Villa in Tuscany

Friday, January 12, 2007

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I'm a historical romance writer. That was my belief for years. It was all I wanted to be. I researched, joined historical writing groups and knew what I was doing. While I was working on a historical book, another idea popped in my head. I started working on a contemporary paranormal, completely on the other end of the spectrum from my historical. It took off and I finished it before I finished my historical. In fact, I abandoned my historical (it had a fatal flaw) and focused on my paranormal. But I still considered it my side project. When I started submitting it, I got a lot of positive response on it. So maybe my first sale wouldn't be a historical, but still, I would get there with a historical romance.

Well, my paranormal never went anywhere after many requests and such. So I went back to historicals. I had a couple that I really liked, one in particular really caught my spark and I was diligently writing away. And then a fantasy story popped in my head. And it was in first person. So I went ahead and worked on it, alternating with the historical for time, maybe I was a historical romance writer who also wrote fantasy romance.

I'll cut to the chase, I finished it, submitted and landed an agent. Not only is this book not a historical, it really isn't a romance. Sure, the romantic element is strong, but it isn't the primary story line.

So not only am I not a historical romance writer, I'm not even a romance writer. It is a little freaky in my view. I've lived with one label for so long, it is hard to adjust.

Do you see yourself as a "such-and-such" writer? Can you wear more than one hat and be good in all of them?

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