Today’s Writing Tip

laptop-2 copy

Cross-genre stories become more popular everyday. This is one way to appeal to a broader audience, provided it’s done in a way that doesn’t stretch credibility so far it snaps or not deliver what the reader is expecting.

Romantic suspense has been around for a while as well as several others that are primarily a romance, such as historical romance, Gothic romance, and more recently science fiction romance. Obviously, the romance element works well to add interest to a story as well as its setting and circumstances.

The primary theme of romance is “boy gets girl” or vice versa. However, other genres, such as mysteries, thrillers, horror, and fantasy can all provide the backdrop and, in some cases, comprise more of the plot than the romance element.

How well the plot in one of these other genres is constructed will determine whether it’s simply another setting for romance or legitimately fits into another genre solidly enough to not be considered simply a romance in disguise.

 

Review of “The Contract Between Heaven and Earth” by Gwen Plano and John Howell

contract

I really enjoyed the original premise of this fast-moving thriller. I must admit that it is the first book in quite a while that I stayed up into the wee-hours of the night to finish. The characters were well-developed and engaging. I also appreciated the fact that it was nicely edited, thus lacking any typos or other issues that tripped up my engagement with the characters and plot.

It was truly cross-genre, not only of two, i.e. thriller and romance, but also a paranormal/spiritual element as well, all of which were nicely intertwined in a non-contrived manner. I have only two criticisms, one of which is I would have liked to have seen a bit more plot complexity for something that supposedly had the potential to destroy the world. Exactly who, how, and why were never satisfactorily revealed. My other criticism is that there was at least one major loose end dangling at the end, which was another thing that I found slightly disappointing.

These are minor issues with what is otherwise a well-written story and I hope that perhaps the authors plan to deal with them in the sequel. As with all reviews, this one is subjective. I’m a detail-oriented person who loves a meatier plot (think Tom Clancy) and saw so many ways this could have been a more expansive story. However, for those who like a straight-line, predictable plot, it’s a smooth, enjoyable read.

Pick up your copy on Amazon here.