Dee Tenorio | Suspense for the Not-So-Pure Of Heart

I have a standing ban on my books with my Mom. Why? My mom is a devout Christian and while I still consider myself a person of faith, I know that the things I write about and that she’s not cool with. Also, dude… She’s my mom. She’d wash my mouth out with soap at most of my books and well, lets face it, she’d seriously consider scrubbing my brain as well.

Because, well… I’m not exactly what you’d call a good girl.

Sure, you might not know it from the look of me. I’m very big on manners and being polite and being responsible and other junk like that. But secretly (sorta), I have other interests. I love a good rowdy tale. I grew up with chain smoking, hard-talking, rough-walking women. Strong women who also happened to enjoy being women. And I often wondered why I didn’t see them in my books very often. I don’t relate well to the innocent Mary-Sues who never see a good murder coming. And I can’t stand a useless heroine who throws herself in front of an enemy gun just for the heck of it. I love a good adventure, a heart pumping suspense and secrets that get kept for good reasons, not because it suspends the plot tension. I like smart people who do what has to be done, even if it sucks or it hurts. They just seem more real to me.

So when I write a suspense, I tend to write women with bite, who can punch you or insult you with equal amounts of pain. And the men aren’t exactly softies either. I write them powerful and smart and sly and sexy and not a tiny bit scarred. And those kinds of people are going to get dirty in a few different ways. Taking out a bad guy. Dealing with a confrontation. Keeping up a front while undercover. Having absolutely inappropriate sex…

Now, my Mom is not innocent. She knows about the birds and the bees and she’s aware of most bad words in a number of languages. She’s even okay with my penchant for writing murder, violence, smart-ass remarks and my absolute glee over covers with half-nekkid men covered in sweat and motor smears. (Actually, she’s quite supportive of that, lol) She’d probably even be totally okay with whatever I wrote because she’s incredibly proud that I’m working my dream of being a real-life writer. And, you know, ‘cause she’s cool like that.

But she’s still my Mom. So, no hot, sweaty hero beating down a sociopathic murderer for her. No sexy undercover agents risking their cover for already stated hot sweaty former Marine for her either. Definitely no inappropriate sex on the hood of a car. Or anywhere else.

You guys, on the other hand, are absolutely welcome to read. I figure there’s a bit of Bad Girl in everyone that needs to get out and have a good time.

Just don’t tell my Mom. ;)

Join the discussion! Got anything you don’t want your Mom to know about?