IWSG: It’s a Mystery to Me!

Our Insecure Writer's Support Group June 5 question is: Of all the genres you read and write, which is your favorite to write in and why?

After over 30 years in the biz as a published author and almost as many before as an avid reader, there are few genres I don’t devour. Some, I come back to over and over again, not so much because of the genre, as far as reading or writing, but for one specific novel element I can’t resist: Suspense. I love the tease and challenge of a good puzzle (which is why I snatch up the page of the newspaper with the crosswords and word searches). I can’t resist a mystery to solve, be it character motivation or an actual crime of greed or passion. I thrive on expecting the unexpected. Having devoured all the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew, Agatha Christie, Edgar Allan Poe, and Alistair MacLean stories as a teen, it’s no surprise my favorite books are by Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Sandra Brown, Nora Roberts/J. D. Robb, Daphne du Maurier, Ira Levine, and Lisa Gardner. And for that reason, all the books I write have some degree of suspense in them. It may not be the driving force of the plot, but unknowns and surprises always weave through my pages and torment the characters to keep the reader engaged, and on their toes wondering who done it and why. Sometimes, I don’t know myself until I reach the final chapter!

My WIP is the concluding episode in my “By Moonlight” 15-book dark shapeshifter series. What links them all together, beside the main couple, are unsolved questions in the over-arcing plot line that begin practically on page one of book one. Good thing I learned to knit as a child so I can pull all those secrets and truths together into a (hopefully!) satisfying pattern. Here’s a tease:


What I look for? Heart-wrenching, heart-wringing, heart-pounding reads that end just short of heart-stopping. Yeah. That’s what I like, and if I can similarly torture my reader, my job is happily done.

But that doesn’t make me a bad person . . .

How about you? What’s makes your WIP something you can’t wait to get back to?

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time.The awesome co-hosts for the June 5th posting of the IWSG will be Diane Burton, Kim Lajevardi, Sylvia Ney, Sarah Foster, Jennifer Hawes, and Madeline Mora-Summonte!

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Twitter hashtag is #IWSG