Guest blog by Kathryn Johnson (aka Mary Hart Perry)
Perhaps
it’s because I love to cook—buttery popovers, succulent roast chicken, sweet
and moistly rich red-velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing (really, whatever
suits my mood)—that I often think of novel writing in the same way. I start
with a hunger for a particular mix of story elements, grab my ingredients, and
get to work. The desire to experiment and create is something we all share—whether
that means baking, writing, or tinkering with car engines. If, like me, your reading
tastes are eclectic—and you also enjoy writing fiction—you, too, might consider
mixing genres not only in your to-be-read pile but also in your to-be-written
file.
Here’s where it starts for many of
us. . . One lazy Saturday you’re in the mood for an edge-of-the-chair thriller.
Another evening you long to mellow out with a moving love story. Still another
day your brain cells call out for challenging mystery or a mind-blowing
adventure set in an exotic locale. There certainly are a great many exciting
thrillers, romances, and adventure stories being written by talented authors
today. But I guess I’m a little greedy. I want it all. All in one book, that
is.
And that—pure selfishness—is the raison d’être for the series I’ve been
working on for the past few years. If I were to apply a label to these
novels—three published, so far—I’d call them romantic Victorian thrillers. The
ingredients are drawn from my favorite genres: mystery, romance, and historical
fiction. And the recipe is this: Each novel, so far, is based on real events
surrounding Queen Victoria’s family and features one of the little queen’s
three daughters as the protagonist. Based in fact and the Victorian era, I’m
able to satisfy my love of history. But then the creative writer takes
over—after all, I’m not penning a biography or history text—and I develop an
interesting mystery with quickly paced thriller element to challenge my royal
protagonist. Only then, when the first two elements are locked down, do I allow
myself to give my hero and heroine a romance. Because, after all, what is life
without a little love?
I’ve had such fun with these
stories. If you get a chance to read any of my Mary Hart Perry novels, I hope
you’ll let me know what you think of the mix. What genres or elements of
fiction would you include in your own creative story blend?
Meanwhile, here’s just a tiny bit
about each of the Mary Hart Perry novels. . .The Wild Princess:
Princess Louise, considered the wild-child of the royal family because she
wishes to become—Gasp!—an artist, struggles
to protect the queen from an assassination attempt by Irish separatists who are
bombing London. When a mysterious American borrowed by the Queen’s Secret
Service steps in to chase down the culprits, he sets his heart on capturing
more than the dynamiteers.
Seducing the Princess:
Beatrice, youngest child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, is expected to shun
all men and devote herself entirely to her widowed mother, “unto the grave”.
But when the Bea finally falls in love, the Queen is horrified to find her
daughter has not one but two suitors. Will they sort out which one truly loves
her, and which one is a spy secretly planted at the palace by the ruthless heir
to Germany’s throne?
The Shadow Princess:
The year 1888 brings tragedy to Crown Princess Vicky, Queen Victoria’s eldest
child. Empress of Germany for just 3 months before her husband died, Vicky is now
without a “job”, since her adopted country’s throne has gone to Willy, her mad
son. When news of Jack-the-Ripper’s shocking murders in London reaches her—and
she learns that nephew Eddie is at the top of the list of suspects, she must
rush home to clear the family name. It’s there that Vicky tangles with an
intriguing Whitechapel detective, who is as intent on catching the Ripper as he
is on avoiding romantic entanglements with a lovely royal.
You can find out more about these books, sign up for a
newsletter, or contact me, through these links. Happy reading and writing!
Kathryn Johnson (aka Mary Hart Perry)
Facebook:
on.fb.me/Kj7hzU
Twitter: @Mary_Hart_Perry
www.Goodreads.com/Mary_Hart_Perry
Email: Kathryn@WriteByYou.com
