I Cheated and Blended 2 into 1

by Dave Dentel

The first rule of writing is to know your audience, which in fiction means conforming to the tropes readers have come to expect in the genres they favor.

For romantic suspense authors, plotting a novel to please today’s consumer entails building on the legacy of gothics—especially the titles cranked out by publishers in the 1960s to 1980s.

Considering that at the time these potboilers outsold every other type of fiction on the market, I thought it would be worthwhile to research the elements that typified a good gothic romance. After all, I am working on a sequel to my own romantic suspense novel released earlier this year—Suffer A Sea Change.

I was fortunate to find a work on the topic by literature professor Lori A. Paige. Educational and accessible, The Gothic Romance Wave covers what Paige calls the mass market novels of the era, how they developed, their social implications, what literary conventions they follow.

I especially appreciated Paige’s summary of what she considers the four kinds of heroines in these sorts of stories. Bear in mind that these are inevitably variations of one essential type: the young, disenfranchised woman who who uses her wits and fortitude to overcome perils and win the man she loves.

1. The Determined Governess

To grasp the elements that define this character, think of the original—the narrator and central figure of Jane Eyre. Like Charlotte Bronte’s heroine, the 20^th century paperback counterpart launches the narrative by taking a job caring for children in a remote castle or ancestral estate.

If the former locale, the novel will likely take place in the past. Victorian England is the most popular setting and time period (go figure!). Contemporary gothics will often place the lead character in a mansion on the stormy New England coast, though I recall reading at least one set in a London townhouse.

2. The Bride (or Fiancee)

This variation builds on the iconic character depicted in Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca. When the bride arrives at the husband’s estate, strange and menacing things happen which distance her from the man she married.

Often, there is a second suitor who the reader is supposed to suspect as being a better match.

Usually, however, the wife solves the mystery regarding what is threatening her husband, which results in a new confidence and prominence in the relationship.

3. The Competent Professional

In contemporary gothics, the protagonist might be a professional whose work plausibly places her on the scene of the unfolding mystery. She may also use the skills she’s acquired in her profession to solve the mystery. And of course, she falls in love along the way.

This has become the favored characterization for the heroines of modern romantic suspense stories. Peruse the series featured on the Hallmark mystery channel and you’ll find leading ladies representing all sorts of vocations: antique shop owners, flower shop owners, Christmas shop owners (you get the idea), bakers, librarians, real estate agents, podcasters, counselors, professors. Somewhere in there might be an actual investigator.

4. The Landlady

Finally, the protagonist might be the person who inherits or purchases the estate or castle that serves as the setting. Though many of the typical gothic elements still appear in the narrative, this setup provides the greatest scope for the lead character to exhibit independence.

My Heroine

For my own novel, I worked hard to craft a lead character who manages to blend the first and third types. Liberty Adams takes a job as nanny and tutor to a millionaire’s troubled kids, but this being the 21^st century, she has to compete for the job by showcasing an impressive list of credentials.

But once she reports for work aboard a darkened, drifting yacht, mysteries ensue. Can she solve them without risking own life?

I’m sure you know the answer to that!