One of my author guests this week (yes there will be more than one!) needs no introduction!
Kelley Armstrong is well known in the genre and if I have to tell you who she is, well maybe you are reading the wrong blog? Of course if you are a fan you will be eagerly awaiting the release of the 12th Women of the Otherworld book, Spellbound, which comes out this week!
Kelley has been a guest here on Amberkatze's Book Blog a few times and this time Kelley has written a guest blog explaining how her books are changing. Some maybe upset to hear about at least one of the changes but I am sure, like me, you will all be excited about the others that will coming along over the next couple of years!
I hope you all enjoy the guest blog and also enter the contest for the chance to win one of Kelley's latest releases, Spellbound or The Gathering.
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The Books They Are A’Changing
I’ve been making a lot of career changes lately. I don’t think I realized how many until readers started pointing them out. The big one is that I’m ending the Otherworld with 13 in 2012 and starting a new adult series (Omens & Shadows) in 2013. That year will also see the first book in a new middle-grade Norse fantasy trilogy (The Blackwell Pages) that I’m co-writing with Melissa Marr. Even my YA series has undergone a bit of an upheaval with a change in narrators this year.
All this has prompted an outpouring of confusion and concern from my readers. There seems to be a feeling that I have the gift of clairvoyance, and I’m making changes in anticipation of upcoming market shifts. Readers ask if I’m ending the Otherworld because Urban Fantasy is crashing. They ask if I’m starting middle-grade because that’s the “hot new thing.” They ask if I’m changing YA characters because the market is shifting away from werewolves and other common supernatural types. No, no and no.
While I’d like to claim the gift of prescience, these changes are driven purely by my flighty muse. My YA world is simply expanding. I don’t like writing long series with a restricted character set, so I’m adding new characters to the mix and adding complexity to the world. As for my venture into middle-grade fiction, blame my kids. I started in YA when my daughter was in that age bracket. Now I have two pre-teen sons and I want to write books “for them” . . . and I love Norse mythology, but it has no place in my other worlds. As for the Otherworld, I’ve long planned to end at book 13—it’s just a coincidence that it came as I was making other changes, too.
I’ve always argued strongly against “chasing the market.” That can seem ironic coming from an author who is part of two very big market trends—urban fantasy and paranormal YA. But when I was writing Bitten in the nineties, UF as we know it today didn’t exist. It was purely dumb luck that, when it came out, writers like Laurell K Hamilton, Jim Butcher and Charlaine Harris had created a niche for it.
When I started The Summoning in 2005, Twilight was just finding an audience and I figured, not having vampires in mine, I’d never be a read-alike for that series. Both times, I wrote what I wanted and that’s what I encourage all aspiring authors to do. Market trends come and go. Instead, focus on pleasing yourself—and your muse—first and hope that the market—or some small corner of it—will follow.
So my books, they are a’changing, but I’m still telling stories and still loving it, and that’s the important thing. With these changes to keep my muse challenged and happy, I hope I’ll be able to say that for many years to come.
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Contest Time
Kelley is giving away a copy of one of her latest releases. The winner will get to choose from receiving a copy of The Gathering or Spellbound!
How To Enter
What supernatural power would you like to have?
No idea = No Entry
Earn more entries for each link you place about this contest on the net. You can post on Facebook, Twitter & MySpace but make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries! However please do not make individual postings for each entry. Please post all your entries in one post.
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The contest will stay open until Sunday 31st of July 2011 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.
I'd like the supernatural power of teleportation. To be able to instantly be anywhere I needed to be, including places others might not want me to be, would be awesome. Especially skipping traffic, LOL.
Hey, what a coincidence; I'm reading Frostbitten right now! And I'd like to have my own made up super power- the power to be able to translate/speak any language in the world.
Great post.Sad to see the series end but there is a time for everything and I look forward to more of Kelley's books. A power I would like is to heal,myself and others. GFC follower tweeted http://twitter.com/elaing8/status/95314550232072193
Nice post. I see that teleportation is popular, and I like the healer idea, but I would really like to be able to read minds! I am an old follower. Thanks for hosting. bevsharp@desch.org
I enjoyed the interview. If I could have any power, it would be precognigtion.To be able to know what is going to happen in the future would be helpful at times. twoofakind12@yahoo.com
I haven't read the series yet either but I would love. The books sound very good. I would like to be able to heal people or have some kinda of mind control to stop people from hurting other people or themselves. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com
I would love to have the power to either be telekenetic or pyrokinetic...move things with ma mind or blasting with fire...yesss :D SO I emailed two of my friends about the contest, (hense1kk@cmich.edu) I have your button advertized on my side reel, and I liked you on facebook...as soon as I can I will also tweet :D
I would like to be telepathic and know what others are thinking. Although, I may not really like to learn their honest opinion about myself. Oh, and I would have to be able to turn it on and off at will -- no "voices in my head" driving me crazy. I follow email, GFC, Facebook. troublelore at gmail dot com
I think I would either want superspeed or teleportation - or any other gift that gets me from Point A to Point B as fast as possible. Patience is not my forte.
Ooooh, I adore Kelley! Always have, always will! Write what floats your boat, Kelley. I'll be here buying your books!
My superpower has to be the ability to teleport. I despise packing, and air travel isn't much fun anymore. With teleporting, if I've forgotten something, I could pop back home to get it, then pop right out again. Ahhh, yes! Who needs airline miles?
Thanks to Kelley for being here, and to Amber for hosting. Hgs to both of you!
The supernatural power I would love to have is telekenisis.
I enjoyed reading about the career changes Kelley is making. I'm sad that the Otherworld series is ending, but am looking forward to her new adult series. Thanks for having this giveaway!
Andra
Great blog post again Amber, and I still have not started any of her books/series. High time I did ...
I am a follower, a subscriber, and advertise your blog on my own.
auriansbooks at gmail dot com