tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post5644455490644159079..comments2024-03-28T18:40:05.789-04:00Comments on Writers Who Kill: Ann Charles Interview-Part 2Jim Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-64818014027130763532010-10-28T00:22:02.343-04:002010-10-28T00:22:02.343-04:00Pauline, I like your idea of a genre fiction shelf...Pauline, I like your idea of a genre fiction shelf! That would work just fine with me. I'll take responsibility for building my name recognition with readers if the book stores would just make some space for me. Thanks for the positive thoughts and having me on Writers Who Kill.<br /><br />Ann C.Ann Charleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01489742958439822481noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-38957353036916430572010-10-28T00:16:15.950-04:002010-10-28T00:16:15.950-04:00Hank, thanks for commenting and sharing the news f...Hank, thanks for commenting and sharing the news from the front lines. It plays along with what my agent has heard a few times. <br /><br />A year ago, I worked with an editor from MIRA (whom I still adore) who took Nearly Departed to acquisitions there. Interestingly, he had me increase the romance and paranormal element in what was originally a "Mystery with romantic and woo-woo elements." When I turned up the romance and paranormal just a bit, the story really came alive and I loved it. So did the editor. Unfortunately, Marketing didn't think they could sell it. The editor still laments to my agent how upset he is that they rejected the book. <br /><br />My point in telling this story is that I think there are some editors who like and want cross-genre stories, but they don't get to have the final say about what they buy.<br /><br />Hank, if you're serious about wanting to read Nearly Departed, send me an email and I'll get it to you. I'm happy to share, ask Susan. It will be available to the world soon.<br /><br />Thanks for stopping by!<br />Ann C.Ann Charleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01489742958439822481noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-54105750262706644592010-10-27T23:54:55.539-04:002010-10-27T23:54:55.539-04:00Elaine, interesting info on the bookshelf search. ...Elaine, interesting info on the bookshelf search. You and I need to create our own bookshelf and plant lots of books there in the new and exciting "RMP" aisle (romantic mystery with paranormal). ;)<br /><br />In this publishing climate, I will be very surprised if I get a publisher who will be willing to take a chance on me. I could get all sad and depressed about this and bury my face in a vat of dark chocolate (yummm); OR, I could embrace change and take a huge gamble. By gamble I mean taking the Amazon kindle and Smashwords road to start, and then work with a small press publisher and hand sell my books, starting at the one location where I know I have an audience--the huge, 800,000+ tourists at the motorcycle rally just outside of Deadwood, South Dakota. <br /><br />This isn't going to be easy, and it's going to take a lot of time and energy and work. I'll probably screw some things up, like I usually do, but it's going to be one heck of a ride. I'd rather take this chance this way than let my series collect dust and keep banging my head against the marketing wall. And what the heck, I could use more excitement in my life--a 3 and 5 year old just aren't enough anymore. ;)<br /><br />Thank you for interviewing me and giving me an opportunity to be on your wonderful blog. I've enjoyed getting to chat with you. I look forward to buying one of your books some day soon--they sound like they are right up my alley.<br /><br />Ann C.Ann Charleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01489742958439822481noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-90245225169785390462010-10-27T23:35:26.387-04:002010-10-27T23:35:26.387-04:00Susan, you are very kind. I'm looking forward ...Susan, you are very kind. I'm looking forward to building our careers side-by-side, sharing in the learning and experiences. I'm also looking forward to many more dancing during coffee moments! Thank you in advance for answering all of my questions in 2011. :)<br /><br />Ann C.Ann Charleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01489742958439822481noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-40774327672127316162010-10-27T23:32:23.070-04:002010-10-27T23:32:23.070-04:00Hi guys,
Sorry for taking so long to check in. My...Hi guys,<br /><br />Sorry for taking so long to check in. My day job doesn't allow me to have blog access, so I had to wait until I had a moment after the kids went to bed at home.<br /><br />Polly--Thanks for your positive thoughts and kind words about me. I'm going to do my best to show "them" that they were wrong to reject my story due to its lack of marketability. I've tested the story on 30+ readers, several of them who don't even know me (the book was handed off to them by friends of mine). These readers didn't know me and yet they made an effort to contact me after reading the book and give the story great reviews. I'm not bragging here, I'm saying that readers like mixed genre stories. They want more on the shelves. It's unfortunate that some bookstores not knowing where to place mixed genre books is determining what books are available for readers to read.<br /><br />What I like about ebooks is that you can have your book on many shelves. I see ebooks as a great opportunity for mixed genre writers.<br /><br />Okay, I'm crawling off my soapbox on this subject before I really get going. Anyway, my point is that there will have to be several authors who push forward and break down the mixed genre barriers. I don't really want to be one of them, but if it's what I have to do to succeed, then I have no choice but to push. You're coming with me, though, Polly. ;)<br /><br />I'll reply to the other comments individually.<br /><br />Ann C.Ann Charleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01489742958439822481noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-75537953850219630912010-10-27T10:32:48.869-04:002010-10-27T10:32:48.869-04:00I hope someone picks up your book soon, Ann. If re...I hope someone picks up your book soon, Ann. If readers like it, that should be what counts. <br /><br />Okay, there have been many mysteries with lonely tortured male or female sleuths. If the sleuth has a love life, does that mean book stores don't know if it's a mystery or not?<br /><br />I'm thinking shelves with pure romance, pure mystery, pure paranormal, and genre fiction. We know authors have to work on name recognition so readers would do the alphabetical search through genre shelves. A romance reader who hates murder and crime would go to the pure romance shelves.<br /><br />Writers can keep hoping for a break through in this area.Pauline Alldredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00847008019331163905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-3025590907529431962010-10-27T09:29:49.468-04:002010-10-27T09:29:49.468-04:00Hey All! What an interesting discussion--and, as y...Hey All! What an interesting discussion--and, as you can imagine, one I've thought about quite a bit.<br /><br />I just came from teaching at the fabulously successful South Carolina Writers Workshop, where this was a big topic, too. And editors were saying that you have to pick a genre for your book--because it makes it easier for bookstores to decide what to do with them.<br /><br />(I'm just being the reporter here!)<br /><br />And in fact, some big bookstores decided to shelve my certainly cross-genre books in romance--even though they're clearly mysteries. (And do not have a clearly happily ever after ending.) <br /><br />But it's so fascinating--because I think readers have no problem with it.<br /><br />And hey, Ann, I'd certainly love to read DD! You and I are soliders in the same army. (Or something like that..)Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-28434602772129713502010-10-27T09:17:18.026-04:002010-10-27T09:17:18.026-04:00I went on a quest to Border's the other day to...I went on a quest to Border's the other day to figure out where my paranormal romantic mystery would fit on the shelf. There were some paranormals in the mystery aisle, but then romance had paranormal romance mysteries as well. They are now breaking out fantasy and some urban thrillers from the larger categories, so I'm hoping that they will breakout more cross genres. <br /><br />Problem is that they had so little depth. The authors you'd expect were given an entire shelf, but I found few, if any, trade paperbacks. <br /><br />I'm hoping that Ann gets the call because the more cross-genre authors who publish, the more likely that new categories will be established. Or, cross-genres will expand and allowed more space within the old categories. <br /><br />There is prejudice against the new and bold. I agree with Polly, everyone wants something new, but then are afraid to give new a chance. If it can't be easily categorized, reject it. I'm writing a new blog here, but then I've blogged about this before.E. B. Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16746747050278597888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-3996009985643480802010-10-27T08:50:38.235-04:002010-10-27T08:50:38.235-04:00I'm one of those people who have read both of ...I'm one of those people who have read both of Ann's books, and she's quite right. There's a little "tent city" parked on her front lawn waiting for book three.<br /><br />Type faster, Ann!!!Susan Schreyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11902407971890082541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-80726727256987168152010-10-27T08:26:03.565-04:002010-10-27T08:26:03.565-04:00I got to know Ann personally, and I have no doubt ...I got to know Ann personally, and I have no doubt she'll make it. A publisher would be nuts not to pick her up. I do agree about cross-genre books. It's frustrating when agents and publishers say they want something different, but they don't have the foresight to look beyond the status quo until someone breaks the barrier. Then it's okay to mix genres, and everyone wants what they didn't want before. Imagination is not rampant in the publishing industry. Go, Ann! Prove them wrong.Pollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05909527054015612656noreply@blogger.com