Writing Differing Genres

As some of you may know, I write in more than one genre.

I started with vampire fiction, which I began writing after I was unable to find the kind of vampire fiction I'd like to read. I'm not a fan of romances at all, so those kind of supernatural bodice rippers weren't on my list, and I was tired of so-called "monk" vampires who hate who and what they are, so they hide away from everyone. Ultimately, some human comes along and "cures" them of their condition and everyone goes off to live happily ever after.

I could never understand how a vampire could reach the age of one hundred or more, hating him or herself. Why didn't they just end themselves in the way dictated by their particular mythos and just stop being so bloody boring?

Yes, I said it. Boring.

Since I couldn't find what I wanted to read, and I figured others were in the same boat, I decided to write a vampire story about the Irish vampire, SIOFRA, who, although turned against her will in the mid-1600's, is now over four hundred years old and enjoys who and what she is. No emotional bullshit. No self-hatred. No monkish garbage. No, my Siofra really likes herself, and that, to me, is cool. 

As there is no actual romance in my Sumaire Web stories, I've found that the fans of that series seem to come from both females and males, where usually this is a genre that is mostly popular with females.

And then, recently, after much prodding from an old and very good friend, I started writing about a young girl and the dragon she so desperately wants. Her family situation is abusive, which, I am sure, is a bit of a trope, but it's my story, so there.

The result was AYA'S DRAGON, a longish short story that has gone over very well with my readers, which pleases me to no end. I made sure that it was available in both e-book and softcover versions, as some people really like to have the feeling of holding a book in their hands when they read.

I'm currently working on SARA'S FIRE, the sequel to Aya's Dragon. It continues the Tales of the Dragonguard series that this will all be a part of, eventually. At some time in the future, I plan to combine the stories, three or four at a time, into single volumes.

I considered writing the latter series under a different name, as some readers don't like it when an author takes a step in another direction. I get that, but then I also decided that it would be fun to do. I hope you, the reader, can accept my writing in multiple genres, and that you consider reading whatever series I create.

Writing in "Out of the Office" Locations...Frustrating.

I've been doing some writing in places like Starbucks and Panera over the past several months, and I've discovered that both are becoming more and more Creative Unfriendly.

Removal of power outlets to keep people from plugging in to keep their laptops and tablets charged while working, and either crippling or completely turning off internet connectivity, which affects the ability to do online research while working doesn't make me feel particularly friendly about those places, which until recent times, were self-proclaimed havens for those of us who wanted to write somewhere other than within the confines of an office.

One particular Starbucks I frequent near Koreatown in downtown Los Angeles has a manager who turns off the internet every so often during the day, and then, when approached about the issue, claims he has no control over the connection, which those of us who know even a little bit about how such things work know is bullshit of the most extreme kind. It's not rocket science to turn a modem off and on again to regain an internet connection. He's managed the place for at least the past five years, so I know corporate isn't going to do a damned thing about getting him to pull his head out of his ass on this issue.

This location has also removed the power bar from beneath the long bar at the far end of the shop, to keep people from plugging in there at all.

Trying to find alternate locations in which to work when I'm out this way (I live 33 miles from downtown Los Angeles, and am generally "stuck" out there for an entire day at those times) is quite difficult, and not a little frustrating.

Yes, I'm angry about this. Starbucks and Panera can't have it both ways. They can't claim to be a haven for folks like me, while throttling those resources that help us to do our work.

What do you think? I'd like to see you weigh in on this subject.

AYA'S DRAGON Update

Well, AYA'S DRAGON has been sent off to my covey of beta readers for editing.

They will be doing everything from opining about the subject matter to grammar and sentence structure. They have all been encouraged to be harsh, if and when necessary.

Once I hear back from the first bunch of beta readers, I'll make the necessary changes and send it on to the next group of beta readers.

So far, we're still on schedule for that July 25th release date, and of course, if there are any changes, you'll be the next ones to know.

My New Main Blog Site

Believe it or not, it's not all about vampires out there. I also write on other subjects as well. Thus, I decided I should create a catch-all blog page where I can tell you what I'm doing in "real" life, and what I'm working on at any given time.

I'm currently working on a short story aimed at more mature young adults called AYA'S DRAGON. 

Working cover image for AYA'S DRAGON

As you can probably guess from the title and the cover, yes, dragons are involved in the story. I've loved dragons since I was a kid but fell madly in love with them when I discovered Anne McCaffrey's DRAGONRIDERS OF PERN series, which begins with the novel DRAGONFLIGHT. That series began with a short story called WEYR SEARCH, which was published in a science fiction and fantasy magazine, and the response was so great that she published the novel, and a substantial series of books was born.

AYA'S DRAGON was supposed to clock in at around fifteen thousand words, but over time, it has ballooned to over twenty-three thousand words, and I'm not done with it yet. A lot of that has happened during the editing process when I discovered that something might need to be explained a bit further or to add things that I must have been assuming the reader would be able to extrapolate.

All of that said, I'm expecting the story, whatever length it may ultimately reach, to be released to the public on July 25, 2017. If there are any delays, I'll certainly let everyone know.

I look forward to feedback, both positive and negative, on the story. 

It will be available on for Kindle on Amazon.com and will be part of their KINDLE SELECT program, which will allow you to borrow it as part of their KINDLE UNLIMITED lending library.

And now, back to writing. Have a splendid day, folks!