Pet Project Art
27 Aug
Like the rest of you, I have a Pet Project. You know. My first Big Girl Book. The Book That Taught (and Is Still Teaching) Me How to Write Books. The book that’s staring down the barrel of an 11th draft and doesn’t flinch. The book I drafted in, wait for it, 2001. Before I knew what paranormal romance meant, I was churning out a big old lovefest chock full o’ blood and violence uncomfortably juxtaposed with Austen-esque moments. (See, I’ve come back around and I’m doing it again… sort of. Anyhow.)
It’s the book that I queried first, thinking f@$k it, it’ll be a learning experience. People were so unexpectedly encouraging that I didn’t despair at the rejections– even the ones that came after partial requests. If anything, it convinced me that if I worked, I’d get there some day. I wrote a bunch more books, but kept editing this one with both the advice of those total strangers who were nice to me, and my friends who’ve been helping me out all along.
It’s a tough sell– paranormal romance is popular now, and there’s a market for LGBTQ (nothing like a little bloodlust in your homoeroticism. I think Braham Stoker would agree with me there…), but only the first book is remotely relationship-centered. The second one is meant to be action/adventure. The third weirdly philosophical. The fourth is pure batshit angst. The final is the clusterf@$k that brings it all together and blows up the(ir little) world.
Hard sell indeed. Glad I didn’t know that back then, or I might never have started. And I’d be so bored without it.
Not sure if I’ll ever query it again, or if it’ll just be my baby, but at this point, does it matter much? It’s not going anywhere. So when I saw how pretty the rad Izzy Illustration looked on the page for The Audio File project, there was really no way this wasn’t going to happen. All projects need love, and some more than others, so I asked the lovely and talented Corinne Duyvis to cook one up for the MC of my pet project, which for now goes by the overarching epic title The Family.
Even if you hate pretty vampires and paranormal romance on principle (which you probably should, all things considered), have a look, because Cory is a wizard at character interpretation. He’s a bookworm and a gamer and a sociopath, and honestly kind of a stupid son of a bitch. But he makes a nice decoration, I think you’ll agree. Witness the blond glory of Liam Corchoran.
ETA: Full disclosure. I just re-read that paragraph that said, “I might never have started it” and got a little voice in the back of my head going, “Yeah f@$king right.” This is what I mean about being bored without it.
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Now playing: Felix Mendelssohn – The Hebrides Overture, Op.26, “Fingal’s Cave”
via FoxyTunes
Awesome pic!
And stick with the book, you gotta do it for the story!
Yeah, you gotta do something for fun, don’t you? I mean, it’s all fun… but this is kind of just reckless, doesn’t-have-to-sell-to-succeed fun. Lot to be said for that!
“I was churning out a big old lovefest chock full o’ blood and violence uncomfortably juxtaposed with Austen-esque moments.”
I’m sold. I wish I had a pet project, I give up on books too easily.
I haven’t known you long enough to see it, but I do know that sometimes we really SHOULD give up. But sometimes it’s okay to just keep plugging away at something too– so long as it doesn’t get in the way of moving forward, I figure.
Cate, you make me feel more sane. Well, no, but less alone in my insanity? Yes! Thank you
His hair is like the sun! : )
Think that qualifies him as sparkly?
(Oh yeah. I went there. I can hear it now, “This is the hair of a killer…”
Ouch. That hurt to type.)
… and he is glorious. Just how I pictured him. Feet and all.
<3
Yep. That's all I got. All I need though, innit?