"Genre? We don't need no stinking genre?"My most recent book, Virginia Creeper, is a book detailing a bizarre (paranormal) series of events related to a brutal series of murders in the Virginia Piedmont. Some people have said it’s a horror book, some say it’s paranormal, others classify it as a true crime, while others have labeled it as a thriller. I don't care what label is put on it but it is interesting that some readers seem to focus on this exclusively. Some books, and I think Virginia Creeper is one of them, crosses into a number of genres - and that should be okay. From the author's perspective I can tell you that all that matters to me is that it is entertaining for the reader.
I find it fascinating that authors have to fit our reading into defined taxonomies like the genre. While helpful for some readers, I'm not sure its fair for some of the books. For example my true crime book, Secret Witness. Is it a true crime, or a regional history (Michigan), or is it a legal (true life) thriller? Does putting a book into a category drive who will read it? What defines a genre is pretty vague. Let's face it, this problem has been around for a while. There were times in bookstores I had to look in two or more sections to find a book I wrote.
Some of this is my own fault - I admit it. In my writing career I have written bestselling business management books (Cubicle Warfare) a lot of science fiction novels (thirteen as of this summer) a traditional true crime book this year (Secret Witness) and a lot of military history non-fiction books. I write the things I like reading. As such, I write in a LOT of different genres.
There's a school of thought that writers should pick a genre and deep-dive into it. I know that's good if you want to build a solid following of fans devoted a particular kind of book. Me, I find that writing in different genres is much more healthy to me as a writer. And, because I write multiple things in these genres, I have been able to cultivate followings in each genre. Some follow me from one genre to the other - some don't. That's okay, as long as everyone has a good time reading my work.
Virginia Creeper doesn't dovetail well into any one genre - and for that I'm proud. It's more of a crossover book, one that either defines a new genre or fits into a number of others well. Suffice it to say that if you like horror, the paranormal, and true crimes - this book will play well into your sweet spot.
The old saying, "don't judge a book by its cover," should be changed. "Don't judge a book by its genre in Amazon.com."
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