I'm coming up to my first anniversary as a published
author. A published romance author, that
is. My first novel, The Apple Tree, was released
last December and since then I've had three further romances published. Now does that make me a romance writer, I
wonder?
I never saw myself as such, but it seems that my readers
do. Not that I mind that, but I worry a
bit about changing hats. Last month I
published a short science fiction story (Surveillance) with my lovely son and
it was such a great experience that we'd love to write more in that particular
sub-genre of sci-fi - providing, of course, people want to read our work. But what I have found is that reaching a
whole new set of readers is not easy and the last thing I want to do is upset
readers who only want romance but are faced with something else.
Next month I plan to publish another speculative fiction
(Killing Jenna Crane) and quite frankly, I'm feeling rather nervous! Although it centres around romance, it's by
no means a traditional romance, more what I would classify as a psychological
drama and I wonder what readers will make of it. I intend to try to make it clear that it's
not a romance, so that no one will feel cheated. At the same time I hope that readers will be
open to trying slightly new and difference genres and that I find lots of new
readers without driving away my old ones.
Releasing a new book is always exciting (and rather
nerve-racking) and moving away from a tried and tested formula also takes
courage. I just hope it will prove
worth it.
Here is an extract from the short story, Surveillance, in which six year old Harrison's parents discuss their fears about losing
their second child.
Long after Russell had retired for the night after a further
generous helping of single malt, Brandon and Claire sat in the study
talking. Brandon preferred the study,
not just because it was completely safe and soundproof, but because it
commanded surveillance of the entire house.
If Harrison awoke or Russell decided to go for a wander, he could be
ready to act immediately.
"I wish we could just...disappear," Claire said,
panic sounding plainly in her voice.
"You know that's impossible, Claire. There is nowhere we could hide." He
above anyone knew what a surveillance society meant in terms of hiding from the
authorities. "Dammit, I just hadn't
banked on Russ coming back so soon. It
gives us so little time to think of something."
"Can't we put him off?
Maybe say we have something else planned?"
"The last thing we want to do is arouse his suspicions
by doing something out of character," Brandon pointed out. "He's only
trying to do his job, after all."
"Then what are we supposed to do? Sit back and let them take him away from
us? Just because he's too clever?"
Brandon gnawed at his lower lip as he glanced absently at
his bank of screens. "We can't
change the law. We've known the risks
all along. We chose not to deny his
thirst for knowledge, knowing it could be his biggest threat...correction, our
biggest threat."
"Didn't some old writer say the law was an ass?"
Claire's voice sounded bitter as she rubbed at her temple to smooth away the
pain that was threatening to engulf her.
"There's no way we can let him be used as some experimental
laboratory guinea pig, just because he's so clever!" Tears began to slide
down her face, causing her husband to groan in love and concern for her misery,
which no one understood better than he.
"Don't worry, darling.
We're not giving up yet. There
has to be a way to fight this and I'm determined to find it. If there is a way to protect him, I'll find it. I promise you that, Claire, if I have to die
in the process."
Surveillance is available from Amazon, Smashwords and other e-book outlets, for just 99 cents (£0.77).
