Hey, Jungle dwellers! Sorry for the snafu this morning. I’m very excited to welcome Nina Bruhns to Plotmonkeys today for our craft series! Nina writes romantic suspense for Berkley Sensation and erotic romance for Berkley Heat. She is a world traveler, adventurer, and archaeologist — all great fodder for her stories, giving her novels broad dimension, vivid settings and unusual characters. Nina has two RITA nominations along with numerous other awards, including three prestigious Daphne du Maurier Awards of Excellence for Overall Best Mystery/Suspense Novel of the Year, five Dorothy Parker Awards, and a National Readers Choice Award. She’s also generous and is giving away a copy of Shoot to Thrill to a commenter! Please welcome, Nina Bruhns!
How many is too many?
In my current release, If Looks Could Chill (in stores now!) I tried something I’d never done before. I wrote the story with two heroes and two heroines, all with points of view. Not only that, but there are two additional characters who also have POVs.
And I must say, I really love how it turned out! This is one of my very favorites of all the books I’ve ever written. Largely because of the tapestry of personalities that populate it.
I’ve always enjoyed reading linked stories, where you meet characters and they continue to appear in subsequent books. I wanted to try my hand at writing a three-book series where the reader could really get to know the main players, and not have them disappear after the happily-ever-after, as is so common in romance. Those of you who’ve read book 1 of the series, Shoot to Thrill (August 09), will recognize several familiar characters in book 2, including reader favorites Alex and Gina, who continue their roles as important secondary characters in If Looks Could Chill. By the time they get their own stories… in book 3, A Kiss To Kill (April ’10)… they’ll have gone through hell and back. Especially Gina. But not to worry, it’s not necessary to have read the first book. That’s completely optional. The characters carry over, but the plot doesn’t (well, except for Gina…).
Including those two, plus the two main couples, there are six point of view characters in this book.
Which brings me to the point of my musings.
So far the reviews of If Looks Could Chill have been overwhelmingly positive, but a couple of reviewers have remarked on the number of POV characters. To be honest, I remember wondering once or twice as I was writing if six heads were too many to be in… But I always concluded that, no, every single one of them was vital to the flow and the excitement of the novel. Yes, it takes a tiny bit more concentration to follow, but I for one love the added depth and complexity the extra viewpoints give this page-turning romantic thriller.
My publisher just offered me a contract for another three-book romantic adventure series (yay!), and my editor and I are currently trying to decide whether I should continue with the abundance of points of view (except with new characters) in this next trilogy, or to cut back to the traditional one-hero one-heroine style and have the stories totally unlinked. I don’t know. Even though it’s a lot more work to plot, I kinda like the cast of thousands thing. And I do love the connectedness…
So what do you think? I’d love to hear your opinions! How many is too many?
Meanwhile, I hope you pick up If Looks Could Chill today! For more info and an excerpt, check out my website www.NinaBruhns.com.
Good reading!
Nina
A kick-ass Yankee cop and her special-ops Cajun guide search the Louisiana swamp for a deadly virus, but succumb to a fever of a very different sort.
Mysterious deaths stalk the bayou. No-nonsense Louisiana State trooper Tara Reeves reluctantly enlists the aid of Marc Lafayette, a too-sexy-for-his-own-good Cajun heartbreaker, to guide her on her search for evidence so she can bring down those responsible. But the source of the deaths is more dangerous than Tara could ever imagine. A foreign terrorist cell, plotting an attack on U.S. soil, is testing a deadly biological weapon in the remote wilderness of the swamp.
But the terrorists aren’t the only ones with secrets…
What Tara doesn’t know is that her sexy guide is part of a covert special ops team sent to destroy the terrorist threat, and Marc is not happy about having to babysit a nosy cop—even one as temptingly beautiful as Tara. But as they search the Louisiana swamp for a deadly virus, they succumb to a fever of a very different sort. Both of them know that love and work don’t mix, a harrowing showdown with the enemy will make their steamy passion boil over…and change their lives forever.
By all reports, Julie Leto was a sweet child once, somewhat shy, preferring to play quietly in her room making up stories. However, being raised with three brothers in a loud, primarily Italian household did have its influences and Julie discovered her inner tough girl. That’s probably why most of her heroines kick serious butt. Writing sassy heroines has worked out, as she’s sold nearly thirty books to three publishers featuring strong, confident women. Julie lives in Florida with her husband, daughter, spoiled dachshund, enormous guinea pig and a wide range of relatives all within driving distance.
ANOTHER WILD WEDDING NIGHT
Hard to Hold
Love Me If You Dare
Wild For Him
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WOW! I just hopped on over to your website. The excerpt from “Shoot to Thrill Rainie & Kick’s intense story is excellent! I’d love to read the whole “exciting” story. You are a new author for me.
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Thanks Laurie!
Nina
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I would love to win the book and will check back later for the post.
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I love the Saturday posts. Looking forward to reading yours later today! :santalights:
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I have encountered a long list of snafus myself this week!
Tami
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I would love to win the book too. Hope everyone has a safe weekend. Hope to see the post this afternoon.
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Enjoy the day!
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I’ll be back later this afternoon to read the full blog, but please include me in the drawing.
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I just have to say…Nina’s website is awesome and her covers are the best I’ve seen on a romantic suspense/thriller in a VERY long time! Yeah, Berkley! Who could resist these books? Not me! Welcome again, Nina!
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Thanks Julie!
I totally agree. OMG, the cover gods were smiling the day I got these 3.
The last one (A Kiss To Kill) is even better. It’s on my website under The Books for anyone who wants a peek. I’d put it here, but I have no idea how!
N
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Welcome to the Jungle!
Love the excerpts.
I wrote a book with two heroes and two heroines called Cursed, with Love. I worried the whole time about how I was going to make it work then suddenly I was at the end of the book.
Occasionally, I will read a book that has so many sub-plots and POV characters it detracts from the main romance then it becomes frustrating. I find myself skipping the subplots so I can get back to the main romance. My .02 cents.
Cher :santabag:
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Hi Cher!
Yeah, I find myself doing that sometimes as well. Actually, I’ll often find myself skipping parts of the ’suspense’ plot in some books. I am definitely a romance author, and the suspense is just there to support the relationship/s in my books. I think that’s one reason I went wild with the povs in these books. I started writing these hot secondary romances and just got caught up in them. LOL!
Nina
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Welcome, Nina…I like the connectedness (I haven’t read your series, though). I must say, then you have to make some sort of chart, because I sometimes get confused…
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A chart. Hmmmmm… now there’s an idea…
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Great covers, Nina! I can’t wait to see what the third one looks like.
We all know how subjective the POV argument is. Many writers are told from the start not to tackle multiple POV. Thanks for taking the plunge and proving it can be done to positive results. Congrats on the great reviews! I can’t wait to read it :)
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Hi Amber!
Yeah, I guess it can get sticky with multiples if you try to switch around (headhop) during the scenes. But I don’t do that. I stick to one scene/one pov. That makes it a lot easier to keep track of whose head you’re in. I’ve read some books with just 2 povs, but the author switches heads so often I get seasick! So I guess it all depends on how you set things up.
I’ll admit, I scared myself a bit writing book 3… there were some scenes where, honest to god, there were 6 people all talking. OMG. And on top of that, they were using military code for one of the scenes.
LOL. I looked up in the middle of writing it and just started laughing hysterically. It was that or jump out the nearest window . But I guess I must have pulled it off because my editor didn’t even blink. Whew! Or maybe she was just being polite… 
Nina
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LOL – I’ve learned when the editorial powers that be refrain from commenting, I’ve done good work
Again, I can’t wait to read this series, especially If Looks Could Chill!
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I enjoyed today’s post and would love to win this book.
It sounds like a great read.
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Hi Nina,
Congratulations on your latest release!
I’m actually quite open to reading various POVs in a story as long as it’s done well. I also prefer it if the story has closure for most of those characters that are highlighted b/c it’s frustrating if you’re left with a handful of characters whose fate who may not know for several more books.
Happy Holidays :bigtree:
Anna
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Hi Anna!
But hopefully, since the books did come out fairly close together, people didn’t mind too much. 
There was just no other way to write the series arc as I wanted, without leaving that one plot open. Argh!
Yeah, I totally agree. I definitely agonized over the one dangling thread I was forced to leave unresolved in book 1. I really hate when authors do that, and here I was forced to do it myself.
Nina
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:meepcold:
Wow! Woke to a very cold morning here!
I loved the first book in this series, and just bought the new one a couple of days ago! Can’t wait to read it.
Multiple POVs definitely work for me, especially if the same characters appear throughout the series. Makes me feel I’m getting to know them that much better than when all of their story is focused in one book only.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
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I’m impressed by anyone who can pull off six POVs. Thanks for an interesting post.
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I do not mind multiple POVs as long as they fit and let the book flow… I have to get my hands on this series!
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Welcome, Nina! Very cool, six POV characters! I have trouble juggling two with the occasional villain, LOL! I’m sure it’s fantastic. Will have to check it out.
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:snowguy:
OMG, I LOVE these emoticons!!! LOL
Thanks to everyone who’s commented so far! I’m enjoying hearing your takes on the POV situation. My editor is tending toward the traditional format for the next series, but I’m still unconvinced. Maybe a compromise?
Nina
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:wreath: Multiple POVs are fine, as long as the reader is clear on who is speaking at any given time. Your books sound very interesting. Thanks for visiting today.
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:santabag: Hi Nina,
I love discovering new authors!! I would love to get this series. :decor:
I really like the idea of a plot that makes me pay closer attention. Bravo on taking your idea and running with it. Congrats on all your new releases and your new contract.
Have a great saturday,
Talina :bigtree:
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Hi Nina, I enjoy reading connected books, but also enjoy books not connected! It all depends on how much time I have. Right now I an read an anthology because of time. Thanks for sharing with us today! :walksnowman: :snowman:
:snowguy: :snowfight:
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I also love finding older series’ that I can read all at once. But, I’m so anal I cannot read them out of sequence.
Loved reading your blog and look forward to reading your books.
:santabag: Tami
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Hi Tami!
I thought I was the only anal one. LOL. I recently discovered a great mystery author with an extensive backlist, mostly connected, and I had to scour the planet to find her early books. But I refuse to read the later ones without starting at the beginning. LOL. Yikes! 
Thank goodness there’s someone else out there who can’t read books out of sequence!
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Hi, Nina! It’s so great to have you here in the jungle!
I’m so conditioned to writing just the hero/heroine’s POV, but I think if someone can write more POV’s within a story, and do it well, then I’m fine with it. There have been a few times, within a secondary story, that I’ve done other POV’s. But mainly, just the hero and heroine.
It’s super cold up here in Oregon, and we might even get snow flurries tomorrow! Whoo-hoo! :snowfight:
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I don’t mind the one day PNW snow, but not the two week variety.
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I think I would just have to read the book to know if I liked that many POVs or not, considering the amount of POVs I’ve ever read in a single book was four. But I’m sure its a great book nonetheless! Love the covers!
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Hi Nina! Thanks for visiting with us today :)
As for how many is too many? … Admittedly I can’t think of very many books that focus on more than one hero/heroine – sometimes there may be vignette type sections in a book – and I always enjoy that… so I’m very curious about your book. I’m definitely putting it on my list :)
Congratulations on the new release!
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Congrats on the new release, Nina. I have enjoyed books where the villain’s POV is included in addition to the hero and heroine’s.
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Nina, Congrats on the new release! This book looks awesome and like everyone here I would love to win it. I always dreamed of being an archeaologist. Thanks to your books I can go through adventures with your characterss. So thank you!
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Thanks Lisa!
Yeah, the only thing better than playing in the dirt is working in your jammies. Both great professions!!! :fallleaf:
Being an archaeologist is great fun and a lot of hard work, for almost no money. Hmmm… A lot like being a writer!
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I don’t have a problem with multiple point of views when they are relevant to the story. I can’t wait to read your book. :bigtree:
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I don’t usually pick a book by the cover but I think I can make an exception with yours.
I like multiple POV’s, I know it is harder but it makes the book more rounded.
:bigxmas:
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OMG, don’t you just love that guy’s chest?
I wish I could request him on all my covers!!!
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:rain: Rain coming in my area tomorrow evening, yea! We need it!
:ccane: :santaguy:
Nina, welcome to the Jungle even though it is so late in the day. :bigtree: You are right, all the Icons are neat!!
Your books sound very interesting I love connected books & romantic suspense. I can’t imagine I wouldn’t like yours. I will look for them next time I shop for books. It is always fun to try a new-to-me author.
:decor: :wreath:
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Well, sounds like everyone is at least open to the mulitple pov thing! Yay! I know it’s not very common these days. Suzanne Brockman is about the only other one I know doing it. And I love her books. Is it my imagination, or did there used to be a lot more books with more than just the hero and heroine’s pov? Maybe. Or maybe those authors all started to write mainstream. I think it’s a lot more common in women’s fiction than in romance. After all, we are mainly interested in the love story when we choose a romance to read. Which is good, because ALL of my pov characters are deep into the romance mode. Okay, I’ll admit it. I just use it as an excuse to write even more happy endings than one.
LOL.
Happy reading!!!
Nina
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:treecut: Nina, sorry I am late getting here…. I want to go out tomorrow and pick up your books…I love stories of POV ’s were the story connects and look forward to reading your story… I am always open to new authors and you will be one of mine. I too have to have all the books in the series before I can start the series I dont’ know why guess I can’t wait for the next one to come out…lol :walksnowman:
Donna
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This is sort of funny today at work I was talking to a lady I work with about this she was reading a series that follows one lady through them all and I told her that I don’t like to read about one person in book after book but that I loved to read books that has different main characters but has characters from another story in it. I really like it when you find out what’s going on with people from past books.
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oh Nina pick me!!! Melissa sent me from Dangerous Woman group!! :)
Froggy
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Hi Nina–So sorry I wasn’t around to say hello and welcome you to the jungle yesterday! We’re so happy to have you–thanks very much for being here!