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Multiple Personalities
 By Elizabeth Hoyt I have a deep, dark secret. I have an alias. Not only that, but my alias writes contemporary romances. Yes, I’m afraid it’s true. In January my first contemporary, HOT, will be out under the pen name, Julia Harper. I’ve only recently come out with my new name and one of the interesting things that I’ve found is almost universally the first thing people ask is, “Why a pen name?” which always kinds of throws me for a loop. I guess I’ve always just assumed that people who read sophisticated, sexy historicals might not be interested in light, funny chase romances. Romance readers seem to have definite–not to mention opinionated–tastes. There are readers who never read historicals and others who’d never touch a paranormal. But on the other hand, maybe I’m wrong. After all, I wrote both THE SERPENT PRINCE and HOT, and I’m proud of both. And I’ve always read everything by Jayne Ann Krentz in all her many incarnations, to name but one author who writes across sub-genres. So, here’s my question to you: How do you feel about authors writing in more than one sub-genre? Are there authors that you’ll read anything they write, no matter what? Do you have authors you love in one sub-genre, but hate in another? I’ll pick one person from the comments column to win an autographed copy of THE LEOPARD PRINCE. Meanwhile, you might want to take a look at my Julia Harper website www.juliaharper.com where you’ll find an excerpt of HOT and a contest to win an arc of HOT. Cheers! 31 Responses to “Multiple Personalities” |
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October 15th, 2007 at 6:59 am
When I find an author that I like, I almost always love everything they write. I can’t think of an instance where I haven’t. I also love Jayne Ann Krentz and all her pen names. Nora Roberts/JD Robb is another. Also Brenda Joyce who has also explored several genres. If I like an author, its because he/she is a good writer period. I will read whatever I can get my hands on that they write. Now I’m on my way to check out your Julia Harper website. Have a great day.
October 15th, 2007 at 7:08 am
I find that it all depends upon the genre they are writing. I LOVE Lisa Kleypas historicals but did not care for her contemporary (mostly because of the first person perspective). I loved Brenda Joyce’s historicals, including her “Deadlies”, but did not care for the “Masters of Time” series, which is time travel. Sylvia Day is great and I’ve pretty much enjoyed everything I have read by her. She’s coming out with a new series under the pen name S.J. Day and I think I’ll be checking those out too. I’ll usually give an author a chance if they are writing in another genre, but at a two-book max…if I’m not hooked by the second book then I just drop it (but this does not stop me from buying thier historicals).
October 15th, 2007 at 8:30 am
I have tried several authors writing in different genres. So far I’ve liked everything.
October 15th, 2007 at 8:46 am
I once thought if I appreciated an author’s storytelling in one area, the same should hold true for everything written by that author, but I’ve found that not to be the case. You mentioned the two things I have particularly strong feelings for: paranormals and historicals. At least two of my favorite paranormal authors also write historicals, and while I’d love to support them across the board, my eyes glaze over just reading the backs of those historicals. Subject matter obviously affects me as much as voice in this case.
Personally, I’m excited to hear you have a contemporary coming out. The Raven Prince came highly recommended, and I read it despite my anti-historical bias. I enjoyed your humor and dialogue and character development—everything EXCEPT the setting! I’ll definitely be checking out your alias, which sounds like it’s right up my alley.
October 15th, 2007 at 9:12 am
If I have a favorite author who writes in different genres I love it. It gives me a chance to go to different places by them, with paranormal being my favorite if they write something else I will read it no matter what. Always willing to try something different.
October 15th, 2007 at 9:21 am
Hi Elizabeth,
I don’t see a reason why an author should only write in one genre. The authors that I have read so far, who wrote in two or more genres, did a terrific job. I can hardly wait to rea HOT. The book sounds like a great story
October 15th, 2007 at 9:37 am
There are definitely autors who’s books I read no matter what they write. Nora Roberts/JD Robb is just one of them.
October 15th, 2007 at 11:04 am
I often will follow an author from one genre to another. Obviously JAK and NR as Minna mentioned, but not all. I love Christine Feehan but don’t read her Carpathian stories.
October 15th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
I think that an author should write whatever he/she wishes. When I find an author whose book I like, I tend to hunt up backlist and books done under a different name. There are instances when I like one style from the author more than another, but find that other friends differ in the preferance of the author’s work. Mostly, I am just happy to find more from the author to read.
October 15th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
If I like an author, I tend to like whatever genre they write.
October 15th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
I like to read books by Heather Graham, whether they are in the suspense or paranormal genre, such as ghosts and vampires. For some reason I have not read any of her Shannon Drake books. I enjoy Julie Garwood’s historicals more than her contemporaries.
October 15th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
I enjoy reading authors whose writing is diverse and interesting. It makes life fun and the more the better
October 15th, 2007 at 3:32 pm
It doesn’t matter to me if an author writes under different pennames for different genres. I select books both based on the author and the genre. If I don’t like the genre. then I won’t read the book even if I like the author. If I like the genre, then I will follow the author throught the other genres.
October 15th, 2007 at 3:48 pm
If I discover an author whose writing I enjoy, I will definitely check out anything else they’ve written, whether it’s a different genre or not. I think there are aspects to the writing that can carry over into other books very succesfully, such as witty dialgoue between the characters or sexy romantic scenes. Those are factors that will help keep me interested in the author’s different books.
October 15th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
I usually am very faithful to the writers that I like… and read everything they write… the ebst example must be Jayne Ann Krentz!!
October 15th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
it is always nice when an author can write in different genres… it shows how brilliant and great they are :)
October 15th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
If I like an author, I will read anything they write, per Jayne Ann Krentz.
October 15th, 2007 at 6:08 pm
If I like an author, I will pretty much read them no matter the genre.
And I am always pleasantly surprised to find out some of my faves do write under different names.
It blew me away when I discovered that one of my faves, Jessica Bird was actually
J R Ward!! I had to rush out and get all the BDB books!
Yeah, I know…what a hardship! :razz:
October 15th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
I love it when authors write in different genres… as long as they do it well. And 99% of the time I will at least try their other genres or pen names. And to throw another name out there… Madeline Baker (historicals)/ Amanda Ashley (paranormals).
October 15th, 2007 at 8:48 pm
The majority of times I don’t even know they are the same author… example JD Robb and Nora Roberts… so I guess I read the books by authors I like only!
October 15th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
Some authors I follow in different genres, some I don’t. If the genre is of no interest to me, then I doubt I’ll read the book no matter how much I love the author.
October 15th, 2007 at 10:55 pm
I will try a favorite author in other genres. I don’t have a problem with an author trying out different genres. I think it is good for an author to spread their wings and experiment.
October 15th, 2007 at 10:58 pm
Well, to be honest I will read pretty much anything but there are certain authors books I didn’t care for that much. These authors had books in the romantic, paranormal, suspense, and mystery genres. I have a lot of favorite authors. I usually will read all the books that they write. I do have one author that I really like but I don’t care for the other genre she writes in. It just depends on the author and how well she writes in both genres.
October 16th, 2007 at 5:06 am
I love it. JD Robb/Nora Roberts, for example, and I am a Lori Foster fan and just devoured her LL Foster urban fantasy story. An author’s voice goes wherever they do, so yeah, I’ll be following it.
October 16th, 2007 at 5:22 am
All of the following write in more than one area:
Sherrilyn Kenyon/Kinley MacGregor,
Shannon Drake/ Heather Graham,
Catherine Coulture,
Kasey Michaels,
Lori Handeland,
Christine Dodd
Linda Lael Miller,
Theresa Medeiros,
Kat Martin,
Karen Robards
Candace Camp/ Kristan James,
Lisa Jackson,
Neesa Hart/Madelyn Kane,
Sandra Hill/Harper Allen,
Maggie Shane
Lori Foster/L.L. Foster,
Kate Rothwell/Summer Devon
I like contemporary romance & historical romance the best followed by romantic suspense, erotica and then paranormal. I will read just about anything in the romance gendra.
October 16th, 2007 at 11:31 am
I am all for different genres from the same author; the more voices they have the better. If there is a genre I don’t read and it is by that particular author I won’t read it but kudos to them for being able to write in more than one.
October 16th, 2007 at 11:36 am
Thanks everyone for the insightful comments! JANE at 2:55pm yesterday wins! Jane, please contact me via my website with your mailing info so I can send you an autographed copy of THE LEOPARD PRINCE.
October 16th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Big congrats Jane,
you will love the book
October 16th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Thanks Danny. :grin:
October 16th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
Yay, can’t wait to read HOT!!!
There are some authors I read cross-genre, and some authors I don’t, so I think it totally depends. It’s probably easier from a branding standpoint if two drastically different genres have separate pen names?
Best of luck with your contemporary debut!
October 19th, 2007 at 3:21 am
Writers should write what they want. If they want to experiment in other genres — great! If I love their work, I’ll give their other stuff a try. I may or may not like it. (I’m not crazy on contemporaries, for instance.)
What annoys me is when an author stops writing the initial sub/genre I loved, especially if I don’t like the new stuff. Like Laurell K. Hamilton turning her dark urban fantasy-mysteries into pornmania. Ugh.
Also, if an author writes in multiple sub/genres under different pen names, I’d like the author to be open about the pen name. Nothing frustrates me more than an author mentioning that she writes whatever under a different name. Great, make me feel like a ‘net stalker trying to figure out what and where. LOL.