Thursday, May 30, 2013

Shiftery Goodness

For a couple years now, people have been asking me when I'm going to write another shifter story and I didn't have an answer.  It was always some indefinite point in the distant future.  For the last week or so, I haven't wanted to jinx it (because I'm wildly superstitious), so I've been keeping mum about this new project I've just started working through, but today I'm too excited not to share.  So here goes...

I'm writing another cat shifter story, boys and girls. 

More leonine goodness for your reading pleasure... just as soon as I finish it, submit it to the Awesome Editor, get it wedged into Samhain's busy scheduled, edited etc, and into your hot little hands.  So... it won't be next week, or anytime very soon, but I'll keep you posted.  For now, just be warned.  More shifters are coming.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

The Romance Omission

I haven't had a rant in a while, so it appears to be time for a small temper tantrum.  You've been warned.

This morning, I tripped across this article in the Guardian, talking about how genre is getting more respect and is the distinction between genre & literary fiction a "flimsy irrelevance".  Brilliant!  Right?  To stop negating the quality of a book simply because it falls into a certain genre class is something I can get behind wholeheartedly. 

Except for one thing.  The entire article is VERY, VERY CAREFUL never to mention the romance genre or a single romance author. 

"[Y]ou'll still find China MiƩville and Lauren Beukes in fantasy, Ken MacLeod and Iain M Banks in sci-fi, Sophie Hannah and Ruth Rendell in crime, Brian Evenson and Kathe Koja in horror. We critics can praise them to the high heavens, but it doesn't change where they end up in a bookshop."

Yes, the critics can praise those genres to the high heavens, but they can't be seen legitimizing romance.  God forbid!  It might negate their whole argument if they were to include us.

Perhaps I'm overreacting.  Perhaps the author of this piece has nothing against romance and our entire genre being ignored when quality is discussed was just a thoughtless oversight.  Still, I got a bit tetchy at the omission.

Nalini Singh.  Eloisa James.  Kristan Higgins.  Linnea Sinclair.  All of them brilliant.  When talking about genre quality, there are romances that should be part of the conversation.  Just sayin.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Risk and Reinvention

I'm over at the Ruby blog today, chatting about risk, reward, reinvention, and books that step outside my writing comfort zone.  Swing on over and say howdy!

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Great Expectations

One of my cousins recently declared she is going to be a writer (or Madonna, she's still figuring it out).  I know I should be wildly supportive of anyone who wants to pursue their artistic dreams, but my first instinct was to say "It's really hard to make a living as a writer."  (And then I felt guilty for the impulse to rain on her parade.)

Being a big shot professional writer is kind of like growing up to be a professional baseball player - though the odds of making the major leagues may actually be better than making a workable living in writing fiction.  Thirty teams with 40-man rosters... as opposed to the "Big Six" publishers with only a handful of A-listers each?  I know there are indies striking it big now, but most of us are just scratching by (if that).  Even some people who've made best seller lists aren't rolling in it the way you might think.  Think I'm exaggerating?  Check out this article.

But see the thing is, none of that will matter if writing is your passion.  If it's that thing you can't imagine not doing.  Like Sinclair Lewis said:
It is impossible to discourage the real writers - they don't give a damn what you say, they're going to write.

Truer words never spoken - but you notice he doesn't say anything about fame or fortune.  As a get rich quick scheme, writing is not so awesome.  As a lifelong passion for people with a thousand stories inside them screaming to get out?  Can't be beat.  Just sayin'.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Happy Mother's Day!

Wishing a lovely day to all the mothers out there.  In this sometimes-janky writing biz, I'm lucky to know that my mom will always be my number one fan.  Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Monday, May 6, 2013

Auction Everything!

It's that time again, boys and girls!  The Annual Brenda Novak Online Auction For Diabetes Research!  As always there are HUNDREDS of brilliant items for you to bid on.  Everything from books to vacations.  Lunch with your favorite author or a critique from your dream editor.  Baskets of goodies and one of a kind handcrafted items.  You could even win an iPad just for registering as a bidder!

Go forth and check out the items available for your bidding pleasure and remember it's for a great cause!