Emma Sanders lives in Texas where she works in the district attorney's office.
She writes romantic suspense novels and short stories in her spare time and has published two novels, Holding Fast (Wild Rose Press, 2006) and One Wrong Move (Wild Rose Press, 2007), both of which are available as e-books and as trade paperbacks.
Two of her short stories, Christmas Bells (Wild Rose Press, 2006) and Hope, Love and Treats (Wild Rose Press, 2006) are also available as e-books.
Currently, she is working on a third novel.
In a recent interview, Emma Sanders spoke about her writing.
When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always thought about writing but it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I knew I had to write if I wanted to maintain my sanity. There was something missing in my life that I can’t quite explain. A restlessness that could only be cured when I was writing.
How would you describe the genre in which you do most of your writing?
I write romantic suspense which can be and has been described in several different ways by different people.
To me, though, romantic suspense is a blend of romance and the mystery of falling in love… the how, when and where, the inner conflict etc. It’s also the suspense of something bigger out there that seeks to destroy a person or a love. Impending danger that usually isn’t there with a contemporary romance novel. Whether it’s a serial killer or an unsolved mystery, as long as the suspense keeps us wondering, I believe that's what makes a great romantic suspense.
What motivated you to start writing romantic suspense?
I always thought I’d write contemporary romance novels but I got hooked on romantic suspense when I started devouring Sandra Brown’s books.
I love the way she blends words without making me feel like I'm reading something someone actually wrote and the way she balances the romance and suspense. I love the way she describes things without going into full detail and when I'm reading her books, I feel like I’m in the same room with the characters. I love the way she puts me in the character’s head and there's no question who's feeling what and I love the way she makes perfect characters out of imperfect people, even the villains.
You've suggested that contemporary romance and romantic suspense are separate genres. What's the difference between the two?
I love the contemporary genre as well as romantic suspense but the way I define it separates it from romantic suspense because, even though it may offer a touch of suspense, imminent danger doesn’t await the characters at every turn and there's usually not a mystery to solve.
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