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\nWhat is your main genre?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
For the last couple of years, I’ve been writing in what I assumed was a sub-genre of horror, but it turns out that ummm… no. There isn’t enough horror in what I’m doing to be put into that, although some of my stuff from ’07 to ’12 would definitely be horror. For the past couple of years, I’ve been writing in something that is supposedly relatively new to the genre\/sub-genre classes – urban paranormal fantasy. Imagine my surprise.<\/p>\n
All for the paranormal, no problem there. And the urban, though I’d rather qualify as rural, thanks. I do like to throw in my ghosts and spirits and different planes of being, and of course… mirrors. Who doesn’t like a good old mirror stole my soul story? <\/p>\n
Right. Never mind. *cough*<\/p>\n
Thing is, I’m one of those weirdos that puts fantasy into a place all on its own. In worlds of its own, like those done by Tolkien, the Terrys (Brooks and Goodkind), and Martin (because omg I love Westeros – shut up Jarrett & Zoe, yes you were right pffft<\/em>). I don’t think my writing about people going from our world to a world simultaneous and similar to ours via the spiritual or other planes should be considered fantasy, but who am I to argue. I might get slapped with a “MAN knows better than you, woman” rant or something. Oooo, snark. Teehee.<\/p>\n How has it evolved for you in the past few years and how do you think it will evolve further – both in your own writing style and in the publishing field overall?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n I wrote in non-fiction for so long (and it nearly killed my soul, thanks for asking) that when I came back to fiction, I was neck-deep in flayings, gougings and the occasional emasculation by various means. Horror. All kinds of gore and blood, bits and pieces… I loved it. Something went click though, when I started writing New Bedlam-related material. It’s not horror, it does fall into the urbanparafantasmash mess I do now. It started slowly, and just drifted away – a natural progression I suppose – out of horror, into itself.<\/p>\n While there is the occasional trip into the scary, it’s not horrifyingly nerve-wracking. It’s just… scary. And rare. <\/p>\n The past several years have brought growth in the Urban\/Para\/Fantasy genre both in style and in numbers, but that progression has brought confusion, too. I’ve seen a lot of subs to Belfire lately that were presented as urban fantasy, but in reality were such things as erotica in a city (seriously) and high fantasy fan-fic of Tolkien’s The Hobbit smashed with the Harry Potter world. Right down to a half-man, a house elf, a troupe of battle-weary dwarves, and a wizard. Named Dumdalf. No, I’m not kidding. I cried a little from the pain. <\/p>\n I think I jumped the rail there… not enough caffeine and it is a chocolate holiday, so please forgive the brain wandering around. <\/p>\n Right. Confusion. The lines between most genres have become so blurred that I honestly hope I’ve classed my work right and I’ll just keep on with it. It’s usually set in modern times, with characters travelling to other worlds\/dimensions\/planes through mystical or physical means, some use of non-Hollywood magic, with the occasional supernatural being of non-vampire\/were description joining in. And mirrors.<\/p>\n As I learn more about various parts of my own life, I bring those into the stories I write, and things evolve. Windygates for example, now that the main bulk of the writing itself is on me, I’m bringing more fundamental survival issues into it. No running water? Dig a hole and build an outhouse, but don’t put it there, you twit, that’ll contaminate the natural aquifer you were lucky enough to build above. Things like that. I expect as the stories evolve, my writing will as well.<\/p>\n (Right, Tatra – keeping my eye on those passive words, I promise!)<\/p>\n Is there any genre you think blends easily with your niche? Or maybe you write in one that hasn’t really emerged yet.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n I do think good, solid genre writing could combine elements of all, either through subtle means or not. But… romance seems to be the big one that intertwines with urbanparafantasmash. I guess that’d make it urbanpararofantasmash.<\/p>\n Here, have a coffee. It’ll ease the headache of trying to figure that one out. <|;^)\n\nAlso, have a doodle, because this time I actually had an idea for one. Ha!\n\n
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