Now I'm reading Candyfreak and have laughed out loud many times, even though I'm not even to page 50 yet.
This was written by a friend of mine from grad school. I've been meaning to pick it up.
Lorne: Once the word spreads you beat up an innocent old man, well, the truly terrible will think twice before going toe-to-toe with our Avenging Angel. Spike: Yes. The geriatric community will be soiling their nappies when they hear you're on the case. Bravo.
'The Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco'
We're Literary 2: To Read Makes Our Speaking English Good
There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."
lisah - Sep 13, 2004 8:30:29 am PDT #5810 of 10002
Punishingly Intricate
Steph L. - Sep 13, 2004 10:40:52 am PDT #5811 of 10002
this mess was yours / now your mess is mine
Oooh! Bet Me is in paperback?
Calli - Sep 13, 2004 11:13:36 am PDT #5812 of 10002
I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul—Calvin and Hobbs
It is indeed, Steph. I bought it this weekend. The Barnes and Noble near me had it in one of the New Releases stacks.
Atropa - Sep 14, 2004 8:05:10 pm PDT #5813 of 10002
The artist formerly associated with cupcakes.
I have finally discovered a sub-genre of fiction that gives me a knee-jerk of revulsion. Vampire romance novels.
I had no idea such things existed. I foolishly assumed vampire novels lived in the horror genre, and didn't go wandering through other sections. Plei derived much amusement from pointing out vampire romance novels (all shelved in the overwhelmingly pink romance section at B&N), then watching me wince at 1) the awful, awful cover art, and 2) the equally dreadful back-cover blurbs.
I'm assuming there has to be one or two decently-written ones in the world. But wow, I couldn't tell that from the books I saw today. I'm going to sit over here and clutch my copies of Dracula, The Delicate Dependancy, Anno Dracula, and Lost Souls while I rock back and forth.
Susan W. - Sep 14, 2004 8:20:44 pm PDT #5814 of 10002
Good Trouble and Righteous Fights
Oh, there's lots of them, Jilli. It's quite the trend, these days.
Atropa - Sep 14, 2004 8:22:55 pm PDT #5815 of 10002
The artist formerly associated with cupcakes.
Oh, there's lots of them, Jilli. It's quite the trend, these days.
But are any of them at all worth reading? None of the ones I gingerly looked at seemed like it.
Susan W. - Sep 14, 2004 8:28:49 pm PDT #5816 of 10002
Good Trouble and Righteous Fights
Oh, I don't read them, because they're not my thing. It grieves me as a romance writer to say this, but IMO most romances that attempt to cross over into horror or fantasy are weak, weak, weak. The fantastical elements usually are paint-by-numbers and not well thought out. IMHO, anyway. And I've read some really good time travel romances--it's when you throw in the vampires or mystical powers or ancient gods that all the wheels seem to come off.
Me, I'm just doing my humble best to try to write historical romances that are also good, solid, well-researched historical fiction.
Gus - Sep 15, 2004 2:26:03 am PDT #5817 of 10002
Bag the crypto. Say what is on your mind.
Have I skipped too much to offer that the Sharon Lee/Steve Miller Liaden stories are cross-overs (SF/Romance) that work?
Probably.
Will anyone examine how a testosterone-poisoned male such as myself could be lured into the historical/romance market in a similar way?
There is always hope.
brenda m - Sep 15, 2004 3:15:48 am PDT #5818 of 10002
If you're going through hell/keep on going/don't slow down/keep your fear from showing/you might be gone/'fore the devil even knows you're there
I've read a few that mix fantasy or SF with romance that work (but not the Liaden ones, so I'll have to check those out), but I'd agree with Susan that it's not an easy mix. The vampire ones scared me off a bit, so no advice there.
Calli - Sep 15, 2004 4:25:00 am PDT #5819 of 10002
I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul—Calvin and Hobbs
I think Bujold's Vorkosigan SF books have a romantic element (especially the last one, which I seem to remember was dedicated to some Romance authors). I think they work. Bujold had a short story in a collection that was built around authors combining SF/Fantasy and Romantic fiction. Vampiric romances? I don't believe I've read any that were marketed as such. I guess you could play up the star-crossed lovers aspect.