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Is it me or is the latest thing collaborated romance/crossover genres? There's Crusie/Mayer with Don't Look Down (they started the trend, actually). There's Crusie/Dreyer/Stuart with The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes. Now there's Evanovich/Cannell with No Chance. By collaboration here, I mean a story written by more than one author, not three novellas in one or a series with different authors.
I was talking with some friends about how hard it would be to cede control of one's story to some other writer. It'd involve a lot of trust and plot-talking. I may be able to do #1 but #2 is tough. I'm not a plot-talker. I think I'll drive my collaborating friend crazy because I'd probably tell him/her that I don't know what's happening next.
I enjoyed the Crusie/Mayer venture because it was innovative (Crusie wrote the heroine's POV and Mayer wrote the hero's) and I thought their "voices" fitted nicely. The story was action packed and a bit confusing, and here's where I start acting out the behind-the-scene fights in my head between the two writers over romance/ relationship vs action/adventure ;-).
I haven't read The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes collaboration yet. I love Anne Stuart, though, so I'll be buying that book, but the title is just too cute for me. Does that even makes sense?! I know very well that the title has nothing, NOTHING, to do with the story and is probably not even the authors' personal pick, and yet I can't make myself start a book because it conveys a sense of cutesieness to me that I'm just not in the mood for.
I haven't decided yet about the Evanovich/Canell book. I read the blurb. It reads okay, with Spec. ops dude as hero. But Evanovich doesn't do romance any more, so I don't think I'll get the emotional payoff that I know I'll get from the other two books mentioned previously.
What's your take? If you've read the Crusie, Dreyer, Stuart book and are familiar with each of these authors' styles/voices, did you think the book disjointed or was it one smooth read? Any other collaboration between authors that you'd like to suggest?
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Bringing this up from comments page two days ago:
Leilani said...
Book I read since Jan that made me sit up and take notice: JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood. (I was never interested in vampires or werethings. But now I can't seem to get enough!)
New authors: JR Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Nalini Singh, Marjorie Liu, Lara Adrian, Shannon Butcher to name a few.
The book I'm hesitating to read is Brenda Joyce's Dark Seduction. It sounded good in the store, but at them moment other books are calling to me first. lol :)
I'm looking forward to: Force of Nature (Brockmann), Devil May Cry (Kenyon), Virtually Hers, Caressed by Ice (Singh).
mark teich
Three books at the top of my TBR: Woman in Red by Eileen Goudge, Blue Ice by Anne Stuart and Lindsay McKenna Commando.
9:26 AM
Sarah said...
Lynn Viehl writes as several people. The 2 I have read are Lynn Viehl and SL Viehl. The 1st is a vamp series and the 2nd is a space opera kind of series the 1st of which is called Star Doc. She has a really interesting blog I like to have a nosey at regularly here
http://pbackwriter.blogspot.com/
My re reads with glee at the moment are JR Ward. I am such a binge reader, if one is coming soon from an author I do series re reads. Or, if I've just read one that rocks I'll go back and re read their backlist. Quite a zippy reader so it does not take long. Linda Howard usually features there too. Love her older ones.
10:51 PM
Jaye said...
Any book that you've read since January that kicked all kinds of ass and made you sit up?
Me: erm... nope. But there were several books I loved.
Did you find a new author? If so, who?
Me: Karen Rose, Megan Harte, Megan Chance, Katie McAllister, Keri Arthur, David Wellington, Wendy Corsi Staub, Maureen Jennings... erm, that's all I can remember. :)
What's on your TBR pile that you keep hesitating to read? Why?
Me: Meljean Brook for the same reason you listed. :-P
I'm looking forward to: ________
Me: Lisa Valdez, the new Karen Rose. I know there's more just can't think of them off the top of my head.
What are you tired of?
Me: Nothing at the moment. The stuff I'm tired of *hearing* about--paranormals, romantica--I prettymuch stay away from unless the story/characters sound really intersting and the author voice works for me.
What are the three books on top of your TBR pile?
Me: I'm in the middle of several books at the moment, for some reason. Last night I was reading an old Anne Rule novel. Possession, I think it's called. Has a real Sidney Sheldon vibe. lol.
It's been a hit and miss year, either I get stuck with a bunch of 'meh' reads, then I hit the motherload with an amazing read (Karen Rose and Keri Artur come to mind). I've also been rereading from my keeper shelf and those books (mostly JAK and Lisa Klepas) still hold their magic for me.
Leilani, you seem to have found many fantasy/paranormal authors after trying out JR Ward! I love paranormal/fantasy and some scifi because they can break some rules. Welcome to the dark side ;-).
Sarah, yes, I do read pbwriter now and then. She's fun. I've just never tried her books. I get a quick taste of her stories from my friends' discussion and mostly it they don't sound like they have a lot of romance in them.
As for Linda Howard oldies, does anyone NOT reread them? They are so good!
Jaye,
A Sidney Sheldon vibe? LOL. ***trying to figure that out*** It's been a while since I read a SS book. Valdez's book has been delayed too, right? You said you don't read many paranormals either, so what do you think of Keri Arthur's books?
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Monday, June 25, 2007
Here, You Write This Chapter....
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5 comments:
The Crusie Mayer was okay but it's not the Jenny Crusie I love. I miss her old style. Wonder whether I can discern her "voice" if I read the three-author collaboration book? But I don't like paranormals. Sigh.
Who would you like to collaborate with, if given the chance? Male or female author?
There is an ongoing romance in Stardoc, but it is not the main focus. More the development of the character and her exciting spacy adventures with blue blokes. LOL!
I don't think I could write with anyone, seems like a big ask.
As I am sitting here looking at your blog I am wondering how your small spies are? How tall are they?
Can't imagine collaborating with someone to write a novel. I could probably do the anthology thing, but other than that...nope. I'm too much of a control freak.
That being said though, I am looking forward to picking up the Crusie/Dreyer/Stuart book. I read Ice Blue over the weekend. So good! Taka sigh. Can't wait for Reno's book. Have you read it yet?
Lili, let me know if you read The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes! The Crusie Mayer book(s) appear to have readers who are torn between the new Crusie and old Crusie. Interesting.
And you asked a tough question! Who do I want to collaborate with? Yikes.
Hmm. Male: the dead Robert Ludlum. I've been told my themes are similar to his books' ;-). So we should mesh, eh...me with my operatives against his MEDUSA project. Yeah. Too bad he's in the far beyond. Maybe I can channel him and gain his international status. Sigh.
Female: I have no idea. There are so many great authors whom I admire! And I dare not even say the goddess' name ***coughLindaHowardcough*** because that's like dreaming of being Gerard Butler's Number One Focus. Heh.
***Thinking hard***Maybe someone like Marjorie Liu because I love her stories and can see myself immerse in a project with her about Asian lore and kickass agencies. But she's on the way to goddesshood herself. Don't tell her, 'kay? ;-) I can't wait to read her latest with the merman. Damn, that sounds so good.
lol. 'K, maybe I should have said, Jacqueline Susann. Just that cheezy sexfest type read. *g* Very 80's. :-P
I was in the bookstore and realized my mistake. I meant to say Carrie Vaughn (of the "Kitty" werewolf series of books) not Kerri Arthur. :-P I love the Kitty books, btw, not surprising since I loved Kelly Armstrong's BROKEN and STOLEN. I tend not to read paranormal romances, but I do read stuff like Kerri or Kelly's work, or stuff from horror genre with really scary badass vamps/zombies/demons, etc, and... just to prove how twisted I am, I prefer if those types of books have a romance subplot. I just think the characterization and type of romances have more scope/variety than in your usual para-romance.
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