An Interview with Author B.J. Daniels
Meet the Writer Whose Mystery/Thriller Novels Redefine "Harlequin"
Apr 25, 2009
When most people think about Harlequin Romance novels, they picture Fabio on a cheap paperback cover, tossed in a beach bag. Harlequins are what women to read when the sun is too hot to concentrate on words with many syllables, right? Maybe.
Find the Harlequin Sentence
Which of these sentences comes from a Harlequin?
- "They fumbled with each other's clothing, twined limbs around limbs, and thrashed with urgent ardor on the cold sand."
- "She blew a kiss to the man with the steel-rimmed glasses, who blushed a bit, coughed, and smiled."
- "All she wanted was for him to take her in his arms, to kiss her again, to make her forget everything that had happened."
Anyone who has taken a multiple choice quiz knows the answer is always the third choice, but what about the first two? The lovers thrashing on the cold sand are from Peter Benchley's Jaws, and the air-kiss with enough power to make a man blush is from Stephen King's The Stand.
A seasoned reader might argue that it is easy to find some romance in any book, but the true test comes in looking for scenes of adventure from a Harlequin that can compare to books of a more serious reputation. Which of these sentences comes from the Harlequin?
- "The man hit the floor dead spread – a prime entry wound oozing blood."
- "As she looked up to the opening high above her, she felt something wet and sticky run down into her eye. Blood."
- "Mr. Nowoski found him on the floor by the urinals, his jeans unzipped, the floor covered with blood and urine."
Of course, the answer is 2, because the always the second choice. (Except when it is the third choice – that paradox is what makes guessing on multiple choice tests so dangerous.) The man on the floor is in James Ellroy's L.A. Confidential, and Mr. Nowoski is making his sordid discovery in John Grisham's The Associate.
Both of the Harlequin sentences are from Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch, written by B.J. Daniels, an author capable of creating such dramatic thrills that her early rejection letters advised her to, "Tone down the adventure!"
B.J. Daniels Creates Adventure for Harlequin Readers
However, adventure is exactly what a lot of readers – women and men – want, and B.J. Daniels has fans of both genders, due in part to her sparkly characters When a restraining order is served on Deena Turner in Secret of Deadman's Coulee, she replies, "We live in Whitehorse, Montana, you dumb bastard. The whole town is only a hundred and fifty feet long."
Ms. Daniels says, "I loved writing that character. But I think lines like that are one reason I have some men readers, which is fun."
B.J. Daniels shows the another side of Harlequin. She writes for the Harlequin Intrigues line, and her books are full of mystery, adventure, and yes, romance, which is exactly what her readers want. "I get too many fan letters from women who need that escape for me to want to ever quit," Ms. Daniels says, "And I’m having too much fun. I really love getting to tell the characters stories. You’d be amazed at the things I’ve learned."
The Truth About Harlequin Intrigue Books and Their Fans
One thing that readers are learning through her wonderful books is that not all Harlequins are alike. In fact, that is one myth that Ms. Daniels is ready to dispel. Some of the inaccurate perceptions of Harlequin include, That they are all alike.Or that they are all cheesy. Or that intelligent women don’t read them. Those are all myths."
One look at Amazon's reviews reveals how well-loved Daniels is. Of Love at First Site, reader Rita Herron says, "B.J. Daniels has a unique storytelling voice that keeps the reader turning the pages and entertained until the very last page. Her mixture of humor and suspense creates a winning combination and a book that is a keeper!" Many of the reviews on Amazon echo Ms. Herron's sentiments -- B.J. Daniels makes reading fun, and her books are the kind of books readers go back to again and again.
In addition to understanding her readers, Ms.Daniels understands the reluctant readers who are in for a surprise when they enter her world of romantic Montanan adventure. "I have known people who have never read a Harlequin," she says, "Then they read one of mine. either because they feel they have to or because they are curious." The result? "They are shocked not only that the book wasn’t what they expected -- but that they enjoyed the book!"
Many readers will be meeting the residents of Whitehorse, Montana through experiments in reading. Perhaps readers will be testing the Harlequin Intrigue waters, or perhaps they will be reading an ebook. Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch is available as both a free Harlequin .pdf file and as a free Amazon Kindle book, and many of Daniels' other books are available as Kindle books. Her newest release, New Deputy in Town, is available as a Kindle book and will be released in paperback in June, 2009.
 |
 |
 |
