I’ve learned that this is absolutely true, not only because it’s what I look for in my own reading, but because I learned the hard way that publishers don’t like books that aren’t exciting almost immediately, especially not in the shrinking mystery market. In my first novel, The Dark Backward, I made sure not only to begin with something exciting–a shooting–but to end each chapter on a cliffhanger. I found that these are fun not only to read, but to write, as well!

What worked well for me was to come up with several consecutive "what if" scenarios. I began with "What if a cop was shot, died on the table, but was revived? What if she brought back with her the knowledge of her would-be murderer’s identity, somehow obtained in the clarity of her brief after-life?" That was the beginning of my novel.

But then I asked other questions. What if her murderer realizes she’s after him? What if her estranged husband comes back to work with her? What if her husband’s knowledge as a scientist ends up helping her obtain information that will help her to crack the case? What sort of tension will evolve when no one believes her? By posing the questions, I can examine various answers and pick the ones I think are the most compelling. It allows the book to write itself in my head.

In some ways, writing a mystery or suspense novel makes it more difficult to write the story, but in others it’s much easier. For example, it’s easy to bring romance into the plot because a crime of some sort throws people together who might not normally meet, and this can make for very romantic, even exciting, scenes. On the other hand, I can’t indulge in too much romantic dialogue or description if it becomes tangential to the main plot, so I must find a way to weave them together.

That being said, all of my books end up being very romantic. In The Dark Backward, three different couples emerge from the conflict. I suppose this reveals my romantic tendencies. One of my writing friends was kind enough to call this a "very Shakespearean" type of plot, which I considered the ultimate in generosity!

What are the special qualities of the mystery genre?

I’ve always read mysteries. I gravitate to them in the library and always have, and I’m not even sure why. I suppose the basic answer is that I like to be surprised. Mysteries provide puzzles, but they eventually offer answers to all a reader’s questions, and usually in a most satisfying way.

On the way to that conclusion, however, most mysteries surprise the reader in many ways, revealing layer after layer of the unexpected, sometimes literally making us gasp with the revelations. When I write, I try to capture this same idea, always asking, "Will this shock the reader enough to make her keep reading? Will this be compelling to him?" Sometimes, too, I have to ask, "Is this exciting and fresh enough without being unbelievable?" That’s a tall order, especially for someone who’s read hundreds of mysteries, but it’s worth it when I create something that satisfies me.

I am a member of both these organizations. I find them beneficial for many reasons. First, their monthly newsletters keep me abreast of things happening within the industry and give me firsthand glimpses into publishing events or contests. Second, they offer local meetings and special events that, if I have the time, I can attend to enrich my knowledge of the genre and to meet other writers. I was able to attend a couple of meetings last year, but my schedule doesn’t usually allow it while my children are so young. Third, Sisters in Crime puts out a yearly Books In Print to which members can submit new information, as well as a Member Directory which puts a writer in touch with all other organization members.

RWA is always sponsoring contests for members; if I don’t have time to go to meetings, I can enter a contest to get feedback on my writing from published judges. There are additional benefits that I won’t go into now, but I do recommend professional memberships.

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