Blog Chain - Genres

To genre or not to genre. That is the question for this week. The first post in this chain can be found here. And I believe the next one will be here soon. Maybe. Looks like Leah's moving, so we might have to switch up the order a bit. Check this one too.


Anyway, on to genres. I'm not really sure what to say. I read--and therefore write--to escape my real life. Thus, I don't want to read--or write--anything that could actually happen in real life. To me, that's boring. That's what I do everyday, what I see on the news, what has happened to people I know or someone I see on Oprah.


So my genres of choice are speculative fiction in almost any capacity. Urban fantasy is my absolute favorite. It's not real, but really close. It COULD happen (I swear I've seen a golden snitch around my place...), but it really couldn't. I love that. It provides an escape from my life that doesn't take me too far.

I also adore science fiction. I think the first novel I read in this genre was Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game. I loved that novel and the whole series. It also helps that I've met the man, and he's a genius. Even if he does wear socks with sandals. hehe. I'm not a huge fan of "hard" sci fi, although that's what EG is. I'm not into going too far away, and outer space seems pretty far to me. I'm a lover of dystopian SF like Uglies by Scott Westerfeld and Little Brother by Cory Doctorow. In the future, but not too far. Sort of like our society, but not quite. It could happen, but really couldn't. Yes, that's what I like.


I recently found the subgenres of steampunk and cyberpunk. I just like typing and saying those words. Anything with "punk" really. I wrote a short story for a contest that was cyberpunk. You should check them out if you like speculative fiction. I can't think of any titles right now in these genres.


One last word. Those of you who know me at all, know I only read for pleasure (if that wasn't obvious already from this post, well then...). I'm a completely shallow person. I don't like non-fiction (sorry Archetype!) of any kind and only read it if forced. I don't read adult novels. Too serious. I stick to middle grade and young adult speculative fiction. Love it. Need it. Read it. Write it.

Reading: EIGHTH GRADE SUCKS by Heather Brewer