2009 marks Harlequin's 60th anniversary--and Intrigue's 25th! This year, our newsletter questions will celebrate all that's suspenseful and wonderful about Harlequin Intrigue.

B.J. Daniels:  My favorite storyline for Intrigue? Old murder mysteries. I love them in other suspense books I read as well and I like to write them.  As for my own stories, I try to mix it up as much as possible. My goal is always to keep readers from knowing whodunit if possible. Heck, most of the time I don't even know until I'm almost through with the book. I love that moment of realization. It gives me goose bumps.    I do this by giving all the suspects motive and opportunity. I have a very suspicious mind. All the time I'm writing, I'm wondering who did it and why. Not the reason I suspect usually. That's what makes writing Intrigues so fun for me.

I'm very excited about my upcoming Whitehorse: The Winchesters six-book mini series that begins in April. I love the very dysfunctional Winchester family and the mysteries that surround them beginning with McCall Winchester. Of course there will be several old murder mysteries -- but with a twist. I can hardly wait!

 
Mallory Kane: Another hard question! I have so many favorite storylines. Lawmen, reunion, bodyguard, forced proximity. What I've been doing, and something that I think works very well for Intrigue, is to combine more than one storyline or theme in one book. I really enjoy that, and I believe each one adds an extra layer of intrigue to the story.

For instance, all three of my Black Hills Brotherhood books have that layered storyline. His Best Friend's Baby is a reunion story, a mountain rescue story and a kidnapped baby story. The Sharpshooter's Secret Son (available now) contains reunion, pregnant heroine and on the run. The third book, The Colonel's Widow? (Nov 09) is reunion, kidnapping, hero-thought-dead and international intrigue. Apparently, I think the more the better. :)
 

Julie Miller: One of the things that works really well when it comes to creating a story for Intrigue is to take a traditional, tried-and-true story line (hero in uniform, amnesia, cowboy, secret baby, etc.) and give it a fresh, suspenseful twist. So those storylines you’ve always loved to read will work here. The trick is the make the suspense an integral part of the plot, not just the backdrop.

Probably my favorite story theme is the Beauty & the Beast tale, where a tortured, scarred-up hero who is difficult to love or even approach on the outside is hiding a true prince inside--and it takes that one special woman to break the curse life has thrust upon him by seeing the heart of the beast and recognizing him for the honorable hero he is. Her love saves him. Sigh. It’s a theme that shows up in my December 09 book, Beauty and the Badge. I give the traditional storyline an “Intrigue”ing twist by making my gruff, scarred, less-than-handsome hero a major case squad detective, and the “beauty” the spunky girl next door who stumbles upon murder, cover-ups and conspiracy at the company where she works. He may not make a friendly first impression, but she quickly learns there’s no one she can turn to who’ll protect her better when danger threatens, or love her more deeply than this “beast” of a cop. The story features reader favorite, Detective Kevin Grove. Watch how my heroine transforms this big, bad terse cop into the hero of her dreams.
 

Joanna Wayne: One of my favorite Intrigue story lines is the women in jeopardy, especially when I have a cowboy to the rescue. In addition I have loved writing the Special Ops, Texas series which focuses on heroes who were former Navy Seals-the soul of a warrior, the heart of a cowboy. Cowboy to the Core which came out in August of this year is a story like that. The heroine, a secret medium, finds herself in extreme danger when she sees a woman killed by a knight in armor while she is wearing an Elizabethan ball gown. The trance becomes real when the heroine attends a friend's wedding at the Texas Renaissance Festival. The hero is a sexy former Navy SEAL who sees she's in danger and insinuates himself into the situation. The attraction is immediate and very sensual.

My November release, Bravo Tango Cowboy, incorporates several themes including an abduction. The heroine's daughter was kidnapped while at the zoo with her single mother two years ago. Neither the FBI nor the police have gotten anywhere in their search. But when the hunky Navy SEAL hero comes on the scene, he tells her that he will find out what happened to her daughter and he does exactly what he says. After all he is a Navy SEAL. It is a very sensual, heartwarming story. Romantic Times gave it 4 1/2 stars and named it a Top Pick for November.