My name is Kelli Wilkins, and I write historical, gay,
paranormal, and contemporary romances. People often ask me how I can switch
genres so easily and write such diverse stories. “What’s the trick?” they want
to know. Well, the trick is… there is none.
Writing historical romances is pretty much like
writing contemporaries. I use the same basic storytelling techniques—an
interesting plot, sympathetic characters, and the right mix of backstory,
setting, and details that draw readers into the story and keep them there.
Consider these romance plots:
A
father is desperate to find a suitable husband for his wild daughter, but she
rejects all her suitors and wants the one man she can’t have.
An
outcast is persecuted by the people in her small town and relies on a handsome
stranger to help her escape.
Disowned
by his well-to-do family, a spoiled socialite is forced to find a job and make
his own way in the world. He falls in love with a sweet shop girl and suffers
heartache as he sees how the “other half” lives.
A
young woman leaves everything behind to start a new job far from home. She
tries to solve a murder as she falls in love with her employer’s son.
A
wealthy husband and wife invite couples to their country home for a weekend of
wanton fun.
Sound like great reads? Would it surprise you to learn
that they are all plots from my historical romances? (In order, they are: A
Most Unusual Princess, The Viking’s Witch, The Pauper Prince, Dangerous
Indenture, and A Midsummer Night’s Delights.)
Recently, a woman told me she didn’t read historical
romances because they were boring. I replied, “Some of them might be, but not
mine—far from it!” With a few plot and character modifications, any of my
historicals could take place in modern times. Don’t believe me? With the right
editing, princesses could become spoiled actresses, singers, or reality show
stars. Imagine the pampered prince as a high-paid arrogant actor who is
destined for a fall from grace.
The key to writing an appealing historical is to
create characters who are engaging and lively. I don’t have “stuffy shirts”
making long-winded speeches about politics, law, or anything not crucial to the
storyline. You won’t find me (or my characters) giving anyone a history lesson!
Just because historical romances are set in time
periods before cars, the Internet, and cell phones, that doesn’t (or shouldn’t) make them boring. There is
plenty of action, adventure, intrigue, danger, comedy, and sensual love scenes.
These are the same elements that go into making a compelling contemporary
romance.
I bring my historical romances “out of the history
books” and into the everyday lives of my characters. I focus on how the hero
and heroine meet, fall in love, overcome their obstacles and challenges, and
eventually live happily-ever-after. And if you think about it, this is what
really happened to people back then.
People who lived in ancient Egypt, the Middle Ages, or
Colonial times went through the same relationship hardships and heartaches as
people who live today. Granted, their life circumstances were much different,
and in many cases they were more concerned with basic survival than finding
true romantic love, but that didn’t make them any less real. Women especially
didn’t have as many options, choices, or chances to fall in love with Mr.
Right, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t have hopes and dreams like our contemporary
heroines.
I’m not afraid to “break the mold” with my historicals.
The settings, plots, and characters I create are far from typical. My heroines
are not wearing frilly dresses and hosting tea parties while waiting to find
the perfect man. In most cases, they’re too busy trying to keep themselves
alive or fighting against perceived notions of how a “proper” woman should
behave to look for a husband. And if they do find a man they want to be with,
they are only willing to accept love on their terms. Michelle from Wilderness
Bride and Shauna from Dangerous Indenture are two examples.
These strong women have struck out on their own in a man’s world and would be
right at home in a contemporary romance novel.
When I’m writing, I include only the historical
details and descriptions that are integral to the story. I don’t bog down the
plot with a step-by-step procedure for churning butter, how to saddle a horse, or
go into an endless description of how to unfasten a corset (unless it’s
befuddling the hero who is eager to remove it!). The same goes for contemporary
stories. Readers don’t want the action slowed to a crawl with long
descriptions, flashbacks, or “as you know…” info dumps.
Every romance genre has its fans. Some people like to
read contemporary romances, others live for paranormals, and there are those
who switch up genres and read anything that sounds appealing. If the author is
doing her job right and creates a believable world, then the reader will be
hooked—whether the story is set on a remote Scottish isle in 804 (as in The
Viking’s Witch) or takes place in modern times (as in A Secret
Match). And that’s the “trick” to switching up genres.
As for me, I don’t know what my next book will be. All
I can say for sure is that I enjoy writing romances about people who fall in
love, wherever and whenever that may
be.
ABOUT
KELLI A. WILKINS
Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has
published more than 90 short stories, 19 romance novels, and 4 non-fiction
books. Her romances span many genres and heat levels. Kelli had three romance
novels published in 2014: A Secret Match, Wilderness Bride, and Dangerous
Indenture. Look for her short story “Home for Halloween” in the upcoming
Moon
Shadows horror anthology. Preview it here
Kelli publishes a blog KelliWilkinsAuthor.blogspot.com
filled with excerpts, interviews, writing prompts, and whatever else pops into
her head. She also writes a monthly newsletter, Kelli's Quill, and posts on Facebook and Twitter. Kelli invites
readers to visit her website, www.KelliWilkins.com
to learn more about all of her writings.
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