This has gotten me the rep of being labeled a 'literary slut,' in that I 'write around' in a lot of genres.
Why? Why would a moderately respectable crime author swap genres and write a wacky time travel series, set in Arizona and Alternate-world Great Britain?
1. I like Arizona. Especially in winter. You can fly nonstop there from Toronto.
(Whoops – delete, delete. Of course, the real reason for using Arizona is I believe in accuracy of setting and doing research, which I take great pains to do once each year in February.)
2. I like Great Britain. And I like to be accurate. But you can’t travel to medieval Great Britain right
now, at least not on WestJet. (WHY doesn’t someone invent a cheap time travel airline?) So I can’t be accurate, which bugs me a lot. But I can be silly, which is almost as good. Hence, Alt-world.
3. My cousin Tony’s family, the Clegg-Hills, used to own a Norman castle in Shropshire. Unfortunately it burned down in 1556. Damned careless of them. I had to make up what it would look like from family stories, which are probably dubious at best, and vaguely criminal, on reflection. Also, I hate being sued. Hence, Alt-world.
4. Fessing up, here. I actually didn’t mean to write funny time travel. I meant to write a serious whodunit that would get the respect of the Can-Lit crowd, and the more erudite members of Crime Writers of Canada. This ‘veering from plan’ is becoming a nuisance. Next book, for sure, will be a serious whodunit. Okay, maybe a whodunit. Okay, maybe a book.
5. Okay, I lied. The serious whodunit turned into a wacky mob comedy series that has won a Derringer and an Arthur. Still no respect from the Can-Lit crowd. So I might as well go back to writing wacky time travel.
Why? ‘Cause it’s a hell of a lot of fun being a literary slut.
Are you a literary slut? Confession time! If you write in more than one genre, let us know in the comments.
Flash Update: The Land's End Trilogy featured in this blog started charting on Amazon this week, and on Thursday made the overall Amazon Top 100 Bestseller list, at no. #47! Author is faint~
Land's End Trilogy ("OUTLANDER meets SEX AND THE CITY" Vine review) is on sale for a ridiculous 99cents this weekend! If you were ever curious about her 'other life'...'nuf said.
Melodie, I think you should sue your cousin's family! What kind of castle burns down? Aren't they supposed to be made of stone and not 3-little-pigs straw and sticks? Stormers of the castle probably laughed their bollies off. Hmmph. I think you were cheated!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I'm all for the cheap time-travel airline as long as (a) they don't have mediæval legroom and (b) it's not Ryan Air.
ReplyDeleteMelodie, I guess I qualify as a sister literary slut since I write in several genres. Would you agree with me on the following quote from an old country song?
ReplyDeleteQuote: It ain't easy being easy. Same quote with my ending added: It ain't easy being easy, but it's a helluva lot of fun.
Congratulations on your newest novels. It sounds as if the trilogy is off to a good start!
ReplyDeleteLeigh, we would need to do something about the ventilation too (on Med Air). Compulsory showers before boarding?
ReplyDeleteFran, I love it! I suggest we hit the circuit with that duet. (there's surely more money in country music than in crime fic!)
ReplyDeleteMelodie, I've wandered into the horror and supernatural genres on occasion. I even once wrote a family saga that, astoundingly, has never found a publisher. Other than those, I've remained a one-trick pony.
ReplyDeleteMelodie, please tell David that in today's society, "slut" is a word used for both genders. I think his horror/supernatural qualifies him for membership with you and me.
ReplyDeleteI suppose I qualify as well. I've written and sold (in the short form) mystery, sci-fi, westerns, horror, romance, fantasy, and most subgenres. But mystery/suspense is by far my favorite.
ReplyDeleteDavid, you qualify! (and I won't even draw attention to the 'one trick')
ReplyDeleteJohn, we are definitely founding members of the Literary Slut Club. (Did I just say that out loud?)
ReplyDeleteAs much as I'd love to call myself a literary slut, I'm not sure I can. Since one of the other markets I write for tends to be Boy's Life. LOL
ReplyDeleteDrop me a line if you come to the Valley in February.
--Dixon
Oh, I'm a literary slut, all right - I write mysteries, sci-fi, fantasy, the occasional western, and some stuff that damned if I know what genre it is. Sometimes it sells. Sometimes it doesn't. But ain't it fun?
ReplyDeleteBTW, how do you manage a month in February? Do you rent something or stay at an Arizona castle?
Ha ha. That makes me a slut reader in more ways than one.
ReplyDeleteThelma, you have me laughing out loud!
ReplyDeleteI've been whoring around in literary genres in my (small) published career as well as in the unpublished stuff!
ReplyDelete