Blog Tour for Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick; Guest Post "Writing Romance for Teens"

Finale (Hush, Hush #4) 
by Becca Fitzpatrick 
Release Date: October 25th, 2012

Publishers: Simon & Schuster UK

Buy : Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

Fates unfurl in the gripping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Hush, Hush saga.

Nora is more certain than ever that she is in love with Patch. Fallen angel or no, he is the one for her. 
Her heritage and destiny may mean they are fated to be enemies, but there is no turning her back on him. 
Now Nora and Patch must gather their strength to face one last, perilous trial. 
Old enemies return, new enemies are made, and a friend's ultimate betrayal threatens the peace Patch and Nora so desperately want. 
The battle lines are drawn—but which sides are they on?
 And in the end, are there some obstacles even love can't conquer?

Writing Romance for Teens 
by Becca Fitzpatrick

Many thanks to Book Passion for Life for being part of the Finale blog tour—I love writing romance and hope my tips below will be helpful to any aspiring authors out there. 

So. I just had the following conversation with my husband:

Me: I've been asked to write a guest post on writing romance for teens. I don't know what to say!

Husband: You do this for a living.

Me: I know that! And you're not being helpful.

Husband: 

Me: I just write what feels natural. There isn't, like, a secret formula.

Husband: Tell them that.

Me: Everyone wants a secret formula. Quick—give me a secret formula!

Husband: 

If there is a secret formula to writing romance, I still haven't figured it out. Instead, I'll tell you how I create romance on the page. It's one of my favorite parts of writing—creating believable chemistry between characters. The following is a list of questions I kept at the back of my mind while writing the Hush, Hush series.  

1. When the hero and heroine meet (especially for the first time), do sparks fly? Do they have some kind of strong physical or emotional reaction to each other, even if that reaction is negative?  

From Hush, Hush: 

I turned slightly, checking out the room behind me. I knew the names of all my classmates...except one. The transfer. Coach never called on him, and he seemed to prefer it that way. He sat slouched one table back, cool black eyes holding a steady gaze forward. Just like always. I didn't for one moment believe he just sat there, day after day, staring into space. He was thinking something, but instinct told me I probably didn't want to know what. 

He set his bio text down on the table and slid into Vee's old chair. 

I smiled. “Hi. I'm Nora.” 

His black eyes sliced into me, and the corners of his mouth tilted up. My heart fumbled a beat and in that pause, a feeling of gloomy darkness seemed to slide like a shadow over me. It vanished in an instant, but I was still staring at him. His smile wasn't friendly. It was a smile that spelled trouble. With a promise. 

2. In what ways do my hero and heroine compliment each other? 

They don't realize it at first, but over the course of the four books, it becomes apparent that only Patch and Nora can lead fallen angels and Nephilim to war. Finale is the merging of Patch and Nora's destinies.  

3. In what ways are they exact opposites? 

Patch is the ultimate bad boy. Nora is straight-laced. Patch is a fallen angel. Nora's heritage is Nephilim.  

4. Do they have the same goal? 

(If the answer is yes, it creates great tension.) In the beginning of Hush, Hush, Nora wants her life to go back to the way it was before she met Patch. And what does Patch want? Well, he wants to take Nora's life. Both characters are ready to fight—hard—for what they want.  

5. What makes the hero the perfect guy for my heroine? 

Patch doesn't want to change Nora. He gives her the perfect balance of independence and protection.  

6. Why can't the hero live without the heroine—why is she the only one for him? 

Patch wants redemption. Nora reminds him of the moral guy he used to be. 

7. How can I show that the hero and heroine want each other, gradually building the tension, before The Big Make-out (Hallelujah!) Scene? 

If you want to know how I did this, read the books!

-Becca

   

Author Bio: 

Becca Fitzpatrick grew up reading Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden with a flashlight under the covers. 
She graduated college with a degree in health, which she promptly abandoned for storytelling. When not writing, she's most likely prowling sale racks for reject shoes, running, or watching crime dramas on TV. 
She is the author of the bestselling HUSH, HUSH Saga. HUSH, HUSH and CRESCENDO are in stores everywhere now! SILENCE was released worldwide on October 4, 2011 and FINALE will be released on October 25th, 2012.