There’s a lot of pressure in the writing world to have a signature style. Some authors are funny, some are steamy, some are sassy, etc. The idea is to let readers know what to expect when they see your name.
I’ve been at this writing thing for a while, and I’ve never been quite sure what my style is. My books are sometimes funny, but they’re not generally laugh-riots. There are moments of heat, but they tend to come late in the books and aren’t super-kinky or anything. Sassy? Meh, maybe – depends on the character.
But I’ve been reading reviews of my new books, and the comment that makes me proudest? The one that makes me think, yeah, I did what I wanted with this book? It’s when someone says the book is “smart”. I don’t mean mathematical-formulas smart, and I hope the reviewers don’t either, because if they do, they’ve read the wrong book. But “smart” like the readers aren’t expected to turn their brains off in order to enjoy the book. The characters don’t do stupid things in order to make the plot work, the settings fit into our understanding of the real world, etc.
That’s what I want to be known for, I think. Writing smart books that still engage readers’ hearts.
It’s gratifying to read that people think I got that right.
