Getting to Know You

/ Marcia Meara

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Since it’s been a slow week, I thought maybe I’d start a new series of posts aimed at getting to know each other better. My dream is that this site will not only become a great resource for you all, but a place to foster friendships among writers. To that aim, I’m throwing out my first Getting To Know You question. I’d like to get a feel for the group as a whole, so I’d like to know what genre you usually write, and which genres you usually prefer to read. Hope you’ll take a minute to reply. I’ll go first.

1. I write Romantic Suspense, some of which has some paranormal aspects. (Ghosts, The Sight, Appalachian/Celtic legends like the Black Dog), and some which does not…but which might have even scarier aspects, considering the shocking cruelty of human nature, from time to time.

2. I read everything, but in recent years have been particularly enjoying all the great Urban Fantasy out here. My favorite UF series is The Dresden Files. My favorite authors, overall,  include Daphne du Maurier (NOT a UF writer, for those too young to know her work), Marisa de los Santos for sheer lyrical romance, Dean Koontz for the truly scary, Edgar Allan Poe, for the infinitely macabre, Lee Child, for creating the force of nature known as Jack Reacher, Terry Pratchett for making me laugh so hard at the Wee Free Men, Neil Gaiman for a delicious Creep Factor, Maggie Stiefvater for making YA disturbingly dark and profound, and Jim Butcher, Ilona Andrews, Kim Harrison, Rob Thurman, Rachel Caine, and many, many more, for making Urban Fantasy so much fun. And oh yeah, Larry Correia, for making it so very, very kick-ass!

Your turn. Share as much as you like. You’re among friends!

23 thoughts on “Getting to Know You”

  1. Great idea!

    1. With regards to fiction, I write mainly suspense but I also write a lot of poetry on all sorts of topics.

    2. I also read everything. I think it’s important not to limit yourself to specific genres and to broaden your horizons now and then. In terms of favourite reads, I love the work of Thomas Hardy, JK Rowling and Natsuo Kirino. ‘The Shock of the Fall’ by Nathan Filer stuck with me, as did ‘The Ocean at the end of the Lane’ by Neil Gaiman. Most recently, I’ve been falling in love with Patrick Ness’ writing. – I could keep going but I think that’s probably enough for now 😉

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  2. I write crime fiction. I also read mainly crime. Give me a good thriller, mystery, psychological suspense and I’m yours. My favorite author is Karin Slaughter. Talk about a great last name for a crime writer! I also enjoy Katia Lief, James Patterson (when he wrote the books himself), Roy Johansen, Lisa Gardner, Nora Roberts and books under her pen name, J.D. Robb… and the list goes on and on. Since my CP writes family drama I’ve also been reading a lot of that, which I surprisingly enjoy, too.

    Two of my psychological thrillers have paranormal elements mixed in. My next project, however, will be something I’ve never done before. I’m very excited about! It’s based on a true story– a raw, gruesome story that I must fictionalize in order to protect the living. How this project came about is an interesting story in itself, but one I’m unable to tell. When I can talk about this project more I will. For now, I’m floating on air thinking about the possibilities a book like this holds.

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    • HI, Sue! Thanks so much for taking the time to share with us. I will soon be reading some of your work, and I’m going to check out a few of the ones on your list that I’m not already familiar with. Your new project sounds really exciting. Congratulations on finding something that’s making you want to throw yourself directly into the middle of it. That’s such a great feeling. I’m adding Slaughter and Lief to my to be read list. 🙂 I’m going to have to live to be 165 to read everything on it! 😀 Happy Tewe’s Day!

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  3. 1. When it comes to fiction, I write slightly eccentric, literary short stories. I also dabble in horror.

    2. As far as novels are concerned, I usually read works by long-dead and often obscure writers. I know this probably makes me seem snobby, but there are many amazing books in the world that we’ve all but forgotten.That’s a shame! I do read contemporary fiction as well, but, due to time issues, I am extra picky about what makes the cut. Some of it is divine, though. I also read lots of non-fiction: history, science, feminism, and biographies.

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    • Hi, Maedez! Thanks for sharing with us today. I love how different we all are, yet with lots of overlap. It just proves that no matter what we write, there IS an audience out there, if we can get the books in front of them. Are your short stories collected in an anthology? How would we find them? I’m very partial to well-written short stories of any genre. I consider it a whole separate art form, and one many, many terrific novelists don’t seem to have a gift for. (Though, of course, some do!) I don’t blame you for being extra picky. Time, like money, always seems to be in short supply, doesn’t it?

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      • One of my short stories is in an upcoming horror anthology. It is due to be released in a couple of weeks. I’m about to start writing a new story, one that I’ve been planning for almost a year. I definitely prefer the challenge of writing short fiction (sometimes, the shorter the better). Fortunately, this is where my talent is anyway.

        Time is, indeed, precious. I spend a lot of time reading. Even so, most books don’t make the cut!

        I think that most writers share a love of reading (whatever the genre), passion for the work, and a desire to find an audience. At heart, we are all probably more alike than not.

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    • I don’t think it makes you sound snobby at all! It’s sweet that you want to remember these authors. I hope I have someone like you still reading my stuff long after I’m gone. The authors live on because of you– and that is also a good thing!

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      • Well said, Sue! And I know maedez is NOT snobby. She’s been a good friend on Bookin’ It since the beginning. 🙂

        I believe with the limited amount of time we have, it’s important to discriminate, and spend our time on the things (AND people) we love the most. There aren’t enough hours to do it all, so be choosy, I say.
        And always choose what works for you…regardless of what others might be selecting.

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      • Thank you! Sometimes it has that effect on people, not that I particularly care. I’ve made a freelance career writing about dead writers and old books, so I am definitely not sorry.

        Yes! I’d like to think the same thing about my work, and that of all of my talented writer friends, as well.

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  4. Love du Maurier. I read “Rebecca” so many times in middle school. I just posted on a blog somewhere that I hear that opening line, sometimes, in my dreams. Very haunting… I also have her book, “Vanishing Cornwall”, which I love!

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    • Something we have in common, Chaos! Du Maurier is my favorite author of all time. My daughter’s middle name is “Rebecca!” (Don’t think I didn’t hear about it when she finally read the book and realized what a horrible woman Rebecca was! I told her she was named for the book, not the character.) I’ve read everything she’s ever written, Her writing makes me think she dips her pen into words and drizzles images down the page. *sigh* Brace yourself…I have a signed copy of “Rebecca.” It’s old and battered and moth eaten from being in a distant relative’s attic for many years, but it’s been MINE for the last 40 or so, and I wouldn’t part with it for all the tea in China. Or all the wave-battered cliffs in Cornwall. 🙂

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  5. 1. I write epic fantasy, urban fantasy and occasionally character-based science fiction.
    2. I read the above, plus some thrillers, murder mysteries (cozy and gritty), the odd biography and I’ve just read my first memoir. Favourite authors requires me to think back to the days when all books were trad published, as they are the only ones who have a large enough body of work that’s I’ve read for me to form opinions about. So they would be largely SFF greats – Heinlein, Asimov, Frank Herbert, Andre Norton, Ursula K Le Guin (started me on the fantasy trail with Wizard of Earthsea) Marion Zimmer Bradley, Anne McCaffrey and Robin Hobb. Outside those genre writers, Mary Stewart stands out for me, and Adam Hall.
    Urban fantasy has to be Kim Harrison, plus Richelle Mead and Carrie Vaughn.
    Since I started reading indie work, I’ve found a few that I like, but the only one I’m devouring as fast as she writes them is Kaitlyn Davis – epic fantasy but really unusual and beautifully written.

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    • Hi, Deborah. Once again, I’m really pleased to be learning more about our members here. Thanks so much for sharing with us today. That’s a pretty impressive list of authors you’ve mentioned. More writers, including you, on my To Be Read pile. I’m going to have to add another 20 years to my original estimate…I’ll have to live to at LEAST 185 before I can read all of these! 🙂 So glad to see you here today. Have a great rest of the week!

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  6. I love this idea and may have to steal it for my own blog later down the road. 😉

    1. I love to write, and I don’t have a particular genre that I avoid at all costs. I’m willing to try everything and anything at least once. That said, my prefered genre is young adult/new adult romance leaning more towards the paranormal or fantasy side. I have worked on other genres and lately have been in an erotica kick, but that is my favorite to write and most of my works are within that genre.

    2. Just as I write just about everything, I also read just about everything. Again, I prefer young/new adult romance in the paranormal/fantasy realm, but I am willing to read just about everything. My favorite authors aren’t even in those areas. Mercedes Lackey, a fantasy author, ranks within the top five of my favorite authors along with Walter Farley, who wrote children’s horse novels; Patricia Briggs, who writes urban fantasy; Jude Deveraux, who writes romance; and Cate Tiernan, who writes young adult paranormal romance. These aren’t by far the only authors I read – just the few I’ll read almost everything I can get my hands on if it has their name on it.

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    • Hi, Shegyes! Thanks for taking time to share with us. I don’t think anyone needs to pin themselves down to a particular genre, by any means, though many of us find ourselves drawn to one style of writing. I discovered that no matter where I think a story is going, it always ends up a love story, at heart, so I’m comfortable writing Romantic Suspense, though it isn’t what I read most often. I like that you feel free enough to try lots of things. I read every Walter Farley book available when I was in the 3rd grade. That was more than 60 years ago, so you know how old his books are, and STILL going strong. Of course, The Black Stallion was the benchmark for horse stories for many, many years. That and the Lassie series kept me going a long time.

      I love Patricia Briggs, too, especially her Alpha & Omega spin-off from the Mercy Thompson world. Charles is a favorite character of mine. And my editor is always mentioning Mercedes Lackey to me, so I know I have to read her sooner or later. Another one on the list. 🙂

      Good luck, if you decide to start a feature like this on your own blog. I hope your followers will play along. Have a great rest of the week.

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