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LaConnie Taylor Jones | The Topic Is A Little Too Touchy
One day, I got this funky, crazy idea. The timing was right, so I decided to
give this romance writing thing a shot. The analytical side of me took over and
I spent three months researching the industry. Terms like βunique voiceβ,
βinteresting story premiseβ, and βstrong characterizationβ kept popping up. Did
I know what any of this meant? Uuh...didnβt have a clue.
Well of course the first question that popped in my head was what would be the
premise of my story. Thatβs when I sat down and thought back over my experience
as a community public health educator for the past twenty-five years. Every day,
I interact with individuals who struggle with chronic diseases and wage war to
find quality treatment within a fractured healthcare system. Despite their
failures and the socio-economic deterrents woven around their lives, many have
fought to overcome issues we couldnβt wrap two thoughts around. Why? Someone
came along and dared to love them during the most hideous time in their lives.
Interesting story premise, huh? Hmmm...letβs see. What if I took a real-life
issue from my experience as a health educator and put a romantic spin to it?
I used domestic violence as the premise for my debut novel, When Iβm With You "Nice writing,
but touchy topic" or "the premise is a little too outside the box" rejection
letters landed in my mailbox faster than a cold slot machine sucks in coins.
Rejection letter number...heck I canβt even remember the number now, from agent
whatβs-his-face came along. That did it! The rebel side of me, the side my late
mother and I fought over for years, surfaced. Ever had a conviction pound into
your gut to the point you couldnβt let it go? Touchy topic or not, a person
knows, what they know, when they know. I knew I had a good story. Forget
whatβs-his-face and all of the other agents before him. If I couldnβt get
through the front door with an agent, Iβll try the back by myself. Hey, what did
I have to lose? Sometimes in life gambling pays off and it did for me.
Four years, the "touchy topic" story was published, followed six months later by
my sophomore release, When A
Man Loves A Woman. In this story, after eight years, the heroine still
battles the pain and humiliation of finding her ex-husband in bed with another
man. My latest release, If I
Were Your Woman deals with cancer. Soon after the leading male character
meets the love of his life, heβs diagnosed with testicular cancer. Needless to
say, this news prompts a series of challenges and conflicts for the couple.
Will I ever write a story with a traditional premise? Maybe. But you can bet the
bank I wonβt stop writing stories with the "touchy topic" premises.
Comments
10 comments posted.
Re: LaConnie Taylor Jones | The Topic Is A Little Too Touchy
Sometimes the 'touchy topic' is necessary in order to make us reasses our own lives, right???
(Karin Tillotson 1:17pm April 9, 2010)
If the story line isn't a bit
touchy, either in a good way
or a bad way, then what's the
point. As Karin said, it makes
us sit back and wonder if we
have done all we could. We
don't need books that pat us
on the head and say that it's
okay. We need books that kick
us in the seat of the pants
and say "Why didn't you do
more?"
(Lisa Richards 1:25pm April 9, 2010)
"Touchy subjects" are a fact of life. To itnore them is to keep one's head in the sand.
(Gladys Paradowski 3:25pm April 9, 2010)
I tend to remain extremely calm while asking the hard questions on touchy subjects. You know I like to find out where the mind is at and the reasons behind the behavior in real life and with characters in books.
(Alyson Widen 4:38pm April 9, 2010)
Touchy topics are relate-able. We all have experiences that we can draw upon.
(Mary Preston 5:51pm April 9, 2010)
I love all of your books,so keep doing what you're doing. Sometimes you have to step out and take on a giant. Your boks are about things that affect the real world and it feels natural reading them.
(Brandi Evans 7:06pm April 9, 2010)
I believe that you have to write what your heart and mind tell you to. Difficult subjects shouldn't be ignored because we are afraid to face them.
(Rosemary Krejsa 8:03pm April 9, 2010)
These topics need to be dealt with.
Those people that must deal with these
problems still have lives and still deserve
a happily ever after. Keep writing away
tackling those touchy topics.
(Patricia Barraclough 10:24pm April 9, 2010)
Sometimes I find it very hard to read a book with a "touchy" subject. However, when I do, I feel it gives me a welcome insight, the author's, into a subject that I might never encounter in real life. Thanks for sticking to your guns and insisting on getting these touchy books published. May they open the readers' eyes. I'll be looking for your books.
(Sigrun Schulz 12:35pm April 10, 2010)
I think it's the books that touch upon more touchy subjects that make the most interesting reads so I highly encourage you to keep on doing what you're doing.
(Anna Hoque 12:52pm April 10, 2010)
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