Oh, I’m so glad you asked! But before I do, I want to encourage any and all of you who follow this blog to comment on anything I’ve said or thoughts that come to mind. I’ll be asking you a few questions as well. At midnight tomorrow, December 3rd, I’ll pick a name at radom to receive a free download of my latest release, A Train Through Time, a time travel to the late Victorian era of Seattle!
Sooooo, I started out writing contemporaries, and I have two published and several…on file. You know what “on file” means, don’t you? I know you do.
I thought that’s what I wanted to write, but my first novel, LOVE OF MY HEART, set in a Victorian house on the hilltop of Tacoma, Washington, went directly from contemporary off into a light paranormal element which I still can’t explain today. So, if you were to ask me for the “concept,” I would still stutter. The house itself, inspired by one of my favorite Victorian house Christmas tree ornaments, took on a life of it’s own. Not in a Poltergeisty way, but in the way that old houses do…reflecting the loves of people who lived within. I don’t know about you, but I just can’t look at an old house and wonder if the people who first lived in it were happy, sad, hopeful or full of promise.
So, my first published book–my contemporary–slipped into the realm of paranormal as two sets of lovers who are kept apart for different reasons, one in the Victorian era of Seattle in 1885 and one in modern day, manage to find a way to be together.
Another one of my books, perhaps my second contracted, ON A WARM SEA OF LOVE, started out as a contemporary romance set on a Caribbean ship when a lonely young widow meets a handsome Scots assistant cruise director. How can a woman, who’s husband died tragically young–at sea–ever find love with a man who goes out to sea for a living?
As a contemporary, it lacked a certain something, I’m not sure what, but I rewrote it and brought her husband back to life…and there it was…a light paranormal…think “Ghost and Mrs. Muir” on a Caribbean cruise! And I got a contract for it!
So, tell me, readers! Did you ever start out with one genre and have it evolve into another?
Bess McBride, www.bessmcbride.com
2 COMMENTS
ThatBrunette
15 years agoI love GHOST AND MRS. MUIR! An analogy like that would make me want to read your book. 🙂 As I was reading, I was wondering if you also had ghosts in your first book LOVE OF MY HEART.
My first experience with the romance genre was with Gothics. I prefer my romances to have a ghost or two. 🙂
Did you ever get in contact with the “author” you met years ago?
Bess McBride
15 years ago AUTHORThank you, ThatBrunette. That’s the ticket to pitching then. An analogy! 🙂 I do not have ghosts in LOVE OF MY HEART. They are two couples, one in 1885 who cannot be together because of societal dictates, and another couple in modern times one of whom is a mental health therapist in love with her client. Both women live in the same house though at different times, and there is a mysterious connection between all the lovers.
Yes, I do still stay in contact with Ann Elizabeth Cree.
Thank you for commenting!
Bess