Other Authors/Cie's Opinion

I'm hoping this won't devolve into a rant.

I love reading other authors' work.

I have particular favorites. Some are paranormal. Some aren't.

There are things that I find I'm looking for:

1) Creativity/unpredictability.

2) Believable characters (even if they get into unbelievable situations)

3) The characters are human (even if they're non-human physically), screw up, aren't so powerful that nothing and nobody can stand up to them. (The nosy P.I. gets shot and winds up in the hospital, the vampire winds up hiding in a tool shed because he would've gotten caught out after dawn).

4) A plot that holds water.

5) If there is sex, it's in character for the character's personality. Although frankly, I prefer not to have a (bad pun inteded) blow by blow. I personally much prefer the "and off to bed" and wake up in the morning going "Whoo boy that was fun! Let's do that again sometime." That's not necessarily what the public or my co-author (or the publishers) prefer, but we work it out as a compromise. Maybe there'll be an intense sex scene, but not LOTS of them, or maybe it's a tease and they don't. This is one we take individually with each book.

6) Even if I don't agree with where the characters have gone in their lives and choices, I should at least be able to believe they would do that as written. No "cheating," i.e., writing yourself into a corner and then bending the rules of reality to get yourself out of it.

7) People die. Particularly if there are huge big baddies around. You can't protect all of your characters all of the time and expect the villain to be scary. There has to be a real threat. If your hero/heroine ALWAYS saves the day, there's no tension.

I've seen even brilliant authors fall into this/these traps and am so disappointed when they do. I keep hoping that there will be some HUGE BIG BAD THING to wipe out half of the characters, damaging the hero/heroine to the point where they have human weaknesses and limited power again.

SO, this is a challenge to anybody (probably only my partner, since I don't think anybody else is reading this yet, but HEY I can hope) that if we start doing this they are to send me a letter or e-mail with the subject heading "STOP THAT!!!" Or "Danger Will Robinson, Danger, Danger!" and tell me which of the above I'm doing wrong. PLEASE. Our website is http://www.ciecatrunpubs.com (the e-mail link is there); current e-mail addresses are: cat_cie@msn.com and ctadamsauthor@yahoo.com .

Also, when we get further along and (hopefully) actually have (gasp, oh please pretty please) a fan base, we will also want to know if there is a market for things like a newsletter, contests, etc.

Anyway, gotta go now. But PROMISE I'll get those e-mails!

Cie