Guest Blogger: Lucy Felthouse

Location, Location, Location!

Off the Shelf is my first novella and it appears in Silk Stockings, which is part of The Secret Library range from Xcite Books. What I noticed when writing something longer than a short story (my usual fare) is that location comes into it a lot more. When you're writing a short story and have a limited word count, you can't talk too much about where the characters are or what the place looks like. If you do, you're using up too many words, when what people really want is for them to get down to some dirty, hot sex.

However, I had many more words to play with in Off the Shelf, which meant not only could I keep the characters apart longer and build the tension, I could also give a little more away about their backgrounds, and also describe the settings for the action more. The settings in the novella include an airport, a luxury hotel, the Portuguese countryside, a castle, a restaurant and one of the lead characters' houses.

Obviously I haven't described any of those places down to the last brick, stone or plant, but what I have done (I hope) is paint enough of a picture that the readers can really visualise where the action is taking place. I certainly can, but that's because three of the places I mentioned are real, and the others became real in my mind.

I'm not sure if it's because I can visualise the story playing out in the various locations, because I adore the characters or because I love the storyline, but this is my favourite piece of work to date. Perhaps it's all three. I just hope that readers feel the same. I look forward to hearing what you think!

Thanks so much for having me, Elizabeth!

*****

At 35, travel writer Annalise is fed up with insensitive comments about being left on the shelf. It’s not as if she doesn’t want a man, but her busy career doesn’t leave her much time for relationships. Sexy liaisons with passing acquaintances give Annalise physical satisfaction, but she needs more than that. She wants a man who will satisfy her mind as well as her body. But where will she find someone like that? It seems Annalise may be in luck when a new member of staff starts working in the bookshop at the airport she regularly travels through. Damien appears to tick all the boxes; he’s gorgeous, funny and intelligent, and he shares Annalise’s love of books and travel. The trouble is, Damien’s shy and Annalise is terrified of rejection. Can they overcome their fears and admit their feelings, or are they doomed to remain on the shelf?

More info and buy links: 

http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/published-works/the-secret-library-silk-stockings/

*****

Lucy is a graduate of the University of Derby, where she studied Creative Writing. During her first year, she was dared to write an erotic story - so she did. It went down a storm and she's never looked back. Lucy has had stories published by Cleis Press, Constable and Robinson, House of Erotica, Noble Romance, Ravenous Romance, Resplendence Publishing, Summerhouse Publishing,