romantic suspense

A Conversation With Leann Betts

0 , , , , ,

Leeann Betts writes contemporary suspense, while her real-life persona, Donna Schlachter, pens historical suspense. She has released six titles in her cozy mystery series, By the Numbers, with Petty Cash releasing in December. In addition, Leeann just released her first Christmas-themed romantic suspense, In Search of Christmas Past.

What’s the hardest part of writing romantic suspense?
Leann: I think for me the hardest part is making sure there are equal parts romance and suspense. I don’t have a problem writing suspense—it’s the romance that always gets me. I usually come up with the suspense plot first, and then spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to weave the romance in.

When do you find time to write?
Leann: I don’t find time—I make time. I am blessed to not have to work outside the home, and I’m married to my biggest supporter, but that doesn’t mean I’m not busy. But I am very badge-oriented (read goal-oriented or project-oriented), so I give myself a deadline and stick with it. I think of every month as National Novel Writing Month.

How do you connect with your characters?
Leann: I tend to do it the hard way—I write about two chapters of backstory, then I end up going back, writing down what I discovered to use somewhere else in the story, then start my story where it really begins.

Current book: In Search of Christmas Past
Can Grace and Luke solve uncover the truth about their real feelings, or will their differences in goals and faith drive them apart?

Connect W/Leann
Website: www.LeeannBetts.com
Facebook: http://bit.ly/1pQSOqV
Twitter: http://bit.ly/1qmqvB6

Stepping Stones to Suspense: A Conversation With Lynne Tagawa

0 , , , , ,

Lynne Tagawa is married with four grown sons and three grandbabies. A biology teacher, she teaches part-time, writes and edits. She’s written a Texas history curriculum in narrative form, Sam Houston’s Republic, and has just published her debut novel, A Twisted Strand. Lynne lives with her husband in South Texas.

When I was fourteen, I was going to be a scientist. You see, I had discovered Isaac Asimov’s nonfiction essays about all kinds of scientific topics, which may sound boring to some of you—maybe all of you—but he wrote so well.

He had a knack of communicating things in such a way as to make the subject interesting, and no longer was physics or biochemistry arcane and inaccessible—they actually seemed fun.

He didn’t use textbook style, but instead began sentences with words like, “You see,” And maybe I learned something then that I am only fully realizing now.

When in college studying engineering, I soon discovered I was a square peg in a round hole, or perhaps the reverse. Now that I understood what being a scientist or an engineer really meant, I knew it wasn’t for me. But I still liked science and liked to explain scientific things.

So I ended up in the college of education, then found employment as a science teacher, which I’ve enjoyed.

Then came a day when I was asked to review a textbook for an entirely different subject: Texas history.

Predictably, it was boring, written by committee. Where is Asimov when you need him? Plus, there were important things that the textbooks left out, such as Sam Houston’s conversion to Christ and rifle-toting Baptist preachers. To make a long story short, those types of things made it into my personal textbook rebellion: Sam Houston’s Republic.

Later, I wondered what I would write if I made the full leap from narrative nonfiction (my “textbook”) into real fiction. What would I write about? And where would the setting be?

It was like learning to drive a car, and I didn’t want to make it too hard on myself; I decided to stay close to home—South Texas. And if you know that I’m a science teacher, it might not surprise you to discover that one of my characters is a virus.

Not a natural one—it’s engineered. So the suspense part was kind of prefab, in a way. The trick was to weave the strands of the plot threads—the relationship, the truth of the gospel, and the bad guys—all into one coherent narrative.

It’s not Asimov or Crichton. Just lil’ ole me. But it contains scriptural truth, and that made it worthwhile to write.

Current book: A Twisted Strand
After her divorce, Rachel Davis heads to South Texas to raise her kids. Can she find the secret to making her heart whole again?

Connect W/Lynne
Website: https://www.lynnetagawa.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lbtagawa/

A Conversation With Elle E. Kay

0 , , , , ,

Elle E. Kay lives on a farmette in the Back Mountain region of Pennsylvania. She is a born-again Bible believing Christian. Her website is updated with the latest information about her upcoming books. She also has a blog, where she writes mostly devotional posts based on traditional hymns.

When do you find time to write?
Elle: I write best in the morning before my husband wakes up. After making coffee, I settle in at my desk and start writing. On a good day, the coffee goes cold because I’m too busy writing to drink it!

Why do you like writing romantic suspense?
Elle: Romantic suspense is my favorite genre to read, so when I started writing, it naturally fit neatly into the romantic suspense category. I have written children’s books, one contemporary women’s fiction novella and a romantic comedy novella, but my true love is definitely romantic suspense. I enjoy a romantic storyline, but the suspense keeps me turning the pages in a way that a pure romance doesn’t. Sure, there is suspense in other fiction, but it’s not the heart pounding, gut-twisting kind. I write what I would want to read.

Have you ever regretted killing off a character? Why?
Elle: Yes. A character dies in Claudia and I almost wish I could bring that character back, for the simple reason that I liked her. She was like an old friend, and we had much in common.

Current book: Claudia
Framed for the murder of her boyfriend’s lover, Claudia McIntyre must prove her innocence. Dawson Montgomery keeps things interesting, while frustrating her at every turn.

Connect W/Elle
Website: http://www.elleekay.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ElleEKay7
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ElleEKay7
Google Plus: http://plus.google.com/u/0/109425471799738920268/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elleekay7/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/elle3555
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15016833.Elle_E_Kay

NaNoWriMo Has Taken Over My Life

0 , , , , ,

November has been National Novel Writing Month for a while now, and I’ve participated in the craziness of writing 50,000 words in a new novel between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30. Yes, that’s right, I commit to putting on paper (well, in a Word document), on average of 1,666 words a day for 30 days straight.

That means I’m pretty well not doing much of anything else during November. Except that it’s, er, November, which means there’s that little holiday called Thanksgiving in there. And for me, two weekends where I’m at craft shows to sell doll clothes with my mom. That means, on the other days, I’m a writing maniac.

I’m often asked how I do it, and so, here are my NaNoWriMo secrets.

  1. Write every day, even if it’s 10 words. This keeps the story fresh in your mind.
  2. Don’t edit. Not. Even. One. Sentence. Just don’t. Sometimes, I’m writing and saying to myself, “I will have to fix this later,” but plowing ahead without stopping.
  3. Use generic “names” to keep the momentum going. Instead of pausing to come up with a name for each character, name your main ones but use descriptive titles for the other ones (unless a name just comes to you out of the blue). For example, Lawyer First Last Name, Police Office First Last Name, Hero Best Friend, etc. You get the picture. Try to use the same descriptive title for the same character so you can do an easy search-and-replace when you’ve come up with a name for that character.
  4. When you don’t know what to write, throw in a fire or blow something up. In other words, write an outlandish scene with your characters just to unstick your mind, then keep going without deleting the words. See point number 2.
  5. Write with others. Many areas have numerous Write-Ins during November. Take advantage. It will be fun and you’ll find yourself spurred to write more.
  6. Have fun. This is supposed to be a fun exercise, so enjoy the process! Don’t get overly stressed about it.

Now, I’d better get back to that manuscript…gotta get to 50K–there’s only 8 more days left!

A Conversation With Cathe Swanson

0 , , , , , ,

Cathe Swanson lives in Wisconsin, where the long winters are perfect for writing and reading books! Cathe enjoys writing stories with creative plots and eccentric characters of all ages. Her books will make you laugh and make you cry – and then make you laugh again.

What’s the hardest part of writing romantic suspense?
Cathe: Keeping it realistic—or at least plausible. Sometimes, my imagination outruns my brain.

Why do you like writing romantic suspense?
Cathe: In romantic suspense novels, I can explore a character’s entire personality. Romantic suspense plots provide opportunities to reveal not just a character’s strengths, but also their weaknesses, fears and—sometimes—the ugly parts of their human natures. Because I write from a Christian worldview, I have that aspect to develop too, showing how each person’s faith or lack of faith is a primary part of who they are and how they respond to everything in life.

Relationships in romantic suspense novels have an extra layer to them, as the characters interact in dangerous and extreme circumstances. They can be challenging to write, because I also need to bring them into a believable relationship once they resolve the problem and enter “normal life” as a couple.

In romantic suspense, I can create more complex plots. I like to include very funny scenes and eccentric characters, to balance the heartbreaking and scary bits, because that’s how real life is.

How do you pick the location/setting of your romantic suspense novels?
Cathe: I like to use places I am familiar with, but I often set up fictional micro-communities inside of those areas so I can be more creative. Fortunately, we have moved a lot. The Great Lakes collection is set in the Midwest, in a fictional Chicago neighborhood and in the western end of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, which is not fictional at all. I lived there long enough—and it’s diverse enough—that I can use it without making changes to suit my plot.

What did you want to be as a child (and did that dream come true)?
Cathe: In high school, I wanted to be an occupational therapist, but instead I got married and raised a family. When my interest in occupational therapy was revived 35 years after high school graduation, I went down to the community college. They told me I was too old to start and finish the program, so I went home and made the young hero of “Baggage Claim” an occupational therapy assistant. I live vicariously through my characters.

Current book: Baggage Claim
Dangerous old and new secrets bind a young widower with four lively children, his highly-efficient nanny and a reclusive artist in the Upper Peninsula.

Connect W/Cathe
Website: http://catheswanson.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CatheSwanson
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CatheSwanson
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/catheswanson
Instagram: http://instagram.com/CatheSwanson
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/CatheSwanson
BookBub Author Page: http://www.bookbub.com/authors/cathe-swanson
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/catheswanson
Newsletter signup: http://www.catheswanson.com/newsletter

«‹ 64 65 66 67›»