In Safe Arms by Lee Christine (Guest Post/Giveaway)

Romantic suspense author, Lee Christine, is joining us now with her new release (January 1st) of IN SAFE ARMS! 

Three things I keep in mind when writing romantic suspense

Always keep the story grounded in reality. 

With dystopian, fantasy or paranormal, the author can allow their imagination to run wild, creating worlds and creatures where anything and everything can happen. But in romantic suspense, a genre with its feet firmly planted in the real world, push the realms of possibility too far, and it all becomes a bit silly.

This is when a romantic suspense author is in danger of losing readers. I’ve cast aside many novels because, while I love a heart thumping, page turning read, I lose interest if the plot becomes implausible. With romantic suspense, it is vital for the reader to feel that what’s happening in the story could actually happen in real life. Maybe, even to them.

I don’t like using novels as examples, so I’ll use the television drama ‘Homeland’ as an example.  Homeland is grounded in reality. A heart thumping thriller, it’s the story of a brilliant bi-polar CIA Agent, Carrie, and a ‘has he been turned or hasn’t he’ marine and former POW, Nicholas Brodie. For a devotee like myself, there’s never been an episode where I’ve thought, ‘Ah, that could never happen.’ Kudos to the writers for producing a super exciting and nail biting script.

So when I’m writing my novel, I’m always checking and double checking that the story’s grounded in reality—that it could happen to any one of us.

The second thing I like to keep in mind is:-

Never let the plot overshadow the romance

Writing romantic suspense is difficult because it requires the author to construct a double barrelled plot where the romance occurs concurrently with the developing mystery or thriller. I go about it like I’m balancing a ledger. Add mystery to one side of the ledger, then balance it up with romance until both sides are equal. 

According to Wikipedia:-

“Like all romances, romantic suspense novels must place the development of a relationship between the protagonists at the heart of the story. The relationship must impact each decision they make and increase the tension of the suspense as it propels the story. In turn, the events of suspense must also directly affect the relationship and move the story forward."

The above quotation speaks of propelling the story, and this brings me to the third thing I like to keep in mind when writing romantic suspense:-

Keep the story moving

With romantic suspense, especially with a ‘women in jeopardy’ story which I’m particularly fond of writing, there has to be a sense of real danger looming behind every scene, and that danger must remain present throughout the entire book. Every chapter, and if possible every scene, should end on a hook that drives the story forward and keeps the reader turning the pages. That’s not to say it has to be all suspense action though, it can be romantic action as well.

Authors use many tools when writing romantic suspense, but keeping the story grounded in reality, balancing up the romance and suspense so one doesn’t overshadow the other and keeping the story moving (whether through romantic action or suspense action) are three of the most important.

In Safe Arms
by Lee Christine
ebook, 220 pages
Published January 1st 2014 by Escape Publishing
ISBN139780857991157
Escape Publishing | Goodreads | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

Smooth, seductive and savage: Lee Christine returns to the dark, criminal underbelly of Sydney with her follow-up to In Safe Hands.


Legal secretary Josephine Valenti has no idea why a notorious bikie president would be contacting her, but when he is murdered in front of her eyes, she knows that she is in very deep trouble. Fleeing to her home, she's intercepted by Nate Hunter, a man she used to know and lust after…a man she used to care about. 

However, Nate has changed. His leathers and his bike tell of a lifestyle that Josie can't begin to accept or understand. His is a life of drugs, money laundering and prostitution. 

Though, all is not what it seems, and Josie must fight harder than she ever has before — for the truth, for what's right, and, ultimately for the man who still has a hold of her heart.

About Lee Christine

Lee Christine is a former legal practice manager and corporate trainer. An amateur songwriter in her teens, she is passionate about music, and plays the alto saxophone.
In 2011, In Safe Hands won first place in the Romance Writers of America Silicon Valley Gotcha Contest, followed in 2012 with first place in The Smoky Mountains Laurie Award and the East Texas Southern Heat Writing Contest. The novel also received a Commended in the 2012 Romance Writers of New Zealand Clendon Award.
In Safe Hands is Lee’s first novel, and she is currently writing her second, another gripping romantic suspense. She has two grown children, and lives in Newcastle, Australia.

http://www.escapepublishing.com.au/author/lee-christine

GIVEAWAY:
Escape Publishing is giving away one ebook of In Safe Arms to one reader. To enter, just leave a comment on this post for the author and then fill out the rafflecopter below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway