Genres

Today is going to be a short post on writing genres, or more to the point on writing more than one genre.

First and foremost I am an erotic romance author. I could say romance, but in truth even though I have - to date - only written one sweet romance, I do prefer to write erotic romance. I don't like closing the door on intimate scenes, because when you are writing such strong feelings between two characters I find as both a reader and a writer I want to soak in every single second of their connection and their journey together. So, yes, first and foremost I am an erotic romance author.

Now, you may have seen my author tag line somewhere at some point: A pick ‘n’ mix genre author. “I’m not greedy. I just like variety.”

When I started writing I threw that tag line out there for myself, because although I do tend to stick with the paranormal and contemporary genre I knew deep down that if my imagination ran wild and took me in different worlds, I wanted to make sure everyone knew I would run with it.

Up to this point all my books have been set in modern times, contemporary settings, I haven't gone or created a completely new world, nor have I do anything set in the future or the past. And most of my books have supernatural characters in them and fall under paranormal/urban fantasy because beyond all over genres they are the two that attract me the most.

So as you can imagine when I do decide to dip my toe in another genre it feels a little strange, which is the case with my recent project. I have mentioned it before briefly, the retelling of a Grimm Fairytale I am taking part in for Decadent Publishings, Beyond Fairytale Series call.

I have gone fantasy with this story, with a hint of paranormal added in. I am excited, and there are so many possibilities, but I have to confess I feel as though I am not quite in my body while I am writing this story - and I am 6.8K in at the moment - and I can't quite figure out why.

It's not like I haven't written outside my preferred genre before. Creak my erotic thriller was a first for me. I had no idea if I would be able to pull such a story off, even though it seems to be going down well with readers, but I never thought I would write a thriller. It was just a deliciously random idea, which I enjoyed and am thinking about possibly writing a sequel, but we shall wait and see. Then there is my sweet romance, Stepping Stones, which is being re-released with Bono Books soon. I didn't feel like I was out of my body writing that book, but the pace was a lot slower and well, different and I do still worry that it wont be up to par, especially if you're use to my other works. If you have read any of my stories there is usually a ton of profanity, sex and humour, which has been toned down in Stepping Stones.

But this current WIP of mine, I don't know if it's because it has been a while since I have written something brand spanking new, or if it is indeed the change of genre and the fact that I am creating a whole new world and form of existence - which yeah, it probably is - but I know I keep writing and then sitting there dreading that it wont make sense, or that it is rubbish.

It's normal for authors to feel this way about their work, but I really do think that such a feeling is amplified when it is a different genre. Usually we surprise ourselves though. I know I'm surprised at what I have written so far. I just hope that in the end I manage to write a decent Fantasy story, but at least I am making progress, and I will never know if it is any good until I finish it. So, I better keep cracking at it.

The Spell of Summer update at 26,800 words in.

I LOVE this story!!! When I got the idea for The Spell of Summer, I loved it then, but it all seemed to change when I started writing it and the vision altered and it wasn't what I thought it would be. That infuriated me a bit, but in the end I went with it, and I'm now in a place where I'm in love with what's happening. It's soooo very different from writing my paranormal stories and I feel I'm growing as a writer through this, solely because stretching yourself is necessary for learning and growing.

I've mentioned before that it reads a bit like women's fiction - it does, but it also reads a bit like a contemporary romance and it does have a paranormal flair to it, although nowhere near as much as my other books. This story is not only about a woman's journey - it's a journey for all the characters. I tried to keep it just about the hero and heroine - honest I did! I failed. It's just not me. I have to write about all the people - they are all so interesting, they all feed the hero and heroine's stories, and their stories will also unfold over the next few books...

Oooo ... did I just say that? Yes, I did! I envision, currently, four books in the Once Times Thrice series - all of them standalones, but with characters that overlap. And I am so over trying to 'categorise' this book and series now (even though I'll need to when to comes to publishing it) - it just is what it is.

Here is the latest visual teaser, as I am now 33% in - I am one third of the way to completing this book :D

(Click image to enlarge.)

Lastly, if you have not yet read my Witching Pen series, please grab it right now. For the first time ever, the entire series is available in a boxed set for ONLY $0.99 / £0.77 until the 17th February, and this offer is exclusive to Amazon. Here are the links:  AMAZON US   AMAZON UK

Have an awesome Friday and weekend!

Dianna xxx

Future genres I'd like to write.

Elizabeth's question to me: Is there a particular genre that you would like to write (which you haven't already?) And do you think you will someday?

Quite a few! I'd love to write an erotic horror - and I mean a full-out HORROR with the suspense and shit-scary shenanigans and gruesomeness, and so on.

I'd also quite like to write a contemporary romantic or chick-lit erotic comedy, sort of like Friends or Sex and the City in erotic novel format.

I'd also love to write some kind of really intelligent literary, ground-breaking novel, that would probably be like a psychological thriller/suspense or something, but I'm pretty sure I never would because my slightly lewd sense of humour (and love of weaving eroticism into everything) would pretty much ensure it's not ever going to win a Nobel Prize! There seems to be this undercurrent train of thought in the public consciousness that says if it has eroticism in it, it can't be that intelligent. That is so so wrong (Lolita, for example). I actually feel in some ways that we are more judgemental about taboo and controversial subjects that we used to be, what with all the "political correctness" that colours our culture nowadays. It's a great shame - minds need encouragement to be opened, and not a scolding for trying.

Now, I am not comparing my work to that of such literary masterpieces; merely saying that I'd like to be able to write something like that one day and weighing up the reality :)

Thanks for the great question, Elizabeth!

Dianna xxx

Favourite Genre/Sub-Genre to Write

As some of you may know I often struggle to find a topic for my Monday posts. It is somewhat irritating and I don't wish to ramble on about nothing just for the sake of posting something. So, Dianna and I have decided that we will choose each others topics each week in the form or questions - unless we have something we wish to talk about - but we also want to invite all of you to ask us questions, which we will answer the following week in our blog post. So, please do feel free to use the comment section below (and on any post) to pick our brains. :-)

So, my topic for today is on which genres I prefer to write. Main genre would be romance.

I have yet to have an idea which has not involved romance. It's not purposely done, but at the heart of it I am a romantic and no matter what I read or watch I find that I am drawn to any sprinkle of romance that appears. I have always enjoyed the little moments between the hero and heroine. I love the details, the glances, the small touches, I find I crave those moments in any story. So, I guess it would make sense why I enjoy writing romances. I like being able to help two people find one another. Sure some of my characters have rockier roads and bigger challenges than others, but I enjoy going on their journey with them. I want happy endings. I want hope and passion and fulfilment.

Sub-genres . . . Erotic romance would be the main sub-genre that mingles in, because sex is a part of life and of any relationship. It's the conclusion of chemistry, caring, and opening up to someone; trusting them.

Although we can all understand love (to some degree) it's very different for all of us. We each feel it differently and can do on many occasions, but it can be confusing. So can sex, but it is something that we can all understand biologically. We can all relate to sex. We have all had sex.

I actually prefer Erotic Romance to Romance, because although romance is lovely, and sweet it is very innocent. I am of course talking in the sense of the Romance genre when both books and films close the door on sexual side of the relationship. You just know those characters are going to be ripping each others clothes off at some point, but to push that side of the relationship out kinda makes the genre seem like a fairytale. Not that there is anything wrong with fairy-tales (I'm a huge fan of fairy-tales) and not that there is anything wrong with closing the door and keeping a story sweet. Sometimes a story is sweet, or has to be because there is a bigger plot going on. (I have written a sweet romance, so I'm really not against them, I promise.) But we have hormones; we lust, we crave intimacy and that physical, deep connection. I just personally feel that erotic romance makes the relationship a little more real.

Otherwise the Paranormal Genre would be the sub-genre I tend to lean toward the most. I grew up loving fairy-tales, and stories to do with the supernatural. I found the Greek Mythology fascinating due to the idea of these gods and goddess, Hades and the underworld, and creatures like Medusa, Scylla and Charybdis etc.

I believe that every creature that has every been placed under "supernatural" or a being of "myth and legend" did actually exist at some point in time. Perhaps that makes me sound crazy, but I really don't care. Everything starts with a grain of truth, and the idea that magic is truly alive and real just makes the world and existence that extra bit interesting.

The paranormal genre is a playground of endless possibilities. So many creatures to choose from. So many ways to view each of those creatures. So much you can create with them. They will never get old.

The above three tend to be the genres I stick to the most. Contemporary is a fourth component as every story I have written so far - even if it contains a supernatural being - has always been modern; it's always been set around this year and time zone.

But I don't plan to stick or even limit myself to these particular genres. I enjoy reading period stories, steam-punk, fantasy, and futuristic and would like to at least write one story in each of those particular genres at some point in my life time.

So, my question to you (readers and fellow writers) which genres (and sub-genres) do you enjoy reading and/or writing?

Hopping genres yet again.

It's no secret that I genre-hop, or cross genres when I write, and while I don't like to be labelled, I admit that it stresses me out when I think that readers might expect the same kind of writing from each of my books or series, when the reality is that they might get something different each time.

I do explain (briefly) what kind of book you're getting at the bottom of each book description (where I can). But short of writing "NONE OF MY BOOKS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME" in large letters across my website, there's not much else I can do.

Why am I mentioning this? Firstly, because I should really care less. But it is very hard to care less when you are also the marketing department for you own books. It's not just a personal niggle - it's me trying to ensure that I am marketing myself and my books correctly and that is not an easy task when you mix up your genres like I do.

Secondly, I have plotted out a potential book - a standalone novel - for 2015. It's a dark, paranormal chiller (yes, chiller), and when I say dark, I mean really quite dark. If it gets written, it's like nothing I'll have ever written before. The humour usually conveyed in my books will be a much less in this one, with the focus much more on the chill factor. Sort of like James Herbert crosses Richard Laymon. And the subject matter is a little controversial.

It's a long way off, so there's not much else I can say, other than I drafted a book cover and blurb for it last night to see how it sits with me. It's sitting good so far, even if I'm a little apprehensive about writing it - it's got to be done right. But hey, I love a challenge. I crave a challenge :)

It means I may have to change that section on my site so it doesn't read Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy, as this book would see a new side to my writing.

Anyway ... a dark, paranormal chiller, where the morality of what is right and wrong is always in question. It won't be a comfortable read. How does that sound to my current readers?

Do tell :)

Dianna xxx

 

The lull before the storm

I am happiest when I am busy. Well, perhaps the word isn't happy, but I like being busy even if I have my stressful moments.

The first five months of 2012 seemed to have rolled by. I mean, seriously, it's going to be Christmas again in six months. As crazy as it sounds I measure my years by Christmas, and damn, it's going to be here in no time.

Any way, in a lot of ways the first five months of this year have been slow, but in a good way. The slight lull has given me a chance to look at ideas I've had and I've managed to pad them out a little more so there are actual stories there. I have managed to work a little on a new series - which I've had to put on the back-burner at the moment - and figure out the world etc. which I'm happy about. I've also managed to write a novella for one anthology and a short story for another. The novella was accepted, which I'm excited about - news when I have it. But sadly the short story was rejected, but I'm actually cool with that, because I felt that there was more to the story then the world limit would allow. Plus, I felt my story was a little too twisted for this particular anthology. So, silver lining to every cloud.

So, even though, during those 5 months I didn't feel overly busy, looking at all that I realise I was, but now the storm clouds are rolling in and I am having to look at my very loose writing schedule and tighten it up.

As you know my dark sensual paranormal romance, Cranberry Blood, is being released on July 2nd. The edits are done on that and I am eagerly awaiting my cover while I write blog posts and interview for the two weeks worth of promo I'm organising.

I found out the other day off my lovely editor that my sweet contemporary romance, Stepping Stones, is actually being released on August 6th with Noble Romance. So eek, I'm going through the manuscript to this shorter novel at the moment. As soon as my two hectic weeks of Promo are over for Cranberry, I have to start again and organise some promo for Stepping Stones. *pulls hair out* I actually enjoy promo, though, so I'm cool with that.

During all that madness, I am hoping to extend the short story I mentioned above, which should hopefully only take me a couple of days. *Fingers crossed* Then I plan to start the next book in The Blood Series, which is currently untitled, followed by Book 2 in The Overseers Series: The Keeper.

*Takes a deep breath then exhales*

Needles to say I am going to be very busy and I am super excited about it. I know, I'm somewhat crazy. :-D But I refuse to believe I'm the only one who loves to be run off her feet. Do you prefer to be busy?

I'm going to leave you with the blurb for my upcoming August 6th release, Stepping Stones, which is the first sweet romance I have written. I don't know if it will be the last. I don't like to say never when it comes to genres, so we shall have to wait and see.

~ * ~

Stepping Stones Blurb:

There's nothing like a wedding to bring the family together....

And if it wasn't her baby sister’s wedding, Margaret West wouldn't be returning home at all.

Why else would she go back after six years knowing full well that she has people to face, and explanations to give?

If her parents interrogation isn't bad enough, the fact that she has to be civil to her foster brother, Adrian, is. Best friends since childhood, they haven't spoken since he went to America... The day before Margaret was supposed to be getting married.

And to make matters worse, her ex-fiancé, William, is the Reverend who will be conducting her sister’s wedding ceremony!

All want an answer from her, and they aren't taking no as one of them. Why did she run in the first place? Why has she been so angry with, Adrian? Why didn't she marry, William?

Margaret isn't even sure she knows the real reasons any more.

Coming August 6th 2012 from Noble Romance Publishing.

Overthinking things...

Thank you, Elizabeth, for the funny post on Monday. I need to think of more funny posts - mine just tend to me a little serious and boring at the moment, perhaps because, despite my New Year's resolution not to overthink things, I am overthinking things :[

So today's blog post is about two things, both brief:

1. I shall be expanding my genres (and I'm growing to hate the word genre) to include urban fantasy, as well as paranormal romance. I've always called myself a multi-genre author because I never wanted to be sort of stereotyped into writing one kind of thing, or one style of fiction, but at the same time, it's drummed into you that you have to have a "brand" when you start to market yourself, so I "branded" myself as writing romance (mainly because I like writing sex in my books - I can't help it - my characters have high sex drives). Well, my brand doesn't want to be small, and I don't always want to be hampered by a happy ending, or only focusing on two couples, and so on, so I shall be branching out so to speak. Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy ... and Gothic Poetry ... and possibly some YA fiction in 2014 ... ah, you see my problem? No, damn it, this hole is for pigeons, not me :-p  This leads to the overthinking, but really, what is there to think about? Many adult paranormal romance authors also write urban fantasy, and also write young adult paranormal fiction. I'm sure I'm making mountains out of molehills...

2. This was kinda fun: in 2013, I shall be releasing two novels, both urban fantasies with lots of action and (er-hem) HEAT in them, and I actually started writing one of them about a year and a half ago - before I even started to write The Witching Pen. I haven't touched it since then, and went back to look at it last night (I think I'm about 18,000 words in) and BOY has my writing style changed! It actually seemed like it was written by a different person, so it needs a huge overhaul, and I'm looking forward to doing that. It's fascinating how you develop as a writer, but also a little scary, because it's entirely possible that my writing is complete and utter shit right now, and I won't know about it for another two years(!). Hahaha! I'll have a think about that as I poor myself another vodka on the rocks :s

There you have it - this has been my overthinking for the week. I'm looking forward to the week ahead being more based on action, and less based on thought. So, Elizabeth, when I'm going mad and tearing my hair out, because I have delusions of grandeur that I'm sitting on a mountain as opposed to a slope, I shall remember your funny post, and use it to shut my brain up :) Thanks. x