If you ask my husband or anyone in my family, they’ll tell you I’m a major pain in the butt to watch a movie with. I can’t help it. I’m a writer—and I therefore think like one, always plotting. I’m also an avid reader, with suspense/horror/thrillers being among my favorite books. Finally, I’m also very competitive…I like being challenged, playing a mental game against the movie makers to see if I can figure things out before they want me to.
Don’t get me wrong, I can’t figure everything out. Heaven help me if the kids aren’t home and I try to figure out how to set the TV and DVD player so I can actually watch and hear a movie at the same time. But once that movie’s on, I am 100% focused on paying attention to every twist, turn and bit of dialogue that will lead me to the right conclusion.
Obviously, when I started writing dark romantic-thrillers, this was in the forefront of my mind. One of the most common reactions readers and reviewers have had to the Black CATs books is that they just did not figure out the villains before they were supposed to.
There’s a reason for that, of course. I wanted it to be really tough to figure out! I set the bar for the suspense plot to my own personal satisfaction level, continually asking myself, “If I read this line, would it immediately lead me to think this?” Or “When this character came on the page, what is it about him that would make me say, ‘Aha! It’s him!’”
Whatever the answer was, I most definitely wouldn’t do that!
My good friend (and fabulous writer) Roxanne St. Claire once wrote an article for my RWA chapter newsletter, comparing plotting to braiding her daughter’s hair–weaving this thread into that one to make a nice, tightly plotted book. I really like that analogy, and sometimes think of narrowing it even further: the mystery thread in a romantic suspense novel should have its own braid. The possible suspects should weave in and out, the clues leading you in one direction, then suddenly turning and wrapping around and into another whole possible scenario.
All that said, I definitely wanted to “play fair” with the reader. I followed a few basic rules: 
Get the villain on the page early—he might not have to be a major figure in the book, but he can’t come out of nowhere. Leave a whole lot of subtle clues and maybe one pretty obvious one. I like for there to be a moment at the end, when it all comes together, when the reader will say, “Oh, MAN! Of COURSE it was him, I should have known when X happened.” (That’s especially true in the 2nd book, PITCH BLACK. A lot of readers have told me they just couldn’t believe they hadn’t seen ‘it’–that one big honking clue–before the truth came out.)
I have to say, I didn’t write the books this way in order to frustrate anybody, or even to challenge them the way I like to be challenged to figure things out before the author’s ready for me to. It’s just that I absolutely love it when I can’t figure it out! The very best reading (or movie-watching) experiences are the ones where I am just guessing and guessing throughout 
and am completely surprised and delighted when it all ties up in the end. The movie The Usual Suspects did that for me. And to this day it remains one of my absolute favorite movies.
I’ll admit—it doesn’t happen often. So I tried my utmost to try to make it happen for other readers. And I sincerely hope it worked.
What about you? Anyone else who can’t just watch a movie, or read a book, but has to figure it all out before you’re supposed to? And if you’re read any of the Black CATs books—what did you think? Did you figure things out, see the clues?
If so, I’d really like to know what gave it away…so I can do better the next time.
Today Leslie is giving away a copy of Pitch Black to one random poster.
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Dee
on Sep 3rd, 2009
@ 12:37 am:
I usually don’t have a need to figure it all out, although the only show I obsessively theorize on is LOST. Of course, that show has more curveballs than a MLB season, which causes guessing to definitely be most of the fun.
kh
on Sep 3rd, 2009
@ 1:25 am:
i like figuring it out but i like to keep guessing til the end
congrats ont eh books and great reviews
cyclops8
on Sep 3rd, 2009
@ 2:37 am:
Congrats on the new release, Leslie. I’m always trying to figure out who the bad guy. I love watching the Agatha Christie miniseries on PBS and I’m trying to solve the murder along with Miss Marple and Poirot.
Marisa
on Sep 3rd, 2009
@ 6:39 am:
Hi Leslie! I’m so glad you could join us today! I have to say I love your series and your books have had me guessing until the end. Truly.
Not knowing ‘who done it’ till the end – must be a really hard thing to write. I know the movies I’ve seen and books I’ve read where I had no idea who the villain was until the end are rare. For example, I remember being shocked at the ending of the movie Sixth Sense – what a great surprise to finally know what was going on. I so did not see that coming. Or the BBC version of State of Play – kept me guessing for hours. When an author/writer can take me on a journey with lots of twists and turns and keep me guessing until the end, well – that’s the best!
Laura
on Sep 3rd, 2009
@ 8:41 am:
Hi Leslie,
The books sound great. I have not read them, so I am hoping to get lucky here! I drive my husband nuts. I usually can figure out a outcome within the first fifteen to twenty minutes of a movie. Now we have come to an understanding, and I am not allowed to share it with him. The only movie I couldn’t figure out until the very end was A BEAUTIFUL MIND, and LOST, well I don’t think we are suppose to figure that one out. Again, my hubby refuses to watch it with me.
Laura
on Sep 3rd, 2009
@ 8:42 am:
Hi again,
Doesn’t FLASH FORWARD on ABC sound like a great mind teaser?
Maria Lokken
on Sep 3rd, 2009
@ 9:25 am:
Hi Leslie – I’m a real fan of your series – especially because I never figure it out until the end.
I’m like you, when I watch a movie, I’m always looking for the clues – always muttering out loud – trying to figure it out. And usually I do, which drives my family crazy. They’re continually telling me to keep my thoughts to myself.
Jeannie
on Sep 3rd, 2009
@ 9:44 am:
Hi Leslie, I’ve read your first book in this series, Fade to Black and you really captured my attention. It’s interesting that you as an author are invested in keeping us guessing. I love a good suspense and it’s only good if I can’t guess what the ending is. I really love it when the reveal is such a surprise but when I go back and think about it and look at all the clues it’s right there in front of me.
One of my favorite books is the DaVinci Code, it had so many surprises and twists it kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next.
Leslie Parrish
on Sep 3rd, 2009
@ 9:47 am:
Hi everyone!
I’m really glad to hear I’m not the only one who tries to figure things out from the get-go.
Lost is absolutely something that has been driving me crazy trying to figure it all out!! I was totally convinced they were in the Garden of Eden at one point…lolol! Absolutely no clue at this point, thought, I think the plot is wide-open.
Sixth Sense…loved that movie. Saw the twist ten minutes in. Maybe I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t heard all the hype about there being such a shocking twist, because that just challenged me to find it.
Same thing with The Village, The Others–movies that were just “shocking.” Not so much.
Beautiful Mind? Oh, yeah, that definitely did surprise me and I loved it!
LeAnne
on Sep 3rd, 2009
@ 9:50 am:
Howdy Leslie, I’ve not yet had the chance to read your series but I’ve read some of the reviews that Stacy has written on this site and they sound most intriguing.
I’ve been a fan of mysteries, thrillers and suspense for a long time. One book I’ll always remember is the Eight by Katherine Neville is was a thrill ride from beginning to end and I had no idea what was coming next. I didn’t want it to end. I love when a book, movie, or TV show can keep me guessing and keep me hooked.
SallyR.
on Sep 3rd, 2009
@ 9:54 am:
Hi Leslie
I am certainly one of those people who drives their family crazy when watching a TV show. Man, they always try and get me to leave the room. I’m the one continually shouting at the detectives, “turn around, the man in the white suit did it!” They’ve almost banned me from watching movies or TV with them. So yes, I like to be surprised. I rarely am. BTW, I saw with the Sixth Sense, actually a preview of the movie in NYC and had no idea what it was about. I guess I was lucky and saw it before all the hype and so I was really surprised.
Paula R.
on Sep 3rd, 2009
@ 10:50 am:
Hi Les, just swinging by to show some love…
I love you and your alter ego and I love the Black CATs series. I must say that I didn’t figure out who the bad guys was with any of the books. I made a list of possible villians for each book and as I got closer to the end I would cross off my wrong suspects. When you finally revealed who the villian was, I could kick myself, and yes, I had to go back and check for the clues again, and the aha moment comes. I love the way your wrote the plot twists…I am like you when it comes to trying to figure out who the villian is in everything I do. You know what, The Usual Suspects is one of my favorite movies of all time too…I love when the villian is finally revealed. That was just such a wonderful moment in the film. No matter how many times I watch it, I am awed by the beauty of the twist in the plot. The Sixth Sense’s twist was like that for me too. I love solving mysteries, maybe that’s why I watch L&O:SVU so often, and any other show like that. The Mentalist is a good one for mind tricks too…I love it…
Thank you for writing this series, and I am looking forward to more Black CATs. have a wonderful time chatting here today. I will check in. See you in the jungle and the Cyber Lair. Don’t count me in for the drawing. BTW, Amazon finally sent me an email telling me that B@H shipped today. How messed up (this was the more pc term I could think of here) is that.
Peace and love,
Paula R.
Emmanuelle
on Sep 3rd, 2009
@ 12:46 pm:
Hi leslie,
I love suspense, either in books or in movies and I love the fact that you’re not supposed to figure things out. I think it’s great to be clueless about dertain things and get carried by the author in a totally different direction. I really enjoy this game of misleading. Of course it’s true that I’m not particularly bright with those things so even if I TRIED to figure things out quickly…. lol
Beth
on Sep 3rd, 2009
@ 12:46 pm:
I just love reading and thinking I have it all figured out, then whammy…the plots twists and I realize I don’t have it all figured out. I love the surprise twists and turn in the 3 books. I really love how you weave the romance, suspense and characters together and blend it all so perfectly in an excellent story line in ALL 3 of your latest books! I am anxiously waiting on the next in the series. You left it open to more at the end of the 3rd book…I am just letting you know, I want more!
chey
on Sep 3rd, 2009
@ 1:33 pm:
Congrats on the new release, Leslie.
I also like figuring the story out but I don’t mind a few twists and turns that I didn’t anticipate.
Leslie Parrish
on Sep 3rd, 2009
@ 2:48 pm:
For those who’ve mentioned it, I would SO love to write more books in this series. Jury is still out, unfortunately, but I’ve pitched them and have my fingers crossed my pub will decide to let me do them.
Paula R.
on Sep 3rd, 2009
@ 6:22 pm:
I have my fingers crossed for them too.
Peace and love,
Paula R.
PJ
on Sep 3rd, 2009
@ 6:30 pm:
Hi Leslie! I’ve been hearing great things about your books. I haven’t read any yet but they are on my tbr list.
I love books/movies that outsmart me by keeping me guessing until the end. That guessing is part of the enticement that draws me to romantic suspense so often.
Pam P
on Sep 3rd, 2009
@ 10:24 pm:
Hi Leslie, I’ve seen so much good things about your books, going to have to get them.
I love trying to guess, many times I can, other times not. Whenever the family is togethrer watching a movie it’s a game with everyone guessing along the way, waiting to see who was right.
Lost, a whole other story, just when you think you’ve figured it out, guess again. I did, however, think it was going to do with time/parallel dimensions by the second season, but so much more to figure out.
Francesca
on Sep 4th, 2009
@ 12:56 am:
What a great post! I love to hear that I’m not the only one at the theater thinking about how the story works out…or doesn’t. I definitely want to pick up one of your novels. I’m on the look out for another favorite author to enjoy!
Marisa
on Sep 4th, 2009
@ 7:55 am:
Thanks Leslie for joining us – we wish you continued success with this terrific series. And for those of you who haven’t tried it yet – what are you waiting for?
Congratulations to Laura you’ve won a copy of Pitch Black – we know you’ll enjoy it. Please send your full name and snail mail address to alphamail@romancenovel.tv with Pitch Black Winner in the subject line
Laura
on Sep 4th, 2009
@ 8:13 pm:
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! I actually got lucky. I am very excited to read this book. Hope everyone has a great, safe holiday weekend.