Do you see any trends in fiction right now that you find exciting, or worrying?
I'm excited about the explosion in urban fantasy and paranormal romance, not so much because I write it but because I think these are wonderful genres for examining and subverting so many social issues—gender identification, women's rights, the question of violence, etc. Speculative fiction generally asks why? and why not? Simultaneously, it's a tremendously powerful tool for widening people's horizons and carrying on these larger cultural conversations.
There's not much I find worrying. I don't think electronic books will ever really take the place of paper books, mostly because I love paper books so much and find it exceedingly difficult to read things in ebook format. That being said, my own books are offered in ebook format and a lot of people remark that they would never have read me otherwise. What is good for the reader is largely good for writers; the ease and convenience of ebooks makes it easier for publishers to take chances on new writers and experimental books.
That being said, I do find e-piracy to be a trifle worrying. It's stealing, plain and simple, and since I'm in the position of being stolen from (i.e., people torrenting ebooks) it's very frustrating. This is not an industry where you get rich unless you're very, very lucky. Most writers are struggling to get by, and e-piracy means that they might not be able to feed their kids, make their rent or mortgage payment, or buy groceries—because the money they would have received from their books has vanished. I think it's awful that people who wouldn't consider shoplifting in a brick-and-mortar store seem to think it's okay to torrent ebooks.
A dinner party with three authors of your choice: who would it be, and what would you ask them?
Oh, wow. Living authors? The living authors would be Tanith Lee, Stephen King, and Robin McKinley. And I would pick their brains about anything I could. We'd probably talk trade the entire time.
As for dead authors, I'd choose Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and Edward Gibbon. Assuming we could all speak the same language (and not be horrified at each others' manners), I think we'd have a ball. I would particularly want to bring up the idea of "lowbrow" versus "highbrow" writing and see what they had to say.
What's next on the cards for you? Any exciting projects you'd like to mention?
Well, there's the YA coming out next year—Strange Angels, the first in a trilogy about Dru Anderson, a teenage hunter of the weird. It was strange to work on a young adult novel, mostly because I was writing the book I wish I would have read as a teenager. It's a completely different mindset, and I had a blast writing it.
Currently I'm working on the fourth Jill Kismet novel, and I'm also working on a few romances. I'm also looking forward to the release of a pet project of mine, titled The Demon-Hunting Librarian. I just love that book.
What's the best advice you can give to aspiring writers?
Well, let's see. Destroy the word "that" in your manuscript. Look out for passive voice. Finish the book before you start editing it. It doesn't matter if your first novel is terrible—just don't let it be terrible and unfinished.
In the larger sense, make time every day to write. I really do think that's the most important thing—it sends a clear signal to both yourself and to everyone else that you're serious. Last but not least, never doubt that you have a story to tell. Never ever doubt that.
In another interview, read about Lilith Saintcrow's literary influences and why she writes in the supernatural genre.
