Earlier this year, thanks to Angela James, Moira Rogers made it onto my radar with the first novel in her Red Rock Pass series, Cry Sanctuary (see my review here). I really enjoyed it and picked up several of her other books afterward.
Not long after, I realized Moira Rogers isn’t just one women, but two. Bree and Donna are best friends and writing partners, and together they make up the writing team of Moira Rogers.
Today they’re here with us talking about being a writing team and their Red Rock Pass series (books 1 and 2 are currently available from Samhain Publishing and book 3 will be released in October). They’re also giving away 5 digital books!
Bree: Hello, Book Binge readers! My name is Bree, and I am one half of the romance-writing, fictional-crime-fighting duo who writes under the shared penname Moira Rogers. And today I brought my other half…
Donna: Me! Today, we want to talk about how plotting and development is affected by partner writing.
Bree: And man, is it ever. Because no matter how clearly we each think we’re seeing the full picture, the truth of the matter is we’ve always got a slightly different idea about how things are going to play out, and the most frustrating and fantastic changes erupt from those tiny details.
Donna: The classic, “Oh, uh, I thought we were doing something else there.” We discuss our characters and plots exhaustively, and we still manage to surprise each other–and sometimes ourselves. It’s not unlike the theatre, where even actors who’ve prepared their roles for months might see new and interesting nuances during the performances themselves.
Bree: We’ve had to learn to plot in generalities. Where we want a series arc to go, a book arc, the individual plotlines inside the book. Sometimes the basic ideas hold out. We always knew we wanted to write about Abby, Brynn & Dylan in our Red Rock Pass books, because they were the three newcomers whose arrival forced a stagnant community to do things differently.
Donna: And our fourth hero takes things even further out there, since many of the citizens of Red Rock probably don’t know that vampire exist, much less that they’re hanging out in Maine, lumberjacking. LOL
Bree: He was supposed to be a minor character, someone I’d been looking for a chance to sneak into a book. When we were tentatively planning how the series could go, we couldn’t have predicted that our stealthy vampire lumberjack would steal the show and upset all of our plans, but three books out and we’re learning to roll with the surprises.
Donna: The Red Rock Pass books have been a true series in every sense of the word. Not only do we have characters developing over the span of the four books, but there’s an overall plot arc that our vampire lumberjack gets to help tie up…for now.
Bree: Yes, the ending is in sight, and it’s not the one I envisioned when we started. There’s always a point in the middle of the book where everything falls into place, where Donna makes a suggestion and I build on it and suddenly the answer is there and I can’t imagine how we thought we were going to write the book before without knowing it. And those are the times I’m glad I don’t have to do it alone.
Donna: Absolutely. It’s weird, this partner writing thing. Because it’s like being a plotter and a pantser all in one. We have to plot, for reasons Bree already mentioned–if we’re not on the same page, a book can quickly dissolve into a hot mess. But we can also still be shocked (and yes, delighted) at the twists and turns our writing takes. Some of it is plot, but sometimes it’s just golden. Like when a secondary character asks the one question that will pull out some hidden bit of the hero or heroine’s personality. You couldn’t have planned it, didn’t even know it was there, but all of a sudden, there it is.
Bree: I think writing with a partner can be the most awesome and exhilarating thing ever, in spite of the hardships that come with it. (And we’re never going to tell you they’re not there–we fight, we yell, we hang up on each other and sometimes we throw snack foods.) But it’s all worth it when you have the perfect random idea.
Donna: Like, “Hey, how about a world where corrupt alphas use and take from their packs, and only a handful of safe havens exist?”
Bree: Or, “Oooh, can I add a vampire who was a French Canadian lumberjack in Maine at the turn of the century?”
Donna: And sometimes that’s all it takes to subtly–or even drastically–change the direction of a series. Or even introduce a couple of writers to a whole new genre.
Bree: Like that time three days ago when I said, “Heeeey, you know That Thing that happened in 1934 that introduced our very old werewolf to our vampire? Sooooo…I know we’ve never written a historical, but what if the werewolf’s thuggy friend and the vampire’s sweet-but-tough werewolf associate had to work together…”
Donna: Yeah, like that. Suddenly, we’re pitching a paranormal historical novella to our editor. LOL
Bree: So I guess the moral of the story is that you never know where you’re going to end up when you get started.
Donna: Except it’s a pretty safe bet that, no matter what, we’ll be writing something all the time.
Bree: And before we get back to that, we’ll leave you with a question. Would YOU follow a contemporary series into the past for a chance to see how everything started? Or do you think it’s best to soldier bravely into the future?
Leave a comment answering Bree’s question – Would YOU follow a contemporary series into the past for a chance to see how everything started? Or do you think it’s best to soldier bravely into the future? – and you’ll be entered to win one of 5 digital copies of either Cry Sanctuary (book 1) or Sanctuary Lost (book 2).
If you’d like to sample the series before you try it, you can read one of the free reads they have offered on their site. Becoming is a prequel of sorts to the series and was really interesting to read. Beware, though. Once you read it you may have a hard time resisting the other books in the series.
Free Prequels:
The series:
Yes I would… I like history and finding out what molded beloved characters into the people they are would be an interesting read…. I already have both Cry and Lost…. can’t wait for PRice though… thanks Shell
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Ditto to the hockeyvamp, always good to learn more about why the story-world is the way it is.
I already have the books as well.. bring on the third and the lumberjack cos he’s okay..
Damn it now I have that song stuck in my head again!!
I would so long as i liked the characters from the stories.
lastrideusa[AT]yahoo[DOT]com
I would so long as i liked the characters from the stories.
lastrideusa[AT]yahoo[DOT]com
Well first of all, I would follow you lovely ladies anywhere! (Have I mentioned I’m waiting for you to do a full-length on the firefighter free read on your site — lurve that!).
But second of all, yes. I like historicals and paranormals and backstory — so absolutely, yes!
~bella
Hey! So fun to hear about how you guys work. I had no idea you were a team like this. I never read one of your books, but I love that a stealthy vampire lumberjack stole your show. I think I need to investigate!
As for the quesiton, it really depends for me. I’d be interested in reading about the pasts of characters I’ve come to know mostly if I personally have questions about them. Like if they are mysterious and I’m curious. I can think of characters I greatly love where I woldn’t be interested in their past, bc I maybe don’t have burning questions about them. But it doesn’t mean a good book couldn’t be written about their past.
Like Carolyn Crane said above. While I love historicals and contemporary, if the characters are not interesting to me I would not want to continue reading much less continue back to their past.
I would most definitely follow a contemporary into the past. I think that would add a new dimension to the story. Sometimes a small amount of back story isn’t enough form me to development any concern for a character.
I totally would, generally because I love all the connections in a series. If they go back in time (or forward!), that’s something I’ll want to read so that I know how all the pieces fit together.
Cry Sanctuary was fabulous–can’t wait to get caught up on this series!
Absolutely, I would go back time and read about how things all started. Thanks for the great interview. I look forward to reading your books!!
I enjoyed reading the interview.
And yes, I would go back and read how everything had started. It’s good to learn who/what has made characters as they are today.
Thanks,
Tracey D
I would follow the story into the past to discover what happened to the chracters to make them how they are in the present.
Yep I would read a prequel if the story had me interested enough to want to know how the characters got to where they are in the present.
I would definitely follow a series into the past to learn more about where the series started. History fascinates me, so I’m sure I would enjoy learning more about what happened before a series started in order for the whole thing to start.
Absolutely, I’ve followed a number of series *backward* into the past. I adore reading about my favorite characters and how they got to BE the people who kept me reading their tales. Reading the events that shaped them is just as much fun as reading about what they do with themselves “now”!
I would love to follow a series back in time to see how it all started. If I’m following a series, it’s because I love the characters, so of course I would want to more about them!
Thanks! And that’s such a great way to do stuff.. I would love to write with someone else!
Morning Glow
For sure I would to find out where it all started. To me, that is a huge part. I want to know what makes a character who they are. I don’t like to have to guess or feel like I missed something.
Amy M
yes, i love to find out where things started, it always has more meaning to me then.
i would follow a contempory series into the past or future if I loved the series. If they series is good either way would be good.
I’m always a sucker for a backstory! SO yes!
Absolutely I would. If a series is good, I’ll follow it anywhere!
I would if it answered any questions about the past that are left hanging in the series.
I check your site every day – how did I miss this post with an author I just discovered and love what I’ve seen so far?! I actually read their Southern Arcana story, Crux, and loved it!
Glad I found your post, even if I’m too late; it’s always interesting to see into the mind of an author.
And yes, I’d follow a good author anywhere!
Thanks!