Into the Fire

Five things I need from novel types:

Thrillers: I need a great hero/heroine and a story that keeps you nearly breathless with the rapid pace of treacherous circumstances requiring every skill the hero has to come out the victor. Although using severe control, the hero must be passionate in his designation of good and evil, not immune to breaking every "rule" to get the necessary result. 

Romance/Love Stories: In these types of stories I need a truly desirable hero and a lovely heroine. By those designations I mean the hero – be he a bad boy or a saint – must have sex appeal and some admirable qualities even if he leans to the bad boy status. There must be something to make him redeemable. The heroine can't be unduly flighty but can be over-sensitive or very emotional but not to the point where I lose my patience with her and wish the hero would move on. She must be likable and, even if independent, maintain some vulnerability.

Mysteries: I need a good strong hero. "Strong" in that he stands out and carries the story. He can be quirky, unusual, intense, or timid, but he's got to be shrewd and clever. I prefer that he – or she – think outside the box in the investigation and be perceptive in evaluating all kinds of people. 

Suspense: For suspense to be good, it has to keep the reader on edge. It should be just short of the intensity of a thriller with a less elevated pace, but the hero/heroine must be either in or on the verge of threatening situations while trying to either solve a murder or prevent something as evil or menacing as a murder. A lot must fall on the hero's/heroine's shoulders to achieve success adding to personal stress and even fear of failure. 

Speculative: This type of novel – for me – combines reality with a speculation of the supernatural in some capacity. I rarely read speculative novels. Not my thing. Unless you give me a Robert Liparulo novel. His imagination translates well to a "speculative thriller", and when he combines the supernatural with a super-paced thriller, his novels are fascinating, entertaining, and often breathtaking. He creates strong heroes and ultra-complex plots with a breakneck pace. The only other speculative novels that I've read which are similar to Robert's type of books were "The Tox Files", a trilogy by Ronie Kendig. Ronie's hero (Cole "Tox" – "Toxic" Russell) was an amazing hero. Both authors wrote speculative novels with a Christian supernatural flair, and were incredibly well-done stories. 

What do you need from your favorite genres? 

Father, thank you time and time again for your writers, for those who use the incredible talent you've given them and acknowledge you in the process. Please bless them all in your abundance. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.