“The Price of Freedom” is a romance fantasy novella I’ve just this minute sent to Carina Press. So I’m having a little brag at how brave I am to submit it. Not that Angela James, the Editor there, is ever nasty. Still, it’s scary to have your words out there, risking rejection. And I have some doubts about the way I’ve structured the story.
As a story, I believe the structure works, but it goes against the general conventions of the romance genre. Instead of beginning with either the heroine or hero, I begin with the character around whom their conflict will spin. In effect, I tell two stories and it all comes together at the end. I believe it works, and I’ve opened the door for the heroine’s archivist angelic cousin to have her own story, but will a romance reader be willing to wait a page or two before meeting the heroine?
Here’s the blurb: Death and intrigue are part of desert life. Courage is honoured. Mischa is a Guardian, her duty to protect the peace makers. Rafe is a Djinn, bound to the wishes of human masters. Duty will bring them together–and tear them apart. Neither dreams of love, but without it, they’ll never be free.