The Book Stacks

I wrote my first novel with two other women, one being my sister, author Nancy Bush. That book was never sold. It was 1981. I remember there were rejection letters saying it had too much suspense in it. Ironic, I think, considering the path my career has taken.

So, when I did first get published, I wrote romance novels for Silhouette Books. Suspense was a no-no. I was told to take it out, out, OUT! Well . . . a little suspense always slipped in because I’m a suspense/mystery reader. I cut my teeth on Nancy Drew and The Black Stallion mysteries. LOVED them. Suspense came naturally

Isn’t that great. Once romantic suspense came into reading vogue again, I was all over it. Believe you me. I think it is what I was always meant to eventually write—suspense, thrillers, romantic suspense, whatever description suits doesn’t worry me. It just makes me happy writing it. I didn’t get to just leap in, of course. I studied the market. I considered the books that were being written and most of the time I thought the women authors covered the romance part of the equation pretty well, but I still wanted more straight suspense.

The reverse was true for the male writers. They left me wanting more about their characters’ relationship—ok, ok more romance. This is a pretty broad statement, and I found exceptions to my rule, of course, but my own desires as a reader ended up being what led the opportunity to write what I wanted and to bring readers something different.

I saw a path and I jumped onto it with both feet and at a dead run. I was finally able to write the kind of stories I like to read, complete with….you guessed it, HOT SEX AND COLD DEATH!

I haven’t left any of that behind, but I do have to say that my new book LOST SOULS is a bit of a departure for me. It’s got this whole vampire theme added in—are they real? are they not?—going along with a cult and some paranormal elements to heighten the thriller aspect of the books.

There’s a touch of the paranormal, too. I do love paranormal elements. Things like ESP and seeing someone die before your eyes—which actually is the paranormal element in LOST SOULS. When my character Kristi Bentz sees a person drain of color before her eyes she knows they are going to die.

Part of the excitement of writing thrillers is, for me, taking a germ of an idea and messing around with it. Think about it this way and that way, try to put a new spin on it. That’s when I start scratching notes. At this point, I always come up with the twist at the end.

I want to lead my readers on a breathless journey, but I want it be a puzzle for them, too…have them thinking of one thing when BAM!, out of left field (or right), the story turns on its ear and spins in a new direction. The “Oh, gees, I didn’t see that coming” moment.

Part of the thriller, I think, is the puzzle. “Who’s doing this and why?” The twist is the final chance for me, as the author, to say “Gotcha!” to my readers.

I’m addicted, that’s for sure, and very happy to keep on killing for the time being.

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