WHY WE WRITE THE DARK

I was interviewed by The Pantagraph the week I released my debut novel, Open Fire: The Flames of Betrayal, at Emerald & Amythyst Bookstore, and the very first question was why.

Why did you choose the dark romance genre?

Well, I smiled that little sinister smile I wear so well, cleared my throat, and began.

You see, I have always believed that one of the most beautiful things about being a reader is the freedom a story gives us to step outside our own lives. We can close the door on everything familiar and, for a little while, walk into someone else’s world. We can leave our comfort zones and experience love, danger, temptation, heartbreak, fear, and desire without actually having to live through those things ourselves.

I think that’s part of what makes dark romance so intriguing. I love reading the familiar with a dark twist. A story that takes me somewhere unexpected? I’m here for it.

When I wrote Open Fire: The Flames of Betrayal, I wanted to explore the space between what we think we know and what may actually be happening beneath the surface. Cora’s story begins with things that feel familiar: love, loss, hope, attraction, and the desire to find someone who makes you feel safe. But as her story unfolds, that sense of safety begins to change. Secrets emerge, control becomes part of the picture, and what may have looked like a fairy tale begins to reveal a much darker side.

Life isn’t perfect, so our characters shouldn’t be either. I want readers to experience the truth, the flaws… the realness of it all. The darkness I write isn’t simply there for shock value. It gives the characters something to confront and allows readers to experience that journey right alongside them.

We don’t necessarily read dark romance because we want those experiences in our own lives. Sometimes, we read it because we want to experience something completely different from the lives we’re living.

A dark romance novel can give us that escape.

As writers, we sometimes take our readers places they would never go on their own. We create characters who make choices we might question, relationships we might never enter, and situations that push people beyond their comfort zones. But that doesn’t mean we’re telling our readers these are the lives they should want.

Dark romance, to me, makes fiction feel personal. Suddenly, readers begin putting themselves in a character’s shoes.

What would I do? Where would I draw the line? Would I recognize the warning signs? How much would I forgive?

Could I walk away?

These stories allow us to explore the complicated side of relationships and, sometimes, the complicated side of ourselves.

There is something exhilarating about opening a book and entering a world where the rules are different. For a few hours, we can step away from the ordinary and feel everything a little more intensely.

That’s what I hope Open Fire: The Flames of Betrayal gives its readers.

It isn’t a blueprint for how to live, but an escape. It’s a chance to explore the darker corners of relationships and human nature from the safety of a story. And somewhere along the way, it may offer a reminder that even when a character finds themselves surrounded by darkness, there can still be strength, resilience, and a way forward.