Spoiled for Choice

 

Terry here, with our question of the week: Do you work other genres into your crime fiction? 

Do you bend the “so-called” rules? I had to research what falls under the umbrella of genre fiction. I know about sci-fi and romance, but what else is considered genre? According to Wikipedia: Popular genres include crime, fantasy, romance, science fiction, Western, inspirational, and historical fiction, It never occurred to me to include historical fiction into genre. Or inspirational. I think of those as separate fiction categories. 

So which ones would I consider including? I just read Calico, by Lee Goldberg, which is not only a mystery, but also involves time travel. And it’s a great read. Have you read Ben H. Winter's Last Detective trilogy? Mystery, sci-fi, a tinge of philosophy. I’d love to work some sci-fi into my novels, but I suspect Samuel Craddock would sneer at the idea. I could imagine doing a little something with Jessie Madison and her dive team. The Bermuda Triangle? That used to loom large in the public imagination. I haven’t heard anything about it in the last several years. Maybe it’s time to resurrect it. 

 I also recently read a mystery that had more than a little romance. Maybe a little too much. It’s a delicate balance. I’ve actually been thinking about writing a romance mystery. The problem? I’m not very romantic. I’m not even sure what a romance is. I don’t read them. But I sort of like the idea of people working together to solve crimes and having a little romance on the side. Side note: I just read R is for Ricochet, Sue Grafton, and I was surprised at how much...well, romance? Sort of. But a healthy dose of sex, too. 

Fantasy? Probably not. I’ve been a science fiction fan for years. I distinctly remember when the sci-fi suddenly began to embrace fantasy. The first time I picked up a sci-fi book that was actually fantasy, (dragons were involved,) I backed away fast. Why? Who knows? When you think about it, dragons are no different from aliens. I have no defense for my aversion. I talked to a fourteen-year-old girl yesterday who reads a lot. Her latest book? The Secret History, by Donna Tartt. So she’s no slouch. She said she loves fantasy, that it's fun. 

Western? I read a lot of Zane Grey when I was a kid, along with other Westerns. Cormac McCarthy may be considered a mainstream, serious writer, but he writes Westerns. And what is a Western, anyway? Anything that happens in the West? Are we talking Tony Hillerman and Anne Hillerman? Joe Landsdale? Craig Johnson? Reavis Wortham? I suppose even my Samuel Craddock books could be considered Western. Craddock wears a hat and boots. And he lives in Texas. So maybe I do incorporate some Western genre in my crime fiction. 

Inspirational? Definitely not. Although I once got a heartfelt letter from a man who said he was happy that his bookseller had recommended my books. He said they were wholesome and had moral underpinning. Turned out the guy was a minister in a large megachurch. So maybe I do write inspirational books. Although all I could think of was, “You do understand I write about murder, right? I hope you aren't inspired to murder someone.” 

 Bottom line: I believe at the heart of every great book there's a mystery. So why should genre fiction be any different? It's all mysterious. 

 As for the second part of the question, are there any rules? I guess there should be a few. Top of the list: Try to entertain your readers, even when you are trying to tell them something important. Rule two: Don’t make a mess of it. Rule three: Be true to you characters. I try not break those rules. Only readers can tell me if I succeeded.