Susan Sizemore The October Q&A The January Q&A Sizemore's Web Site.

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Susan's latest book, the first of an upcoming three book vampire fantasy series for Ace Science Fiction, is LAWS OF BLOOD: THE HUNT, and is due out in October of 1999. The books will center on vampire cops... that is, the enforcers of law among the vampire community.

Join us to discuss her latest book, and the differences and similarities in the Fantasy and Romance genres.

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The January 2000
Q&A

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TechCyberC Susan Sizemore writes books. Lots of different kinds of books. She's done historical romance novels, time travel romance novels, a contemporary suspense romance novel, and a media tie-in novel based on the syndicated television series FOREVER KNIGHT. You can find her work in the romance and science fiction sections. Susan's latest book, the first of an upcoming three book vampire fantasy series for Ace Science Fiction, is LAWS OF BLOOD: THE HUNT, and is due out in October of 1999. The books will center on vampire cops... that is, the enforcers of law among the vampire community. Join us to discuss her latest book, and the differences and similarities in the Fantasy and Romance genres.
TechCyberC Susan would you like to say anything before we open the floor to questions?
Susan Sizemore Actually, have a space opera coming out real soon now. Gates of Hell, from Speculation Press. There. Did the plug.
TechCyberC ROFL [G] Susan Sizemore is our Guest of Honor this evening. Please wait for her to answer one question before you ask another. Thanks!
Susan Sizemore Let's talk...
TechCyberC And let's get started!
BaryCyberC Susan, did you see the Baryon review of LAWS OF THE HUNT
Susan Sizemore No, not yet. I'll get over to Baryon (great zine)
markminn A combination of speculative fiction and romance, would you say? Gates of Hell, that is.
Susan Sizemore Definitely.
JodyNye What was the greatest adjustment you had to make going from romance to fantasy?
Susan Sizemore Went the other way around. Wrote fantasy first. The real adjustment was make relationships central to story.
markminn We all talk about how important first impressions are: first sentence, first chapter. Does that help mark the difference between genres?
Susan Sizemore Good question. Yeah. Probably. First impression sets the tone for the rest. Like in Gates of Hell. Opening scene establishes that it's a cold night on a weird planet
TechCyberC So your stories start fast?
Susan Sizemore I always open with a line of dialogue. Jump in and explain things later is my motto.
JodyNye (g)
TechCyberC Good deal.
markminn Drives some editors crazy, I bet. [G]
Yeep :-)
markminn Unattributed dialogue!!! [G]
Yeep I'm sure editors can be very understanding, once they've had this explained to them. :-)
markminn [hee hee!]
Susan Sizemore You would know, Yeep!
BaryCyberC How well do you think the ebooks are helping the markets?
Susan Sizemore I think that ebooks are taking more chances than paper publishers at the moment.
JodyNye What are they buying that traditional ones don't?
BaryCyberC How have your ebooks fared?
Susan Sizemore In romance the fantasy and space opera books are selling more in the ebook market.
markminn On a purely commercial level, are e-books "working?" That is, are people buying them, rather than just making free copies for friends?
TechCyberC Good question.
Susan Sizemore Great reviews for the fantasy novels. And did get a royalty check
markminn (And hoping for more to come. [G])
Susan Sizemore I buy them. And I've been giving them to friends as downloads. And the friends have been delighted with the quality of the work and have bought ebook themselves. Word of mouth starting to take.
markminn How many people here use RocketBooks or similar "readers?"
Susan Sizemore Not me. I read onscreen.
markminn Versus reading books on your regular desktop or laptop computer?
Gand not me :/
Starlit nor me
Yeep I've got a Rocket -- love it!
JodyNye Nope. Not until they make an electronic book that won't electrocute you if you drop it in the tub.
dreamer what is a rocketbook like?
Susan Sizemore Wouldn't mind a rocketbook.
Starlit it's realy fast...
TechCyberC Sounds dangerous.
markminn So far, I'm still an onscreen reader -- but I WANT one of the new toys, especially as they continue to improve the software and hardware. And lower the price. [G]
Starlit a fast read, definitely
JodyNye I read the last e-book on my laptop. Nice, because I bent the screen to a comfortable eye angle.
Yeep Think a paperback with big fat black letters on a light black screen... And you turn pages with a flick of your thumb.
dreamer ah...a closed paperback size?
markminn I like what I'm hearing about the upcoming versions of the readers.... slim, 8 ounces, 24 hours of battery...
Yeep Leaving the other hand free for important tasks... like petting the cat.
TechCyberC Susan, do you think electronic media will replace paper?
Yeep (Err... that was light GREY screen...black letters on a black screen would be tough to read!)
Susan Sizemore Nope. Electronic is another medium, but not a replacement. Enhancement.
TechCyberC In what ways?
markminn (thanks, Yeep, you had me wondering. [G])
Susan Sizemore But I'm just a writer. What do I know about technology growth?
TechCyberC Add more art maybe? Oh your thoughts count to us.
markminn Art could be way cool. How about background music (like movie scores?)
Susan Sizemore For me, ebooks are one more way to distribute what I write. It's story that's important, not method of transmittal. Paper, electronic, papyrus...fine with me!
TechCyberC You can learn more about Susan Sizemore and get her books by going to the URL http://cybling.hypermart.net/artists/susan.html after the chat of course. [G]
Starlit curl up in an echair by an efire with an ebook
Yeep You have books available on papyrus? :-)
Susan Sizemore All I want to do is tell stories
JodyNye It's the one chiseled on pyramids that are the most interesting. (g)
TechCyberC So what's the most rewarding part of writing?
Susan Sizemore No. But I have an Anubis on papyrus that Jody brought me back from Egypt.
dreamer yeah...but it would hurt to read chiseled books in bed...ugh
TechCyberC ::image of book falling on face:::
dreamer [G]
JodyNye You wouldn't do that twice. LOL.
Yeep :-)
Starlit reading such can be hazardous
markminn Tough on the mattress, too. [G]
BaryCyberC at least with laptop, you don't need an extra light on
Susan Sizemore Most rewarding part of writing is the writing. When I'm in the groove there is nothing more exciting than putting the words one after the other.
markminn Tell it, sister!
TechCyberC Not the finished product?
JodyNye Glory, hallelujah, amen!
markminn [G]
Susan Sizemore Once I'm done I just want to go on to the next story. I get a great rush from finishing, though. Better than sex.
JodyNye So, it's true....
Susan Sizemore Especially at my age...
AtkButterfly You're not supposed to let others know about that part!
markminn High praise! [G]
TechCyberC ROFL I may have to try writing at that.
AtkButterfly They're supposed to think we're all poor struggling writers with a vision.
BaryCyberC what's your snail address and I'll send Baryon to you
JodyNye Please. Practice safe literature.
Starlit have to pay your proffreader overtime
Susan Sizemore LOL!
Yeep :-)
TechCyberC What did you think of the Forever Knight's almost cult like following? I should say I used to hang with them in a chat is why I ask.
Starlit "hang" seems particularly appropriate with that subject
Susan Sizemore Well, I'm part of the Fang Gang for several years now. Get almost daily request from people looking for A Stirring of Dust.
TechCyberC Out of print?
markminn Literary/entertainment cults are NOT new. Think of the Baker Street Irregulars who honor Holmes...
JodyNye Any hope of getting permission to add A Stirring of Dust to things like the Authors Guild "books on demand" press?
Susan Sizemore Very. Absolutely not getting reprinted.
markminn and have been active for around 100 years!
TechCyberC In a perfect world no books would ever be our of print.
Yeep Do you think your new vampire series will achieve the same sort of stature (w/o a tv show?)
Susan Sizemore Not if I don't turn in the very late second book it won't!
BaryCyberC I think it will
JodyNye Me, too.
Susan Sizemore I'm having fun with The Laws of Blood. Wanted to do Middle Class vampires. What do monsters do at home
markminn I think the Laws of the Blood universe had *excellent* potential -- so much good stuff to play with! (has potential -- pardon the typo)
Susan Sizemore It's a cultural study.
Yeep I loved Book#1. Can't wait for Book#2.
AtkButterfly Jimmy, quit playing with your human!
markminn LOL!
JodyNye Wolfie, go comb your face.
Susan Sizemore I can't wait to finish it! Want to get on to the third book. Looking forward to doing Istvan in love.
Yeep Really?!?!?! That'll be something else!
markminn Now there's a mind-bender for you.... [G]
TechCyberC Do you have a time line set on these? Or is it when the muse hits?
Susan Sizemore Second book heroine is such a nice girl. Having trouble getting her to vamp out
Yeep A closet vamp?
Susan Sizemore I could write stories set anywhere in history (would love to do story about how Istvan was made into vampire)
TechCyberC Sounds like the characters take on their own life.
JodyNye Oh, they do.
Susan Sizemore but the three book on this contract (please let there be a second contract) are all set in America in modern time. The characters are very real. And can't be very stubborn about getting their way. Well, they're real in my strange head...
JodyNye What's the first historical period you'd hit AFTER Istvan's 'making'?
Susan Sizemore I'd love to do the story about how the vampire's city in central asia was destroyed by the Mongols in the 1300s
markminn I think characters need that reality in the writer's head to become 3-dimensional and believable to readers.
BaryCyberC that sounds intriguing
Susan Sizemore Have a title: Once a City
Yeep Sounds cool.
JodyNye Got a title for you set in modern times with a fang rock group: "Vamp Until Ready."
Susan Sizemore HA!
markminn LOL!
Yeep But they could only play the opening bars of songs. :-)
Susan Sizemore Would love to call current book The Lady Wore Black...but Ace calling it Partners Oh...It's a theme thing: The Hunt, Partners, The Companion
Yeep I like your title much better.
markminn Susan is a whiz with titles. And plots. And dialogue
BaryCyberC I guess it makes sense to someone
Susan Sizemore I'm blushing. But don't stop...
markminn Marketing people.
JodyNye They like short titles that can be seen across a bookstore.
Yeep Shouldn't it be THE Partners, then?
JodyNye And they don't like titles with The, either.
Susan Sizemore Was The Partners, and may yet be, but editor calling it Partners for the moment.
JodyNye Marketing people, I mean.
AtkButterfly Forever Is A Lifetime
BaryCyberC Susan, send your snail address to me at baryon@bellsouth.net and Ill send a printed Baryon to you
markminn If one thing marketing people are consistent at doing, it's inconsistency. [G]
Yeep The "next big thing" is whatever the last big thing was, only different...
markminn hee hee!
Susan Sizemore Have figured out where I went wrong with book that didn't work. Was too serious. Vamps in Washington as written by Sizemore should be more satire than it was.
JodyNye Without humor it's just not you.
markminn hear hear
Susan Sizemore And The Conspiracy was not funny...well,the hellhound bits were...
Yeep Didn't work how? When did you discover it didn't work?
TechCyberC Or was it more not you?
Susan Sizemore Now I want to fix it. Do Blade meets West Wing
JodyNye I'd love that!
markminn You just want to do West Wing, period. [G]
JodyNye Yeah.
Susan Sizemore Background. The second vampire book was supposed to be set in Washington DC. I thought I had a good idea.
JodyNye Not a good idea, or not a good idea *then.*
Susan Sizemore I didn't. Spent many months working on it. Deadline came and went and eventually the editor suggested I bail on it and start different book.
AtkButterfly Or you could title one Washington xxxxx ala Beverly Hills 90214 only use a DC zip code for a cemetery
BaryCyberC I can imagine Monica as a vamp and her relationship takes on a whole new meaning
Yeep Ouch.
Susan Sizemore Now, that would be interesting...sick...well...vampire books are, I suppose.
TechCyberC We have a question from the stands "Susan are you going to be at ChiCon?"
markminn That's either kinky, or very SF...
AtkButterfly thank you
Susan Sizemore I have a membership, and plan to attend. Unless I make the Rita finals. Then I have to go to the RWA conference in July
markminn [G]
markminn Which book is up for a Rita?
Susan Sizemore Odds are I won't be a Rita finalist...but one can hope Price of Innocence and His Last Best Hope both entered. Hope doesn't have a prayer...nor should it.
markminn But Price of Innocence would be nice...
Susan Sizemore Oh, yes...
JodyNye I liked it. Haven't got "Hope" yet.
Susan Sizemore I'll bring you a copy. Not my best work. But an okay book.
JodyNye Thank you.
Susan Sizemore I know, one is supposed to love and praise all one's children, but Hope's homely
Yeep :-)
Gand LOL
TechCyberC Care to say why? [G]
JodyNye A face even a mother can't love? Oy.
Susan Sizemore Well, she's more the editor's kid than mine...
markminn You were the nanny.... [G]
AtkButterfly now we are getting kinky!
Yeep Hmmm... a twisted love triangle at the publishing house... see the Inquirer for details...
JodyNye No, just surrogate motherhood.
Susan Sizemore Price of Innocence and The Hunt are the kinky ones
markminn Excuse me, I have to say this: Hello, Sailor! [G]
JodyNye Hello, sailor. (hysterical laughter, not aimed at person, honest!)
Susan Sizemore Surrogate motherhood. Yeah, that says it nicely
sailor yes
Yeep The Hunt wasn't kinky... was it?
sailor hello
Susan Sizemore Well, there's a lot of vampire sex. Come to think of it, it's pretty normal sex, but with vampires.
Yeep (I'd just finished reading an Anne Bishop novel -- NOTHING seems kinky after that)
JodyNye So, no heavy breathing.
BaryCyberC fans are wanting to sink their teeth into it
Yeep They're vampires... was there any breathing at all?
Gand oy, Barry
Susan Sizemore Or as Siri said, "Shut up and bite me!"
TechCyberC Literally if the FK crowd follows her. [G]
Susan Sizemore My vampires breath just fine. They ain't dead...they're different.
JodyNye Breathing down her neck? (g)
markminn So it depends on whether you define kinky by what you're doing, or who you're doling it with.
markminn HA!
Susan Sizemore I'd define it as what not who
JodyNye Naughty is using a feather. Kinky is using the whole chicken.
TechCyberC ROFL!!!
Gand gaaaaaah
Yeep LOL!
markminn Me, too... so many years of SF reading, my definitions of "consenting sentient beings" are pretty broad.
Gand So if you had the chance of rishathra, would ya? :)
TechCyberC I was trying to remember that word.
markminn Don't know the word: "rishathra?"
JodyNye Quick on-line lexicon?
Gand sex with another sentient being - Niven
markminn Yes! Love many of Niven's stories and concepts and characters.
TechCyberC I thought it was with an alien.
markminn Just have no memory. [G]
Gand well, we're alien to them, Tech :)
JodyNye My problem, too.
AtkButterfly Susan, so when is the next book due out?
TechCyberC Do your vampires in the different stories have a common thread?
Susan Sizemore cool
JodyNye It was good.
BaryCyberC ATK was wondering when the next book comes out
Susan Sizemore Next next or next type of book? Have space opera real soon now and historical romance in May next vampire book supposed to be out in November...god willing
markminn Gates of Hell is at the printer as we speak, yes?
AtkButterfly Space opera sounds good. I like those.
JodyNye You'll like this one. I got to read it.
BaryCyberC Space Opera is a fav of mine as well
Susan Sizemore Common thread -- culture of the strigoi is in transition. Or should be. Enforcers are the vampire cops.
Susan Sizemore they enforce the Laws and the Laws need changing.
JodyNye I'm interested in seeing how the little boy grows up. (Or should I say, into what?)
markminn Tough to be a cop under those circumstances.
Susan Sizemore GoH is at the printer. Should be available by end of month. Definitely want to do something with adult Sebastian
BaryCyberC Publisher?
JodyNye Thank you. Name fell out of brain.
TechCyberC So these are vampire cops for vampires?
markminn give the address for GoH
JodyNye Speculationpress.com
Yeep RealSoonNow = next month? Or sometime 1Q00?
Susan Sizemore Yes. The Enforcers make sure no humans exploit vampires and supposed to make sure vampires only exploit mortals in certain ways. Like only hunting wicked mortals.
TechCyberC I like that. Seems fair.
BaryCyberC check out review of LAWS OF THE HUNT:THE HUNT at http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Labyrinth/6844/
Gand Atvar!!
Susan Sizemore Stories are all told from the vampires point of view. Their about the vampire culture
BaryCyberC At!
Atvar Hello all!
JodyNye Hi, At.
Susan Sizemore Hi, At
Atvar HMMM, some new faces here
AtkButterfly Hi, Atvar
Atvar Hi Atk, Jody, Susan
TechCyberC Susan Sizemore is our Guest of Honor this evening. Please wait for her to answer one question before you ask another. Thanks!
BaryCyberC Neut!
TechCyberC So how many books can we expect in this series?
Susan Sizemore Three for sure. Any more than that will depend on how well the first three sell.
TechCyberC Good answer.
JodyNye Buy them books, folks.
BaryCyberC First ones terrific
Susan Sizemore Buy several of all of them!
TechCyberC I know I'll be looking for them.
Atvar are they available at Amazon.com? I haven't been in a real bookstore in ages!
BaryCyberC Later folks, got torun. Susan hope to see yopu later. Jody, bring her to Dragon if you can
Gand Night Barry
Susan Sizemore Yes. At dearly beloved Amazon
AtkButterfly Night, Barry!
JodyNye I would love to, Barry.
Susan Sizemore By Barry
JodyNye Good night, Barry.
BaryCyberC night all
Susan Sizemore Bye barry
Atvar any book signings? Like, say, in New York City?
AtkButterfly Be warm and gentle, folks. I have to leave now, too. Bye!
TechCyberC Any more questions folks? It's been a long night for Susan.
Susan Sizemore I'm a midwestern girl
JodyNye Night, Butterfly.
Atvar Keep writing, Atk!
Susan Sizemore Night, Butterfly
Yeep Susan, be sure to tell everyone about your Sapphire.
TechCyberC Sapphire?
JodyNye ?? Sparklies?
TechCyberC Jewels?
Gand Butter bugs?
Susan Sizemore Yes!!! Sapphire. Found out today that my short story "A Little Death" tied for third in the 1999 Sapphire competition.
Gand Yay!
TechCyberC way to go Susan!!!!!
JodyNye Congrats!!!! (And the crowd goes wild!)
Susan Sizemore Really pleased.
Yeep [clap]
TechCyberC :::clap clap clap::::
Susan Sizemore Bow
Susan Sizemore Hope Von Jocks story was ahead of mine. She's great
TechCyberC Sounds like your building an impressive collection in the awards.
Susan Sizemore A Little Death is in a fantasy anthology called A Dangerous Magic. From DAW
JodyNye Good story!
Susan Sizemore We should mention Stardates, Jody And Yeep
JodyNye Yes!
Atvar amazon.com has: Price of Innocence, the Hunt, and His last best hope. Is this the same Susan Sizemore?
Yeep Yes!
Susan Sizemore Yep. That's me
JodyNye Star Dates: Infinite Celebrations is a holiday anthology originated by Susan. It is available from dreams_unlimited.com, and is an e-book.
Susan Sizemore With all sorts of holidays. Jody's is a Thanksgiving in space story.
Yeep In fact, it was a story from that anthology that tied you for 3rd place.
Susan Sizemore Uh...I thought it was the one from A Dangerous Magic...
Atvar OK, If I was to ONE-CLICK one of these books, which should it be?
Susan Sizemore Atvar, what do you like to read?
Yeep Your winner was from A Dangerous Magic. You tied for 3rd place with Empire Day, from Stardates.
Atvar I read everything, Fantasy, science fiction, horror
Susan Sizemore Cool! I edited Stardates!!! So I win both ways...well, come in third
JodyNye So, you won twice!
TechCyberC That's got to give you mixed feelings then. [G]
Yeep You'll just be papering the walls with certificates! :-)
TechCyberC Do awards and being up for awards help an author?
JodyNye Or the floor. She has a dog.
Susan Sizemore Ha. I don't know if they help a career, but they sure help the old ego. We get so few perks
JodyNye So true.
TechCyberC I'd guess it also let's you know where you went right? Folks we should give a big hand to Susan!!!!
Gand :::applause::::
Yeep [clap] [clap]
TechCyberC She's been on the hot seat for well over an hour!
JodyNye Wild applause! Standing ovation! Whistle!
Susan Sizemore Yeah. Especially if the award or nomination is for something "different"
Gand (I'll keep my hands, thank you, Tech)
TechCyberC And we don't want to keep her from her writing. (LOL Gand)
Susan Sizemore Bow,
TechCyberC Thanks so very much Susan!!!!
Gand Thanks Susan!
Susan Sizemore At least you're not keeping me from a basketball game!
JodyNye Thank you, Susan!
Susan Sizemore Your welcome
Yeep Great chat, Susan!
Gand Night all :)
Atvar just reading the reviews on amazon.com. Think I'll try the vampire book
Susan Sizemore Hope you enjoy it.
TechCyberC Sounds pretty good to me Atvar.
Atvar I've had good success with writers I've met here. Cybling usually only has the best writers here

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The October '99
Q&A

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Cybling So Susan...I'd like to ask a couple of questions to get things rolling. First off...when did you first decide to become an author?
SusanSizemore About the time I learned to write. My grandmother wrote, and I wanted to write stories like she did.
SusanSizemore STEVE!!! I bow before you, oh great reviewer of The Hunt! Unless you're another SteveL.
SteveL No, it's me (Grin)
mirimom What sorts of things did your grandmother write?
SusanSizemore She was a brilliant poet. And she wrote a novel that she never tried to get published. But she used to read it to us as she worked on it.
mirimom Do you (or does anyone) have a copy? Or has it vanished?
SusanSizemore It was set in rural Missouri. In the Ozarks. Don't remember the plot, but I loved the setting. Alas, we couldn't find it after she died. Bet you didn't know that bit, eh, Mirimom...
mirimom Lost creativity. [sigh] Nope -- hadn't heard that story before. Is way cool, though. (Grin)
SusanSizemore I can't write poetry. Grandma used to do poems for me for English class.
mirimom Have you ever been tempted to set a book in Missouri? [cheater!]
Cybling So it was your Grandmother's passions that infected you at an early age. When did you first start submitting? And was it short stories first or novels?
SusanSizemore Oh, I started writing Star Trek fan fiction first. Only I didn't know about fanzines! I wrote Trek stories for fun. Sent them to a friend. Friend showed them to a fanzine editor. Editor wrote and asked if she could print them. Went, WOW! Sure!
Cybling Cool...how old were you when you started publishing fan fiction? Or rather, having your fan fiction published.
SusanSizemore Let's see. It was 78? So that would make me somewhere in my late twenties... Not that I've aged much since...
Cybling Excellent, lol!
mirimom That sounds about right..... on both counts. (Grin)
SusanSizemore Mirimom there was my first editor. She started the fanzine. That's how we met.
mirimom Careful, don't exaggerate -- I didn't start it, I *inherited* it. Happily, mind you.
Cybling Did you learn any important rules while writing fan fic?
SusanSizemore Oh, yes. Learned how to write, really. Certainly learned how to write short stories. Pacing and dialogue, too. Great learning ground.
Cybling What made you decide to move into longer length fiction?
SusanSizemore Eventually, though, I got tired of working in someone else's universe. Had to create my own worlds.
Cybling Oh, excellent, so you've been working with Susan since the beginning then Miri?
mirimom Susan had been writing for a while before I met her -- has always been a few steps ahead of me. (Grin)
SusanSizemore I just got this BUG to go pro. Hit me and several other fan writing friends at about the same time. Most are now published professionals. People like Jody Nye and Susan Matthews and Melanie Rawn and Marguerite Krause have made the transition.
Cybling So, in order to "go pro" you felt it necessary to move into longer lengths?
SusanSizemore Oh, no, wrote several novel length pieces of fan fiction. Length has never been a deciding factor. I like writing short, medium and long.
Cybling Cool!
SusanSizemore Problem was, the first original novel, which Mar and I wrote together turned out to be over 1,000 pages. That was unexpected. Wrote an epic fantasy first time out of the box! First book I sold was about 100,000 words, though
mirimom What first gave you the urge or idea to create a vampire series?
SusanSizemore Reading Saberhagen's THE DRACULA TAPES. That was decades ago. Pre Anne Rice by a bit, I think. I fell in love with vampires then. The idea of a series, though, probably originated with reading the Tanya Huff books. Then, when I did the Forever Knight book, it occurred to me that I wanted to create my own universe. To explore the idea of vampire cops form a different angle.
Mordelaire Do you think the market for vampire-oriented fiction is improving, tightening, or about the same?
SusanSizemore Well, some booksellers and packagers say it's dying. Some say it's still popular. Vampire romance is pretty dead. So is the horror market in general. Vampires as urban fantasy, and as mainstream are still going pretty strong. I pray!!!
Cybling Susan, you're vampires do seem to have their own rules and their own mores. What specifically did you decide to "throw away" from the vampire mythology that's preceded your work?
SusanSizemore What I tried to do was come up with something different, something new. I started out with the premise -- "What do monsters do at home?" I deliberately created a sort of middle class vampire community. I also wanted to explore a culture where the rules were breaking down. Only I wanted that breakdown to be because the rules really didn't work anymore. The books are supposed to be cultural studies. Each will have different characters and settings. The next book won't feature Selim, for example. It's a series where the universe stays the same, but the action and players shift. I just hope readers take to it.
Cybling In LAWS OF BLOOD: THE HUNT, it seems that the older vampires have a Goddess belief system that the younger vampires don't seem to share. Why Goddess?
SusanSizemore Cause I have a Goddess based belief system! And I'm the one who put together their mythology. Pissing off that goddess is what got some bad priests turned into vampires a few thousand years ago.
Mordelaire Haven't read the book yet (apologies) -- are there other supernatural beings, or will there be as the series progresses
SusanSizemore There aren't in the first book. But I'm hoping to put some into future books.
Cybling Any specific types of supernaturals, or do you prefer to surprise us?
SusanSizemore Well...I'm thinking maybe some ghouls. Maybe other things. If there are really vampires, there might as well be other supernatural beings. Be fun to explore the treaties and agreements the Strigoi have made with other immortal types.
mirimom Another question *The Hunt* raises for me is, "Who are the monsters?" Not necessarily the folks with fangs.
SusanSizemore First three book will concentrate on the enforcers (name the publisher picked, I might add. I prefer hunter). If there are other books, I can explore other things.
Cybling Fascinating. Susan, I'm curious, are the other two novels in this series already written? Or are you currently working on them?
SusanSizemore Oh, how I wish the second one was done! I'm late with it. I'm not normally late with books. Third one is half written, though.
Cybling So, when you sold this series to ACE, you did it with an outline...how did you present it? I'm sure writer's to be reading the log will be interested in the mechanics of this.
SusanSizemore The books are getting written sort of backwards. When I put together the proposal, I wrote over a hundred pages in what I thought would be the first book. I did a complete outline for a second book...which isn't going to get written. And I did one paragraph thumbnail outlines for several other ideas. Plus I did a couple page overview of the universe. Ace decided they wanted three books. Only the first book they wanted was OH, the first book will be the third book. And the second book isn't even one of the original ideas.
Cybling That's amazing!
SusanSizemore Oh, yeah.
Mordelaire Still, was it easier than writing within someone else's creation, as with your Forever Knight book?
SusanSizemore Actually, it's easier to write within someone else's universe. With the FK book I had to do some homework -- like watch all the shows which I already had on videotape anyway. I set out to write that book like an episode of the show. Hardest part was getting out of LaCroix's head once I was inside...spooky guy.
Cybling LOL!
SusanSizemore And I was lucky to get some early feedback from Nigel Bennett.
Cybling Susan, is The Hunt (Laws of the Blood Vampire Series, 1) the first time you've worked with ACE Books?
SusanSizemore Not really. The FK book was put out by Boulevard. That's the media tie-in branch of Penguin Putnam. Had the same editor for the FK book and the Laws of the Blood series. The wonderful, patient, Ginjer Buchanan.
mirimom You mentioned the original second book that will "never get written." What happens to all of those pieces -- the characters, the "themes" that you wanted to explore? Do they truly just vanish, or will they "reincarnate" in some future story, maybe in a totally different universe?
SusanSizemore Maybe. Actually, the second book idea may get mushed into the plot of the third book which was the first book... My first two ideas were connected stories, so I might go for a "bigger" book with the third story. It's Istvan's story, after all. I think he deserves a lot of words.
Cybling Thanks Susan... I had some questions about Fantasy and Romance and the ease with which you move between genres...
SusanSizemore Okay...
Cybling What do you see as the basic difference between Fantasy, Romance and Horror?
SusanSizemore Not plot, certainly. You can take the same plot and write any kind of book. The difference is in what the writer focuses on. In romance the focus of the story narrows down to developing a lasting relationship between two people, no matter what else is going on.
Cybling Susan...what do you see as the main focus of a pure Fantasy novel?
SusanSizemore Focus of fantasy -- Saving the world from some dark, powerful, magical evil. Heroes journeys also very important to fantasy. I'm a big fan of Joseph Campbell.
Cybling And Horror? What do you feel is the main focus there?
SusanSizemore Scaring the bejesus out of you! Also, exploring the darkness of the human soul, cause true horror is about the fear of what we can become. Now, vampire books...they can be done in so many different ways. As horror (especially from a masculine writer's perspective) and as fantasy. exploring the 'otherness' of this magical being that walks among the living...I love vampire books!
Cybling Excellent. I'm looking forward to the next novel in the series. Susan, what's the usual turn-around between you're getting the manuscript to the publisher and it hitting the shelves?
SusanSizemore Usual turnaround is nine to 18 months. Actually, there is no "usual" turnaround. The publishing business is soooo strange. With the second book, any delay will be my fault. I know that Ginjer would like to put out the second one around October next year, but I'm the delaying factor this time. If I get it in by the end of the year (and I better), that schedule might hold. I have a romance novel due to Avon in February, and my first science fiction book is also due. So I'm on a way tight schedule.
Cybling We'll have to have you out again next October to talk about it then 8^D.
SusanSizemore Okay by me. That gives me another reason to get it done! (Grin)
Cybling An interesting thing...in doing a quick search of Amazon...I see that everything you write sells.
SusanSizemore I wish my royalty statements reflected the Amazon numbers!
Cybling I assume that you do see some royalties from your books?
SusanSizemore Some. But royalties can never ever be counted on. One of the first rules of being a professional writer is never to count on getting rich and famous off royalties. Darn it.
Cybling Susan, I have to tell you you're doing a great deal better than most authors then. Most never see royalties and some are being forced to sign them away these days.
mirimom Rich and famous -- that requires a movie option starring Mel Gibson, right? (Grin)
SusanSizemore Mel? In one of my books?
SusanSizemore To answer royalty question. Well...I could go into business lessons on being a paid writer here.
Cybling LOL, miri.
Andrea_Kolesar Don't we wish...*sigh*
Cybling Susan, I see that you have at least 3 things out right now...THE HUNT, MOONS' DREAMING, and The Price of Innocence ...and you seem to have several irons in the fire right now. How do you keep all this straight?
SusanSizemore I have multiple personalities... I've always had about three things going at once. Get bored otherwise. Moons' Dreaming and Moons' Dancing (take a bow, mar) were written about a dozen years ago. Rewritten one more time for publication recently.
Cybling Ah...so is this the collaboration you spoke of earlier? The 1000 page book the two of you wrote so long ago?
SusanSizemore Yep. Epic fantasy. Two books, both now out. Millions of plots and characters. Yes. And rewrote and rewrote and rewrote...until we finally got it right. Right, mar?
mirimom Right!
Cybling I see that it's on CD. How does this make the novel different? What are the advantages of publishing on CD?
SusanSizemore It's an electronically published novel. Available on download (cheaper) or on CD-ROM. Advantages? Storage, I suppose. I buy ebooks as well as paper printed books and am equally comfortable with both. Like working with epublishers. They take more risks. Paperback market is soooo tight right now.
Cybling Is this your first e-published novel, Susan?
SusanSizemore No. Did a futuristic romance (which is not the same as sf, but sort of like space opera) for Dreams Unlimited.
Cybling Susan, since you have a SF novel coming out soon, and I quizzed you on what you felt the main focus of Fantasy, Romance and Horror novels was earlier...what would you say the main focus of the SF genre?
Andrea_Kolesar Focus of SF--I'm interested....
SusanSizemore Well, there's real science fiction, which explores what developments in technology does to culture/people/technology. Then there's space opera. Which is more what I do. Space opera is fantasy with space ships and lasers rather than dragons and elves. I adore real sf, especially the hard stuff, like Kim Stanley Robinson, but I can't write that. Can appreciate it though.
Cybling Susan, one last question from me before I stop pummelling you with questions. Are you going to be able to make it to WindyCon this year?
SusanSizemore Hope so. I'll be in Illinois at the end of this month for my mom's 75th birthday. That might cut into my coming back down for Windy. I've got a room if I want it, but haven't gotten my membership yet. May be down for Capricon if I can't make Windy. It's early this year. Publisher of the sf book wants to start selling Speculation Press books at Capricon.

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