I’m thrilled to introduce fellow Tirgearr author, Kathleen Rowland, as the first author to feature on my new Guest Author Spotlight posts. Kathleen writes fabulous romantic suspense novels, and talks below about how she builds and retains tension and suspense right through to the last page.
Take it away, Kathleen…..
I’m delighted to be writing the Donahue Cousins Series for Tirgearr Publishing. Each book is stand-alone but follows Irish American heroes. My third book, Bittersweet Alliance, is a new release.
To keep the suspense and tension building in my stories I start with a list of ten situations that get in the way of my main characters’ goals. One method for increasing the pace of either the suspense or the romance is to select conflicts and make them worse. Danger is always approaching, and a villain has concrete goals. When nearing the end, I compact frightening scenes. This creates a sense of urgency. The reader senses this because I’ve picked up the pace.
In a romantic suspense the hero and heroine attempt to solve the mystery while time is running out. They’re attracted to each other and worry about each other’s safety. I want my reader to worry, too. A red herring or other complication keeps the reader guessing until the very end. Surprise endings evolve from the hero or the heroine’s success against the villain. What about the romance? Hints along the way point to the possibility of falling and staying in love. How they work things out comes with huge effort. Throwing hurts in the way keeps the reader engaged. Bittersweet Alliance is a reunion story between a woman who steps back when she learns the hero is named in a paternity lawsuit. Although she’s in love, she does the right thing by stepping back to allow him to work things out with the mother and baby who is Down Syndrome. The hero and father who not only loves his daughter but is proud of her. He puts her first. I enjoy writing strong, good people in messy situations.
Find Kathleen here:
https://twitter.com/rowlandkathleen
https://kathleenrowland.wordpress.com/
http://www.kathleenrowland.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/romanticsuspense.kathleenrowland/
http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Rowland_Kathleen
Here’s the blurb for Bittersweet Alliance:
Will a snap decision change their lives forever?
Bizarre kidnappings stun the Big Island of Hawaii, pulling Danker Donahue back into the game and forcing him to partner with Jolene Kualoha, the woman who left him seven years ago when his DNA showed up in paternity lawsuit. The prejudice-motivated hate crimes are the wildest anyone has ever seen. Victims are being poisoned then released once the ransoms are paid, many losing their lives.
In the shadow of Jolene’s success as a helicopter pilot, a troubled woman develops a fixation on Jolene and imitates her appearance. Matters turn dark when the copycat is shot dead. Was Jolene the target? Threats mount when she barely survives an accident after her brake cables are severed.
When these crimes threaten her sanity, Jolene is forced to trust the one person she thought she’d lost forever, Danker. Instantly, sparks fly between them, and as much as she wants to rekindle their relationship, she must protect her heart.
An old enemy, Seamus McGinn, breaks out of a maximum-security prison and invites Danker to a meet-up. Surprisingly, the kidnapper joins forces with McGinn along with his sick fans. McGinn trumpets his ‘murders by ice pick’, and it’s up to Danker to stop him. The whole island is on edge with a live feed from the maniac’s website.
In a stolen moment, Jolene shows him hope, and he makes a snap decision that will change their lives forever. Will he make it back to show her?
Bittersweet Alliance is free with Kindle Unlimited at the following links
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bittersweet-Alliance-Donahue-Cousins-3-ebook/dp/B07S8QYH7F
US: https://www.amazon.com/Bittersweet-Alliance-Donahue-Cousins-3-ebook/dp/B07S8QYH7F/
CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Bittersweet-Alliance-Donahue-Cousins-3-ebook/dp/B07S8QYH7F
AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Bittersweet-Alliance-Donahue-Cousins-3-ebook/dp/B07S8QYH7F