Great responses yesterday in regard to titles. I really enjoyed reading them, even though I didn’t respond to every one.
Wow, Lea’s cool widgit says it’s only 18 days until Sweet Restraint releases. I seriously love that count-down feature. Keeps me on my toes. If you haven’t entered Huge Sweet Restraint Contest click here.
I just finished a novel that has vampires and shapeshifters in it, which is a first for me. I tended to avoid the vampire thing as a writer because it’s been done so well and so often that I worried I wouldn’t have anything original to offer the genre. I ended up going back and doing lots of research into the myths as well as re-reading the original Dracula. I had forgotten that Dracula was the king of the wolves, essentially, and a shapeshifter to boot. Weird, to think there’s that Hollywood Dracula vs. The Wolf Man stuff, and that both creatures were often considered as the same in legend. Anyway, my heroes are what we would call vampires, but actually are a bit more complicated than the legends.
Question to comment on today for the chance to win your choice of either Maya Banks–Sweet Surrender or Janice Maynard’s–By Appointment Only: Does it turn you off when authors switch genres in their writing? Has it ever happened that you were disappointed with a genre switch, or does it just depend on the author?
Click on cover for blurb and purchase information, and Good Luck!
June 18th, 2009 at 8:01 am · Link
I read several authors that write in different genres. I don’t find it annoying or confusing to switch between the different topics. However, I find that when they change the writing style completely it is helpful to write under a different name. One of my favorite authors writes romances and a gritty murder/ scifi storys. The writing is VERY different between the two so I am not sure people who enjoy one would like the other. Hope that makes sense to someone besides me ? 😮
June 18th, 2009 at 8:23 am · Link
I don’t mind the change too much. I think its good for the author to try different things otherwise they get stuck in a rut and all the books seem the same.
June 18th, 2009 at 8:23 am · Link
Hi Beth!
Another great post and giveaway! Thank you. 🙂
I don’t have any problem with author’s switching genres. I enjoy reading different work from favorite authors actually and seeing what spin they put on a different genre.
Have a great day. 🙂
L
June 18th, 2009 at 8:30 am · Link
Good Morning!!
I agree, I don’t mind reading different genres from one author. I love to see how their writing style evolves and I can’t think of a single instance where I’ve been disappointed!! 😀
June 18th, 2009 at 8:36 am · Link
It really depends on how the author does writing in the new genre. Although if the new genre is historicals, I’m not going to read them…
June 18th, 2009 at 8:57 am · Link
It doesn’t bother me if they which genres. As long as the story is told well. And if its an author you enjoy reading you know her writing style and will probably enjoy it. Authors have great imaginations and it would be nice to see them try their hand at other genres.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:05 am · Link
I have many authors I read that write in different genres, I enjoy it!
June 18th, 2009 at 9:10 am · Link
I love it when they switch genres. I like to break up my reading. I don’t usually read 2 books in the same genre in a row unless it’s a series. I love all different types of books and this keeps me interested in all kinds of books.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:24 am · Link
Hi Beth,
I don’t usually mind if an author switches genre. Sometimes I’m surprised when they switch genres.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:41 am · Link
I read several different sub-genres all falling under Romance. I tend to lean towards historical and paranormal, but get a bug to read nothing but another sub-genre for a while. So, no it really doesn’t bother me when favorite authors switch genres. I have been disappointed with the switch only once really. I love Julie Garwood’s historicals, but her contemporaries just don’t do it for me.
June 18th, 2009 at 10:05 am · Link
For me it kind of depends on the author. With some authors when they switch it gives me more to read.
which is always a good thing. 😛 I think some have some problems with different genres or at least I have some problems reading different genres by the same author though for the most part I can switch with the author without any problems at all.
June 18th, 2009 at 10:10 am · Link
I don’t mind if authors change their stlyes or genres. Actually, I hope they can write more diverse stuff. As long as the story is deftly arranged, the genre doesn’t matter that much.
June 18th, 2009 at 10:25 am · Link
I agree with Larena, in that, it depends on the author. The style of writing changes and if they are really talented, they can really pull it off. Some authors you can tell its such a struggle and challenge to keep the flow of concentration.
But one particular author I was so immersed in her Highlander series, decided to change genre, it kind of left me hanging. I can’t blame her, she was probably tapped out, but as a reader I was left wanting more.
I am all for our authors broadening their horizons and improving writing skills. And as a reader, my job is to appreciate that talent and all the paths it takes it.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:07 am · Link
It doesn’t bother me if an author switches to another genre as long as they also continue to write in their current genres. I was excited when Lisa Kleypas started writing contemporaries. I enjoy those as much as her historicals.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:24 am · Link
Hi Beth
You know me – it depends on the author. I took a chance on Daring Time (time travel was not a fave) & it was so amazing I practically read it in one sitting. Then it would depend on the story line. The only vampire book I read was by Erin McCarthy – because she’s so funny I didn’t freak out. I’m a wimp when it comes to vampires & gore.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:30 am · Link
I don’t mind if an author writes more than one genre. As long as the writing is good, I am happy. 😀
June 18th, 2009 at 11:32 am · Link
I don’t mind them switching at all. Everybody wants to try different things, so authors should be allowed to as well. I will follow my favorite authors into any genre.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:48 am · Link
I don’t mind it when authors decide to jump to a different genre. My main thing is the characters need to be just as important and the author should let their readers know they have decided to write a different genre. This just lets the readers know that if they don’t like this particular genre, they can skip this book. Authors need to spread their wings and try new stuff just like readers do. Have a great day.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:02 pm · Link
It is really going to depend upon the author, the genre they’ve switched to, and if they can pull the switch off. There are some genre’s I just can not read.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:14 pm · Link
I don’t mind when an author changes genre. As long as the story is good I will follow them. It’s nice to find out the kind of stories that can come up in the head of one person.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:20 pm · Link
Hi Beth!
Another giveaway! Thanks 🙂
I don’t mind if authors switch genres but I did have a few disappointments. Mostly if author writes the good stories, the time setting or types of characters don’t really matter. The good story stays a good story
🙂
June 18th, 2009 at 12:32 pm · Link
I actually like it when authors write in different genres. That way no matter what I am in the mood for I can pick up a book from an author that I know will be a great read whether it is historical, contemp, or paranormal. As long as the heat level in the romance is the same across genres, I’m good.
If they are good writers, then they usually can write just about anything.
June 18th, 2009 at 1:03 pm · Link
For me genre switches aren’t a problem as long as they maintain the quality in either genre. I look for well-written stories that touch me emotionally and these can be in any genre.
I read quite some authors who write in different genres and haven’t been disappointed yet.
Hugs,
Pearl
June 18th, 2009 at 1:05 pm · Link
I think it depends on the author really. For example, I LOVE Karen Marie Moning’s Highlander series, but I found her new fae series to be monotonous 🙂
June 18th, 2009 at 1:13 pm · Link
I think it depends a bit on the author, but I definitely don’t begrudge an author going in a new direction. I do agree with others that if the style is super different than what they’ve done before, it might be nice to choose a slightly different pen name for that genre, with obvious links to all on their sites.
June 18th, 2009 at 1:27 pm · Link
I don’t mind if authors switch genres. It might encourage to try out different types of books I might not ordinarily pick. For example, I really love Emma Holly but I wasn’t at all interested in paranormals. Just because she started writing them, I picked her paranormals and was surprised by home much I enjoyed it. After that I started reading paranormals and now really enjoy them.
What I don’t like is when authors never return to the genre that they started out in. I am still disappointed that Karen Robards and Elizabeth Lowell aren’t writing romance anymore.
June 18th, 2009 at 1:52 pm · Link
Hi Beth,
I do like it when authors switch genres. It sometimes seems that the switch reinvigorates the author.
June 18th, 2009 at 1:56 pm · Link
Although, I have several authors that I follow and try to read most of their works. If they go to a genre that I have no interest in, I just won’t read their books in that genre.
As long as I’m not mislead to think that their writing in one genre, when in fact their not writing in that genre at all. In other words make the covers/review clear.
rsgrandinetti@yahoo.com
June 18th, 2009 at 2:59 pm · Link
Hi Beth, good question. I can really enjoy an author’s writing (contemporary, paranormal etc.) and when they switch genres, I tend to be hesitant in trying them out (for fear of disappointment?) So I’ll wait for really positive feedback from fellow bloggers/other readers/reviews etc. to help convince me. Thanks!
June 18th, 2009 at 2:09 pm · Link
I don’t have a problem with an author switching genres. I have never been disappointed in an authors work when they have switched.
June 18th, 2009 at 2:31 pm · Link
It really depends on the author. For the authors that I love, I don’t find it annoying at all.
June 18th, 2009 at 2:39 pm · Link
I really only like particular genres, so if an author switched to another genre that isn’t my cup of tea, I normally would not buy the book. However, if we’re talking about my favorite authors, I might try the new genre just because the author IS one of my favorites and who knows maybe I’ll become a fan of another genre entirely. 😉
June 18th, 2009 at 2:41 pm · Link
Oh I would LOVE to win By Appointment Only.. as for genre switches, it depends entirely on the author. Sometimes if I love how an author writes in one genre, I’ll be really sad if she gives it up. Usually, however, I think both are covered.
Some authors move through genres quite well. Some… not so good.
June 18th, 2009 at 2:45 pm · Link
From time to time it does turn me off. I had one author who wrote Historicals and they were great, she now writes women’s fiction which I don’t like so I don’t read her any longer. It’s a shame but there it is. If I enjoyed the author in the past, I will try them if they switch genres but if it’s not a genre I enjoy I will most likely not read them any more.
hugs,
WendyK
highlandlovesong at yahoo dot com
June 18th, 2009 at 3:10 pm · Link
It depends on the author and type of change. It’s good for an author to explore new things for anyone really.
jessica(at)fan(dot)com
June 18th, 2009 at 3:11 pm · Link
So far, I haven’t had a problem with disliking the work of an author who switches genres. There are a few I really enjoy who have done so and I like their books in both genres.
June 18th, 2009 at 3:48 pm · Link
Frana & Booklover1335
I’m glad I read your posts. You’re so right – you got me rethinking this genre thing.
Having a pseudonym for a different genre- I’m not sure: I might not have known about or given Daring Time a chance without Beth’s name on it. With the internet we can read exceprts so there should be no surprises.
June 18th, 2009 at 3:57 pm · Link
I don’t have a problem with authors changing genres. I thinks it gives us readers more variety to chose from when selecting books from our favorite authors. 😆
June 18th, 2009 at 4:39 pm · Link
I don’t mind when authors change genres. As long as they have a good storyline.
June 18th, 2009 at 4:51 pm · Link
It doesn’t bother me, some of my favorite authors write in different genres and under different names and I love all of their stuff! I have to say that sometimes though, I think authors feel pressured to write in a certain genre because it’s “hot” right now, and if it’s not a genre that they love writing in, that does come across in the story-
which is kinda sad 🙁
June 18th, 2009 at 5:22 pm · Link
I don’t mind genre switching at all – I have lots of favorite authors that write in different genres. If its a good story, I’m going to love it!
June 18th, 2009 at 5:58 pm · Link
i’ve read several authors who do a paranormal series and then a historical. I’ve yet to be disappointment.
June 18th, 2009 at 6:36 pm · Link
It doesn’t bother me if they switch, it just means more books for me :)!
June 18th, 2009 at 6:42 pm · Link
Hi Beth,
I suppose it would depend on the author. For the most part though the genre change isn’t taken as a disappointment for me.
I’ve read several authors who write in multiple genres and do it well. I’d give their work in the new genre a chance at least.
Pam S
pams00@aol.com
June 18th, 2009 at 7:17 pm · Link
I don’t mind if they switch genres. I’m always willing to try a different genre if its an author I like. 🙂
June 18th, 2009 at 7:23 pm · Link
Genre switches don’t really bother me because I care more about whether the story itself is interesting.
June 18th, 2009 at 10:05 pm · Link
I do not mind changes in genre. If I follow an author I will try what they write even if it is a change. Some of my fav authors started with Historical then did suspense, then paranormal. I like it all!
June 18th, 2009 at 10:49 pm · Link
If I like the author and the story I wont care about genre switching. If a author I like switches genres, its ok and doesnt really bother me, but if I dont like the story I probably wont read it.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:04 pm · Link
I don’t like when an author I’ve come to associate strictly with historicals switches. They have sort of become comfort reads. Examples for me are Julie Garwood, Connie Brockway, Lisa Kleypas, Christina Dodd.
There are some actors that I just associate with a character or type of character. For them to play anything else distracts me. It’s the same with authors I strongly associate with a genre.
Ironically, it’s only going from historical to contemps that bugs me.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:23 pm · Link
Hi Beth~
I do not mind when authors switch genres. It lets you read your favorite authors and to get a chance to read different genres. And sometimes you just need a change of pace.