Suspense – With or Without a Shot of Romance?
I write suspense. When I was writing my first novel, one of my critics accused me of having written a romance novel because there was an element of romance within the story. I objected vehemently but changed the ending from happily ever after to maybe happily ever after.
Now I’m writing my second suspense novel and agonizing over the ending. The protagonist finding love seems to be a nice way to wrap up the story, but again, I’m being sensitive to possible genre-labeling. As a reader, I enjoy a romantic subplot and wanted to add that to my suspense storyline. That said, how much is too much?
It becomes necessary to look at how the differing genres are defined.
1. Romance. This hardly needs description. The romantic progression is the main theme. The lovers meet, there is conflict between them, they grow, they (in most cases) live happily ever after. No ambiguity.
2. Romantic Mystery/Suspense. By definition, this category includes any mystery/suspense story in which the romance is the main plot but which also contains a large element of mystery/suspense. Today, this category has many offshoots, very often with the mystery and the romance getting equal billing, which is done frequently by some of the big names in romance writing.
3. Adding a romantic element to a mystery or suspense book. Want a touch of romance in your mystery?
a. The romance has to remain a sub-plot and cannot dominate the story. The mystery/suspense must be the main focus of the story line.
b. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am weary of male protagonists who bed everything that moves. I read a book recently where on one page alone, the hero was mourning the death of an old girlfriend (One with whom he’d had goodby sex two weeks previously), getting ready for a romantic (sexual he was hoping) evening in his apartment with a new woman, a client in an investigation, and he was also regretting the fact that a woman he worked with and had formerly had a long time relationship with, had just refused to get back together with him because he’d had sex with the woman who’d gotten killed. It was a bit much for me, but I suppose male readers would be vicariously cheering him on.
c. Long story short, romance entwined in a mystery/suspense novel should be believable. (Unless your target reader is male.!)
d. I’d appreciate your feedback on this, but I’m thinking the final chapter should be suspense related and the story shouldn’t end with the culmination of a romance that developed within the novel.
Dear readers,
I hope all of you had a wonderful Easter weekend.
We just survived Friday the 13th and the world is still functioning. I got some bad news on the thirteenth; a friend whose opinion I value told me my published ebook/printbook still had too many errors. This is a book that has been proofed multiple times, so it was a terrible blow, since redoing it will be costly in time and money. I’ve gotten great feedback about the story, however. Maybe those that get caught up in the story don’t notice. I’ll need to make a decision what to do about it, but meantime I’m trying to wrap up my second suspense book. The current dilemma is the ending, which inspired today’s blog.
Happy reading and writing,
Marla
Hi Marla. I enjoy a little bit of romance in a story. It has to fit in with the story, tho. The protagonist you mentioned may be realistic. Maybe there are men like him. He sounds Bondish. But he also sounds like a player, and a cad. No one I'd be interested in.One of the best stories I ever read was by James? Butcher in the Harry Dresden series. Harry usually strikes out in the books. About the 8th book in he got lucky. Yhe scenes were passionate, fairly explicit, and well written. I think all Harry's fans cheered when they read it. That's the kind of writing I aspire to. Great blog. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting, Louise/
DeleteI'm sure there are men like him. Actually, I've known my share!The man I mentioned is the lead in a very popular series. I think I've just read too many books with that type of man. Yikes, I'm sounding prudish, aren't I? I'm not, honest.
I think I know the series you're referring to. It's a good one, but I can't remember the name either.
So happy you liked the blog,
Marla
Great post. This is a bit of a conundrum, isn't it? I guess my way around it is in writing a series versus a one-shot complete novel. The romance is added as a definte subplot in my first book, but doesn't really get rolling until my second. Sometimes when the romance gets squeezed into one novel, it's simply unconvincing for me, so I really wanted to stretch things out. Sometimes when you're running for your life/catching a killer/trying to save the world, there simply isn't time to have a full fledged romance, you know? ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Jen,
DeleteThanks for reading my blog! You're right about the series being helpful to build a romantic involvement. I've decided to have it be
a beginning only, and not end with it. Leave it on a happy note, although there will be some partly unanswered things at the end. Not sure if it will be a series. As a reader, I think they're hard to do, so I'm not sure I'll tackle one yet. But I think building romantic involvement or just friendships add a lot to a suspense novel.
Marla
Writer Dave here.
ReplyDeleteI too, am changing my ending to my first novel. Even though the climatic chapter was the main suspense and action, I wanted a little extra at the end. So, I have some continuing suspense and questions at the end. It will be a very bittersweet ending!
Writer Dave here, again.
ReplyDeleteI just want to add to the above:
I did have some romance in the story, but it was secondary to the main mystery!
Haven't seen any romance in your short stories. Women do sit on barstools, too, you know! :)
DeleteI think Jen raises a good point about series. Much easier to do a slow build up in those.
Bittersweet endings are fine, just don't leave the reader too frustrated!
Happy writing,
Marla
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ReplyDeleteThe reformed (or not-so-reformed) bad boy is a common character in romance novels, though in mine, I prefer the men who, though they're tough, also have a high level of integrity. He doesn't have to be perfect, and he might be recovering from a difficult past, but he needs a sense of honor. I recently read a story in which the hero came onto another woman at the same time he was on a date with the heroine. Yuck. Being a playboy is one thing, but that's just bad manners.
ReplyDeleteAs to where the line between romantic suspense or mystery with a romantic element is drawn, I'd say there's a lot of gray area and plenty of authors skirt the edges of genres/subgenres.
You're right. Genre's today are a lot like ordering doneness of a steak!
DeleteMine are not Romantic Suspense, but do have an element of romance. So somewhere between medium and medium rare. :)
I like the bad boys, but I agree that the bad boy has to be a good boy to the heroine of the story. At least most of the time and after their first interlude. And no serious interests in other women!
Thanks for your thoughts,
Marla