Darcy Burke Guest Blogs: About Her Wicked Ways or Bad Boys Are Best, Aren’t They?

Today I wanted to share a little about my new release, Her Wicked Ways, a little about my process as a writer, and a little about me. Those things may or may not have anything to do with each other. Anyway, enjoy!

Her Wicked Ways was originally supposed to be a story about a nobleman who masqueraded as a highwayman in order to exact some sort of revenge. I don’t remember why it changed, but I eventually came up with the idea for a heroine who was a Paris Hilton-like debutante with too much money, too much attitude, and too little good sense. A bad girl attracted to bad boys, despite there being a perfectly good guy in the background. As a foil for Miranda, my highwayman was perfect, but because he was supposed to be a foil, he became far more interesting as an impoverished country gentleman struggling to save his orphanage from financial ruin. Even better, Fox’s duality gave Miranda her bad boy highwayman and the sexy good guy waiting in the wings—all in the same dude!

The bad boy vs. good guy is a well-known trope, but it’s also reality. Mr. Burke and I have had numerous conversations about girls (we’re talking back when we were in high school and college, but it’s equally true at all ages) who choose bad boys over good guys, knowing it’s probably a stupid choice. (Actually, a good portion of those girls/women may not realize it’s a stupid choice, right?) You know the type: hot, popular, arrogant, perhaps an air of danger--mysterious background, rides a motorcycle, broods—and not likely to call you tomorrow or even next month. But women love them anyway. Why are bad boys so attractive? I freely admit, I see the appeal, at least on the surface. What woman doesn’t want to reform a bad boy into her very good guy? But Miranda doesn’t think like that. She wants her bad boys, but only for Mr. Right Now, as opposed to Mr. HEA.

In books, on TV, and in movies, I tend to root for the bad boy. I think it’s because I’m not picking him for myself, but for some kick-ass heroine who undoubtedly will reform him. I loooove The Vampire Diaries’ Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder, check him out over there) with the fire of a thousand suns, but Elena will probably choose his nicer brother, and, sigh, she should. IN REAL LIFE. On TV, she should absolutely choose the bad boy because I’m confident it’ll work out.

About the Writing Process:

I wish I had a process. I wish I could know going in how long a manuscript will take me from conception to research to plotting to writing to revising and finally to polishing. But I don’t. Indeed, after five completed manuscripts, my process is as unpredictable and unreliable as ever. Not terribly convenient, but I do my best. And once in awhile (or at least once anyway), I get really, really lucky and write a Her Wicked Ways. It’s actually my third completed manuscript. The first (or what I like to call “practice”) was written over 13 months and I think because of that, I lost interest as soon as I dreamed up the sparkly second book. That manuscript took about six months to write, and it got a lot of contest love, including a 2008 RWA Golden Heart® nomination. Then I wrote Her Wicked Ways in a super fast, efficient, had-me-believing-“I-found-my-process!” three months. I don’t want to talk about book four. But if you’d like to have me come back next month when it comes out and cry about the “process” of writing it, I’d be happy (or at least willing) to. Book five was better than book four, but still none of this “process” I hear other writers talking about.

About Darcy Burke:

I started a marathon training program at the beginning of April because I wanted to run consistently. I figured paying for it and having to meet people once a week would help me stay on track (pardon the pun). Shockingly, I actually enjoy running. Until about the 6 mile mark. And then strange, painful things start happening to your body. I have no plans to actually run a marathon, but will do a half marathon in June. I hear the first 7 miles are pretty hilly and very tough. Maybe I’ll walk those.

And Now for Something Completely Different:

A piece from my Grandma Finney’s British Memorabilia Collection: cup and saucer commemorating the birth of Prince William. And if you have me back, there’s more where that came from.

Darcy's website: http://www.darcy-burke.com/

Buy Links for HER WICKED WAYS:

Kindle   Nook  Smashwords

Note from Elyssa: Darcy's so awesome and is offering an e-book of HER WICKED WAYS (only Kindle, Nook, or Smashwords) to a lucky commenter (chosen at random)!