Extra Scenes from Against the Tide

Elizabeth Camden Against the Tide 5 Comments

One of the hardest things for authors to do is cut out scenes. Sometimes the scenes simply aren’t very good and deserve their banishment….but others cause wailing and gnashing of teeth when I hit the “delete” key. The most common reasons good scenes are cut from a book are:

• The manuscript was getting too long.
• The plot took a different direction and the scene no longer makes sense as written.
• An editor didn’t like it.  This never happens to me…oh my, no. No, no, it would simply never happen.  Just kidding! My editor always give me the chance to tweak things to make the scene fly….sometimes I prefer to simply cut it rather than smooth off the edges.

One of the joys of having a website is that I can give those deleted scenes new life. If you check out the “Book Extras” section of my website, I collect a variety of behind-the-scenes trivia about the development of each book, plus a handful of deleted scenes I think fans of the book might enjoy. I’ve just rolled out my bonus scenes for Against the Tide. Check it out!

Downton Abbey Spinoffs…..

Elizabeth Camden The Book World 3 Comments

It’s no secret that I adore Downton Abbey. Its combination of unabashed melodrama, intelligent characters and lush settings has found a loyal following. Its phenomenal success has spawned a flurry of books and television series trying to capture the rarified air of high-class society filled with real world people.

The writing, editing, and publication process for a book is very long (the manuscript I’m working on now won’t be released until Summer 2015!) so I don’t think the flurry of books touted as “the next Downton” were cranked out as copy cats. My hunch is that books like Summerset Abbey were already written, possibly languishing in an editor’s slushpile, when they were hauled out, rebranded with suitable titles and covers to echo the Downton tone.

ABC got on the bandwagon with Gilded Lilly’s, an 1895 drama set in the glittering world of New York’s finest hotel. It had Blythe Danner cast as the matriarch, but sadly, filming was dropped after the pilot episode….possibly when the creator of Downton Abbey (Julian Fellowes) inked a deal with NBC to create a series called The Gilded Age.

Everything about The Gilded Age has been very hush-hush, and no word if it will actually get picked up by NBC, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

Branding: The Lady of Bolton Hill vs. Against the Tide

Elizabeth Camden The Book World 6 Comments

The cover of a book plays a huge part in a reader’s decision to consider it for purchase. This is especially true for a new writer, who has only a split second to capture a reader’s attention is who is scanning the shelves. The cover and title communicates the tone, genre, and overall feel of the book.

You may have noticed a distinctly different look and feel of my most recent book to my first novel. I participated in the “branding” of my debut novel, The Lady of Bolton Hill. The romance between Daniel and Clara is a huge part of the book, and I wanted to be sure to attract lovers of the romance genre. The combination of the genteel title and gorgeous cover went a long way in helping boost sales.

And yet…… the ultra-feminine tone did not quite match the contents of the book. My books are definitely love stories, but they also capture the drama of gilded age America. Some readers were surprised that my books were not the sweet, gentle romance that the covers implied. My books feature a big, turbulent stories with love, betrayal, heartbreak, all punctuated with periods of soaring joy and utter delight. Sometimes there is a healthy dose of suspense or adventure.

For my 3rd book, my editor and I decided it was time for covers and titles a little more reflective of the direction my books were headed. The romance remains front and center in my books, but the covers now hint at some of the high suspense and more of the historical context in the books.

Some people have asked me if I am switching genres. Nope! My books maintain the same type of adventure, brisk pace, and a dynamic love story. I’m just aiming for a new look and feel that is a little more reflective of my voice. I hope you like it!