A warm welcome to author J.T Hall stopping by Love Bytes to talk about new release “Murder Once Seen”.

J.T talks about plotting and there is a giveaway to participate in.

Welcome J.T 🙂

How and why, as a writer, do I weave a subplot into my book?

 

While I love a good romance, I typically enjoy faster paced books, particularly with a suspense or mystery twist to them. That made it natural for me to want to write a romantic suspense.

In addition, I love sci-fi and fantasy, as well as comic books. When I look at my list of favorite books, most of them have at least one paranormal or supernatural element. I actually came into writing working on fantasy stories first (I have a couple self-published under another name from a few years back.) So I wanted that aspect as well. I laugh when I try to describe my newest book because it’s a gay paranormal romantic suspense murder mystery! Set in a dystopian future, no less. Yeah, I’m complicated that way.

 

So there’s the “why” behind having a second plot, or even a third, in a book. In Murder Once Seen, there are actually three plotlines taking place simultaneously.

 

• The first of course is the romance between Derwin and Elliot.
• The second is the solving of a murder, in particular who killed Grady Tucker.
• The third is about the Oddities. I can’t say more here without spoilers.

 

I knew that I’d have to resolve the first two plotlines at least to an extent (HFN) in the first book in order to satisfy readers. The third plot, however, is a larger arc that will not be resolved until the final book in the Oddities series. I have a total of six books planned (two currently finished; writing the third). Derwin and Elliot are the main characters for the first three, and then the series will switch over to a second set of protagonists, but keep Derwin and Elliot in the mix so that they’re part of the final resolution.

 

So how do I weave all these elements together?

 

To start with, I’m a loose outliner. That means I make a bare bones outline that mostly points out different plot elements that need to be showcased. The romance arc is pretty standard—they meet, certain character weaknesses or external forces try to drive them apart, they come to a “make it or break it” moment where they have to choose one another, then there’s the climax and the conclusion where love conquers all, whether it be ghosts of the past or a dangerous killer on the loose.

 

The murder mystery required that I be very organized. I wrote notes on who did it, why, how they did it, and then what they did to throw off the investigation (red herrings). Then I outlined the logical steps that our heroes would take to try and solve the mystery. Oh yeah, and there had to be some unexpected danger here and there as the stakes rose and the killer upped the game to thwart the heroes. I went as far as to write down who all the possible suspects could be, their possible motives and things that might lead a reader to think it was them.

 

This is the first mystery I’ve ever written, so I don’t have high hopes of keeping the killer secret until the end, but I do hope the suspense pulls readers through even if they figure things out.

And then last, I introduced the third plot element, but that’s all. Each book there will be more development in that, until the Big Mystery regarding Oddities is laid out and finally taken on.

 

I have to credit my editor, who helped me strengthen certain elements of both the romance arc and the mystery. I think it’s critical for all writers to have other eyes on their book, because we can be blind to certain things that others will perceive. So that’s the last requirement for a well-blended romance with a subplot.

 

I hope readers enjoy.

 

 

About Murder Once Seen

 

In the city of Nis, things often aren’t what they seem.

 

Derwin is a bounty hunter gifted with the Oddity of superhuman strength and agility—perfect for hunting down fugitives and demons who roam the streets. One killed his boyfriend two years ago, and Derwin won’t stop until he finds out who. Police suspect it was someone he sent to prison, but he can’t shake the idea that they’re missing something.

 

Elliot is a rentboy who’s been living on the streets since his parents disowned him. He mistrusts everyone and, given his uncontrolled ability to Read Objects and a client list that includes a major gang boss, despairs of ever having a normal life.

 

Derwin and Elliot meet in a storm of lust. Derwin’s Oddity is fed by the pain of others, but he only wants what’s freely given. Elliot loves pain, but needs safety and a way off the streets before he can allow it. They may be able to solve each other’s problems . . . if they can survive long enough to work together.

 

Available now at:

Riptide Publishing

Amazon

 

About JT Hall

 

J.T. Hall has been writing for many years under this name and others, and has appeared in magazines, anthologies, and online books. She earned her BA in creative writing from the University of Arizona, her master’s in education from Argosy University, and works as an independent technical writer for state and federal programs. In her free time, she volunteers for the LGBT community and is active in the leather scene. She has a teenage daughter and a partner of over ten years. They live in sunny Arizona with three adorably cute dogs, three black cats, and a hamster who loves peanuts.

 

Connect with J.T.:

• Blog: jthallwriting.wordpress.com
• Twitter: @JTHall7
• Tumblr: www.tumblr.com/blog/jthallwriting
• GoodReads

 

To celebrate the release of Murder Once Seen, one lucky winner will receive a $20 Riptide credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on December 17, 2016. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!