November
19
November
16
On the Edge by Ilona Andrews
ISBN: 9780441017805
I purchased this book.
In the Kate Daniels urban fantasy series by husband and wife writing team “Ilona Andrews” sarcasm, action and things that go bump in the night rule, so I was eager to pick up another Andrews world to delve into.
In this world there is The Weird, where magic rules and beasts run rampant, The Broken, our world where magic is dead and guns run rampant, and The Edge, which sits between and has a little of both. Rose is a single mom, by courtesy of being the adult left to raise her two younger brothers after her mother died and her father abandoned them. She has just enough power to hold her own, but too much for the other residents of The Edge to feel comfortable with her (or ignore her). Like has happened many times before since her powers surfaced, one day a handsome, arrogant man shows up on her lawn demanding to have her as his bride<~~Cross out broodmare and unwilling to give her a choice in the matter.
The gorgeous blueblood from the Weird, Declan, triggers every bad male instinct Rose has and threatens her family and her sanity. But no matter what the pretense, Declan is not just in The Edge for Rose. He’s come for a monster stalking the woods as well. Declan, Rose, and the distrusting community of The Edge must find a way to come together before the monster picks them all off to feed.
On the Edge has a very urban fantasy feel, and Andrews retains a balance of action, humor and darkness that I truly enjoy. In many ways this is an urban fantasy book, but the differences are enough to push the still new genre into a wider interpretation.
Translated into the horror genre, On the Edge would be set in a mysterious backwoods community that’s hiding a strange power, but represents a real danger to any outsider who doesn’t leave them be. Washed with urban fantasy influences instead, readers will still find the mysterious and potentially dangerous community that lives in a rural area (that particularly speaks to me with the experiences I’ve had in rural central Kentucky communities) which has formed a unique kind of magic, some would see as a bastardized form of high or formal magic.
The community here has a good reason for their wariness of outsiders. The Broken sees them as freaks, and in some cases illegal aliens. The Weird sees them as weak mongrels. Rose herself can’t even trust the neighbors since a few of them tried to sell her into “marriage” to bluebloods who expect her power to breed true.
On the Edge is a deliciously complex debut world, with full, unique characters and enough plot and intrigue to keep it out of the paranormal romance genre. It has elements of fantasy, romance, mystery, thriller and awesome. I eagerly await the second book in this series and can’t wait to see how this family evolves in the world that challenges them.
November
16
Do authors need agents?
Gallycat posted a rather inflammatory opinion piece implying that in this brave new Kindle world authors no longer need agents. I’m sure they no longer need editors, cover artists or qualities stories either. Okay, so that’s going to an extreme (and extreme that can be seen in the self publishing world, where there are no gatekeepers and what could be a fantastic tool is seen as inferior trash.)
You can find lots of author and agent responses if you look. But here’s mine.
I know a man that I consider a friend who is what I consider a successful writer. He had plenty of work, makes a living off his writing and has a very loyal fan base. He doesn’t have an agent, and you can tell. I can tell. I know other authors who are also hard working, wonderful people and wonderful storytellers and they get down and frustrated by the industry, but they have someone they can talk to. They have someone to fight for them. They have someone with insider knowledge of how to get things done.
My friend with no agent gets burned out, which is terrible because he’s also a fantastic storyteller. He has people to talk to about he feelings. He has people who care for him and support him and people who buy everything he puts out. But he gets worn down by fighting to survive. It affects his writing because I NEVER see this man on vacation. I never see him with time to rest and rejuvenate between projects. (Not saying he doesn’t because I am not privy to his personal life. Just that he always seems to be working one something.) I just see him shaving off more of himself trying to keep his name and work out there.
It seems to me that if he had an a person whose job it was not to write, but just to see his writing published as well as it possibly could be, he might be doing better. Now, it’s true that he might not be doing as well. The method he’s taking does seem to be working for him and maybe I’m just projecting myself into his shoes.
And I don’t know if he doesn’t want an agent, or has been dismissed by agents because he seems to be doing well enough without them, or because he writes almost entirely horror and agents aren’t eager to play in that particular pond.
I’m seeking an agent because I don’t like the constant demoralizing submission process. I don’t want to have to fight for every crumb. And I know that the evidence heavily suggests that agented authors make double the advances.
And yeah, because I need a fan. I need someone who will and can fight for me and what’s best for me.
November
15
GUD Magazine: Pay what you want Sale!
GUD (Greatest Uncommon Denominator) is having a pay what you want for ebooks sale. I really enjoy this magazine and I wanted to point out this sale because it’s a great opportunity to get copies for consideration before submitting, to try out GUD in case you haven’t before, or just to support the industry. Here’s where to buy.
November
15
