– I will

Knorr
– single-masted ship used for transporting cargo

Kvasir
–
a mysterious son of the gods, associated with wisdom and poetry

Langvarig sovn
– the deepest sleep

Loki – dark god of lies and mischief

Mine – my

Nei
– no

Odin – chief ruler among all the gods, powerful and wise

Sommer
root – extracted juice of this plant can be used to induce sleep

Stille
– peace, calm, quiet

Thor – god of the sky, thunder and lightning

Torque
– a decorative band of metal worn around the neck

Tyr – god of war and bravery

Ulv
– wolf

Utlending
– foreigner

Vaer snill
–  please

Valhalla – Heaven in Norse mythology

Valkyries – fierce warrior maidens in the Norse myths

Vaningshus
– longhouse, the most common type of dwelling on Asgard

Velkommen
– welcome

Vokter
– the peacekeeper, appointed by the
eldrer
to enforce the laws and serve as guardian of the island’s security

Reviewers use words like “exquisite” and “stunning” to describe Shelly Thacker’s unique blend of powerful emotion, edge-of-your-seat adventure, and sizzling sensuality. A
USA Today
bestselling author, Shelly has earned lavish praise from
Publishers Weekly
,
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
and
The Oakland Press
, who have called her romance novels “innovative,” “addictive,” “erotic” and “powerful.”

Twice honored as an RWA RITA Award finalist, Shelly has received numerous other accolades for her work, including a National Readers' Choice Award, several
Romantic Times
Certificates of Excellence, and five straight KISS Awards for her outstanding heroes. The
Detroit Free Press
has twice placed her books on their annual list of the year's best romances.

When she’s not at the computer, you’ll find Shelly reading with her kids, knitting in local cafes, or kickboxing at the gym. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and two daughters.

For more information about Shelly’s books, including excerpts and sneak previews, visit
www.shellythacker.com