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working writer wending her way through the labyrinth that is self-publishing

Monday, October 8, 2012

A new genre?

Saille, the Willow has been published! I was wondering if this day would ever happen--it may not be up on Amazon yet but if not, it will be VERY soon. Kindle version too!

And so I have to discuss here what I've begun to realize. Wolfmoon has been categorized in the wrong genre. Its tags are Celtic fantasy, paranormal, pagan, magic and so on, but it is first and foremost a story about the sacred feminine. If any of you have read 'The Fifth Sacred Thing', by Starhawk, my book belongs in the same category. When I went to Powell's City of Books here in Portland, (I've been visiting here for a few days from Tucson), and looked up Starhawk, I noticed that her books were listed in the metaphysical section, not in sci-fi/fantasy. Hopefully some of you have read her and will understand the distinction. 'The Moonstone' is in the visionary fiction section of the metaphysical bookstore here in Portland but I don't think this is a normal everyday genre.

I also consider my book similar to 'The Mists of Avalon', which IS in the fantasy section. This book is the re-telling, by women, of the Arthurian legend. I think there needs to be a separate genre that encompasses this book and others that are about strong women such as 'The Fifth Sacred Thing'. But what to call it?

There are no ghouls, no ghosts, no dragons, no elves, and no vampires in Wolfmoon, but there are goddesses and gods and forces that are sentient. I won't explain  the main theme of Book 3 of the series since it will ruin it for any potential readers, but I will say that the battles are decidedly different from those in most fantasy/sci-fi stories. I have three distinct species aside from humans that I made up from Celtic myths and my own imagination. My main character does have powers that are out of the ordinary...she was named in a prophecy, after all.

I'm going to my Amazon page to add tags--does anyone have a suggestion?

2 comments:

  1. Can't think of anything. Historical fantasy is too generic, Earthmother fantasy plain daft. I'm thinking of goddesses like Cybel or Artemis...Artemisian sounds like wells... perhaps 'Sacred fantasy' This is a tough one. One a positive note, I do like your cover of Willow. Are you the artist?

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    1. I am an artist but not the one who did the cover! Createspace did it for me for $400 extra and I think they did an excellent job...thanks for your input!

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