genre crisis
Sharon wrote an excellent post and Jaq wrote an excellent post, and I got them all mixed up in my head and I’m trying to think about them coherently and answer them both here. Sharon was asking if I thought about the market when I wrote (okay, she didn’t say she asked me specifically, but I know she really was) and then Jaq talked about genre-blending. And I was/am having a huge genre-crisis in the middle of my plotting crisis the other day, because I’ve been calling my latest book/series a romantic suspense, for lack of a better term.
But I don’t think it’s a true romantic suspense. It’s closer to contemporary romance in that the focus is more on the characters falling in love than the suspense, especially because you know who the bad guy is right from the start, BUT there is an element of suspense and there’s plenty of action. Lots of action. Oh, and there’s a slight paranormal element too. So, what the HELL do I write? How do I market myself?
After many, many IM’s with Katie and this fantastic article, I’ve come to the conclusion that I write romantic adventure, which is similar to romantic suspense, but it’s lighter. Although, when I described my plot to Pat the other night and told her that my book was ‘light’ she told me gently that abductions / prison breaks and killings are not exactly light and airy.
I swore that it was written lighter and airier than it sounded. And, after she read it, she agreed. Because, although I love romantic suspense, I don’t think my voice is well suited for it. I definitely have those ‘moments’ of surprise/suspense in my book but I’ve got humor in there too (big surprise, eh?) The book I got my agent with, my first Navy SEAL trilogy installment, is a contemporary romance with some action thrown in. So yep, it has the leanings of romantic adventure. And so I think, for me, it was not so much about writing the book of my heart as it was writing the book/genre of my voice. Whether the market will bear that remains to be seen. (Sheesh, Sharon, I hope that answered your question. Stop making me THINK, please. I have to go practice my tennis swing now.)
Oh, and I’ve gone around to a lot of your blogs and said my congrats, but I wanted to say it here in case I missed someone — Congrats to all of my blogging buddies who have been asked to be Romancing the Blog Columnists!!! I’m so proud of you guys. It’s a great opportunity for all of us bloggers and I’m excited to see where it leads.
Steph T.
January 19th, 2005 at 12:26 pm
LOL@killings not being light and airy. I can’t write light. I wish I could. If I do it’s a struggle. Then I forget and slip back to the darkside. To be honest I gave up on categorizing my work–my agent and Laura Cifelli said it’s grown up chick lit and that works for me. =)
Off to read Sharon’s post.
January 19th, 2005 at 1:27 pm
I like adventure, Steph. And I could be so very dead wrong, but I really think adventure is ripe to hit big. I call my historicals “adventure” rather than suspense, because like you they aren’t really suspense. My agent calls them very “Indiana Jonish” *g*
I’m trying to remember how many people I killed in my story hehe. At first glance, I suppose it’s rather morbid sounding because I killed the heroine’s entire family, the hero’s best friend, the guy who killed the heroine’s family…
Ok ok so maybe I got carried away *g*
January 19th, 2005 at 1:42 pm
Cece - I like the sound of grown-up chick-lit *g*
and Sharon, your story sounds very light and airy to me *ggg* And I hope you’re very right about adventure being ripe to hit it big. *crossing everything*
January 19th, 2005 at 3:15 pm
I think Sharon’s right on the adventure angle esp with the popularity of Alias and “comic book” movies =)
Off to line edit
January 19th, 2005 at 4:46 pm
Steph, heck, my writing is light and airy on the suspense side. I’ve always said its romance suspence with a twist. The readers getting more than what they expected that way.
Jerri
January 20th, 2005 at 4:26 am
Mine’s dirty. *blush* But after these two “contemporary erotic romances” I’m leanigntowards doing a paranormal..and then I’d really love to do an erotic thriller! Sorta like Basic Instinct type of stuff. *g* then I can kill people too!
January 20th, 2005 at 8:44 pm
Thanks for the congrats, Steph. It’s a bit scary, but I’m looking forward to learning something from the other columnists. They rounded up some big names. :D
January 20th, 2005 at 9:11 pm
I write romantic adventure, too. I have a hard time with suspense.
And I’d have to agree…your stuff is adventure.
And thanks again for the congrats. You have a lot of class, Steph, and I’m proud to call you a friend.
Larissa, who is now past the mushy stage and is back to wanting to mail you a grasshopper leg for fun.
January 20th, 2005 at 9:31 pm
Jerri - I like the suspense with a twist angle. And Sasha, dirty is HOT right now too! LOL
Sylvia - you’re going to be a great columnist!
And you, miss mushysendingmegrasshopperlegs (you’re welcome too!)- You KNEW that I wrote adventure and you didn’t tell me? I’ve been angsting over this and you knew the whole time exactly what I write. (stop laughing)
January 21st, 2005 at 1:14 pm
Oh, Steph, I wouldn’t laugh at you! Never, ever! (Was that convincing? Or am I still a bad liar?)
January 21st, 2005 at 6:59 pm
I like the sounds of ‘romantic adventure’, Steph. Definitely brings to mind Indiana Jones, Romancing the Stone, et al.