In the past couple of days, several people have mentioned how scary a read Body of Lies was for them. One woman said her friend, a fellow reader wanted to douse the book in holy water after she read it. These comments amused me since fright was not a reaction I considered in my readers. I’m not writing horror, I’m writing romantic suspense. What was there to be scared of?
But maybe I’m arguing semantics here. With my body series, my aim is to thrill, to titillate, to have the reader on the edge of her seat waiting to see what happens next. To that end, I created the Amazon Killer, a serial rapist that removes the right breasts of his victims (hence the Amazon connection). To say the guy is a bit warped is an understatement.
Of course, as the writer of this (ahem) masterpiece, I know my killer isn’t real. I know he isn’t even the killer I started out with. As I wrote, he morphed into someone who became more dangerous at every turn. And not because the character ran away with the story but because as I wrote he, as well as the other characters, became more clear to me. That’s how it always starts out with me–I have a general idea of the story I want to tell. Details become clear as writing adds flesh to the characters.
That’s not to say that these characters just spring into my head. I’ve always had a fascination with deeply disturbed individuals. I started out as a psych major in college for that reason. I eventually got a degree in something else, but the fascination remained. I read a lot about true crime, police work, etc. Some of the books in my office are so gruesome even I can’t look at them without getting creeped out.
But I love wading in the deep end of the romantic suspense pool. I’ve done some light (Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places, Holding Out for a Hero, etc.) and some darker (my Body series, and to some degree Forbidden Games coming out in 08). If you enjoy the darker stuff, too, don’t be afraid to tell me.
And no, my husband does not sleep with one eye open, but he does wear his glasses.
Maybe people who are frightened by your story are reading under the wrong circumstances. If a woman is home alone and is reading a suspenseful story at night with maybe some soft music in the background, she’s going to get spooked easier. She might jump a foot in the air if her phone rings, and she might be nervous about taking a shower.
Those comments suggest to me that you’re a pretty damn good suspense writer, making your readers bite their nails and feel the tension.
But if they find themselves getting spooked, maybe they should read your suspense novels during the daytime.
Bettye Griffin
http://www.bettyegriffin.com
http://www.chew-the-fat-with-Bettye.blogspot.com
Hey Bettye,
Thanks for visiting and for your kind words. I agree with you about timing. I have to read suspense/horror/scary stuff during the day, then put it down. You’d think I’d be more immune to other folks work since I do it myself, but I’m not.
All the best,
Dee
I have yet to read your books. Would you say they are more romance or more suspense? Or evenly split? Which book of yours would you recommend that I begin with?
I’ll remember to read during daylight.
And I sleep with my glasses on too!
Hi Patricia,
I’d say the split depends on the publisher and the book. I tend to write more 50/50 with Kimani and 60/40 in favor of suspense for Dafina.
You can start with An Innocent Man from Kimani. About 50/50 romance and suspense and a hero to die for. At least that’s what I hear.
All the best,
Dee
I love the suspense keep the romance suspense coming. I’ll tell Jeanette to read with the lights on. Your husband sleep with his glasses on smart man.
Brenda