Romance suspense – Irene Onorato

When I first started writing, I gravitated toward the straight-up romance genre. Simplified, what I mean by “straight-up” is your typical formula romance that goes something like this:

Boy meets girl
They fall in love
Something happens to pull them apart
After a while, they get back together
The couple lives happily ever after

While that’s still my primary trope, one that I enjoy both reading and writing, I occasionally have the desire to add something else to the basic formula. A little mystery? Suspense? Police procedural? Adventure?

My quest for that something else is what led me to write Justice for Hattie Mayfair. It’s set in South Louisiana, an area I’m familiar with because I live there. The story begins with Lexi, a poor, preteen girl who witnesses something terrible in the woods. Something she must keep secret to ensure her safety.

In her early twenties, Lexi meets a man who ignites her hope of one day being free from the past. Free from fear. From constantly looking over her shoulder.

One reader said if Justice for Hattie Mayfair was my way of writing outside the box, that I should do it more often. Maybe I will! I loved writing this book, and I hope you’ll enjoy reading it.

JUSTICE FOR HATTIE MAYFAIR

Romance/Suspense

Available from all major retail outlets.

When I read a book, I judge the author’s writing strength by very simple criteria.

I’m not terribly concerned about a few typos or a couple of boo-boos with punctuation. Minor formatting errors mean nothing to me. The criteria I’m looking for is this: Can the author make me laugh, cry, get angry, smile, feel nervous, or afraid? Will the story evoke primal emotions in such a way that I feel fully immersed in the lives of the characters? That’s the kind of writer I strive to be.

Recently, I was blessed by a reader who wrote a blog about Justice for Hattie Mayfair, the first book I’d written outside my normal romance genre. I hadn’t strayed far, but this story had added elements of suspense. In her blog post, the reader gave me the best compliment I’ve ever received as a writer. Her comment let me know I had hit the mark. That she felt things. Deeply. Here’s a snippet of what she said…

“I can tell you I was on my toes most of time. I sat on the edge of my seat, laughed, and shed a few tears. Especially at the end… full ugly cry!”

Full ugly cry. I love it.

Category: Romance suspense

Writing Outside of the Box

Full ugly cry.