Conversations With Joy Ward (My Latest Interview on "Marked Territory")

Way back when I first started this blog I warned folks that I'd occasionally just talk about something that's going on in my career, or with one of my new releases. This is one of those weeks. And given that I'm currently attempting to get several flocks of ducks into parade formation, and an interview I've been waiting to drop for a while finally went up, I wanted to share this with all my readers out there!

For folks who aren't in the know, Eric Flint's Ring of Fire Press published my last novel Marked Territory, and this is an interview I did a few months ago talking about what I was up to, what was coming out, and where things were likely to go from here concerning my output. And while at the time of the interview I was only about 56k into the sequel (whose name shall go unspoken for now), I can tell you that it is currently complete!

And, as always, if you haven't subscribed to my weekly newsletter yet, consider doing that so you don't miss any updates!

For Folks Who Want To See More

There is one other thing I wanted to address this week, since this is my Business of Writing installment. Because we all know that the best way to support an author is to buy their books (and the second best way is to go to their Patreon and pledge, which you can do at The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page if you feel so inclined). However, when we're talking about individuals who are writing a series, and when that series is going through a more traditional publisher, this becomes even more important.

Publishers, like any business, want to make money. So while quality of the book is always going to be a consideration, there are lots of well-written, imaginative, interesting, insightful books out there that just don't move copies. And if you want to write a sequel to a book that underperformed, that's going to be a very tough sell to your editors since they're obligated to keep at least one eye on the company's bottom line.

It sold how many copies last quarter? Eeeeeeh...

I say this because I really like Leo as a character, and I'd like to write at least a few more of his adventures. And minor spoiler, I introduced a really fun character in the sequel that I think I could get some spin-offs out of if folks are really behind it... but I won't be able to make that a reality unless I've got the sales numbers on my side.

That's where you come in.

If you like novels about cats, noir mysteries, or both, go buy yourself a copy of Marked Territory. If you already have a copy, leave a rating and a review on any site you can (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, I'm not picky!). If you can't afford a copy, or it's not your jam but you still want to help, share a link on your social media. Recommend it to your friends, toss it onto Twitter, let your aunt with the two Maine coon cats know this should be something she should take a look at.

There's only so many times I can share links to my own work (without getting kicked out of Facebook groups and banned from subreddits, anyway), so I sort of depend on readers like you to help me spread the word. And if you're really looking for something fun and different to ride out the pandemic with until it's time to get your shot, I think you could do a lot worse than walking down Leo's alley and following him on his debut novel.

Like, Follow, and Stay Tuned!

That's all for this week's Business of Writing! If you'd like to see more of my work, take a look at my Vocal archive, or at My Amazon Author Page where you can find books like my noir thriller Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife as well as my recent collection The Rejects!

If you'd like to help support my work, then consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page! Lastly, to keep up with my latest, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well!

Weird, Wild, and Outrageous Ideas Generate More Interest Than Bland, Safe, and Samey Stories

I have not been in the writing game as long as some people. Just last year I was moderating a panel on being a professional writer, and everyone else at the table had at least twenty years of experience on me. However, with more than a decade under my belt now, I feel like I've done at least one tour of the block, and there's something I've run into often enough that I think it goes beyond a trend at this point.

In short, it's a desire so many writers have to tell small stories. Stories that are familiar. Stories that feel like this trilogy, or that series, or this writer. Stories that don't tread any new ground, who don't make too many waves, and who are different and unique only in the names of the protagonists, or the map on the inside cover.

Imitation is not the sincerest form of flattery in this case.

Too often writers feel the need to tell stories that are an echo of something. Not a deconstruction, or a twist on an existing trope, genre, or style, but just an echo. A call back. Something that takes no risks, that follows the formula other authors have laid down, and which provides exactly the sort of flavor one would expect from the genre recipe.

I'm not saying those stories are inherently bad, either. A good writer, like a good cook, can follow the recipe while still putting their own stamp on its flavor. But what I am saying is that you are far more likely to generate interest and enthusiasm with something that takes risks, and is a little louder, stranger, or more colorful than the same sandwich everyone's been eating for years.

Standing Out Is Always Better

A few years back I'd finally finished writing my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, and I was trying to decide on my next project. I revisited some modern fantasy ideas I'd had, some high fantasy concepts, one or two sci-fi premises, but I finally decided that the most bonkers idea was the one that was going up next.

In short, it was going to be the one about the Maine coon who prowled the mean streets of New York City, and kept getting caught up in other people's problems no matter how hard he tried to keep his whiskers clean.

This one, in case you haven't seen it yet.

While Leo made his debut in the short story collection From a Cat's View, everyone I talked to about a novel lit up as soon as they heard, "Traditional private detective setup, but with a protagonist that's a cat, in a world of street-level animals." Or, if I needed an even faster pitch, "Imagine if Walt Disney did an adult animated movie for a Dashiell Hammett novel."

And thus Marked Territory was born!

Now, I'm not saying that if I'd sat down to write a more traditional modern fantasy story about a psychic private eye with werewolf clients that I wouldn't have found readers for it. However, having pitched that to readers and publishers alike, I can say the response was notably tepid. Why? Well, because there were already three dozen series just like that in the market, and more coming out every year. While you could argue that my protagonist was unique, or the system of magic I had for my setting would set it apart, none of that was stuff that would immediately make the story stand out on the surface.

A cat solving mysteries in a world where humans were completely relegated to background characters? A story where there was blood, and swearing, and brutal fight scenes (because alley cats don't play nice) as the counterpoint to that cutesy premise of street beasts living lives like people? That isn't something that most readers (and even most publishers) have heard before.

That's the sort of thing I'm talking about. Because the pitch is easy enough to understand, and you cold argue it's just a traditional noir mystery wearing a new and unique coat (in that the heavy is a Maine coon, the gang leader is a tunnel rat, the dame in trouble is a church mouse, etc., etc.), but that brightly colored coat immediately differentiates it from the competition. It's weird, it's unusual, and while there are things it's similar to (Watership Down is one of the most common comparisons) it's still very much its own beast.

So if you want to turn a few heads, go big, go bold, go weird... you will thank me for it later!

Like, Follow, and Come Back Again!

That's all for this week's Craft of Writing! For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, or at My Amazon Author Page where you can find books like my cat noir novel Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, or my most recent short story collection The Rejects!

 

And to stay on top of all my latest news and releases, collected once a week, make sure you subscribe to The Literary Mercenary's mailing list. 

If you'd like to help support my work, then consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page! Lastly, to keep up with my latest, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well!

A Book For Cat Lovers With a Taste For Noir, "Marked Territory" is Finally Out!

I've been sitting on this news for a while, but now that my new book has officially dropped it is time for me to tell you all about it. And if this is the first you're hearing about my novel Marked Territory from Eric Flint's Ring of Fire Press, then settle in for a bit... you're going to want to listen to this pitch!

Got your ears open?

At it's core, Marked Territory is a noir mystery thriller about a back alley heavy getting roped into someone else's problems. And the deeper he digs, the less things start adding up. So far so Bogart, right? The difference is that in this book our protagonist is a Maine coon named Leo. And before you start thinking that this is one of those books about animals solving human crimes, the rest of the cast are New York City street beasts, too. From Charity the church mouse, to Ringo Longtail the current mover and shaker among the south side's raccoons, every member of the cast is an animal of one variety or other.

The humans are still there, it is NYC after all, but they're just background characters. Sort of like how dogs and cats are treated in most other novels; there, but rarely noteworthy to the meat of the narrative.

And for those looking for the specifics, he's the back cover material:

"Leo does his best to keep his whiskers out of other people’s business. He’s perfectly content to spend his days stretched out in the sun, or wandering through his little patch of the Bronx. So when a south side mouse comes to him with a sob story about a pack of hound dogs trying to run her and her friends out of the abandoned church they call home, his first instinct is to walk away.

But why would a mouse be desperate enough to call on an alley cat for help? The raccoons on the south side have their paws in the mix, he discovers, and any deal the raccoons are tied up in is guaranteed to get messy. Add in the fact that the dog pack seems to have come out of nowhere, and Leo’s got more questions than answers.

Curiosity killed the cat, as the saying goes, but Leo isn’t going to stop digging until he figures out exactly why St. Bart’s has become… Marked Territory!"

Wait a Minute... This Sounds Really Familiar...

If you'd a longtime reader of mine, this might sound like a familiar premise to you. You're not imagining things, either. You see, Leo first came onto the scene a few years back in my short story "Stray Cat Strut" in the collection From a Cat's View. In that story an old shelter mate of Leo's named Tigger calls in a favor to get the big bruiser to help an uptown cat find her missing sister. It's not a job he particularly wants to do, but a favor is a favor, so he starts digging... and uncovers something particularly sinister going on in a bad part of town.

For those who've read it, don't you fret... the Persian will be back again in future stories. And if you're not sure what I'm talking about, I'd recommend getting a copy of this anthology as well so you can get the complete history of Leo and his adventures to-date.

You have not heard the last of me...

So... Is This The Start of a Series?

Ideally, I'd like it to be! People who know me as a writer know that I'm not really big on writing series, but I've got plenty of future cases for Leo to take up if a tomcat enforcer with a bottle brush tail and a chip on his shoulder is something the readers out there would like to see.

But, as with anything else, what's really going to decide if that happens is the audience! So if this is the sort of thing you'd like to see me develop and expand on, make sure you get your copy of Marked Territory as soon as you can! Then after you give it a read, drop a rating and a review on it, and don't forget to tell your friends and family to give it a read as well.

Because if the demand is high enough then I'll have no other choice than to give you what you want, will I?

Also, for those who are still on the fence Amanda Lyons has a lovely review up at PetLife!

Like, Follow, and Stay Tuned!

That's all for this week's Business of Writing! If you'd like to see more of my work, take a look at my Vocal archive, or at My Amazon Author Page where you can find books like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife as well as my recent collection The Rejects!

If you'd like to help support my work, then consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page! Lastly, to keep up with my latest, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well!