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you like to read romance novels? Wouldn't you like to know more about
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. . .
Welcome to my wee slice of Romance Weekly. Here are my responses to this week's jackpot questions:Who is your favorite author in your genre and why?
This one's a bit tricky because it's hard to say which genre it is I write in. I usually say my books are contemporary Scottish paranormal romances, but they also incorporate elements of urban fantasy, high fantasy, horror, and erotic romance. Still, I'd have to say my hands-down favorite is Diana Gabaldon. Not just in my genre but among all genres. Her books transport me to another time and world, make me feel her characters deeply enough to cheer and cry for them, and the poetry of her prose makes me green with envy. What can I say? She's enormously gifted. Why else would I have read all of her books in the Outlander series? Have you seen her books? They're enormous and I'm a slow reader who lives to savor every delicious word.
What is your favorite book by them and why?
Oh, this is a tough one. I loved them all for different reasons. Outlander, Voyager, Dragonfly in Amber, Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, An Echo in the Bone. I loved Clare and Jamie's time in France with all the court intrigues while trying to stop Culloden from happening, loved their time on Fraser Ridge, loved their adventures in the American Revolution. Such amazing stuff, all. I guess, if forced to choose, I'd have to pick the first one: Outlander. Two fellow writers recommended that I read it and, when I finally did, I was hooked from the very first sentence.
What about their style inspires your writing?
What doesn't? I feel her writing raises her romances to the level of literature. I work hard at improving my writing and making it beautiful, but I certainly wouldn't categorize it as literary. Though, two reviewers of my forthcoming book (The Queen of Swords, my debut novel, is out in just four more days!) have called the writing "beautiful," "lyrical," and "as fluid as honey." That's not bad, right? I've always been my own worst critic and probably always will be. Diana writes pages and pages of gorgeous descriptive prose and my editors tell me to cut mine because people just skim over it. Really? What a shame. I love gorgeous writing that sets a scene, but try not to go overboard and bore the reader.
Okay. That's my monologue for this week. Let's go see who inspires Katie O'Connor and all the other talented writers in our weekly circle.
I love Gabaldon too! Yeah, and I've been told to cut the pretty stuff, too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, Dani. I love beautiful, descriptive writing, but then, I mostly read literature and revel in the beautiful prose. A couple of weeks ago, just to see, I posted a descriptive passage from my forthcoming novel and asked people if they thought it was too much or not. Most said it wasn't; that they liked the description because it made them visualize the scene in detail. One person said it was a little too much for their taste. So, it's a matter of opinion. As a writer, I strive to find a balance between painting a picture and boring the reader. It can be a fine line. Lots of people think Diana's descriptions are too much and in places, I agree. But every sentence is so beautifully written it would be hard for me to suggest cutting a single one.
ReplyDeleteNot of heard of Nina Gabaldon before, definitely will have to check her out now. Great answers :)
ReplyDeleteIt's Diana Gabaldon, actually. If you liked my answers, you should definitely check her out. Her books are being made into a cable television series which will premiere on Starz this summer. Personally, I can't wait to see the story of Clare and Jamie come to love. They're amazingly well-drawn characters I have fallen in love with over the years.
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