whatever you say, gorgeous
A fun (terrifying) thing is happening—AN UNLIKELY COVEN is available to early readers. On NetGalley, Edelweiss, and via early copy mailings. I’m getting tagged in Instagram posts, seeing reviews posted on NetGalley and Goodreads, and (terrifyingly) having people I know in real life talk to me about my book.
Reviewer spaces are for reviewers, don’t worry, I’m admitted I’ve read some of my reviews so I can talk about ~categories~
AUC is fun because in its earlier versions going on submission we were pretty deliberate about not using the term urban fantasy. It kind of implies a very specific thing (maybe a touch dated) to publishers, so though it is an urban fantasy, we called it a “contemporary fantasy.”
And then my publisher had no issue calling it urban fantasy (“like a modern urban fantasy” was I think the wording), and the readers have no issues saying urban fantasy, and I am realizing how far the worlds of professional book publishing and reading often are. I am deeply proud to be part of a lineage of books in the urban fantasy space. I am delighted we get to call a spade a spade!
AUC is also being called “cozy.” Never in my life would I have ever thought to use that phrase for my writing. But you know what, sure!!! It can be cozy! AUC is also set in the heat of summer, but plenty of people are saying it’s the perfect fall read, for witchiness reasons. Okay!!!! You could look me dead in the eye and say my cozy urban fantasy novel is a heartpounding thriller and I’d look you back in your (beautiful) eyes and reply “whatever you say, gorgeous.”
I don’t care about the categories. I should care a bit probably, because I don’t want people to expect something the book isn’t, and I want it to be findable in stores and I suspect fantasy readers want to see this in the fantasy section, not among the heartpounding thrillers. But I don’t care about the categories because I’m mostly just delighted people are making it theirs. Using their own labels, pulling out the pieces they like the best to define it by. And there’s a delightful variety, and it makes me feel like AUC can reach a hand out to anyone who wants to reach back, and that makes me really, really happy. That’s what I wanted to achieve. I want AUC to be your comfort read. I want you to return to it, have it linger, live in it for a while (or forever).
So, categories!!! Whatever you say, gorgeous
Kvita
KVITA 