by Cym Lowell, guest blogger and author of Riddle of Berlin.
When a writer crafts a thriller, is there a role that romance should play in the plot? This would be a great question for a creative writing class, along with other plot elements. Why? I can think of at least two reasons. First, there is no formula or stock answer so the question should generate plenty of lively discussion. Second, the lively discussion would be fascinating, reflecting the individual tastes of the participants.
As a practical matter, the thriller genre has enough sub-genres to absorb any level of romance that a reader could want. We have books that are described and promoted as romantic suspense or romantic mystery. There are probably books promoted as romantic thrillers, though none come to mind immediately. There are several that I think are romantic, as will be noted below, but I do not think they are promoted as such.
The place to begin this inquiry is to ask “what is romance?” Is it the subtle intrigue in the evolution of a relationship that seems too bizarre to be possible (this was the case in the now best seller The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova). Or is it the sensuality of James Bond and his “Bond girls?” There are plenty of books that seem to surf on swells of voyeurism as the plots center around sex.
Which of these areas is romantic to you? To me, “romance” is a critical element of the humanity of characters. For me to find kinship and interest in characters, I want to know that they have needs, hopes, and dreams. As a story progresses, I will identify with and be concerned about a character who is brave enough to address the danger in the story that is always on the horizon (after all, we are talking about thrillers). As empathy grows for the character, I am hopeful that he or she will find that dream at the end of the chase. If such elements of humanity are taken out of the character, it generally becomes more one dimensional and my interest is likely to wane.
For every successful thriller writer, there is a different formula that works for that author and the style of story that he or she likes to tell. If the style resonates with a large enough group of readers, then the author will find at least creative success, and maybe financial as well. At the end of the day, fiction writers address what they know, with their own insecurities, hopes, or desires in full bloom for readers to enjoy as they will. Some of us are romantics. Others of us are, no doubt, so insecure in our own lives concerning romance that it is hard to imagine how characters would experience the romance that can only be dreamed of.
What do you want in a thriller in terms of romance? Do you enjoy the intellectual stimulation of genuinely intriguing action story line (First Blood by David Morrell, the classic beginning of the Rambo saga. The only romance in that wonderful book was understanding what made that interesting young man home from war tick. What about the chase to determine the famous Jason Bourne’s identity as the bad guys seek to shut him up forever (The Bourne Legacy by Eric Von Lustbader and Robert Ludlum)? The romance here is often in the nature of liaisons that are consumed in the fire of the action. Do you want to understand the psyche of Jason and the sensuality that be hidden beneath the exterior that is painted vividly? Or the romance could be a bit of prop to establish the humanity of a thriller character, which is a common way in which romance seems to be embraced in thrillers?
I read a lot of books and I am constantly amazed at the prop nature of romance. In this sense, I think of a “prop” as being something that is necessary for the story but really has no role in it. How about romance being the real story and the action parts being the background (Terms of Attraction by Kylie Brant). I loved this book because it was so easy to attach to the characters and wonder what possibility there was between. The needs of both male and female protagonists were plainly established from the first moment. She is a professional killer (a police sniper), who is needful. Can she find it? Don’t you want your protagonists, male or female, to find excitement in their romantic lives? Don’t you want to read of them experiencing what you dream of for yourself? Do you want to see how the protagonists deal with emotions that you have felt in your life, reading the story amazed that fictional characters could experience what you have, then become hooked to see if they handle it better or worse that you did in your life?
For me? I love to combine an exciting thriller story-line with situations in which real people, like you or me, could find themselves ensnared. In my novel, Riddle of Berlin
My conclusion about the role of romance in thrillers is that a fiction writer puts his or her own feelings on paper, whether it is conscious or not. A few months ago, I was honored to be asked to address an African-American reading club. One of the ladies had read Riddle of Berlin
Similarly, romance is a driving force in my life so it is not surprising that it is front and center in what I write.
Author Bio:
Cym is a thriller writer who lives on a lake in East Texas. A romantic, he enjoys weaving romance, spirituality, and experience from the world into his international thriller stories. He also enjoys reviewing a wide range of books, including romance stories, especially if the stories expose the souls of their characters.
You can find more information about Cym on his blog, www.cymlowell.blogspot.com and connect with him on Twitter, www.twitter.com/cymlowell.
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Guest Blogger, J-L, Suspense/Thriller
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8 comments ↓
Hi, Cym! How lovely for you to say: “…romance is a driving force in my life…”. I agree that romance is an essential part of spinning a tale, to a lesser or larger degree depending on the story line itself. Is it a thriller with romantic elements, or is it a romance with a suspenseful subplot? Is the story driven by adventure and intrigue, or is it propelled by undeniable love and irresistible passion? Well-developed characters and a carefully detailed story line can fit into any genre, era, setting or timeline and be thoroughly enjoyable.
I’d love to win a print copy of “Riddle of Berlin” : )
Hi, Cym! I’m a HUGE romantic suspense fan. I’ve always wondered what differentiates a romantic suspense from a thriller. When I think thriller, I envision more gore, more violence for some reason. While by comparison, with a romantic suspense I feel it contains less violence. How off-base am I?
Hi Cym!
You’ve gt me thinking now about the Bourne films (I read the books sooo long ago that I can’t recall if this applies to them as well). But I wonder if perhaps what makes the romance angle so interesting in thrillers is the air of tragedy hanging over it all. Initially Bourne is happy, but we somehow just know the fuse is lit, the clock is ticking, and the woman he loves will ultimately be taken from him. For me, this makes it all much more poignant. Also, aren’t there a fair few thrillers where the premise is that the protagonist has lost the great love of their life before the story begins, and so this is somehow central to their make up and is what is driving them?
Anyway, you’ve given me a lot to go and mull over here in terms of how I’m using romance in my own crime fiction. So many thanks for this!
Dear Virginia —
Thank you for your comments. I quite agree. Romance is a critical element of any human story. The genre of the book is, to me, background for the actual human story. If the story has legs, then it should be possible to tell it as a mystery, romance, or thriller genre. I hope you win and look forward to your comments on Riddle of Berlin.
Dear Witchy –-
You are not off base at all. Your overall comment about thrillers vs. romance is certainly correct at a high level, though there are degrees of variation in all directions. As noted in the comment to Virginia above, I think the human story is the real story in any novel, otherwise it is really non-fiction. In my writing, I know that I begin with the human emotion I want to explore and then build a story around it. I tend to enjoy conflict and confrontation, as well as international finance, so probably lean toward thriller as a genre. The story could just as well be told as a romance. In Riddle of Berlin, the human story is about two lost souls who find each other, solve a critical global problem, and then address where they go from there (coming from completely disparate cultures and backgrounds). Since I was fascinated with what happens, I wrote a sequel (30,000 Camels) also in a thriller format. That story could also be told in a manner than did not involve action or violence.
I hope that you win a copy of Riddle of Berlin. I would be fascinated with your thoughts about telling the human story in a different format.
Dear Melanie –-
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I enjoyed reading your blog as well. A mystery series set in Paris. One of my favorite cities, where I have spend huge amounts of time over the years. I have the tough job of having to be there for several days twice a year in the Spring and Fall. Indeed, Riddle of Berlin is significantly set in Paris for that reason.
I agree with your comment about the poignancy of the protagonist having lost love before the story begins. A material human element of the Bourne series is the overhanging question of whether Jason can not only find out who he is or was, but find a way to be who he will be with a love interest that is not consumed in the fire of the moment.
In Riddle, I began wanting to explore the extent to which people who have lost everything can find happiness once again; and, if they do, how they then decide whether to return to a life before finding the new happiness, remain with the new, or be fearful of losing it again and do something stupid.
I am curious to read your work and see how you blend romance into mystery. Specifically, I would love to do a review if you would like for me to do so.
Warms-CYM
Hi Cym, this was a fantastic guest post! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
I think romance can be an important aspect of any story because it does help to establish a connection with characters. When there is some wonderful interaction between characters that is written well…it helps to pull me into their lives, connect with them. With that said, I do not like when romance is the complete focus of the story because as you mentioned, I then think it starts to veer off into a bit of voyeurism and frankly…a bit boring. I am a character driven reader. I love reading about relationships, budding romance, romantic longevity, etc. I like to read about the relationships as they fit into the overall storyline. I think I am mucking my explanation. Hopefully you understand what I mean.
Anyway, what you said here pretty much sums up how I feel about any story I read… “I love to combine an exciting thriller story-line with situations in which real people, like you or me, could find themselves ensnared.” I think your statement can fit several different genres.
Oh yes, I would love to win the signed copy.
Hi Cym!
Great guest blog. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
What I want to know is how you knew “thriller” was your genre verskus mystery or adventure?
I would love a signed copy of your book!
Keep up the good work.
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Hi Cym,
Since the topic is about romance I thought I’d add a comment. I love romance novels but I also love mystery, action, and thrills as well. I think weaving a tale that keeps people guessing as to what will happen next in books, is what keeps people turning the pages. At least from books I have read. Not to mention throwing in romance to keep the heart thumping for the reader is a juicy page turner as well. I love it all! Another reason why after years of debate I’ve decided to write one of my own stories to see if these details are what people want in book. I have yet to publish but from the response I’ve received about writing a story, the page turning book is what I hope to produce. And I look forward to finding your book RIDDLE IN BERLIN and reading it.
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