Comments on: The Hook – Vital Plot Element or Unnecessary Complication?

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 02:38:53 +0000

Yay, Suzanne! I wonder what the book was? In any case, I shall cease worrying about my two weeks.

Lacey, the affair came first and the fake engagement is a slip of the tongue by the heroine, which takes on a life of its own. Hmmm, might wait and see what the eds think before I do anything drastic about it.

By: Lacey Devlin

Lacey Devlin — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:10:50 +0000

I love a good fake engagement ;) I don't see a problem with it as a reader. It just depends on their circumstances.

What came first the engagement or the affair? A lot of the time the affair si the result of the engagement. Or perhaps, for example, the hero thinks the heroine is doubting the affair and thinking of calling it off and he may create the need for a fake engagement to keep things as they are.

P.S. I'm all for love at first sight too. Michelle has me intrigued about the book spanning a single evening, veeery interesting. I want it! :)

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:29:24 +0000

I’m a great believer in love at first sight – so two weeks is a very believable time frame from where I’m sitting.

I think I read the book that spanned an evening – about 15 years ago? – the heroine had dark/black hair and wore a blue evening dress (saphire? or was that her eye colour) and they went to dinner (on a boat I think?). I also want to say that it was set in Austrailia????????

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:17:50 +0000

Lorraine, that's exactly what I'm wondering. Will ponder more.

Michelle, yes indeed, I'm thinking I'm okay here given the different time spans. Will check out Nina's notes. Thanks for that.

Chris, hours?? Combined with the dead rellies, that sounds a little odd if you ask me!

By: chrissmith17a

chrissmith17a — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:47:00 +0000

can’t resist throwing in tuppenceworth: my fave is of a couple who meet again when his (hero) relative, her (heroine) relative and their unborn child all die together. Within hours, our H&H are analysing their old relationship (it was via them that their now-dead relatives met) and ‘consummation’ takes place within 24 hrs with nary a thought for their dead, close relatives. And I don’t think the family name was Hussein, but suspect some psychopathic tendencies might be shared…

By: Michelle Styles

Michelle Styles — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:56:21 +0000

The shortest length of time I have heard of is one evening. Someone once wrote a publiished M&B that spanned an entire evening.
The longest I have heard of is a year/9 mos.
Time spans can be lengthened with epilogue/time forced to be apart.
\see Nina Harrington for notes on the M&B editors talk at the RNA conference. http://ninaharrington.wordpress.com/

By: Lorraine

Lorraine — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:08:25 +0000

I'm a love at first sight girl (although they don't admit it of course and fight it like crazy :-)

I think with the hook (having been at the M&B editors talk where they were teaching about it) is to ask yourself:

Do you believe it? Do you yourself think it could happen?

Do you need it?

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 08:49:52 +0000

Keep it coming, ladies, keep it coming. 😉

By: Lucy King

Lucy King — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:29:52 +0000

Yup, it’s 48 hours for my H&h too.

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:41:34 +0000

It IS just me then!! Thanks guys. To tell you the truth, the heroine is toast for the hero after one weekend but OF COURSE she doesn’t admit it to herself… 🙂