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  • Map, map, my kingdom for a map …

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    Pet peeve time: What is up with epic fantasy books not having maps in them anymore? It seems like the last four or five epic fantasy books that I’ve read have not had a map in them — and it is driving me insane.

    In the past few months, I’ve read Burn Me Deadly by Alex Bledsoe and Melusine by Sarah Monette. These are both epic fantasies — and neither one of them had a map in it. This is especially troublesome in the Monette book, since she talks about so many different cultures/people and her characters travel from one side of the world to the other — supposedly this huge, huge distance. Bledsoe’s book is focused on a smaller geographic area so it didn’t bother me quite as much that there wasn’t a map in that one.

    The lack of a map seems to be a new, disappointing trend to me. Back when I first started reading epic fantasy, it seemed like every book I picked up — especially those by the likes of Terry Brooks, David Eddings, and Terry Goodkind — had a map of the respective world in it. Now? It doesn’t seem like anybody has a map in their book.

    Am I the only one that this bothers?

    I like seeing the maps and tracking the characters from one city to the other. I like knowing where the various races/creatures live. I like seeing the topography of the rivers and mountains and whatnot — it makes the characters’ journey seem that much more, well, epic to me. I just expect a map in an epic fantasy book since its scope is usually so big and sprawling.

    I wonder if maybe the publishers are trying to save money/paper by not including maps anymore — if maybe they are using those artist dollars and two pages for something else. Or maybe the author just doesn’t want a map in his/her book. Maybe she doesn’t want to limit herself that way. There could be any number of reasons for this trend.

    Now, I do think that it’s a little different situation when it comes to urban fantasy. I don’t really expect a map in an urban fantasy book since so many of those take place in cities. It’s just easier for me to visualize things on a city scale than on a worldwide scale. But if the characters are traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles over mountain ranges and across seas like they do in epic fantasy books, then, yeah, I expect a map — or two.

    Personally, I’ve thought about doing a map of Ashland, but I can’t draw to save my life, and I think my dollars would be better spent on promoting my books rather than hiring someone to do a map for me. Plus, there are probably some rights/usage issues that I would have to talk to my publisher about first.

    Also, I try to add at least one new location in every one of the Elemental Assassin books, so the map would be out of date by the time the next book came out. And I don’t want to box myself in too much by saying that this goes here and that goes there, when I might come up with a cool idea in the future and need to rearrange things. Besides, my city is pretty simple — the rich part of town, the poor part of town, and the suburbs. All readers really need to know is what part of town a business or house is located in. I think the descriptions/characters take care of the rest.

    I don’t know — maybe I should just chalk it all up to The Mystery of the Missing Map. That would make a great case for Nancy Drew or Veronica Mars to work on, wouldn’t it? 😉

    What about you guys? Are you missing maps in epic fantasy books? Are there any books that you think need a map? Share in the comments.

  • Reader Appreciation Weekend …

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    Today, I thought that I would mention the last big conference that I’m going to in 2010 — Lora Leigh’s Reader Appreciation Weekend.

    The event will be held in Huntington, W.Va. on Sept. 9-12 and will feature several authors, including Jim and Shannon Butcher, both of whom I am really excited to meet. I’ve been to RAW once before, and I had a blast. It’s just a really cool, laid back, reader-focused event.

    In addition to several Q&A panels featuring authors who write in a variety of genres, there’s also a private book signing on Saturday for conference goers and then one on Sunday that is open to the public, if you’re in that neck of the woods. Also, here’s a video to check out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0DB_A5gOxI.

    I’m not 100 percent certain if it will happen or not, but I know the RAW organizers are trying to get some early copies of Venom to sell during the event, since it takes place two weeks before the release date on Sept. 28. We shall see. Regardless of that, some of the proceeds from the event will go to various charities, which is always a good thing.

    If you want more info, click on the link at the top of this post. Hope to see you there! 😉

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    First person versus third person …

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    As those of you who’ve read my books know, I write in what is called first person. Basicaly, it means that the story is told from one character’s point of view. In first person books, the lines are usually something like this: I went to the store. I drove home. I cooked steaks.

    On the other hand, third person books are (or can be) written from the view of several different characters: Jill went to the store. Jill drove home. Jack was glad that she bought steaks.

    There’s been tons of debate over the years about which is better, first person books or those written in third person. Some people love first person books, but they are others that won’t touch them with a ten-foot pole.

    Frankly, I just don’t get what the big deal is. When I read, I’m looking for two things — interesting characters and a great story. I don’t care whether the book is written in first person or third person. I don’t care whether the author is a man, woman, or an alien from another planet. I want to be entertained — that’s it. That’s my only requirement. Make me smile, make me laugh, make me cheer for your hero, and curse your villain. That’s all that I want.

    So why do I write in first person if it’s so unpopular with some folks? Well, because that’s the point of view that speaks to me. That’s the one that lets me get inside a character’s head and really find her voice. That’s the one that just works for me. I always think that my books and characters feel flat when I try to write them in third person.

    I have to write in the voice that speaks to me, and for now at least, that voice is first person. I hope my books, my characters, my stories entertain folks. That’s all that I want as a writer. Well, okay, fame and fortune would be nice too, but I’m not holding my breath about those things.

    As for those who won’t read books simply because they’re written in first person, you guys really don’t know that you’re missing — great characters and great stories. I hope you change your mind and give first person a try. You’ll be glad that you did.

    What about you guys? Which do you prefer, first person or third? Share in the comments.

  • Frequently asked questions …

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    I get a lot of questions from readers on everything from where my books are available to when the next one is coming out. So I thought that I’d answer a few of these questions here on the blog today.

    1) Are your Elemental Assassin books available as e-books?

    Yes. You can get my Elemental Assassin books for the Kindle through Amazon or for the Nook (and other e-readers) at Barnes & Noble. Other places sell them in different formats as well. I had several people ask me if the books were available for the Nook at the Romantic Times Convention back in April, which makes me think that the Nook will really give the Kindle a run for its money.

    2) Why is the price for your e-books the same as the price for the print versions?

    Because my publisher Pocket, which is part of Simon & Schuster, sets the prices for the books, not me. I just write them. I have nothing to do with the pricing or where/how the books are sold.

    I’ve seen a couple of reviews where instead of talking about my books and what they did or didn’t like about them, folks complained about the e-book prices instead. Not cool. If you want to do that, write a letter to my publisher or do it in a forum/thread that’s devoted to e-book pricing. If you say you are reviewing the book, then review it. But don’t blame authors for pricing or format issues (e-books that don’t work, a series that moves to hardcover, etc.) because those are things that us authors have no control over.

    3) Are your books available outside the U.S.?

    Yes. You can get them through Amazon UK, and I know of several romance-friendly bookstores in Australia that regularly stock them, like Rosemary’s Romance Books. In fact, I’ve been told that the Elemental Assassin books have been selling quite well at Rosemary’s. Other than that, all I can tell you to do is check with your local bookstore and see if they can order the books for you. I don’t know all the countries that they might be available in or the specific stores.

    4) Why doesn’t my bookstore have your books?

    Honestly, I have no idea. My books are available at Amazon, Banes & Noble, Borders, Books-A-Million, and other bookstores. Wal-Mart has also ordered copies of my books in the past. But as to what specific stories are carrying the books, well, that’s something else that I have no information about or control over. So the best thing to do is just ask your bookseller to order you a copy.

    5) When is the next Elemental Assassin book coming out? Is it the last book in the series?

    Venom, the third book in the series, will be out Sept. 28. No, it is not the last book. There will be two more books out in 2011. Right now, it looks like Tangled Threads will be out in May 2011, and the fifth book (still untitled) will be out in October 2011. This is still subject to change, though.

    These five books will let me wrap up the major story arcs and let me give Gin something of a happily ever after. If, of course, she can survive her inevitable confrontation with Mab Monroe …

    I would like to write more books in the series beyond that, but that will depend on sales. So if you like the Elemental Assassin books, I hope that you’ll recommend them to your friends.

    Got more questions? I’ll answer what I can in the comments.

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    Spoilers, no more …

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    Spoiler alert: This post talks about spoilers for my Elemental Assassin books. So don’t read if you don’t want to be spoiled …

    I think I’m going to have to implement some sort of spoiler policy.

    Now that Web of Lies is out, I’ve been getting a lot of e-mails from folks who want to know what happens next — and mainly, who Gin winds up with in Venom (due out Sept. 28).

    For those of you who have read Web of Lies, you know that in addition to Detective Donovan Caine, there’s also a new love interest in town for our girl Gin — sexy businessman Owen Grayson. And given what happens at the end of Web of Lies, with Donovan basically dumping Gin and hightailing it out of Ashland, well, let’s just say that folks want to know who Gin’s going to be spending time with in the future. So far, most folks seem to be on Team Owen, although I have heard from a few Team Donovan fans.

    It’s very flattering that folks like Gin so much that they want to know what happens next — and they want to know right now. But spoilers are kind of a gray area for me. Personally, I like mild spoilers, like if someone has been cast on one of my favorite TV shows or if one of the characters might die before the season is over. I regularly troll over to Entertainment Weekly to get those kinds of spoilers.

    But I don’t like spoilers that ruin a big, big twist in a TV show or movie, like in The Sixth Sense or The Usual Suspects (which I think is a truly awesome flick). If the whole point of a movie is to surprise you, then, well, I want to be surprised.

    And I never know how much of a spoiler a reader wants. Do they want to know what happens in the next book? Do they want to know who Gin ends up with at the end of book 5? I just never know how much to tell people. Also, I don’t want someone who doesn’t want to be spoiled to come across the info online and feel like the book has been ruined for them.

    So from now on, I don’t think that I’ll be giving out any kind of spoilers at all. My lips are sealed. Although I’ll admit that the back cover copy for the books can be a bit spoilery at times. But there’s nothing that I can do about that. So for all you folks out there who like spoilers, read the back cover copy, which is posted here on the website, to get a hint about what’s coming up next for Gin. For those of you who don’t like spoilers, you may want to stay away from the description until Venom comes out … if you can. 😉

    What about you guys? Do you like spoilers or not? Share in the comments.