First I want to say congrats to Sandi again for making the Bestseller list at Desert Breeze with Winner Takes All! My copy has been staring at me to read it and can't wait to dive in. :-D
I've added to my ever growing TBR pile and as I was grabbing my latest stampede of books, I realized something...I'm hardcore, unabashedly, fanatically addicted to books. No, really. I collect books even if I'm not sure when I'm going to read them, or even IF I will be reading them soon. I keep so many stories, plots, characters and situations I need to dive into. My latest has me checking out some old Harlequins I have missed. I wasn't one of those girls who grew up reading their mother's or sister's Harlequins. My mother didn't even like HQNs and I had an older brother who loved sci-fi and fantasy (which I loved growing up). I didn't get into the romance genre until recently so I guess I'm doing a little catch up.
Coincidentally this is the same era that the paranormal genre is making a rise. I grew up loving Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles and she was about the only person doing vampires at the moment. I read that an editor mentioned she couldn't give away a paranormal a few years ago and now they're still selling like hotcakes!
For a gal who loves her romance mixed in with some noir, hard boiled detective, action-adventure, futuristic and/or fantasy, I'm loving all the great new ideas coming out of this crop of authors. Whether e-published, small press or large press there's lots out there to grab.
As an author, it allows me the chance to combine the genres I love and to experiment with new ones. Often times the paranormal genre toes the line between certain labels. My latest release A Kiss of Ashen Twilight was labeled a fantasy romance although I like to think of it as an urban fantasy romance because of the whole series which deals with a growing relationship (although the first book has an HEA. Some new titles I added to my tbr list have been using this title as well and I have to say I'm pretty eager to check them out.
A lot of people think the paranormal romance (or supernatural romance genre as some call it) is something that is only a fad but I think the current staying power has proven that it's an evergreen. Even when the media stops asking about the allure of undead heroes and whereabouts the genre rose, us reader and fans will still be there. And us authors will still be writing for those readers of the genre. Just like the young crop of fans in the YA genre who were exposed to LJ Smith's Vampire Diaries when they were growing up, so will the young fans of today look forward to similar but more adult fare as they grow.
I'm currently contributing to an upcoming writing guide for new authors entitled, well, The Complete Guide to Writing Paranormal from Dragon Moon Press and I'm focusing world-building for new writers. As a reader I LOVE to lose myself in great world-building, especially in paranormal and urban fantasy works. Probably my throwback from reading all those fantasy and sci-fi books! The awesome thing is now a romance is featured in these paranormal genres.
I often wonder what kind of new stories will come as the genre bends, turns and folds with new ideas and authors. Sci-fi as a hard label within itself is somewhat dying but I wonder if the SF romance will give it a boost in the coming months. Publishing itself is changing in the way books are produced, sold and marketed and with the crop of new stories to tell, the possibilities are endless.
No matter how big that pile gets I'll always be on the lookout for more goodies to read...one title at a time. If anyone's at Goodreads, add me as a friend so we can trade titles. If I had a second internet home, that's probably where you'd find me!
Take care all!
Rae :-)
10 comments:
Great post, Rae. I too have a TBR pile that never seems to grow smaller. I can't seem to walk into a bookstore without walking out without 2 books in hand. My e-reader on my computer is flooded with books :-) Sometimes, the trouble with loving to read is that it competes with loving to write LOL
I need a clone :-)
As a young adult, I loved--loved--to read fantasy. It was a guilty pleasure because growing up in the pentecostal church, reading anything that wasn't inspirational was a huge no-no. Perish if a romance novel was brought into the house. I read alot of Victoria Holt's suspense. LOL Then when I left that church denomination once I graduated high school, the sky was the limit for reading. :-)
Love world building also and am glad the paranormal is here to stay. It's comfortable there :-)
Happy reading!
Great job Rae. You know I read somewhere that when Laurell K. Hamilton was first starting out, and I love her (do you read her?), she got told by an editor to leave the elves to Tolkein. Isn't that insane??
I can't wait to pick up a copy of your guide book.
Way to go.
Seriously? An editor said that? Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face! He doesn't own elves, thank the lord! :-) That's like telling car companies to not invest new ones because Henry Ford already did that. LOL
You write it, we'll buy it :-)
Nice blog, Rae. I remember when it was hard to find anything written with vampires in it. Anne Rice's series was my first but Dracula will still be my favorite paranormal romance.
Great post, Rae. Hardcore book addict, huh. LOL Hi, my name is J. Hali Steele and I'm addicted too. Love it!
Thanks guys!
A clone would be most welcome indeed! lol
I think I picked up Hamilton sometime ago and couldn't really get into the book. Probably was my mood at the time but I'm going to try her again soon. I bet that editor is kicking themselves right now lol.
"You write it, we'll buy it" I love it! lol
Dracula is definitely a classic, Annie! It's right up there with my faves. :-)
Welcome to the group, Joann. We could always use more addicts lol.
Hey Rae
Lol. I'm a book junkie too and my husband knows never to let me near a bookstore esp when I've just had an influx of money in! He knows just the whiff of the paper is enough to get me high! Or better, he sends my son in with me, so in between shouts of "Don't touch!!", all I want to do is get out before he destroys anything!
Fancy, you made me think of the first paranormals I read, and they were all by Christopher Pike. Anyone still recall him? I remember his Last vampire series, and what a kick-ass heroine Alissa was!
Sure gonna hang around here a lot!
Hugs
Z(Aasiyah/Nolwynn)
I have to admit that I, too, am addicted to books for any age. My husband brought a collection of books, some of which date to the turn of last century. I love the smell of those old books. Just something about it is calming. A comfort scent, I'd call it.
Maybe they need to invent BJA (Book Junkies Anonymous). I'd be one of the first to enroll!
Great post, Rae!
Liena Ferror
Lol Z! I can so agree. When I have cash I veer toward the books myself!
I remember Christorpher Pike! I think I read a few of his but most of my paranormal types were with R.L. Stine. Around the same time I think! I'll definitely have to catch up on Pike now though!
Liena, that's awesome! I bet those are some wonderful editions. :-) I'll be right behind you signing up at BJA lol.
Oh yeah, R.L. Stine. I forgot him too. Loved the Pikes though, and some were pretty spooky, though in many there were great locales such as the Hawaiian islands and then the ancient ruins of Greece.
Gotta remember to amke my boys read those when they're a little older.
Hugs
Z(Aasiyah/Nolwynn)
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