Build Us Your Ideal Story with Diane Demetre

 

Build Us Your Ideal Story with Diane Demetre

Choosing from this menu was harder than choosing from a dinner menu. At least with a meal, I can choose a couple of extras just in case I want more 😊

Anyway, here goes…

$5 Relatable, likeable female lead.
To relatable and likeable, I added TOUGH. In my debut romantic suspense, Retribution, my female lead, Jessie Hilton is an ambitious, talented soloist in the Australian Ballet Company with her sights firmly set on becoming a principal. This young woman has the rare combination of grit and give. She is driven to achieve her dreams, even against the worst odds, while doing her best not to alienate others. Throughout the story, Jessie finds herself in a worsening spiral of unexpected events which would leave most people reeling. Because of her inherent belief in good things can come from bad times, she is worth every cent of the $5. The incomparable Amber Scott from the Aussie Ballet is who I used for inspiration.

$5 Sigh-worthy male lead.
My hero had to be her match. A man with equal power, passion and fortitude, yet vulnerable and kind. Since I’ve always had great respect and gratitude for the men, women and animals of our country’s armed forces, I knew my hero would be one of them. They’re a rare breed who place themselves in harm’s way to fight for our freedoms and way of life. A uniquely Australian character, my hero needed to be a professional soldier with a damaged past and worthy of finding love again. The sigh-worthy Chris Hemsworth as he appeared in the lead role of Thor was my inspiration for my hero, Brad Jordan. Definitely worth $5!

$3 Conflict that forces personal growth
My background as a stress and life skills therapist and life coach colours my writing, particularly in this story. Retribution delves deep into the human psyche and explores how people deal with their emotional past. So, conflict which forces personal growth is integral to the story and to many of the characters’ lives. This story is my way of paying tribute to the people who have endured more than most. Those who have lived hellish childhoods, those who have fought for our freedom, those who have experienced unimaginable trauma and those who may never recover from their suffering. With the overarching theme of forgiveness and redemption, Retribution pays homage to the human condition in all its glory and misery. It examines the question…Who would you kill to escape your past? What decision would you make if you were pushed to the edge? Would you choose good or evil? This is the ultimate choice my characters had to face when confronting their pasts—to either choose for redemption or retribution. For $3 it’s a tantalising conflict to consider.

$2 A surprise, unexpected ending
My catch phrase is that I write love stories with a twist. So, choosing a surprise, unexpected ending for $2 was a given. Retribution is my first foray into writing romantic suspense, a genre where the suspense element and the romantic relationship are equally important to the plot. I wanted to give a rich emotional depth to the story by constructing complex character arcs in a story that merges the deeper elements of life, love, betrayal and hope. Retribution does not follow the usual formula for this genre…It is romantic suspense with a twist. Just when you think the story has reached its climax, you’re only half way there. The real clincher is yet to come.

 

 

Retribution
Diane Demetre

A gripping romantic suspense of betrayal, hope and love.

Jessie Hilton is tough. Since the age of fifteen, she has dreamed of being a principal dancer with the Australian Ballet Company. Now at twenty-four, she stands on the brink of fulfilling her dream unaware of a secret buried deep within her.

Ex-military officer, Brad Jordan is rebuilding his life with the help of his boisterous Border collie, Whiskey. After helping Jessie out of a tight spot, he discovers a kindred spirit in the ambitious ballerina.

But with the sudden attention of an unwanted admirer, Jessie’s life begins to spin out of control. Called back to her family home in country New South Wales due to her father’s unforeseen illness, she is torn between career and family. As her dream of being principal dancer fades, her stalker edges ever closer. But there is more to overcome than a lurking psychopath. Can Jessie and Brad confront their own demons and escape the past?

Amazon

 

 

About the Author:
Award winning author, Diane Demetre writes genre-busting stories which delve deep into the human psyche, and Retribution is no exception. Winner of Romance Writers of Australia Emerald Pro Award for Best Unpublished Manuscript, Retribution is her first romantic suspense. If you love a cast of complex characters, a slow simmering romance and an intriguing plot, don’t miss this page-turning romantic suspense with a twist.

 

 

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