Jean Hackensmith’s Checkmate
by Jean Hackensmith
I have been asked by a number of people why I strayed from my normal genre (time travel and historical romance) when I wrote “Checkmate.� Frankly, I was getting burned out on the “same old, same old�. It just wasn’t fun anymore. I also felt that I was limiting myself by being known strictly as a “romance author�. I wanted to write something new. Something different. At least for me.
As it turned out, the romance writer in me refused to die. While working on the book, the “strong, sexy hero� and the “vulnerable yet spunky heroine� fought their way to the surface. Hence the reason the book was classified as a “romantic thriller� by my publisher. It’s more thriller than romance, though. Readers won’t find even one love scene in the book. Those steamy liaisons have been replaced by suspense and terror. After all, when you’re being stalked by a homicidal maniac, who has time for sex?
A virtually new genre, the “Romantic Thriller� takes Romantic Suspense up a notch and combines romance with an edge of your seat thriller. The “happy ending� still applies, but the main couple must overcome seemingly insurmountable and dangerous odds to get there. In a strict romance, the main conflict is generally between the hero and heroine. In a Romantic Suspense, the things that could destroy them come from outside of their relationship.
The same holds true in a Romantic Thriller, but where a Romantic Suspense would receive a rating of “PG�, a Romantic Thriller is definitely rated “R�. The Romantic Thriller pulls out all the stops. Even good characters can use bad words and the villain is generally sadistic, sexually motivated, and downright mean.
Hence comes, Dan, the “stalker� in “Checkmate.� He almost beat his wife, Caryn, to death a dozen times. He tied her up, along with their children, locked them in the bathroom, and set the house on fire. They survived, he went to prison and, eighteen years later, he’s back and determined to finish the job. His twisted game consists of thirteen “moves�, each more violent than the last. Now Caryn and her new boyfriend must beat the odds and survive until…Checkmate.
May 14th, 2008 at 5:21 am
Thank you so much to The Book Stacks for hosting me today! I’m hoping readers will find the idea behind Checkmate both intriguing and a bit terrifying. I know I did when I researched stalker mentalities early on in the writing process. They’re in a world all their own. I don’t know that anyone will ever fully understand what motivates them. They’re out there, though, and if nothing else Checkmate educates readers on how to protect themselves. I like to think the book is also a darned good read. I guess we’ll see…
May 14th, 2008 at 11:54 am
This sounds like an awesome book. Having read one of Jean’s other novels, I can just imagine how well written this one is. I can’t wait to get to it in my “to be read” pile.
Cheryl
May 14th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
“After all, when you’re being stalked by a homicidal maniac, who has time for sex?”
Loved that. ;o)
May 15th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Jean - It was a pleasure having you and I am definitely intrigued (in a cautious sort of way
) by your book and the subject matter therein.