A Romantic Mystery
I’ve been sitting here staring at the computer thinking, “What am I going to write about in this blog?” And, it got me on this thought that I’m posting on a romance blog, and I do quite a bit of marketing in the romance market, even though I write in the mystery genre. Why do I do that? Well, in reality I’ve always thought my mysteries have quite a bit of romance and sexual tension in them. In fact, on reader (I love this) on amazon said that (and I quote) “the book couldn’t decide if it was a mystery or a romance.” I love that one. First off, when did books get brains?
The reason I write a romantic sub-plot into my mysteries is because I think love and relationships are what makes the world go around. So, it’s a cliche, but it’s true. And, people falling in or out of love make for interesting stories. I think most of us can relate to the joy loving someone else can bring, along with the misery. I also think that people who read my mysteries tend to come back not only because they like mystery but also because they know they are going to get the romance, too. I have more e-mails these days about who Nikki Sands will wind up with in book 4 in the wine lover’s mysteries (on pre-order now–BSP) than who am I going to kill off next. In A Vintage Murder which will be out in July, readers find out who Nikki gets busy with (doesn’t mean it will last–love is tumultuous). :wink:
In the Michaela Bancroft series (aka the horse lover’s), I’ve given her a a roller-coaster ride in the love department too, and even had my first book in that series (Saddled with Trouble) compared to the romantic suspense of The Queen–Nora Roberts and Linda Howard by the editors at bn.com. I don’t know about that, but I’ll take it and hold tight. That’s like getting a freaking Oscar to a writer!
I have officially decided that my romantic mysteries need not decide if they are mysteries or romances. Amateur sleuths need love, too. They do have lives outside of solving murders, and I’m sorry, but if you are a normal gal who does not stumble over dead bodies on a regular basis, then you’ll get this–this does not happen in the real world, and if it did, you’d be crazy. And, my heroines are not crazy–just unlucky. To make these stories seem as plausible, I think romance is the answer. Okay, so it’s not the caviar and roses with happy endings all the time type romance, but it’s romance in my quirky world of mystery.
Hope you’ll take a chance on my indecisive mystery/romance/comedic/foodie/wino (oops, I mean wine lover) related books. :razz:
Cheers,
Michele
