You’d think after living on this earth for 79 years I’d have learned something about following good advice. But I haven’t. No I just continue to do things the way I want to. Stubborn, I reckon they call that.
When I started my career in writing after I was fifty years into my existence on this beautiful planet, and fell into being published in western historical romance, I was told to stick to the genre. The way to fame and fortune was to concentrate on one subject, so to
speak. Romance was the best seller in those days. I might have done just that had it not been for something beyond my control. The change in publishing. The crash. The end of publishing as we all knew it.
Okay, second, I’m told not to write blogs about writing. Mine always seem to circle back around to that or begin with it. Writing is my passion, my living, my day to day … be patient, the older I get the more words will not come. Ah, existence, that’s what I wanted to say. My day to day existence.
There’s where I break more rules. For a while then I went back to writing about people, places, events of history. Because for years I’d done that in newspapers, some of my books were published about true happenings in history and they were very popular. But then as I was putting together the last of all those, I said to my husband, “If I ever agree to do this again, shoot me.” Because writing non-fiction is hard, it’s grinding, it’s fun, yes, but HARD. It’s much more fun to make up stuff.
Okay, on we go then. Breaking the rules. I did go back to writing western historical romance, but in between I began to write in other genres. Needed to tell these stories and so I did, even though I was warned how difficult it would be to promote myself in different genres. Genre means subject matter and style of writing.
So, I dragged out the first book I’d written, Beyond the Moon. I loved it, couldn’t forget the characters. Glen and Katy have haunted me since the first day I began to scribble notes about their story. Their tragic, beautiful, haunting love story. I rewrote the book, a very long book and lo and behold an editor and publisher wanted to publish it. A new publisher, Oghma Creative Media, opened up my career in fiction writing once again.
Then I began a mystery series, A Twist of Poe, and was given a brand by my new
Here’s the cover of my latest
publisher – Sexy, Dark, Gritty. Now I can write in all the genres without so much confusion. That brand tells it all about my fiction novels, which include western historical romance I started out with so long ago. Recently my paranormal, A Savage Grace, which I worked on for years, was published. Here I am still breaking all the rules. At my age I’ll probably never stop doing what I think is right for me and ignoring the rules. Probably never be rich and famous, but what the heck. I’m having fun and enjoying my passion. Which is precisely what you should do.
Unless, of course, your passion is serial killing.
Come see me along with Staci Troilo when we appear for Oghma Creative Media at Farmington AR Public Library from 6 – 8 Wednesday, Sept. 23. We’ll discuss all sorts of subjects to entertain and amaze you. See you there.
Reblogged this on Oghma Creative Media.
I like that you break the rules, Velda. That’s what makes you, you. And I wouldn’t want you any other way.
By the way, I had fun with you last night. I wish all your readers had been able to join us. They would really have enjoyed it.
Yep, last night was fun. I often wonder why we don’t get more attendance, because when I meet readers individually somewhere they have loads of questions to ask about books and writing. Still seeing you was worth getting out. Take care.
Breaking the rules is what every Courage in Profile does–as JFK understood it –enough to write a book that could only include a handful of “subjects.” A couple years ago, a keynote speaker at a Writer”s Conference told her
audience that multi-genre books were “catching on.” I think the way publishing winds blow, every genre has a window of opportunity nowadays, and multi genre in a single book is what I love to read…and write. Sometimes it means just hanging in there until the door opens. Maybe that even happens AFTER we die, e. g. Jane Austen and so many others. My novel writing “start” was so much later in life than yours. I only hope I can sustain it as long and successfully as you have, Velda. Keep on keeping on!
Thank you so much for your kind words and insight. You too need to keep on keeping on.