Books-n-Kisses is pleased to let Rebecca Royce take over the blog today. Take it away Rebecca.
Coming Up With Something New
All I hear about all the time is that vampires are over. Werewolves are over. Demons are over. Dragons are last year. Really? They’re over? As a writer, my heart starts to pound. Oh god. What am I going to write about?
So, I come up with something new that I love writing about. Psychics being locked away in Institutions to keep everyone else safe. I get excited and invested in these characters.
Then I am told that no one will want to read about psychics locked up behind bars. Okay. Once again, there I am sitting there with my heart pounding. What am I going to do?
Well, thank goodness my publisher didn’t agree about the psychics and that readers continue to want to see werewolves. I don’t know what is over and what isn’t. I’m not sure anything is over and fortunately people don’t seem to be against reading new things either.
What do you think? Is anything over?
Eye Contact by Rebecca Royce
The Conditioned, Book one
Thirty years ago, after the breakdown of an oil negotiation, the President of the United States decided that all people born with unusual abilities, which he would now refer to as “the condition”, would be locked away from the general public where they couldn’t harm others. Parents and loved ones of these people, most of whom were children, were forced to turn them in upon penalty of death. Formed to keep the institutions secure, the Committee for the Protection of a Free Society now rules these institutions with an iron fist.
The granddaughter of one the Committee members, Addison Wade has lived her life wary of the institutions and all they represent. A woman of secrets, she is forced to turn to Safe Dawn, one of the facilities designed to hold conditioned people, when her nephew is kidnapped and, despite her best efforts, cannot be recovered. She knows the last thing anyone in ‘Safe Dawn’ will want to do is to help a Wade with any problems, but she is desperate and out of options.
Spencer Lewis is famous for being the premier conditioned ‘locator.’ There’s no one he can’t find and he has a soft spot for missing children. But, Spencer has been through a trauma and locating Jeremy Wade may be dangerous both to himself and to those around him. In addition, he takes one look at ice cold Addison Wade and wants nothing more than to knock her down a peg. Never having turned down an opportunity to help a child, he reluctantly agrees to help recover Jeremy.
In a world where nothing is as it seems and every person they encounter has his own agenda, Addison and Spencer will find that the only people they can trust are each other. But how can anyone fall in love living in a world that wants you dead just for being born?
About Rebecca: As a teenager, I would hide in my room to read my favorite romance novels when I was supposed to be doing my homework. I hope, these days, that my parents think it was worth it.
I am the mother of three adorable boys and I am fortunate to be married to my best friend. We live in northern New Jersey and try not to freeze too badly during the winter months.
I am in love with science fiction, fantasy, and the paranormal and try to use all of these elements in my writing. I’ve been told I’m a little bloodthirsty so I hope that when you read my work you’ll enjoy the action packed ride that always ends in romance. I love to write series because I love to see characters develop over time and it always makes me happy to see my favorite characters make guest appearances in other books.
In my world anything is possible, anything can happen, and you should suspect that it will.
I’d love to hear from you!
LINKS:
Nothing is ever over… for the right book 🙂 I wrote about ancient gypsy legends of the undead because I thought readers were sick of straight up vampire tales (which, by the way, they're not). My take on the vamps is so new that it puts some folks off. Thankfully, though, Decadent also took a chance on my me 🙂 And so have readers!
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And Eye Contact is on my Nook, waiting for me to read — after those six sentences you shared from it, I just had to have it! Sounds awesome, Rebecca xxx
Hmmm. Don't necessarily want something new. I want new twists.
I love the sound of this book! I am PERSONALLY over vamps and weres and shifters but I market savvy enough to understand most people aren't! keep up the great work!
Liz
I think that as long as the writing is solid (which yours always is) and the story is interesting (again true for you) then you can write whatever your little heart desires because your readers love your books.
Thank you so much for having me here!
I think worrying about whether or not something is over speaks of trying to write for a trend–and, according to a writers' conference I attended recently–this is a no-no. Instead, of writing to trend they suggested writing what you're passionate about. And I think that's what you're doing Rebecca. Doing this is infectious. Have confidence and how that your writing will attract readers. : )
When the market is overwhelmed, some people believe it's just a fad. For those who write well, like you, it's never over. People will want to read your books, no matter what the topic. Personally I love your book about psychics locked up in an institution and I can't wait to read the next in the series. 🙂
All the best!
Kelly,
Thank you for hosting Rebecca today. It is a great post.
Marissa
http://www.sizzlingpr.com
I think any new spin or twist is great for the entire genre, but I am always gonna love my vamps and shifters. The hardcore fans will always be there. When I see a new aspect broached, such as psychics and zombies seem to be huge now, I'll test the waters and if the temp is right, I'll probably stay awhile.
I don't think anything is over. It is the writing and characters that makes me want to read a book. Oh they are vampires? Sure go for it. Physics behind bars – well you know I loved them in Eye Contact.
It just takes a voice that is strong and I will read it.
The agents and major publishers go for the trends, but I believe there will always be room for vampires, ghosts, witches, psychics and werewolves. As long as each story carries a new twist and a love story, they will never go out of style.
Eye Contact sounds wonderful! Congrats!!