Friday, February 12, 2010

Guest Author - - Kate Carlisle

New York Times Bestselling author Kate Carlisle has held a variety of jobs, including spending over twenty years working in television production as an Associate Director for game and variety shows, but it was the year she spent in law school that finally drove her to begin writing fiction. It seemed the safest way to kill off her professors. Kate has hit the NYT Bestseller List with both her debut book, Homicide in Hardcover and her current release, the second book in her popular Bibliophile Mystery series, If Books Could Kill - a pretty remarkable feat. (Click here to read my review of Homicide in Hardcover and here to read my review of If Books Could Kill.)  You can find more information about Kate at her website and at Romance Bandits, where she blogs the 25th of every month.  Please join me in welcoming Kate to The Romance Dish!
~PJ



Ever the Twain Shall Meet

I’m thrilled to be here at The Romance Dish today! This year, I have three books out, starting with this month’s If Books Could Kill, the second book of my Bibliophile Mysteries series. Then in July, my first romance for Silhouette Desire (The Millionaire Meets His Match!) will hit the shelves and in November, another mystery. People are often surprised to hear that I write both romance and mystery. You could even say shocked. Jaws drop, brows furrow, the whole deal.

The biggest mystery to me is – why the surprise? Romance novels and mystery novels – especially cozy mysteries like mine – have a lot in common.

• Strong, compelling protagonist(s)
Every good book must begin with compelling characters. Writers are asking readers to hang out with this person for two, three, four hundred pages. And in the case of a mystery series like the Bibliophile Mysteries, even longer than that. A romance has two protagonists, of course, while a mystery usually has just one, but any character in that role must have qualities that draw readers into their world.

• The moment of discovery
In a romance, this is the moment when the hero and heroine first discover each other – often to their annoyance! In a mystery, this is the moment when the body is discovered, which can also be quite annoying, I imagine. In either case, this is the moment when everything changes. The protagonist was moving along in the flow of life, and this moment forces her to change course.

• The clues to draw you in deeper
In a mystery, clues are just that – clues. Who might be the killer? Who couldn’t possibly be? In a romance, these clues are things the hero and heroine learn about each other that make them slowly realize that they may have found their partner for life. In the beginning, the heroine thought the hero was a self-centered jerk… but then she overheard him drinking imaginary tea served by his orphaned four-year-old niece, even though he was exhausted after a day of battle.

• The black moment
There comes a point in every good romance when the hero and heroine must face the cold, hard truth: they cannot be together. It just won’t work. Everything is lost. In a mystery, this moment often comes as the heroine believes she is about to die. She’s discovered the killer, but the killer has discovered her, too, and things don’t look good.

• The guaranteed happy ending
Whether I pick up a romance or a mystery, I start the book with the comforting feeling of knowing that it will end well. True love will last forever, good will triumph over evil. The fun for me is in how we arrive at that happy conclusion. I wouldn’t enjoy reading nearly as much if I invested hours in a book only to see the heroine defeated romantically or physically. I love the feeling that comes with closing a book and knowing the world is a just and happy place.

• Lest we forget, the sexual tension
What? Not all mysteries have sexual tension? Well, mine do! One of the reasons I love to write is so I can create fabulous men who make my insides go all squishy. I couldn’t give that up just because there was a little murder involved. So I’ve given Brooklyn Wainwright the ultimate fantasy man – British detective Derek Stone, not so loosely based on Daniel Craig’s James Bond. (Daniel Craig’s anything, for that matter.)

We all read romance (duh!) but do you also read other genres? Do you think every romance and mystery should have a happy ending, or are there times when you like there to be some question as to the outcome of the story? I’d love to give away a signed copy of If Books Could Kill to one random commenter today!

And thanks again to lovely ladies of The Romance Dish for having me here today!

55 comments:

  1. i love Happy Ending. And i don't like if a book, has so many questions that still need answers.

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  2. Congrats on the new release, Kate. I'm a big mystery fan and I think in most cases there should be a happy ending. I definitely expect a happy ending when reading a romance. I'm looking forward to your upcoming Silhouette Desire.

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  3. I'm a strong believer of happy endings. That's probably why I read a big majority of romance novels.

    I read some mysteries too. I'm particularly a fan of Michael Connelly and Harlan Coben. I've read all their books and their heroes are some of my favorite. Only after each book I can't help but being disapointed that those characters I've come to love (namely Myron Bolitar and Harry Bosch) are genuine heroes with a pathetic private life. They both failed at love, have kids they don't get to see often and are basicaly alone except for a few friends. I want more for my heroes, I want them happy and YES in love.

    In ongoing series I enjoy the sexual tension. I don't need H/H to get together at the end of the book (as long as there are more to come of course).

    Congrats again on your release Kate !!!

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  4. Hi Kate

    I love happy endings probably why I am a big romance fan but I also love mysteries and always have. I read mysteries a long time before starting on romance novels and always loved them so for me to combine a bit of both in a book is fantastic.

    To answer your question yes I love the happy ending but if it is a continuing series then a happy ending with questions left unanswered or things left hanging can be good. Then the quicker the next book comes out the better LOL

    Have Fun
    Helen

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  5. I definitely have to have a happy ending, or at least the promise of a happy ending eventually, I can wait as long as I know we aren't going to take an ugly twist and someone dies, or goes away.
    I do read other genres but I still have to have the promise of a hea.

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  6. Hi, Kate. We're so happy to have you with us today!

    Why am I not surprised that a picture of Daniel Craig in his form-fitting blue trunks is in your blog? *vbg*

    I'm a big fan of a happy ending. There's so much grief and depression in the real world, so when I choose a book to read, I like that world to end in a very happy, sigh-inducing place.

    That being said, I do read many different genres, but I always come back to romance and mysteries. Lucky for me that you write both! :)

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  7. Congratulations on another bestseller, Kate. If Books Could Kill is on my TBR shelf right now. February is generous with wonderful books this year.

    I'm not a big fan of grue and gore, so while I read a lot of mysteries, most of them are cozies. In addition to yours, I have new books by Tamar Myers and Mary Stanton on the TBR shelf and am eagerly awaiting Nancy Atherton's new Aunt Dimity later this month. I want both my mysteries and romances to end in what Jenny Crusie calls "justice," "moral justice" for mysteries and "emotional justice" for romances. For me, that means the mystery is solved without the death of the protagonist or a sympathetic secondary character and the romance ends with at least the beginning of an HEA for the H/H. I stopped reading one of my favorite series when an important character was killed.

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  8. Good morning, everyone! So happy to be with The Romance Dish today. Thank you for such a warm welcome!! And thank you to everyone who has already bought If Books Could Kill. Thanks to you, my book landed at #28 on the New York Times list for mass market paperbacks!!! I found out on Tuesday, and my heart is still racing.

    Mariska, I'm a happy ending addict, too. When it comes to a mystery series, I don't mind being left with a few unanswered questions, as long as those questions are answered in the next book. Well, maybe "don't mind" isn't the right way to put it. I remember when I read Janet Evanovich's One for the Money and reached the cliffhanger ending, I shrieked with dismay. But it was a happy "can't wait for the next book" shriek. LOL

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  9. Jane, Thank you so much for your congrats. I agree. A happy ending is a must for me on a romance, especially. If it doesn't have a happy ending, it's not a romance. It's a tragedy!

    Emmanuelle, Michael Connelly and Harlan Coben are masters. One thing they do particularly well is set the mood. Sadly, their mood is a little depressed. I'm with you! I wish Myron and Harry could both find someone who would make them smile and feel light-hearted. I do love Connelly's and Coben's work, but when I read one of their books, I need to read a cozy or a romance next to remind myself that the world is a fabulous place.

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  10. Helen, we must think alike! I said almost exactly the same thing in my comment to Mariska before I had read your comment. That is something fun about writing a mystery with a strong romantic element. You can wrap up the mystery in a nice, tidy "happy ending" bow, but the romance part of it hasn't ended yet. So you get to tease readers with the promise of commitment to come.

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  11. Dianna, I like how you word that. "...at least the promise of a happy ending eventually." So a hopeful ending could be enough, depending on the type of book. Your mind can fill in the blanks. And for those of us who are optimists - pretty much every romance reader I've ever met - we'll fill in those blanks with a happy ending.

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  12. Gannon,

    When I can help it, I don't go anywhere without my Danny! Daniel Craig in his blue swimming trunks is the living embodiment of, er, a happy ending.

    LOL! Okay, I'm cracking myself up this morning.

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  13. Janga, Thank you so much for the congratulations! I'm still pinching myself. Do you think every writer is convinced the first time her name appears on the NYT list that it's a fluke? And then to see my name up there TWICE! It's no wonder I keep tearing up.

    "Moral justice." I like that.

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  14. While I love happy endings, there is definitely a time and a place for things to be left open. Sometimes the reader needs to be thrown for a loop, ya know? What good is a book without a little suspense!

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  15. Hi Kate!!! Congrats on your release and hitting the NYT list again!

    I mostly read romance but sometimes I like a good mystery, too. I want my happy ending in both romance and mystery. I do understand if the mystery is a continuing series that not every thing may be tied up at the end. I'm okay with that.

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  16. Good Morning, Kate! Congratulations on hitting the NYT List with If Books Could Kill! That's pretty amazing - two books published and both of them bestsellers. Has it sunk in yet? Are you doing anything special to celebrate?

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  17. I don't like loose ends and I don't like open-ended books...unless they're part of a series. In that case, it's okay to leave me hanging but if it's a single title, I want the author to tell me what happens at the end, not leave me wondering and having to make up my own ending. Books like that drive me up the wall!

    My happy-ending expectations correlate to the type of book I'm reading. If I'm reading romance, I want the happy ending or, as Helen said, the promise of a happy ending. If I'm reading other genres, that promise of the hea isn't there so I'm not disappointed when it doesn't happen.

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  18. Sarah, Interesting! So you like it when you're thrown for a loop at the end of a book? I love being thrown for a loop during the course of the book, but by and large, I want the happy ending. I don't think I'd enjoy a mystery that didn't get solved, and I know I don't enjoy romantic stories when love doesn't conquer all.

    Christie, Thank you! Care to join me in a little jig of happiness?

    PJ, Thank you! Am I doing anything special to celebrate landing on the NYT list again? Well, hm. Does working my tail off to meet my next deadline count as "special"? LOL! I'm living my dream of being a writer, and that dream includes deadlines. It's a good thing!

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  19. Kate, can you tell us more about the two books you have coming out later this year?

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  20. Hello and welcome, Kate!! We are thrilled that you are joining us today. HUGE CONGRATS on your second placement on the NYT list! What an awesome accomplishment. The books sound awesome!

    Happy endings are the reason I started reading romance. I have to have one, or as Dianna said, "the promise of one". Books are my escape and I want my escape to be happy!!

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  21. Hi, Kate. I've got to have a happy ending.

    Congratulations on your new release.

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  22. PJ, thanks for asking! I'm always happy to talk about my books. :)

    My next book will be a Silhouette Desire, coming in July, THE MILLIONAIRE MEETS HIS MATCH, the plot is basically…take one hot CEO boss, add one sexy assistant out for revenge against that boss, throw in his matchmaking mama = sparks fly! Okay, I just made that up and it’s goofy, but that’s the basic story! LOL……..Oh, and my hero is Desire’s Man of the Month for July. Woo hoo!

    Then book 3 of the Bibliophile Mysteries will be out in November. Brooklyn Wainwright will be back in San Fran in The Lies that Bind.

    The Millionaire Meets His Match is available for pre-order already on Amazon, which is fun and bizarre all at once. I don't know where they came up with the cover that shows up on the page! It's not the same publisher, author, or title. LOL!

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  23. Andrea, Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love that you want to escape to be happy. That's how I feel, too!

    Deb, Thanks so much. Wishing you many happy endings!

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  24. I've always loved mysteries/suspense in my mainstream and category romance... I read mainstream mysteries as a kid before I discovered romance.

    I'd like to try your books. I had never thought of a cozy mystery, but I think that is what I was missing from the mysteries I have read in the past!

    Thanks for stopping by, Kate! Great covers for your books too!

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  25. the plot is basically…take one hot CEO boss, add one sexy assistant out for revenge against that boss, throw in his matchmaking mama = sparks fly!

    Oh, I like that! How cool that your hero is Desire's Man of the Month! I'm looking forward to reading this one. I've always enjoyed the Desire line.

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  26. I do read other genre's. I love reading mysteries and science fiction as well. I have about 100 plus star wars books just sitting above my romance novels on the bookshelves. ^^

    I think all books should have a good ending. The need of a happy ending really depends on the type of book it is. There are some subjects/ book types that cannot have a happy ending without cheapening the story. Also sometimes if there is to be a squeal a happy ending may not be possible. I prefer most books to have a happy ending, but i can see why some don't as well.

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  27. Great topic, Kate! I've been waiting for your second Bibliophile book, but unfortunately, my local Borders is not cooperating. A pox on them and their house!

    If I'm reading a romance, I definitely had better get my happy ending. With a mystery-thriller-suspense, I just want some sort of resolution. Hey, sometimes the bad guys get away, but as long as there's justice in the end, I'm good.

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  28. Jessica, I hope you give cozy mysteries a try! If you like lighthearted mystery TV shows like Castle, Monk, Psych and that type of show, I bet you'll love cozy mysteries. And it'll open you up to a whole new world of reading material! If you try If Books Could Kill, I hope you'll pop over to my website, KateCarlisle.com or my Facebook fan page to let me know what you thought!

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  29. PJ, Thanks! Desire has always had a special place in my heart, so I am thrilled to be writing for them.

    Jedisakora and Jo, You're right. The happy ending isn't mandatory in other genres. Jo, I like how you put it: mysteries should have a resolution with justice in the end. Even the darkest mystery feels incomplete to me if there isn't some sort of feeling of resolution.

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  30. I read a little bit of everything. I personally think that romances should have a HEA.

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  31. Hi Dishy Dames! Hi Kate! Helloooo Daniel *g*.

    I'm still waiting for my copy of your NYT superdooper book, Kate. That bloody Amazon pigeon must be a slow reader.

    I like happy endings in movies or in books. There's too much misery in the world to have misery in your entertainment!

    I also read suspense and thrillers, plus some cozies/ humorous mysteries. I like books that have a hint of a romance and a strong resolution. I love the 'romance' between Maura Isles and the priest in Tess Gerritsen's books and can't wait to see how she gives Maura her happy ending (she's a romance writer too, despite the gore).

    What I can't stand, though, is crime writers who throw in a gratuitous 'romance'. You can always tell because the emotion is missing.

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  32. Spav, I agree. A love story may not have a happy ending, but a romance always should. That is an inviolate reader expectation.

    Anna, I was looking on Amazon today, and they have a notice up to let people know that mail will be slow with the blizzard hitting so much of the country. Too bad! All those poor people trapped inside, waiting for their books!

    Oh, you're so right! No gratuitous romance and no gratuitous violence, for that matter. Everything in the book should have meaning to the reader and not just be there to titillate or disgust. At least in the books that I love.

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  33. Hiya Kate! Hiya Dishies! What a banquet!

    Kate, firstly HUGE congratulations on hitting the NYT list for the second time with IF BOOKS COULD KILL! You are a glittering star in the literature firmament, my dear!

    Actually I think most genre fiction has stuff in common - and I tend to read a lot of it. I went through a science fiction/fantasy stage in my early 20s, and I used to read lots and lots of mysteries. I'm a particular fan of the British mystery - writers like Dorothy L. Sayers and Georgette Heyer in her mystery guise and P.D. James. I particularly like - and here's no surprise - a good mystery story that has a wonderful romance involved. Speaking of which, I'm currently heavily into the C.S. Harris mysteries with their fabulous sexy hero Sebastian St. Cyr. Sigh! Seriously, check them out if you haven't read them, although I'd advice reading the series in order from What Angels Fear onwards. She's a dab hand at the slow reveal!

    And through all that I read romance. ALWAYS read romance.

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  34. Hey, Kate, fantastic news about your hero being the Man of the Month! Congratulations!

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  35. Kate

    I forget to congratulate you on making the best seller list again well deserved.

    Your Silhouette Desire books sounds yummy I am looking forward to that one as well.

    Have Fun
    Helen

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  36. Oh, I like that! How cool that your hero is Desire's Man of the Month!

    Yay! And congrats, Kate!

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  37. I love Romances and I also like to read about history. It is fascinating to me how often a Historical Event didn’t quite happen the way we were taught or thought it did.
    Kate your statement “I love the feeling that comes with closing a book and knowing the world is a just and happy place.” could have been written by me. IMO a book must have a Happy Ending to be considered a Romance. If it doesn’t then I feel that it should be called something else … Woman’s Literature, Chick Lit , Contemporary or Commercial fiction what-ever-with-a-romantic-story line.

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  38. Kate, it is so great having you with us today! I love this blog!!! I never would have thought the writing of romance and mystery novels would be similiar, but thanks to your post I can know see it. And anything with Daniel Craig gets my attention ;-)

    I do read other genres (when I have the chance) and I tend to like a happy ending at the end of every book I open.

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  39. Kate said . . . When I can help it, I don't go anywhere without my Danny! Daniel Craig in his blue swimming trunks is the living embodiment of, er, a happy ending

    Perfectly said, Kate!

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  40. Anna, Thank you! I do feel a little glittery today.

    Twinkle, twinkle, little me!
    Oh, how happy can I be?
    Today I got my fondest wish:
    To guest blog at The Romance Dish
    Twinkle, twinkle, little me!
    Oh, how happy can I be?

    What is it about the name Sebastian? Just love that name! It sounds intellectual and masculine rolled up into one yummy package.

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  41. Helen, Thank you! It's quite a heady feeling.

    Thank you, too, Gannon! It's fun to have my first Desire be a Man of the Month.

    Julie, I'm fascinated by history, too. When you dig deeper than the surface details we learn in school, you begin to realize that "history" is all about the stories. Stories of people a lot like us but with different technology, and how they made their way in the world. And you start to see how the choices they made then still have impact today.

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  42. Buffie, Thank you! It is really wonderful being here today. You have all made me feel so welcome. I really appreciate it! The discussion has been a lot of fun.

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  43. Twinkle, twinkle, little me!
    Oh, how happy can I be?
    Today I got my fondest wish:
    To guest blog at The Romance Dish
    Twinkle, twinkle, little me!
    Oh, how happy can I be?


    I love it!!

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  44. Twinkle, twinkle, little me!
    Oh, how happy can I be?
    Today I got my fondest wish:
    To guest blog at The Romance Dish
    Twinkle, twinkle, little me!
    Oh, how happy can I be?


    This is so great!! Love it!

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  45. KATE :-) I'm so excited to get this book and can't wait to read it! And a big huge congrats on it's success!!!

    I adore romance. I do read a little mystery once in awhile, but my alternate-to-romance genre is fantasy. Lately, YA fantasy because my daughter loves it so much so we read stories together. I'm hooked on the Percy Jackson The Olympians series at the moment :-)

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  46. Thanks, Gannon and Buffie! Bet you didn't know I was a songwriter, did you? ;)

    Tawny, And do you think that YA fantasy novels make the promise of a happy ending, as well? Or can things end badly for the protagonist in that genre?

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  47. Kate, so glad to see you Dishing! *g* I love both mystery and romance and I, too, think they are birds of very similar feathers. I love me some romance in my mysteries and also some mystery in my romance.

    I do NOT like unresolved anything. Call it a personality flaw, but I like my endings tied up with neat bows. I don't want to figure things out for myself (which would require thinking *shudder*), I just want to read the lovely conclusion and give that happy resolution sigh at the end.

    I really think a satisfying conclusion is the promise of both a romance and a mystery.

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  48. Caren, Thank you! I am so glad to be here. (Have I mentioned that already? 'Cuz it's true. :D)

    I really prefer stories that are wrapped up neatly at the end, too. Even a sitcom with "To Be Continued..." drives me nuts! I'm all about instant gratification.

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  49. Kate, these are all excellent points!

    Of course, Daniel Craig's picture doesn't hurt either, just on general principles. *g*

    I've found that I have less patience for books with no romantic arc. I still read them, but not as much as I used to. I like HEA endings, but I'm also content with progressive relationships, especially in a series. Looking forward to seeing how Brooklyn and Derek do with that. :-)

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  50. Kate wrote: No gratuitous romance and no gratuitous violence, for that matter. Everything in the book should have meaning to the reader . . .

    I absolutely agree. When paranormals were just gettig big, I heard an editor say, "You should be able to strip out all the paranormal elements and not change the story," and I thought, "Then why bother? I'll just go read a fantasy or sf novel instead. I'm so glad to see the subgenre has evolved over the years!

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  51. Nancy, WHAT?! A paranormal in which the paranormal elements have no impact on the story?! I'm with you. What's the point?

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  52. Hi Kate,
    I read all genres. I prefer happy endings. If I want to be sad, I can watch the news.

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  53. Chey, True, that! The news could depress anyone!

    Thank you again for hosting me here today on The Romance Dish! I've had a wonderful time.

    And PJ, kisses to you for such a nice review of If Books Could Kill. I'm delighted that you enjoyed the story. Thank you!!!

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  54. Kate, thank you so much for hanging with us today. Best of luck with If Books Could Kill (I loved it!) and your other releases later this year. I'll be looking forward to them!

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  55. Hi Kate! Hi Dishers! Thanks for having Kate on today. She is such a talented writer and can I just say WOOHOOOOOOO!!!! about Kate's NYT bestsellerdom x2.

    I absolutely love a little mystery in my romance and a little romance in my mystery. I think the two go perfectly hand in hand. Nothing like a bit of murder and mayhem to make the romance all the more exciting and vice versa.

    Can't wait to read this book and find out what Brooklyn gets up to next!

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