Christine Feehan's Blog - Posts Tagged "romantic-suspense"
Writing Romantic Suspense Mysteries
I’ve always loved reading mystery novels. The Sherlock Holmes series was a favorite of mine. Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, and I loved Agatha Christie. Then I found romantic suspense and Laurie R. King’s Mary Russell mysteries series, Karen Rose’s amazing thrillers, Tess Gerritsen, Sandra Brown, the list is endless! So, to say that I’ve always wanted to write a romantic suspense mystery is an understatement.
I’ve written since I was very young. So, there are some initial mystery/thriller books that I’ve written that will never see the light of day. Let’s call those my practice run. Lol
Last year I decided to sit down and plan out a mystery novel. I normally am a linear writer and pantser. But, to write a mystery you do have to have some planning. I wanted people to really have to guess at who the killer was. It was every bit as fun as I had hoped and that is how Murder at Sunrise Lake came to be published.
I loved the women and the feeling of sisterhood in Murder at Sunrise Lake and though the next book, Red on the River, utilizes those characters it is a standalone book. It is also a romantic suspense mystery. Set in Las Vegas with a poker tournament and a killer following Vienna and her friends as they hike and boulder, this still has a touch of paranormal to it. And it has a hot hero with a secret government job and skills that can save, or end, someone.
The romance between Vienna and Zale is one of my favorite things about Red on the River . It’s an emotional relationship full of passion and hope. This is definitely an action book and I’ll be really interested in how long it will take readers to figure out who the killer is.
Murder at Sunrise Lake will be released in paperback May 24th and Red on the River releases in hardcover June 28th.
Who is your favorite mystery or romantic suspense author? Or what is your favorite mystery novel?
The Mysteries of Relationships: Red on the River
Red on the River is a romantic suspense story but it is also a mystery. If you enjoy looking for clues and guessing at who the killer is then I hope you’ll give this book a try.
I love the dynamics of relationships. I write about more than just romance and feel all relationships are interesting.
Vienna has a variety of relationships she has to face. She’s very real and down to earth in how she thinks of relationships and has respect for them. Even the difficult ones. The relationship between she and her mother has been estranged, so when Vienna ends up in Las Vegas, where her mother lives, it’s time to address what happened between them. Many people are estranged from those they love and we see how that affects Vienna during her trip.
I love how she interacts with her family and friends. She’s a heroine I hope readers admire and can see themselves as.
In Red on the Riverhe hero, Zale, is a man of mystery. Vienna isn’t really sure of what he does for a living but she knows it is secretive and dangerous. Just like he is. He is her own personal mystery.
I loved writing this couple’s story. They are both risk-takers and they put their hearts on the line to find that that is the biggest risk of all. I love that they’re complicated as individuals and as a couple, but they want to simplify their lives. It becomes something they both crave. And something that isn’t easy to achieve.
Tell me who some of your favorite heroines are!
I love the dynamics of relationships. I write about more than just romance and feel all relationships are interesting.
Vienna has a variety of relationships she has to face. She’s very real and down to earth in how she thinks of relationships and has respect for them. Even the difficult ones. The relationship between she and her mother has been estranged, so when Vienna ends up in Las Vegas, where her mother lives, it’s time to address what happened between them. Many people are estranged from those they love and we see how that affects Vienna during her trip.
I love how she interacts with her family and friends. She’s a heroine I hope readers admire and can see themselves as.
In Red on the Riverhe hero, Zale, is a man of mystery. Vienna isn’t really sure of what he does for a living but she knows it is secretive and dangerous. Just like he is. He is her own personal mystery.
I loved writing this couple’s story. They are both risk-takers and they put their hearts on the line to find that that is the biggest risk of all. I love that they’re complicated as individuals and as a couple, but they want to simplify their lives. It becomes something they both crave. And something that isn’t easy to achieve.
Tell me who some of your favorite heroines are!
Deadly Storms – From Abroad to Home
If you’ve already picked up Deadly Storms, you’ll find a “Dear Reader” message that talks about some of the complexities of writing this story. From having to find translators and cultural reviewers to tackling the very real issues of PTSD all while still focusing on characters and relationships this book became both one of my biggest challenges and one of my greatest rewards as an author.
As many of you may already know, Deadly Storms was slotted to be released last year but it was pulled. There was so much going on in the world at that time I felt it was best to go over it one more time and to wait a little longer to release it as a way to show respect to others in the real world and, to the characters in the book who I wanted everyone to understand and love.
I’m glad that I waited and took more time with this book. I love the couple so much and feel that their journey as characters and as a couple is beautiful and fulfilling.
We travel to the Middle East and back home to Knightly in the California Sierra over a span of several years learning about Shabina’s plight and seeing what an amazingly strong woman she has become. Having PTSD doesn’t diminish her courage. Like many who truly have PTSD, courage comes in many forms. Sometimes just being able to sleep at night, or function during a particularly difficult day or experience is an act of courage. I wanted to acknowledge that.
The deep respect and love that Shabina and Rainier have for one another finds its way to what I feel is one of my most romantic love stories. Two wounded people, two courageous people, fighting together against a common enemy and finding love along the way is one of the best Happy-Ever-After stories to write about. I hope you all enjoy it.
As many of you may already know, Deadly Storms was slotted to be released last year but it was pulled. There was so much going on in the world at that time I felt it was best to go over it one more time and to wait a little longer to release it as a way to show respect to others in the real world and, to the characters in the book who I wanted everyone to understand and love.
I’m glad that I waited and took more time with this book. I love the couple so much and feel that their journey as characters and as a couple is beautiful and fulfilling.
We travel to the Middle East and back home to Knightly in the California Sierra over a span of several years learning about Shabina’s plight and seeing what an amazingly strong woman she has become. Having PTSD doesn’t diminish her courage. Like many who truly have PTSD, courage comes in many forms. Sometimes just being able to sleep at night, or function during a particularly difficult day or experience is an act of courage. I wanted to acknowledge that.
The deep respect and love that Shabina and Rainier have for one another finds its way to what I feel is one of my most romantic love stories. Two wounded people, two courageous people, fighting together against a common enemy and finding love along the way is one of the best Happy-Ever-After stories to write about. I hope you all enjoy it.
