Thursday, November 8, 2012

Interview with Author CALLIE HUTTON





Conflict: Contrived or Real?
By: Callie Hutton

Whatever genre you’re writing in, a reader expects conflict in the story. I mean, if there was no conflict, if everything was coming up roses, who would read the book? The hero and heroine have to be tortured. They have to suffer. Tears, recriminations, betrayal. Ah, the basis of any good love story.

In my recent release, A Prescription For Love, I tortured Heidi and Michael so much, tears came to my eyes as I read it over. Oh, did I make them suffer! Hehe. But, because it was a romance there was the typical HEA, even though I made them crawl through fire to get there.

As much as I love to read romance, there are a few types of conflict that cause me to throw the book across the room. Hmm. Well, not exactly anymore, since I read most of my books on my Kindle. They don’t tend to hold up well when you smack them against something hard.

The Let’s Talk conflict. When you have a conflict where a five minute conversation will end the angst, and neither one will instigate the conversation that will end it, I get annoyed. Unless there’s a good reason why they can’t talk. I mean, if one character is in a coma, all right. I won’t toss the book. If one of them is being blackmailed—as in A Prescription For Love—I’ll allow that. And if the misunderstanding is cleared up quickly, no problem there either.

Sometimes I want to scream at the heroine. “Just ask him!” I read one book where a two word sentence would have cleared up the conflict. Sigh. No patience for that.

Another type of conflict that drives me crazy is the one where the heroine knows someone (usually another woman) has an agenda, but the heroine believes what the nasty person tells her about the hero. It’s usually something horrible that makes the heroine cringe. Hello? Haven’t you noticed Miss I’m telling you this for your own good wants the hero, and hasn’t made a secret of it? So why would you believe this?

Again, if it only goes on for a page or two, I’ll suffer through. But if the conflict goes on for chapter after chapter, watch out for flying objects.

In my recently released Christmas novella, Miss Merry’s Christmas, the heroine overhears a conversation, and misunderstand what she hears. Nosey woman pays price. Because I didn’t want to lose my readers, as an author might have lost me, I resolved it all quickly.

For some bizarre reason, betrayal causes me anxiety in a book. If it appears a hero or heroine has been betrayed by the other, I get very upset. “No, no.” I shout at the page (sorry—Kindle screen). “He didn’t really do that. It only looks that way.”

I have been known to put aside a book with a strong betrayal conflict because it genuinely upsets me. Don’t tell me I’m nuts because I’ve reached that conclusion long before you read this.

Well now that you know my likes and dislikes. What about you? How do you feel about conflict? Are there any that annoy you? Or cause you anxiety?



Thank you so much for having me today. Here is the blurb for my release, A Prescription For Love:

Guthrie, Oklahoma, 1903. Betrayed by his fiancée’s infidelity eight years ago, pharmacist Michael Henderson vowed he'd never risk his heart again. But he doesn't anticipate the tug of attraction he shares with his new employee.

Heidi Lester flees her home, determined to prove to her overprotective parents she can conquer her debilitating asthma, to make a life of her own. However, her unscrupulous fiancé has no intention of letting her go. He has his own plans for Heidi and her inheritance.

Will a scheme to ruin Michael's family force Heidi to marry her fiancé, or will assistance arrive from a surprising source to allow her to be with the man she truly loves?


Buy links: Amazon: http://amzn.to/RLtRpE , Barnes &Noble http://bit.ly/OPbPFY , Soul Mate Publishing http://www.soulmatepublishing.com/a-prescription-for-love/


** Callie will give away to one winner their choice of a either A Run for Love (the first book in the series) or A Wife by Christmas (second book).***

Callie has been making up stories since elementary school, and writing gave her a way to turn off the voices in her head. She’s had a number of articles and interviews published over the years, and finally decided to put her writing skills to the test and write novels.

Oklahoma is where she hangs her hat with her husband of thirty-six years, two young adult children, and three dogs. You can catch her hanging out at Facebook, Twitter- @CallieHutton, and her home base, www.calliehutton.com. Stop by sometime and say hello.

Books by Callie Hutton:

Oklahoma Lovers series, #1, #2, #3

A Run For Love (Tori & Jesse)

A Wife By Christmas (Ellie & Max)

A Prescription For Love (Michael & Heidi)

An Angel in the Mail

Tessa’s Treasures

Miss Merry’s Christmas, coming October 31st

Daniel’s Desire, coming November 19th

All of Callie Hutton’s books can be found at www.Amazon.com  and www.BarnesandNoble.com.

Author Callie Hutton


30 comments:

  1. Hi Sara (she waves) So nice to be here. I'll be a the DDJ until a little after noon time (central). I'll catch up with y'all then.

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  2. Hi Callie! I love me some conflict too. The main conflict I struggle with is when there is betrayal and it's real, nothing misunderstood. I believe it takes a special author to write it well enough so that I can understand why there was forgiveness in the end on whatever side needs to do the forgiving or accepting.

    Congrats on your releases...you've had a BANNER year!!!!

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    1. Hi Christine. Yeah, that betrayal stuff always gives me the heebie-jeebies. Makes me uncomfortable. Thanks for coming by.

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  3. Greetings Callie!

    I'm a betrayal-phobe as well. It's a theme when I write, but never from the hero or heroine. If that happens in a story, I don't trust them or the writer and I'm done. Nice interview and post ladies!

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    1. Hi Sandy,

      Yeah, that's my problem, all right. Thanks for saying hello.

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  4. Hi Callie, I am so with you -- if the conflict can be cleared up with a simple question and answer, my resulting annoyance in them not talking turns me totally off. And yes too, when old mrs nosey sticks her nose in it and the heroine believes her. Great post thank you (and I so so so love your cover -- you should enter it in a competition or something!)

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    1. Hi Cait. I've been super lucky with all my covers. This one, from SMP, uses the talents of Rae Monet. Thanks for coming by.

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  5. Hi Callie! (waves back) Thanks everyone for stopping by! Callie and I appreciate it!

    Catch you back here later Callie!

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    1. Thanks, Sarah. It was nice to see all the lovely comments.

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  6. Hi Callie
    The conflict I can really relate to is betrayal by either the hero or the heroine and the other conflict that makes me sweat bullets is the tug of love...but something that a two minute conversation would clear up is so trite it makes me angry with the author...I mean why bother?

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    1. The book I referred to in that post had so many contrived/unbelievable situations it was sad. Also free, so I learned my lesson. Also had a young girl whose age changed throughout the book. And not in sync with time. lol

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  7. For me, it depends on what kind of betrayal. I usually read historicals so misunderstandings can go on longer, because there were so many times when asking the question was the wrong thing to do.

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    1. You do have a point there, Ella. Manners and proper conduct did raise a lot of misunderstandings that did not necessarily lend themselves to easy resolution.

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  8. Oh, did I make them suffer! Hehe

    I laughed at that, too--sounds like a great title to an RWA workshop. If you teach it, Callie, I'll enroll.

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    1. Hi Angela. I tied myself in knots writing those scenes I felt so darn sorry for them. Isn't it amazing how we identify with our characters? Thanks for coming by.

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  9. Love conflict. But I usually want it to come from an outside source trying to tear the lovers apart. While initially they succeed, love will triumph. Because I also love HEA.

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    1. If done well, those kinds of conflicts work. My favorite type of romance is where the h/h get together and then fight an external conflict together. I appreciate you coming by.

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  10. I get annoyed for the same reasons, Callie. I understand a few minutes of misunderstanding, but if the characters would think about the situation, which real people do, then they would ask for an explanation. If the author shows me the characters tried to solve their problem but the misunderstandings persists, I'll accept that. For a while.

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    1. That's my opinion, too. Real people wouldn't believe crazy stuff and then not ask the person they care so much about it. Makes for a 'duck! book flying by.' lol. Thanks for commenting.

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  11. I like a good conflict. Situations where there appears to be a betrayal if it is done well. As an example, a hero has to appear to betray the heroine because the bad guys will harm the heroine if they think he cares about her.

    The type of conflict that annoys me is one where things get resolved too quickly for the seriousness of the situation.

    The other annoying one is where the heroine takes an action that could potentially cause the hero and herself harm (example, lose their livelihood) simply because she follows the advice of a friend that he must prove his love for her. I like the idea of someone having to prove their love but there is a limit as to what I would expect the characters to risk.

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  12. Hi Cynthia. Thanks for coming by. I think if a character does something that we feel very strongly is something we would never do (for example go into a known dangerous situation for no logical reason), we lose interest. It's a fine line that the author walks.

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  13. I love everyone's participation and the discussions here are wonderful. keep 'em coming!

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  14. Great conflict is when even though deep down inside there will be an HEA (after all, it's romance), you still question if they'll ever overcome it. And the one's that made me cry are the best.

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    1. Hi Donna. Thanks for your visit. I agree, we all know there will be a HEA, but sometimes you just wonder...

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  15. Oh- you hit on most of my conflict...conflicts, Callie. I have put books down for less because the conflict wasn't strong enough to carry through the full book--yet the author forced it anyway. Great post. Love both these books. :)

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    1. Thanks for coming by, Calisa. I agree, conflict can't be forced (or contrived).

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  16. Great post!

    Loved the first two books and am looking forward to this one.

    Best of luck with sales

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    1. Thanks so much for visiting, B. J. I appreciate your comments.

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  17. Thanks for being apart of Heart of Romance Callie. I want to wish you lots of success in your writing carrer.

    Your winner for the free book is ellaquinnauthor. Thanks Ella for stopping by and congratulations!

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  18. New winner! Ella has the book..... the winner is Calisa Rhoes. Please email me at sarah-hoss@hotmail.com so I can get your info.

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