Recently I pitched a romantic suspense plot to my publisher. The feedback was positive. “We absolutely LOVE your voice. We’re looking for romance thrillers. Can you make this into one about terror cells?” Say what?
My career is still in its infancy. I’ve written and gotten published two historical romances and two romantic suspense novels in five years. I enjoy reading thrillers and romantic suspense, but I’ve never written one. The idea is scary, yet exciting. Can I write what could be the turning point book of my career? I’m going to try like heck to do so.
My editor for this project is fantastic. She’s given me a lot of pointers and, after much back and forth (anyone who knows me knows I ask a ton of questions), I’ve started the book.
The research has been extensive. I’ve never known much about terrorism. I watch action movies about terrorism, but I get sucked into the action and don’t really follow the plots too much. I’m the person you don’t want to sit next to in a movie; I ask a lot of questions, remember? But now I’m creating the action.
I’ve read terrorist articles online until I’m sure my browser history has been red-flagged by law enforcement. I’ve asked my husband and older son about terror cells until they cry “Uncle!” And, I’ve asked my younger son about the army (he’s enlisted right now) until he stops texting me back. Yet, I think I have a handle on the subject now.
My career is still in its infancy. I’ve written and gotten published two historical romances and two romantic suspense novels in five years. I enjoy reading thrillers and romantic suspense, but I’ve never written one. The idea is scary, yet exciting. Can I write what could be the turning point book of my career? I’m going to try like heck to do so.
My editor for this project is fantastic. She’s given me a lot of pointers and, after much back and forth (anyone who knows me knows I ask a ton of questions), I’ve started the book.
The research has been extensive. I’ve never known much about terrorism. I watch action movies about terrorism, but I get sucked into the action and don’t really follow the plots too much. I’m the person you don’t want to sit next to in a movie; I ask a lot of questions, remember? But now I’m creating the action.
I’ve read terrorist articles online until I’m sure my browser history has been red-flagged by law enforcement. I’ve asked my husband and older son about terror cells until they cry “Uncle!” And, I’ve asked my younger son about the army (he’s enlisted right now) until he stops texting me back. Yet, I think I have a handle on the subject now.
What’s different with writing the thriller is the fact that you need more action than in a romantic suspense novel, and I don’t mean the kind of action that happens between the sheets. There must be a lot more twists and turns that throw your hero and heroine together until they succumb to each other’s charms. And, of course, you must have a surprise twist that no one see’s coming. Luckily, I think I have that.
Lastly, in this age when women are stronger and more independent than ever before, the heroine must not NEED the hero to save her; she must be able to think on her own. She should WANT him more than need him. Since I’ve always been pretty independent myself, that also isn’t too hard for me to create, either.
The hard part will be plot holes, or missing clues. I’m great at forgetting to put something in that ties the whole story together. Or forget that very important description about the hero’s past, or the heroine’s doubts. It could even be something small, like having the heroine get up in one scene only to forget and have her sitting down in the next. It can be bigger, like revealing the bad guy in dialogue before the climax. I’ve done that; my editor at the time caught it and I was able to fix the blip. I get so caught up in writing that I forget the little details. And it’s the little details that make the story real.
Writing the thriller is not for the faint of heart. There are a lot of balls in the air that the author must juggle right to the very end. Am I nervous? You bet. But I’m even more excited. This is the chance of my writing lifetime. I can hardly wait to bring this book, which doesn’t even have a title yet, to you. It will be exciting, surprising, and romantic. And hopefully, memorable.
I’ll outline my thriller journey here on the blog throughout the process. You’ll have a front row seat to what promises to be the best book I’ve ever created, with characters whose uber-hot chemistry will make you blush.
So, just to tease my faithful readers, here’s the rough blurb my editor and I came up with, the one that clinched my book contract.
Let me know what you think!
Former terror cell expert Audrey Jenkins has seen enough death and destruction to last a lifetime. When she uncovers her ex, a higher-ranking officer in her unit, selling military secrets, she turns him in and walks away from her career for good, hiding behind a simple life far from danger.
CID Special Agent Cameron Harris is a career military man with a strong sense of duty. When a military prisoner who once saved his life in Afghanistan escapes while in his custody, he requests the assignment to track him down.
Cam’s manhunt leads him to Audrey’s door. His prisoner—her ex—will resurface here, he’s sure of it, given her role in the case. The feisty woman wants nothing to do with hunting down her ex, but when a terror cell she’s all-too-familiar with launches a deadly attack on a civilian target her unit had been protecting, she knows it’s him. Cam and Audrey join forces to bring down the man before any more innocent blood is shed.
Lastly, in this age when women are stronger and more independent than ever before, the heroine must not NEED the hero to save her; she must be able to think on her own. She should WANT him more than need him. Since I’ve always been pretty independent myself, that also isn’t too hard for me to create, either.
The hard part will be plot holes, or missing clues. I’m great at forgetting to put something in that ties the whole story together. Or forget that very important description about the hero’s past, or the heroine’s doubts. It could even be something small, like having the heroine get up in one scene only to forget and have her sitting down in the next. It can be bigger, like revealing the bad guy in dialogue before the climax. I’ve done that; my editor at the time caught it and I was able to fix the blip. I get so caught up in writing that I forget the little details. And it’s the little details that make the story real.
Writing the thriller is not for the faint of heart. There are a lot of balls in the air that the author must juggle right to the very end. Am I nervous? You bet. But I’m even more excited. This is the chance of my writing lifetime. I can hardly wait to bring this book, which doesn’t even have a title yet, to you. It will be exciting, surprising, and romantic. And hopefully, memorable.
I’ll outline my thriller journey here on the blog throughout the process. You’ll have a front row seat to what promises to be the best book I’ve ever created, with characters whose uber-hot chemistry will make you blush.
So, just to tease my faithful readers, here’s the rough blurb my editor and I came up with, the one that clinched my book contract.
Let me know what you think!
Former terror cell expert Audrey Jenkins has seen enough death and destruction to last a lifetime. When she uncovers her ex, a higher-ranking officer in her unit, selling military secrets, she turns him in and walks away from her career for good, hiding behind a simple life far from danger.
CID Special Agent Cameron Harris is a career military man with a strong sense of duty. When a military prisoner who once saved his life in Afghanistan escapes while in his custody, he requests the assignment to track him down.
Cam’s manhunt leads him to Audrey’s door. His prisoner—her ex—will resurface here, he’s sure of it, given her role in the case. The feisty woman wants nothing to do with hunting down her ex, but when a terror cell she’s all-too-familiar with launches a deadly attack on a civilian target her unit had been protecting, she knows it’s him. Cam and Audrey join forces to bring down the man before any more innocent blood is shed.
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