Guest Blog Post
The Nurtured Lure of Romantic Suspense Novels by Karen Tjebben
The love of literature is built in children’s early years. As toddlers, children pour over the pages, admiring the pictures that capture their attention and letting their imaginations create the story. As children grow into adolescence, books are an easy way to build connections from one world or time to another. The magical pages transport children to different times and cultures. They get to swim with mermaids or travel through rough waters in rickety boats with explorers. There is no limit to the adventures children can enjoy through books.
And who doesn’t like a little romance? Without realizing it, our culture has provided literature with hints of romance to young children for centuries. Some of the timeless classics woo young girls with the delights of love and protection. As a child, what are some of your favorite books? Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, or The Princess Bride? The underlying current of friendship and love cannot be denied in these stories, no matter how innocent and subtle. And you cannot forget the amazing effect Disney has had on children. Disney is just now creating stronger, independent female characters who don’t wait to be rescued, but who slay their own villains and overcome their problems.
Parents have used literature sprinkled with fear to teach their children about the dangers in the world around us. The Brothers Grimm wrote classics so troubling that they have been altered recently to soften the horror for children and lessen the nightmares that surely result. Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, and Little Red Riding Hood taught the dangers of trusting strangers and making bad decisions. And for adolescents, the riveting true events portrayed in Number the Stars and Stella by Starlight frighten and inform young adolescents of the true evils that lurk around them. There’s an excitement and rush of adrenaline that suspense or horror books provide to the thrill seekers.
It’s no surprise that the romance genre is a billion-dollar industry. People have been conditioned to love happy endings and the occasional fright. So, the blending of the romance with suspense delivers an incredible pull that keeps readers turning the pages long after lights out.
YA supernatural romance novel
with NA and contemporary fantasy appealDate Published: April 2016
“Hayden is alive.” Those three words hurl Kate and her friends towards a mission unlike any other. While honing Kate’s Asteri powers, Kate and Alex delve deeper into their relationship as they untangle Kate from Sarah’s past. Zoe and Evan are entrusted with the task of destroying a magical ring and finding a cure for a poison that threatens their existence. And Nick is determined to locate and free Hayden from whatever monster imprisons her. Working together, their success will ensure that Hayden will no longer be a ghost sketched on paper, but a woman reborn to thrive in Nick’s arms.
ExcerptAlex gripped Kate’s hand. He didn’t mind the blood. Over the centuries he’d grown accustomed to it, but this time the blood was his own. Never before had he lost so much of the precious liquid that he actually felt his life slipping away, but he fought. He’d fought the hardest battle he’d ever waged because she’d stayed. She’d drenched him with her tears as she begged him not to die, and so he fought. “What did the griffin say to you?” Alex asked, his voice weak and scratchy. Shock consumed him when the griffin hadn’t rushed away after rescuing him from Daevas and the cerberi. Instead, the griffin stalked to Kate, bent its hooked beak to her ear, and told her something, something important. Alex stared relentlessly at Kate. Mud and blood tinged the tips of her blonde hair. Her cheeks were flushed from fighting and crying. She chewed her bottom lip, and her fingers twitched within Alex’s grasp. But pleasant warmth from her hand seeped deep within his bones and stirred his love for her. He’d never again let her go.Her fingers slipped free of Alex’s grasp as she stood. She dragged her eyes from Alex and looked to Nick. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered about wildly. The news the griffin whispered would change Nick’s life, all of their lives. She took a deep breath and focused on Nick. “Hayden is alive,” she said.
About the Author
Story time always captivated Karen. As a child, she fell in love with books that transported her to different worlds and introduced her to new creatures. As a teacher, she encouraged her students to explore different times and new worlds through literature. Now, when Karen isn’t living in reality with her husband and daughters, she can be found creating an alternate reality filled with creatures and worlds that she hopes will delight and raise goose bumps on her readers.
Where to buy Karen’s books
Amazon Barnes & Noble Createspace
Where to find Karen Tjebben:
Facebook Pinterest Instagram Twitter Tumbler Amazon
a Rafflecopter giveaway
