General blog – Suzanne Fortin

What’s To Love About Romantic Suspense?

Published on 28/01/202028/01/2020 by suefortinLeave a comment

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Romantic Novelists’ Association which is being celebrated throughout 2020 with a number of fab events, details of which you can find on their website. As next month is supposed to be one of the most romantic months with Valentine’s Day and this year it’s also a Leap Year, I thought I’d mark the occasion with a series of blog posts featuring romantic suspense writers.

As many of you know, I enjoy writing both romance and suspense, with my favourite genre romantic suspense where I get to bring the two together. Some of my books are in this latter category, although not necessarily marketed as such. My last book, The Dead Wife, definitely features both traits. Romance can very often be translated to ‘relationships’ and even in some of the most hardened crime stories, there is some sort of relationship going on, either as part of the main plot or subplot. Some of the most popular tv shows centre around and at least use love, romance and relationships in their storylines – off the top of my head there’s Doctor Foster, Big Little Lies, Line of Duty, Keeping Faith, You.

It’s the same for books too …

Karen Rose, Nora Roberts, Evonne Wareham have all written suspense books, with varying degrees of grittiness, which also feature romance. If you haven’t tried romantic suspense before, then I’d very much recommend any of the following.

Any of the Karen Rose series

I’m currently reading the Baltimore series. Not for the faint-hearted.

Nora Roberts, Shelter In Place

Evonne Wareham, Never Coming Home

Louise Rose Innes writes military romantic suspense, with both the male and female leading in the alpha stakes.

Barbara Freethy writes a lot of romantic suspense, with probably more or equal emphasis on the romance.

Hope you enjoy the up-coming guest posts who all write in this genre and that you discover a new author as well.

End of Year Catch Up

Published on 22/12/201922/12/2019 by suefortin2 Comments

I just thought I’d take the chance to close the year with a catch up of what’s been happening recently and a glimpse of what’s to come in 2020.

I’ve had a busy few weeks, including several trips to London. One for the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Winter Party and Industry Awards, another for my publisher’s Christmas party at The Ivy and one earlier this week to meet with my agent and discuss plans for next year. So, much as I enjoy going to capital, I think I’m now all Londoned out!

It was publication day for The Birthday Girl in Germany (Penguin Verlag) at the beginning of the month. They’ve gone for the same cover but just given the colours a bit of a tweak.

Don’t forget you can sign up to my newsletter here From this you’ll get a chance to find out what’s happening in my writing world, sneak previews, early news, exclusive content, the chance to win prizes, book recommendations and more. In the new year I’ll hopefully be able to share with you some book news of my next book and what I plan to do in the coming year.

I’ve read some fabulous books this year, some of which I’ve given a shout out to in my newsletter. To be honest, I’m a slow reader so I’ve only actually read 3 or 4 books either paperback or ebook and the rest have been audio books. I can get through one of them in a matter of days as I listen to them when I’m doing other things, like driving, preparing dinner, dog walking or before I go to sleep. In fact, I love audio so much, I’ve got through over 40 books that way since the beginning of the year.

Looking ahead into 2020, if you’re in the Portsmouth area on Friday 5th March and fancy joining me and several other authors for a chat about romance and whether it’s all ‘fluff and kittens’ (hint: two mystery and suspense writers are on the panel, so probably not), we’d love to see you there. Here’s the link Portsmouth Book Fest

I’ve just finished decorating my tree at home and although I’ll be working right up to Christmas, I wanted to take the opportunity to round off the year with a MASSIVE thank you to all my readers who have been as supportive as ever with the publications of Schoolgirl Missing and The Dead Wife this year – I really appreciate all your tweets, shares, comments, reviews and messages, it’s what keeps me writing.

Wishing you all a merry Christmas/peaceful break and very best wishes for 2020!

Sue

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The Right Book Cover for The Right Market

Published on 08/07/201908/07/2019 by suefortinLeave a comment

I don’t think I’m alone when, as an author, I find it very exciting when it comes to covers for my books. Sometimes I have a good idea how I would like the cover to look and other times, it’s just a vague mix of ideas instigated by different scenes in the book, usually the major scenes where something important happens. Very rarely does my imagination come anywhere near the end result my publisher presents to me. I have to say it’s at this point I realise why I’m a writer rather than a graphic designer. They have a knack of capturing the essence of the story with one image.

Up until this point, all my books have had the same cover for the English language editions, whether it’s UK, Canada, USA etc and often the foreign editions take on the same cover too or a slight variation. I always find this a fascinating insight into what works for the different countries. However, with The Dead Wife, I was first presented with the cover of a woman’s shoe in a puddle and it sat nicely alongside my previous book cover of a trainer.

I was very happy and fully on-board with this cover. However, when my publishers took it to their US colleagues, they weren’t so sure it worked for their market. I don’t know the ins and outs of the conversations, but it was agreed some alternatives would be put together. My editor sent me the two covers they were going to present to the US office and asked me for my feedback.

I must admit I was taken with both of them and it was really hard to say which one I preferred. My knee-jerk reaction was the ‘hand in the water’ cover but then when I sat down and took a more considered view on the merits of each, I kept changing my mind. Eventually, I emailed my editor back and said my gut feeling was the ‘hand in the water’ cover and she agreed with me. In fact, she went on to say, they were so taken with the new images, they were thinking of changing the UK cover too.

To cut a long story short, the red shoe was discarded and the new UK cover – the ‘hand in the water’ – replaced it. I assumed this would be the same for the US office too, so was surprised to see they had gone for the ‘face’ cover. It’s obviously a design they think works best for their market and I’m not the expert here so I really have no objections at all.

Of course, this late change in the day meant a mad scramble over the weekend to redesign the promo images I’d prepared, change scheduled blog posts, contact bloggers who were hosting me over the next couple of weeks and let the blog tour organiser know so she could in turn let her contacts know.

So, although it’s caused some extra work – apologies to those who’ve been affected – I’m really happy with the changes and having the two different covers, I feel I’m getting the best of both worlds.

The Dead Wife publishes on 12th July in the UK but unfortunately, readers in the US will have to wait until a bit later in the year.

Micro-Movie for THE DEAD WIFE

Published on 22/06/201907/07/2019 by suefortin2 Comments

Not long now until THE DEAD WIFE is published – Yay and Yikes!

It’s always a bit nerve wracking but I’m very much looking forward to sharing the story of the Sinclair family and what really happened to Elizabeth Sinclair on the family holiday resort two years ago. Here’s a short book trailer to whet your appetite …

Writing, Books and Crimefest

Published on 21/05/201821/05/2018 by suefortinLeave a comment

It’s been a very busy six months but now I’ve completed the second draft of my manuscript and sent it back to my editor, I thought I’d take a moment to write a blog post.

I can’t say too much about the book I’m currently working on but there will be more news on that later in the year. While I’m waiting for the next round of edits to come in, I’m going to make a start on a new book. I have several ideas and not entirely sure which one to run with, so I’m going to write both for a week or so and see which one I wake up wanting to write and then go with that.

I spent a great weekend at Crimefest – it was the first time I had attended, so wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed myself and sat in on some very good panels. I think my favourite was about psychology, obsession and paranoia with B A Paris, Louise Candlish, Elodie Harper and Dirk Kurbjuweit, the latter whose book (Fear) was inspired by his own father and also by a stalker he had in real life.

I’ve read some great advance copies of books lately – I finished MINE by J L Butler last night, which was published last week and would very much recommend that if you like a good mind-twisting whodunnit type of story.

In the meantime, I have a list a mile long of things I need to do. Wishing you all a great week.

Sue

What Doesn’t Kill You – Paperback Giveaway #whatdoesn’tkillyou

Published on 17/01/201717/01/2017 by suefortin8 Comments

Last week was special for my good friend, Laura E James, her fantastic novel WHAT DOESN’T KILL YOU was released in paperback. Regardless of the fact that Laura and I are friends, I have to say what a great book this is – I’ve long been an admirer of Laura’s skill with words and how she fearlessly tackles difficult and thought provoking issues. Laura is also running a giveaway with the chance to win a signed paperback copy of this fab book. See the end of the post for details how to enter.

There’s also another reason why this is special, it’s a first for me. I’m very honoured to be quoted on the cover of WHAT DOESN’T KILL YOU. There was so much to say about this book, it was actually quite hard to condense it into a couple of sentences to fit on the cover. The description and my full review is below.

As I say, it’s a great read and I am looking forward to getting my copy signed by Laura when I next see her.

The Blurb

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger – but how strong can one person be?

Griff Hendry knows what it is to be strong. After a turbulent past, he’s dedicated himself to saving lives, working as a coastguard along the breath- taking shores of Dorset. It’s Griff’s belief that everyone is worth saving – which is why he can’t forgive his father, Logan, for what he did.

Griff’s future is plunged into uncertainty when his wife, Evie, tells him she wants a separation. The revelation is a shock and leads Griff to question what Evie could possibly be hiding – and she isn’t the only one holding back. Griff’s troubled stepdaughter, Tess, also harbours a dark secret.

As the truth is uncovered, Griff is forced to accept that perhaps he’s never understood what real strength is.

My Review

What Doesn’t Kill You has been written in such a way that it is uplifting whilst dealing with difficult and dark issues. It certainly isn’t an easy read at times but as a mother, a wife and a daughter, it made me wonder how I would react in Evie’s shoes. Laura deals with the issues in an empathetic and realistic manner, reinforcing the importance of communication and understanding within the family unit.

Tess, the teenage daughter, was a story within a story and her troubled past which impacted on her present was handled with sensitivity. I felt a lot of compassion for this troubled, yet caring teen.

Although there are tough issues in this novel, Laura keeps a tight rein on it all. It is a very powerful story which brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. Darker than her previous novels but nevertheless positive and life affirming. What doesn’t kill you, in this case, certainly does make you stronger.

Giveaway

Laura : Thank you so much, Sue, for wrapping up the blog tour for the paperback launch of What Doesn’t Kill You and for the wonderful review, support and friendship. I am delighted, privileged and extremely honoured to have your quote on the cover.

As this is the final stop, I’d like to offer readers a chance to win a signed copy of What Doesn’t Kill You.

To be in the draw, please leave a comment here or tweet @Laura_E_James with the words ‘What Doesn’t Kill You paperback giveaway’ and the hashtag #whatwouldyoudo. Giveaway ends midnight, UK time Monday 23^rd January 2017. The winning name will be picked by random from a teen’s snapback cap.

Good luck!

I’m off to jet wash the tour bus. See you soon.

Laura x

Winter 2016 Update

Published on 15/11/201615/11/2016 by suefortin9 Comments

It’s been a while since I’ve posted and my apologies but I’ve hardly had time to pause for breath recently.

It’s been an amazing few months as THE GIRL WHO LIED hit the #1 spot on Amazon UK Kindle, got to #5 in the American Kindle charts and became a USA Today best seller.

Thursday 17th November sees the release of the paperback, which I’m delighted is going to be available through not only all the usual on-line platforms but also at W H Smith and Asda! I can’t believe after all the years of dreaming about my book being on the shelf of a bookshop, it’s actually going to happen. Needless to say, I shall be stalking said shops to do some serious book spotting.

I spent the summer writing my new novel which is due out in January. Since submitting it in September, I’ve been dealing with feedback and edits.

The visual for the January release has undergone a transformation, not only has the cover been changed but the title too. In publishing speak, it’s now more commercial. For me, I did like my previous cover and title but this cover, I feel, reflects the story more both in terms of the image and title. Here it is …

The blurb hasn’t been finalised but this will give you a good idea of the set-up.

Sister, Sister

Clare : Intelligent and loyal or paranoid and jealous?
Alice : Loving and kind or manipulative and devious?

Reunited after many years following the breakdown of the family unit, Clare and Alice reacquaint themselves in adulthood, but as events take a sinister turn and nothing is at it seems, everyone must decide who to believe.

Two sisters. One truth.

It’s available for pre-order through Amazon via this link http://amzn.to/2eU3y2b

I’ve embarked on NaNoWriMo this year but have been juggling it with edits so I’m not sure I will hit the 50k word target by the end of the month, but it has certainly kick-started my next WIP.

And finally, Wednesday 15th November is the RNA‘s Winter Party & Industry Awards. Myself and fellow Romaniacs were delighted to win the Media Star Award last year and are looking forward to presenting this year’s winner with their award.

Sue

What Agents, Editors and Publishers Ask Writers…

Published on 07/06/201607/06/2016 by suefortin24 Comments

It can be quite nerve wracking speaking to agents, editors and publishers no matter what stage of the writing ladder you’re at, but especially so, I remember, when I was unagented and unpublished.

Looking back, there seemed to be several questions which cropped up regularly. I thought I’d share them as, even though I am now agented and have a publisher, they still came up at a recent meeting.

What genre do you write in?

I found just saying ‘romance’, didn’t really pin down my style of writing very well. Romance is a very broad genre and includes, historical, suspense, contemporary, paranormal, Christian and so on. By defining it as mystery, suspense and romance worked far better and helped to expand the conversation.

Which author would you compare your work to?

I hate this type of question. If I answer no-one, will it make me sound ignorant of other writers? If I come out with an international best-selling author, will I sound too full of myself? I find a good way to deflect it, is by saying which authors I like to read and to say whether they have influenced my writing at all.

Can you sum up your novel in a couple of sentences?

This is actually a really useful exercise and can help no matter who asks you about your book, whether it be an agent, a publisher or a friend. If you can include the theme of your book, how you address this and the genre in just three sentences, then this shows that you really know your book and your market. It also helps to avoid those awkward silences or the false starts that start off, ‘Well, it’s about a woman. Well, two women. No. Actually, it’s about this man …’ Nailing it right down to three concise sentences will not only help to inspire confidence and professionalism in you from their point of view, but it will do exactly the same for you.

Where do you see yourself in 3/4/5 years’ time?

If you can outline your next book in a couple of sentences, this goes a long way to showing that you are serious about being an author. It shows that you have more than one book in you and you are worth investing in. If you can also have a general idea of where you are heading with your writing career, again, this all helps to show your professionalism and ambition.

Why did you want to speak to me?

This can be a tricky one, saying you’re working your way through the Writers Yearbook, probably isn’t going to go down too well. Explain, why you wanted to see them, maybe they have other authors similar to your style, yet you still have something fresh and new to offer. Perhaps, the publisher has a wide reaching audience or it might be because they are a small independent publisher and the family feel appeals to you. If you can come up with two or three reasons, then this will show the agent/publisher that you have done your research and, again, promote your professionalism to being a writer.

Of course, these aren’t hard and fast questions, they may vary and there will, no doubt, be plenty of other questions but I found these formed a good solid foundation to go into a meeting with.

Writing news!

Published on 20/01/2016 by suefortin25 Comments

I’m delighted to announce that last week I officially signed with Kate Nash of Kate Nash Literary Agency!

I have known Kate in a professional capacity for several years now and, in the past, she has given me some great feedback and sound advice. They say to find an agent who loves your manuscript as much as you do and one that you can foresee a good working relationship with and for those reasons, amongst others, I am very much looking forward to working with Kate in the future.

Although Kate and I had agreed everything before Christmas, it wasn’t until last week that we were able to meet up. We had a great afternoon in London, chatting over afternoon tea on a Thames River cruise – the time went so quickly we had to head to a pub afterwards to complete the formalities.

I am pleased to say that my next book is to be published by HarperCollins’ imprint HarperImpulse on 21 April 2016. We are working on the cover and a new title which I hope to share with you soon.

So, now the glamourous bit is over, it’s time for me to head back into the editing cave …

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Wishing you all a merry Christmas/peaceful break and very best wishes for 2020!

Sue

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Thank you and good luck!

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Sue

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