Olde City New Blood: February Recap... Eesh!

This is so, so late...

Olde City New Blood

A recap on a conference that happened months ago seems...
Well, I just should've done one sooner.

But it was such an amazing group of organizers, authors, bloggers, and readers--I feel like the Peas owed all of them a little shout out.

Holla! You were terrific!

This was one of the most fun cons for me. Not only did all in attendance have their fingers in some facet of the genre/sub-genres/categories I love, but the attendees and faculty were so accessible. I got to hang with one of my heros (Janice Hardy) and meet a slew of other authors and new faces that were just amazingly generous with their time and willingness to share: Alex Hughes, James R. Tuck, Jenna Bennett AKA Jenny Bentley, Karina Cooper, Delilah S. Dawson, Lexi George, Lea Nolan, C J Ellison, just to name a few that were particularly awesome to me and gave me great advice. Since, I have read a lot of their books since, I am even more glad I got to be in the company of their talented selves. (So if you are looking for a summer reading list and some new authors to explore, start with the links above).

I also met an incredibly talented lady forging her way through this jungle of the publishing world, Cat York. A talented illustrator and writer. And now a friend and comrade for the future.

For news on the next incarnation of this conference... check out Coastal Magic
This is a Con worth following. Give them some love--great things are happening here.

~M

Daddy's Girl Weekend 2012

That's right! This past weekend was the Carolyn Haines Annual Daddy's Girls' Weekend Writer and Reader Party...er...I mean...Conference. This year the gathering was at the Malaga Inn in historic Mobile, AL. A beautiful venue shared with a lot of wonderful people. And the Peas were in attendance.

On the roster was, of course, our own Carolyn and the wonderful Sarah Bewley--cohorts in crime. In addition, Urban Fantasy Author Anton Strout, Penguin Group Editor Michelle Vega, Agent Marian Young, Tyrus Editor and Publisher Ben Leroy, and authors T.R. Pearson, Dean James, Will Irby, as well as, some other Urban Fantasy author named Jeannie Holmes (wink) and many, many others.

As usual, it was great fun and Big Daddy was in the house. Dean James graciously passed the baton to John Hafner as this year's Big Daddy and I'm quite sure Anton Strout was scandalized by a lap-dancing belly dancer. There are no rules of engagement when it comes to Big Daddy or winning prizes from them for the outrageous Jitty costumes people wore. Yep... that's how Carolyn rolls. Aren't you upset you missed it? I'm so glad I didn't!

The laughs and stories were many. For accounts and photographic proof of all the shenanigans check out the D. g. Weekend Facebook Page and Katie Wood Ruffin's Blog post. And I'm sure You Tube videos will surface whether people want them to or not.

In short, there were some great workshops and panels on process, screenwriting, and the industry. What's more--there were even better conversations to be had in the courtyard as we caught up with old friends and made new connections. Until next year! We can't wait.

Peas Out.

Author Interview: Diana Rowland

Today the Ninja Peas are pleased to welcome fabulously talented author Diana Rowland to the Pod! (She's our first official published author interview. How cool is that?) If you aren't familiar with Diana and her work--and why aren't you?!--you should be. In addition to being a former police officer, morgue tech, and all-around awesome person, she writes both the Kara Gillian and White Trash Zombies urban fantasy series. A couple of things you, dear reader, should know about Diana before we continue...

1. Before pounding the keyboard for a living, she was a bartender, a blackjack dealer, a pit boss, a street cop, a detective, a computer forensics specialist, a crime scene investigator, and a morgue assistant.

Author Diana Rowland

2. She won the marksmanship award in her Police Academy class and has a black belt in Hapkido.

What does all this mean? Well, frankly, it means she can calculate the best angle and trajectory from which to completely kick your ass in a state-approved manner, and then to show there are no hard feelings, she can mix up a great drink and deal you into a friendly game of blackjack...just don't get caught cheating.

Now that you know a little about the author, you need to know a little about her writing. For those who aren't familiar with these series, here are the cover copies and cover art for the first book in each series. More information can be found at Diana's website for subsequent books.

Book 1 of Kara Gillian series

MARK OF THE DEMON

When Homicide Detective Kara Gillian finds traces of arcane power on a body, she quickly realizes that this is no ordinary murder. The serial killer known as the Symbol Man is a nightmare that Beaulac, Louisiana thought had ended three years ago, but now he's back for an encore and leaving every indication on the flesh of his victims that he is well-versed in demonic lore.


However, Kara is a Summoner of Demons, and may be the only cop on the city's small force who can stop the killer. Able to see and interact with a world most people can't, Kara must draw on her skills as a police officer and master of the arcane to stop the Symbol Man from killing again and possibly summoning something even she can't control.


But with a demonic lord of unearthly beauty and power haunting her dreams, and a handsome yet disapproving FBI agent dogging her waking footsteps, she may be in way over her head....

MY LIFE AS A WHITE TRASH ZOMBIE

Book 1 of White Trash Zombie series

Angel Crawford is a loser


Living with her alcoholic deadbeat dad in the swamps of southern Louisiana, she's a high school dropout with a pill habit and a criminal record who's been fired from more crap jobs than she can count. Now on probation for a felony, it seems that Angel will never pull herself out of the downward spiral her life has taken.


That is, until the day she wakes up in the ER after overdosing on painkillers. Angel remembers being in an horrible car crash, but she doesn't have a mark on her. To add to the weirdness, she receives an anonymous letter telling her there's a job waiting for her at the parish morgue--and that it's an offer she doesn't dare refuse.


Before she knows it she's dealing with a huge crush on a certain hunky deputy and a brand new addiction: an overpowering craving for brains. Plus, her morgue is filling up with the victims of a serial killer who decapitates his prey--just when she's hungriest!


Angel's going to have to grow up fast if she wants to keep this job and stay in one piece. Because if she doesn't, she's dead meat.


Literally.



If you're a regular reader, you may remember that A, M, and I discussed cover art a few weeks ago. While our opinions were varied and strong, I thought it would be fun to get another author's perspective on the matter. My first thought was to grill--uh, interview Diana because, as you can see, she has truly mind-blowing covers. Here's what she had to say on the subject:


Jeannie: Readers may often decide which books they want to read based solely on the cover. As an author, how important is it you that the cover art reflect the story you've written?

Diana Rowland: Cover art can be a very touchy subject with both authors and readers. For my part, I would definitely push back if I had a cover that depicted the story or characters in a way that I felt was radically different from how I’d written them. However, I also believe that a cover’s primary purpose is to sell the book. To that end the cover should be eye-catching, attractive, and give the reader a solid sense of what sort of story this is, e.g. if there’s a spaceship on the cover, the expectation is that it’s some sort of science fiction. That being said, I don’t think that a cover needs to illustrate the book down to the slightest detail, and it’s more important that it capture the overall feel of the book. The woman on the cover of the White Trash Zombie books doesn’t look exactly how I’ve described Angel, yet somehow those paintings perfectly capture who she is. (And yes, I LOVE my cover artist, Dan Dos Santos!)

J: Series covers can change over time as characters change. However, you had the experience of changing publishers with your first series. Has the difference in covers affected the Kara Gillian series? What is some of the reader feedback you've gotten about the difference (if you can share)?

Book 4 of Kara Gillian series

DR: The change in covers hasn’t affected the story or writing of the series, of course, but I think it’s changed the marketing. DAW very much wanted this series to be marketed as urban fantasy (which it is!), whereas I feel that Bantam wanted it to be marketed more to the paranormal romance side of things. I’m more comfortable with it being marketed as urban fantasy, not because I have anything against paranormal romance at all, but because this isn’t paranormal romance, and I think those readers would have grown frustrated over time with the lack of a major romantic plotline.

That being said, yes, I would have liked for all of the books to match, but in the long run I do think that the newer covers reflect the true nature of the series much better. But, oh, the reader feedback!! The reactions have run the gamut from cautious approval to virulent hatred, but I think that if the series had started out with the Dos Santos covers no one would have batted an eyelash. The majority of the less-than-positive feedback has been because the series as a whole doesn’t match, and I can certainly respect that avid readers could be disappointed in that.

J: You have a new "white trash" zombie series which sports some spectacular artwork from Daniel Dos Santos. Can you tell us a little about how these covers were created? Is he given a description of Angel and a basic outline for each book?

DR: I am the luckiest author in the world because I actually get to talk to my cover artist! For both of the White Trash Zombie covers, I’ve had extended telephone conversations and email exchanges with Dan where we’ve discussed the overall themes of the books, possible scenes, her appearance in general as well as specifics of how rotten she could be. Dan always asks me if I have an idea for the cover, I tell him that I have zero visual artistic sense and go ahead and give him a sample scene idea, and then he (thankfully!) ignores my suggestion and paints something a thousand times better. :-D

J:  The cover for EVEN WHITE TRASH ZOMBIES GET THE BLUES is definitely "trashy" but in a good way. What was your initial reaction to seeing it?

Book 2 of White Trash Zombies series

DR: SO. MUCH. LOVE!!!  Seriously, this is the perfect example of a cover capturing the feel of a book. Funny thing is that Dan and I had this particular cover discussion while I was at a Chik-Fil-A with my daughter. She was playing in the climby-playground thing while I was on the phone with Dan merrily describing rotting body parts and gunshot wounds and grungy, nasty settings… It wasn’t until I hung up with him that I realized that a woman and her two small children had been sitting behind me that whole time. Oops!

J: In addition to being an author, I know you're an avid reader. What are some of your favorite books covers, past and present? How important is the cover to you as a reader when choosing a book?

DR: A cover that’s obviously cheap or a bad photoshop job will turn me off of a book, simply because I tend to think that a sloppy cover will likely mean a sloppy book as well. (And, yes, I know this isn’t universally true.) I’m certainly drawn to covers that are striking (in a good way) or exceptionally creative or attractive, but beyond that I tend to use cover art as a guide to genre, and will gravitate toward the “look” that I’m in the mood for at that time.

Some of my favorite covers include the Jane True books by Nicole Peeler, and The Expanse series by James S. A. Corey, simply because they both have cover art that is interesting and striking, that perfectly conveys the tone and concept of the books.

J:  And now for every author's favorite question: What's next for Diana Rowland?

DR: I’ll be starting White Trash Zombie Apocalypse fairly soon, and at this time it looks as if that will be the end of that series. I have some other possible projects on tap, but nothing solid yet.

But, for the Kara Gillian fans, I can tell you that I’ll be working hard on the Demon series for a few more years. After all, there’s still a ways to go to finish up that whole story. We’re just now getting to the really good stuff!

J: Awesome insights, Diana! Thanks for hanging out with us. :-)

That's all, folks. Be sure to come back next week when we dish on...*drumroll*...The Hunger Games: Book vs. Movie! Until then...

Peas out.

Pick a Pea: Jeannie - What is Urban Fantasy?

We're one Pea short this week and next. (No, that isn't a euphemism to say we're insane...although it could be.) A is off visiting family so M and I are picking up the slack and hosting Pick A Pea posts! Basically, this is when we get to post anything and everything about whatever topic we choose. Recycling old posts from other blogs is also fair game. I mention this because that's precisely what I'm doing this week: recycling.

I posted the following articles "What is Urban Fantasy?" about a year ago on my personal blog, Wayward Muses and Shiny Objects, which is no longer being updated but has tons of posts on a variety of subjects so feel free to check out the archives. If you're familiar with the urban fantasy genre, you know it isn't easy to define. Everyone has their own opinions of what makes urban fantasy and what kicks a book over to the paranormal romance aisle or horror or mystery or whatever. Here is my take on the subject:

What is urban fantasy?

Urban fantasy is often defined as having supernatural/paranormal elements layered over our recognizable modern or near-future world. The setting is a large city such as Los Angeles, New Orleans, or St. Louis. Often the main character is female and the story is told in first person point of view. The story can have elements pulled from other genres such as science fiction, mystery, horror, and romance and woven together in a cohesive manner with varying degrees of emphasis placed on each of these genre elements. Primarily, the plot will consist of a mystery to be solved or a problem to be corrected before some great calamity strikes. Romance, if present, is usually a secondary plot. Character and story arcs often carry for multiple books. These are "The Rules" of urban fantasy.

We could spend hours if not days debating the finer points of what is or isn't urban fantasy. That is time we could spend doing more productive things, like writing the next book in a series or even the first book in a new series. For me, the definition hinges on the romance and if it's the main focus of the story or not because it's the easiest way to separate urban fantasy from its cousin, paranormal romance.

Where did it begin?

Most "experts" will point to the initial release of Laurell K. Hamilton's GUILTY PLEASURES (Book 1 in the Anita Blake series) in the early 1990s as the beginning of the genre's mass appeal to readers. However, I believe Anne Rice's INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE would also qualify as an early example of urban fantasy, even though the point of view character is male and much of the story is told as Louis's memories, the actual "interview" takes place modern times.

However, one could make a strong argument for finding urban fantasy's roots in the Romantic Movement in works such as Mary Shelley's FRANKENSTEIN, Bram Stoker's DRACULA, Charles Dickens's A CHRISTMAS CAROL, and Edgar Allan Poe's MASK OF THE RED DEATH, to name a few. You're probably thinking to yourself "But these are classics! How can they be urban fantasy?" The answer is simple: At the time they were written, they were set in the modern era, in urban centers, and carried an element of the supernatural. Time moves forward but the written word doesn't. It's fixed on the page.

Pinpointing the start of urban fantasy is difficult and open for debate. Suffice it to say the genre has steadily gained popularity is now one of the most widely read genres because of its broad appeal to readers of other genres.

What are some common elements?

The most common element is the supernatural. Whether the supernatural takes the form of vampires, werewolves, fairies, zombies, aliens, shapeshifters, or something else isn't set in stone. Nearly any creature can make an appearance in urban fantasy.

What is the difference between urban fantasy and paranormal romance?

The two share 90% of their genre DNA. However, the main differences are this: Urban fantasy focuses on an issue outside of a romantic relationship between two characters. Paranormal romance focuses on a romantic relationship between two characters and how outside forces affect that relationship. The best litmus test to determine if a story is urban fantasy or paranormal romance is to ask the following question: "If the romance between Character A and Character B were removed, would the plot still stand as a viable storyline?" If the answer is "yes," chances are good it's urban fantasy. If the answer is "no," it's most likely paranormal romance.

Okay, so that covers the basics of urban fantasy. Are we clear on what is and isn't urban fantasy? We've all got "The Rules" firmly fixed in our minds? Good.

Now forget everything I just said.

Why?

Because it's fiction. When Mary Shelley wrote FRANKENSTEIN, she wasn't concerned with a genre. She wanted to write a ghost story. She wanted to write fiction.

You want to write urban fantasy with a male protagonist? Do it. The "rule" that says you must have a female protagonist hasn't stopped Jim Butcher, nor did it stop Mary Shelley.

You want to write urban fantasy set in a post-apocalyptic world? Do it. Stacia Kane's Downside Ghosts series is a wonderful example of the broken "rule" that says it has to be a modern day or near future setting. You can even write a story set in the past. Edgar Allan Poe did. THE MASK OF THE RED DEATH uses the backdrop of the Black Plague for its setting even though Poe was writing in the 1800s, long after the plague had all but disappeared.

You want to write urban fantasy set in a small town? Do it. Look no further than the popularity of Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series to see that small towns can be just as intriguing as large metropolitan areas. Charles Dickens's London wasn't the sprawling urban center it is today. Yes, it was still a large city but reading that story has the feel of being set in a smaller London.

You want to write urban fantasy with multiple character view points? Do it. Faith Hunter's Rogue Mage series began with BLOODRING and featured both first and third person points of view. Bram Stoker's DRACULA has multiple points of view and each is necessary to convey the story. This is important: The story dictates its needs. If it can be told from one character's point of view, great. However, if more than one is required, don't sweat it. There is no actual "rule" that says you can't have more than one.

My point is this: Urban fantasy is a label used to identify where a book falls in the publishing spectrum. At the end of the day, it's fiction. Aside from the basic rules of writing, such as grammar, spelling, and the structure of story, there are no rules. Some of the best fiction ever written has broken "The Rules." Urban fantasy as a genre has broken rules from Day One and it will continue to do so. In fact it'll be necessary for the next generation of urban fantasy writers to break even more rules.

Will we see urban fantasy set on distance worlds and trekking through the stars? I think so.

Will we see urban fantasy set in the Roman era with gladiators battling werewolves for the entertainment of thousands? It's possible.

This is fiction and in fiction, anything is possible.

Tune in next week for M's Pick A Pea! Until then...

Peas out.