Don't Be Afraid To Write Outside Of Your Genre
Don't Be Afraid To Write Outside Of Your Genre
How 'Heart & Cipher' Captures Love in the Shadows
I'm sitting here, staring out my window at the quiet of Des Moines, WA, it resembeles the same town where Imani and Elijah's story began. It’s hard to believe we've just finished writing the first two books of the 'Heart & Cipher' series, 'Unseen' and 'Unheard.' Looking back on the journey, I realize the heart of the series isn't just the pulse-pounding action or the high-tech intrigue. It's the romance that blooms in the most unlikely of places.
For any of you aspiring authors out there, trying to weave a love story into a high-stakes, thrilling world, here are some of the lessons I learned from writing the story of Imani and Elijah.
1. Danger as a Crucible for Love: I found that in a world of espionage, every emotional beat is amplified. The constant danger from Alexander Barlowe's Syndicate wasn't just a plot device; it was a crucible for love. When your characters are facing life-or-death situations, a simple touch, a whispered word of reassurance, or a desperate glance carries a significance that would be lost in a calmer world. The vulnerability that Imani felt, and the protectiveness that Elijah showed in response, became the very foundation of their connection.
2. Secrets Aren't Obstacles; They're the Bridge: Writing a romance where one character is an enigma, a man who lives in shadows, could have been a challenge. But I chose to make those secrets the bridge, not the obstacle. The most profound moments between Imani and Elijah came when they chose to reveal their hidden truths—his past as "Experiment 008," her anxiety tied to her mother's fate. The trust they built wasn't based on what was public, but on the brave, quiet sharing of what was most painful and most secret.
3. The Love of an Architect: I was fascinated by the idea of a character like Elijah, a man of pure logic and cold precision, and how he would love. The romantic moments couldn't be clumsy or overly sentimental. They had to be... architectural. His love was in the details: a perfectly designed safe house, a meticulously curated wardrobe, a reassuring hand on Imani’s thigh, born not from a learned romantic gesture, but from a shared memory of comfort. I believe this unique, calculated tenderness is what makes his love so powerful.
4. The Heroine’s Strength is in Her Heart: Imani is brilliant and she becomes a formidable operative, but her greatest strength is her empathetic heart. It’s what allows her to be a journalist, to understand the pain of the community in Afton Creek, and it's what ultimately makes her Elijah's 'anchor.' She isn't just the one who gets rescued; she's the one who understands his deepest pain and gives him something to fight for beyond vengeance.
5. The Romance Is the Stakes: In our series, the romance isn't just a side story. The love between Imani and Elijah is a critical weakness that their enemies will exploit. It makes them vulnerable, and that vulnerability is what drives the plot forward, creating new and even more terrifying conflicts. The ultimate question for me as an author is, can their connection survive a world that conspires to tear it apart?
To you, my fellow writers, from my writing desk to yours:
I encourage you to be brave. Don't let genre conventions box you in. Let the stakes of your world define the depth of your romance. Let your characters' vulnerabilities be their greatest strength. And remember, the most captivating stories are often about finding light in the darkest of shadows. The 'Heart & Cipher' series is my testament to that. And I can't wait to see what you create.
Visit us at www.rjstewartinspirecoaching.com
What is the core idea behind the "Heart & Cipher" series?
The "Heart & Cipher" series, encompassing books like 'Unseen' and 'Unheard,' is fundamentally about the intricate relationship between high-stakes espionage and profound romance. While featuring pulse-pounding action and high-tech intrigue, the author emphasizes that the true heart of the series lies in the love story that blossoms amidst these challenging circumstances.
How does danger influence the romance in "Heart & Cipher"?
In the "Heart & Cipher" series, danger acts as a "crucible for love." The constant threat from Alexander Barlowe's Syndicate amplifies every emotional beat. Life-or-death situations imbue simple gestures like a touch or a whispered word with profound significance, forging a strong connection between Imani and Elijah, built on Imani's vulnerability and Elijah's protectiveness.
How do secrets contribute to the development of the relationship between Imani and Elijah?
Contrary to being obstacles, secrets are presented as a "bridge" in the relationship between Imani and Elijah. Their most profound moments occur when they bravely choose to reveal their hidden truths, such as Elijah's past as "Experiment 008" and Imani's anxiety about her mother. This sharing of painful and secret information builds a unique trust that goes beyond public knowledge.
What kind of love does Elijah, a character of logic and precision, exhibit?
Elijah's love is described as "architectural." As a man of pure logic and cold precision, his romantic gestures are not clumsy or overly sentimental. Instead, his love is expressed through meticulous details, such as a perfectly designed safe house, a curated wardrobe, or a reassuring hand gesture derived from shared memories of comfort. This calculated tenderness makes his love exceptionally powerful and unique.
What is Imani's greatest strength in the series?
While Imani is brilliant and evolves into a formidable operative, her greatest strength is her empathetic heart. This quality allows her to excel as a journalist, understand community pain, and ultimately serve as Elijah's "anchor." She is not merely a character to be rescued; she comprehends his deepest pain and provides him with a purpose beyond vengeance.
How does the romance impact the overall plot of the "Heart & Cipher" series?
The romance between Imani and Elijah is not a mere subplot but a critical driver of the main narrative. Their love creates a significant vulnerability that their enemies will exploit. This vulnerability directly propels the plot forward, generating new and even more terrifying conflicts, making the survival of their connection a central tension of the series.
What key advice does the author offer to aspiring writers based on their experience with "Heart & Cipher"?
The author encourages aspiring writers to be brave and avoid being confined by genre conventions. They advise letting the stakes of the fictional world define the depth of the romance and allowing characters' vulnerabilities to become their greatest strengths. The overarching message is that the most captivating stories often involve finding light in the darkest of shadows.
What themes are central to the "Heart & Cipher" series according to the author?
The main themes central to the "Heart & Cipher" series include the transformative power of love in extreme circumstances, the idea that shared secrets can forge profound connections, the unique expressions of love from diverse character types, the strength found in empathy and vulnerability, and the notion that romance itself can be a critical plot device and a source of profound stakes.
I encourage you to be brave. Don't let genre conventions box you in. Let the stakes of your world define the depth of your romance. Let your characters' vulnerabilities be their greatest strength. And remember, the most captivating stories are often about finding light in the darkest of shadows. The 'Heart & Cipher' series is my testament to that. And I can't wait to see what you create.
Visit us at www.rjstewartinspirecoaching.com
