Defining a Genre

In nearly all novels, especially mine, there are multiple themes that determine the genre. All of the books I have written contain an element of romance or a love story, an epic adventure, and a third element which is the commonly expected elements of the genre the book is categorized under.

I love the romantic element. It makes the characters more relatable and provides a strong motivation to do things that may be risky, extraordinary, poorly thought out, or outside the hero’s comfort zone. Watching a relationship progress provides pacing, a logical thread to tie the story together, and something to cheer for.

Adventure just comes naturally. I grew up in an area where outdoor activities ruled. My family hunted, fished, hiked, camped, rode horses into the wilderness, and grew our own food, just to name a few. Not only are many of my stories set in my “backyard,” I’ve had the opportunity to travel and work across the U.S. and around the world. All of which have provided inspiration and realism for my fictional work.

The third element is the commonly-accepted themes that define a genre. Most of my novels fall under suspense and dystopian. Marked in Mexico, Shrouded in Secrets, Big Horn Storm, and The Risky Research Series (A Dose of Danger, A Taste of Tragedy, A Foundation of Fear, and A Measure of Madness) are categorized as romantic suspense, but the tags of western dystopian can be added to Big Horn Storm and crime fiction to The Risky Research Series. Deadly Exodus and The Beartooth Chronicles (Refuge from the World, Above the Abyss, Isolated from Anarchy, Evil Under the Mountain, and Winter Resurgence) are romantic dystopian adventures, and despite the young adult category, they are intended for anyone over the age of about sixteen.

So, no matter what the official “genre” is, my readers can count on a clean romance, an adventure, and a suspenseful story set in modern times or a dystopian world.