NOT YOUR USUAL SUSPECTS

A group blog featuring an international array of killer mystery, suspense, and romantic suspense writers. With premises and story lines different from your run-of-the-mill whodunits, we tend to write outside the box. We blog several times a week on all topics relating to romantic suspense and mystery, our writing, and our readers. We welcome all comments and often have guest bloggers. All our authors can be contacted separately, too, using their own social media links.

We find our genre delightfully, dangerously, and deliciously exciting - join us here, if you do too!

NOTE: the blog is currently dormant but please enjoy the posts we're keeping online.


Julie Moffet . Cathy Perkins . Jean Harrington . Daryl Anderson . Nico Rosso . Maureen A Miller . Sandy Parks . Lisa Q Mathews . Sharon Calvin . Lynne Connolly . Janis Patterson . Vanessa Keir . Tonya Kappes . Julie Rowe . Joni M Fisher . Leslie Langtry

Monday, December 17, 2012

BLAME IT ON CHRISTMAS

I love Christmas. I love the music, the decorations, the food… I even love schlepping around looking for the perfect present. Christmas puts me in a good mood; it makes the world glow for a few short weeks during a cold and dark time of the year. It gives me the warm fuzzies.

But something odd happened this year. For some reason, the Christmas season affected me differently. It put me in a romantic frame of mind. Maybe it’s because so many of my friends are romance writers (including many on the Not Your Usual Suspects list) and they all seem to be having fun. Maybe it’s because I’ve been travelling a lot these past few months and a lot of the places I’ve been to have been quite romantic. Or maybe I’m just getting soft and mushy.



Whatever the reason, I suddenly found myself thinking about love and Christmas and before I knew it, I’d written a romantic short story! A contemporary romance, at that, with not even a speck of mystery. I feel a little sheepish about it because I’ve always said that I don’t have a romantic bone in my body, but there you have it. Apparently I have a teeny tiny one, hidden somewhere deep inside. A wishbone, maybe.
 
I blame Christmas.

 
So, writers, have you ever been surprised by the story that emerged? And readers, has a favourite writer ever surprised you with the direction they’ve taken?

 
I’ve called my little aberration Running Away From Christmas and you can find it on Amazon and on Smashwords, and soon enough, in all the other regular places. 

 

8 comments:

Anne Marie Becker said...

Oh how fun to try something new, Marcelle! (And I'm always soft and mushy around the holidays - too many sweets within reach.) ;)

I've always written romance, and usually romantic suspense, but part of me wants to write just contemporary romance (without dead bodies - go figure). I even got about 30,000 words of a series I had plotted, but then the suspense stories started doing well for me, so I went back to those. Some day, though... :)

Unknown said...

I turn into an old romantic when Christmas looms. I think it's the cheesy music and films on offer. :)

I used to write romance and I often think that when I have the time (ha!), I'll leave the dead bodies behind and write another love story. When I have the time... :)

Rita said...

I like being enveloped in the warmth and love of the holidays. Many people are softer more tolerant this time of year. Hugs and kisses more abundant and genuine. As romance authors we have the pleasure and honor to evoke those feelings all year long.

Maureen A. Miller said...

I always suspected you were a romantic, Marcelle.

My one weakness is slow-dancing to Christmas music in front of a Christmas tree. I have yet to put that into a book...but one day I will.

Marcelle Dubé said...

@Anne Marie -- oh! I hadn't considered that I was growing soft and mushy because of the *sweets*!

@Shirley, I've tried writing romance before (it really does look like fun) but I always ended up with a body. This is why "Running Away" is such an aberration.

@Rita, you are so right. Folks around here are even more cheerful and friendly than they usually are, even though it's -23C (-10F) with a bitter wind. Warm hearts, and all that.

@Maureen, did I never mention the "not a romantic bone in my body" thing? Mind you, slow dancing in front of the Chrismas tree sounds lovely...

Jean Harrington said...

In answer to your questions, Marcelle: Have you ever been surprised by a story that emerges and do you know of any writer whose writing took on a surprising turn? (Paraphrases there, I think!) Anyway, "yes!" to both. I'm always stunned when a new plot pops into my mind, and my stories take on surprising turns without any help from me.

My favorite Christmas gift? A gorilla. Stuffed. See, that story took on a surprising turn. Okay, enough said, Merry Christmas, marcelle.

Shelley Munro said...

Stories are born in very cool ways. I think sometimes we need to have a change. It's as good as a rest, so they say. Congrats on your new story.

Marcelle Dubé said...

Merry Christmas to you, too, Jean. And my favourite Christmas gift? A little stuffed owl. Still have it...

Thanks, Shelley. And I agree; switching genres can be completely refreshing!

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