by Karen M. Davis
My dilemma as I attempt to write my first mysterious romance novel – fearfully stepping out of my comfort zone of writing “what I know,” which is crime – is staying on track with the mystery and not letting the romance between my main characters run away with the story. I have an issue with balancing all the different aspects of the book as the romance tends to want to race ahead of everything else. I’ve been told that this type of book has to be led by the said “mystery” and events surrounding it, and that the romance should be secondary. Logically, I can understand this, but sometimes my mind has other ideas.
I also love mystery romance novels that have an element of suspense as well as a ghostly presence (especially historical novels) involved in the story. Yet I worry whether this is believable to some readers? The setting I have chosen for my “attempt at a mystery romance,” is an old country farm house in rural New South Wales. It has been in the one family for generations and of course something terrible happened there years ago. So it’s probable that there could be a few cranky spirits hanging around the place, isn’t it? Do readers like that? I suppose it comes down to whether an individual believes in that kind of thing or not?
So my question is: mystery, suspense, romance--what is more important? Does it have to be a combination of all of the above? Are you limiting your audience by making it a bit spooky?
I love to love...doing what makes me happy.
I love to laugh...at and with my children because they can be very funny.
I love to learn...anything to do with writing.
You can find Karen's latest release, Deadly Obsession, at most large retailers, book stores, and online.
Hi everyone, hope the weekend was a good one. I finished a good book that - in the nature of this topic - had a spooky ghost in it. it turned out to be not so spooky in the end and had a nice twist to it. I'm wondering who likes a good romantic story with a bit of spirit... ?
ReplyDeleteHi Karen, loved your post. I do like a bit of intrigue and such with an unusual story. Did you catch 'Spirited', the recent TV series with Claudia Karvan. That was just terrific. She basically fell in love with the ghost, but it was shock-full of other stories as well. Nora Roberts has done a few romantic suspenses with 'spirited' guests... Can't wait to read your newie. It sounds great.
DeleteHi Malvina, I didn't see that TV series "Spirited." It sounds great. I might have to try and get my hands on it. Nora Roberts it seems has done everything hasn't she... Mine has a long way to go but I'm loving writing something different.
DeleteMy main concern in books where the protagonist falls in love with a ghost is the lack of hope of a fulfilling relationship, which I find incredibly sad (shades of 'Ghost').
DeleteI agree Marilyn, not much hope of a happy ending when one of you is dead... I actually haven't read a book like that but I have read one's where there is some sort of ghost that maybe is a bit scary then turns out to be a guardian or a lost spirit looking ot finish something so they can move on.
DeleteI love spooky romances but detest the ones where I know exactly how it will end by the first 30-50 pages!
ReplyDeleteHi Dee Scully, I agree. I think any book where you can guess the ending too soon is disappointing. The suspense of not knowing is what makes the read so much more exciting...
ReplyDeleteIt's a tricky question. Balancing all the ratios of a good story. I have a murder mystery in my book but the emphasis is very much on the romance. I think it depends on your target audience. If your books are usually more mainstream with romantic elements then yes you would want the mystery at the forefront at all times. If you are writing a romance with a mystery in it then you wouldn't want the mystery to take over the relationship focus. Great post Karen.
ReplyDeleteHi Cassandra Samuels and thanks re the post. I agree with you. Depends on your audience. I will be aiming at mainstream so mystery first, romance second, but no less important. I can't wait to read your, it sounds very intriguing...
DeleteGreat post, Karen. As a personal preference, I want to know more about the relationship, but from a writer's perspective the backbone of the story whether it is the mystery or romance depends on what kind of audience you're writing for, as Cassandra mentioned. I find that a spooky event or character can be incredibly liberating, rather than limiting because anything can happen. Rather than shock the reader out of the realism of the story, if done well, it can draw them in to become unsettled and involved in the uncertainty of the situation.
ReplyDeleteGood point Georgia, I hadn't thought about it that way.
DeleteI love a good mystery, and supernatural elements are always an intriguing add-on for me. But if romance i.e. the promise of a happy ending, isn't at the heart of a story then I find it hard to become involved with the characters and consequently care about what happens to them. I've just bought Anne Romer's 'Thornwood House' as I was intrigued by the blurb. Hope it has a happy ending. :) Good luck with your new venture, Karen.
ReplyDeleteHi Marilyn, you won't be disappointed with Anna's book. Although I like her second one Lyrebird Hill even more than the first. She has a unique and romantic way of writing. And she always likes a happy ending - like you, and I do also.
DeleteHi Karen. I'm intrigued by all things supernatural. Having had experiences that can only be explained that eay it's a given for me. As long as a story has supernatural elements it doesn't matter to me what is the main focus. A romance with supernatural added is a bonus for me. Your mystery intrigues me already. I love secrets from the past.
ReplyDeleteHi Enisa, you will love my "mystery in progress " even more when I tell you that I am stealing the idea's from my mother... now there is a mystery in itself. Not stealing exactly. Mum had written a synopsis of a story (with a police theme funnily enough) before she got too sick to write anymore and told me to have a go at writing it one day. I am taking some of her concepts and adding some of mine and... well we will see what happens. But I can assure you there will secrets from the past.
DeleteWow, Karen, I can see now why you've taken this new path. How wonderful to be writing a story your mum, Lynne Wilding, gave her blessing for you to write. I'm sure it will be a great read.
DeleteThanks Marilyn, we will see what happens. Crime is still what I love to write but I must say I'm having fun with this romantic suspense mystery as well. I'm only thirty thousand words into it so still early days and lots of work to do but we all know that feeling... still trying to figure out whether to add a ghost or two???
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ReplyDeleteThat's a lovely tribute to your mum, Karen. I'm sure Lynne is smiling proudly from up high.
ReplyDeleteHey, re adding a ghost to the story, I have a suggestion (my brain is working overtime, okay). What if a long-dead spirit, perhaps an ancestor of the hero or heroine, has yearned for years for the secret to be revealed but previous visitors to the house just weren't the right ones to reveal it to. Then along comes a particular person, hero or heroine, and they just happen to be the one that the secret can be revealed to. That way you have the secret and ghost interlinked and emotions are intensified. :)
Thanks and great idea Enisa. I really like it and I'm sure can work with that. Like you, I love paranormal stories - I think I've already said that haven't I...
DeleteWho likes a romantic mystery that incorporates an old house into the story? I love old houses and I think every haunted type of book I've read is about an old house and some terrible things that have happened there. Can anyone think of other settings a spooky mystery besides an old house?
ReplyDeleteI get the old house and why it is so popular for spirits and the stories that go with them. I guess ghosts could also be attached to a certain object? Like something in the house that belonged to that person, rather than the house itself. As for other settings it would depend on who the ghost was. They could haunt the workshop/garage if they were that way inclined. Or a tree house if they were a child.
DeleteJewellery is another medium which can hold links to the past both good and bad
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