Partial Sent!

First three chapters and synopsis of After Hours with the CEO is now winging it's way to the Harl/Sil office in New York.

My hands were sweaty as I read and reread those first three chapters a dozen times but I finally took a deep breath and let it go. I put my website address on the cover letter so now I have to make sure it's up and complete within the next week or so. I thought of putting a Christmas card in the package but then realized they probably won't even open it until after the New Year.

Then I turned my attention to writing something for the SYTYCW contest and spent a a couple of days plotting out a Presents story and characters and writing a 5-7 pg synopsis. First clue I might be in trouble: struggling to tell the story in less than 10 pgs. This is a 50,000 word category romance and I haven't written it yet. I should be struggling to find enough words to fill five pages. I spent hours last night with my CP's brainstorming and I tried working with some of their great suggestions, but no matter how I arranged the plot or changed the elements I couldn't get it to work in a believable way. And for some reason they really hated that the Hero kind of kidnaps the heroine. I hadn't really thought about it as kidnapping - the hero just won't let the heroine leave his apartment without one of his bodyguards.

This is the second time I've abandoned an idea that I've fleshed out because I had plot elements that were just too complicated. And I love the characters in both stories so I hate to abandon them. In this story he's CEO of a luxury goods conglomerate named after his mother, the famous French actress Lillian Moreau. And Carly Sorvino is a chef - and the guardian of her nephew that she believes is the hero's child.

Last time I just transferred the hero to a different story but my poor heroine is still languishing in that New York restaurant where I left her at the end of Chapter 1.

So, what's the problem?

Am I trying too hard to create a new "twist" that I make the story unbelievable? OR do I lack the faith to write a simple book and I have to attach all kinds of unnecessary plot twists and surprises so it's easier to write? Or is it the fact that I'm just not meant to write a Presents book?

I think I'm going to go play with some of my other ideas and work out my next Desire book. The senior editor said she'd like to see Billionaires and Babies. How hard can that be?

Does that ever happen to you? You think you have a great idea but you just can't make the whole book come together in a credible way?