Which Comes First?
Hello Fabulous Fans!
Teagan Tate here, drummer from the rock band Madison Grace and star of the steamy romantic suspense novel, Moving Target. I took over the blog while our girl Maggie Clare was in grad school, and even though she just received her fancy new diploma, I’ve decided to keep posting while she catches up on her book projects.
While Maggie has been busy penning her latest novel, she and I have been chatting a lot about storytelling, specifically about telling a romantic suspense story. I asked her which came first for her in these titillating tales, the romance or the suspense, and here’s what she had to say…
Well, Teag, since romantic suspense is considered a sub-genre of the romance category, I think the romance has to drive the story. Readers want the depth of emotion they’ve come to expect from a romance novel. They want emotional intensity, and they want the happily-ever-after. But, with a romantic suspense, they also want nail-biting intrigue and danger, so this has to be intricately woven into the tale. It’s a balancing act.
I’m drawn to writing the suspense part of romantic suspense because I also write speculative fiction. My science fiction novels especially tend to have action filled plot-lines with plenty of twists and turns. Pacing, balance, and the right amount of character development all matter. I think about these things when writing romantic suspense as well, and we get to have sexy times as part of the package!
The suspense side of things often works really well as the backdrop for a blooming romance because it can ratchet up the intensity of a relationship in progress. With a serial killer or a stalker or a deadly cartel thrown into the mix, the stakes are raised and the danger is real for our main characters. Finally, whatever way the action plays out, it helps push the couple toward a happy ending!
Speaking of happy endings, Maggie’s finishing up the final installment of the TSI romantic suspense series, tentatively titled Coming Home. She’ll have a cover reveal and some teasers ready for you very soon, so stay tuned!
