cj Sez: Do you know the difference between a thriller and
a
suspense novel?
I should, but I obviously didn’t when I chose a genre for DEADLY STAR and CHOOSING CARTER for Amazon. I thought they were romantic suspense.
They’re not.
Here’s Romance Writers of America’s definition of the two
genres:
“The difference between a thriller and a suspense novel is
really who is being affected by the danger. In a thriller, the protagonist(s)
must stop the antagonist(s) from inflicting great bodily harm on a mass of
people...an entire city or country. Maybe even the whole world!
With a suspense novel, the only ones in great peril are the
hero and/or heroine (or both)...but the storyline is how they must overcome the
obstacles the "villain" is throwing out at them. Sure, a few innocent
victims might get bumped off along the way, but for the most part, they are
pretty few in number.”
By that definition, both DEADLY STAR and CHOOSING CARTER are
really romantic thrillers. In DEADLY STAR, the entire world is in jeopardy
because of the antagonist’s plot. In CHOOSING CARTER, a whole town and geographic
area are the targets of terrorists.
Why does putting a book in the correct (or best)
category
make a difference? If you're not a name-brand author (and sometimes even if you are), good sales can depend on what genre is “hot” and selling well right then and thus maximize the book’s chances of higher rankings within those sales. Besides the warm glow they give an author, higher rankings also attract even more sales. Granted no story is ever one genre only. And therein lies the conundrum: Where and how to place them to their best advantage on book/sales shelves. The answer to that changes with the timing of each book launch. Just make sure you know your intended market.
What am
I going to do about my books? I’m going to try to change the marketing thrust.
I haven’t checked with Amazon yet, but I doubt I can change the category listing
because Simon&Schuster owns the rights.
Since I didn’t have a computer for nigh unto a week, I put
in a lot of time reading … as in six
novels—one a loan from a friend and five were used books that I purchased at my
local Friends of the Library sale in March. Intentionally, none were in the same
genre.
One I skimmed for lack of interest after the first few chapters. In another, the female protagonist
character became boring, but I made myself finish it—it was a historical
romance. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the world building in David
Baldacci’s first young adult fantasy, “The Finisher.” The story follows the challenges
a teenaged girl named Vega Jane must face in her eerie world. I have since
discovered “The Finisher” is book one in a series. I’ll have to hunt down the
rest of them.
During the day, a cup of coffee is never far from my hand. I
drink my coffee black, no sugar, but there is often something in my hand to eat,
whether it’s a quasi-healthy piece of whole grain, high-fiber and high-protein toast topped with a thin smear of peanut
butter and grape jam or my favorite cinnamon roll. (Yeah, I know. I’d lose weight
if I quit the carbs.)
To validate my habit, I found the following bit of info on
some internet news site a while back. I think it proves (at least to me) why this
Swede “needs” coffee breaks and a goodie.
“The French sip wine, the British take tea, Spaniards nibble
on ham, and Germans love sausages. For Swedes, it's all about "fika" (pronounced
fee-ka), the daily coffee break with a sweet nibble that is a social
institution.”
While neighbors in the United States used to get together in the afternoon in the 50s
and 60s and may have called it a “Koffee Klatch,” now days, you
get your coffee to go. “In Sweden, you sit down, you enjoy the moment." (cj Sez: Even if you can't put down your cellphones, I guess.)
Swedish friends love to meet for fika. Photo: TT
"Studies show that people who take a break from their
work do not do less. It's actually the opposite," says Viveka
Adelsward, a professor emeritus in communications at Sweden's Linkoping
University. "Efficiency at work can benefit from these kinds of
get-togethers."
Explain that to your boss if s/he questions why you’re
spending time around the coffee pot.
My fika habit started in Texas when I was about three-years
old. Grandpa would pour some strong black coffee into a saucer to cool then
lather a thick slice of Mama’s homemade bread with butter, dip an edge into the
coffee, and feed me bites while he taught me to play checkers on top of an
overturned washtub in the backyard.
Okay, I’ve made myself hungry. Think I’ll enjoy a fika.
You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.
cj
Free on Kindle Unlimited at the time of this post: DEADLY
STAR
Mirabel Campbell must learn how to stay alive in a covert
world of political intrigue where the unexpected is the norm, and she’s not the
kind of woman who’ll wait for anyone, including her CIA ex-husband whom she
still loves, to make her decisions. She made a promise to a murdered friend to
find out what’s so special about a mysterious point of light in the sky, and
she intends to keep that promise.
Little note: Print copies of Choosing Carter and Deadly Star
are becoming scarce as Simon&Schuster winds down their support of the
Crimson Romance imprint. HOWEVER, you can support an indie book store and order
an autographed copy of my books here: The Haunted Bookshop Angela Trigg, the awesome owner and a RITA
Award-winning author in her own right (writing as Angela Quarles) will be happy
to ship you the book(s) of your choice.
Simon&Schuster
Author Page = https://bit.ly/2uo1M0Z
Congratulations to the 2019 Edgar Awards winners!
