My Guest: Regina Puckett

My Guest this week is an authoress who has mastered a challenge so many writers choose to avoid. Her thoughts on using different genres to tell your stories, and why she enjoys this approach, are the subjects of this interesting post. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you...

Regina Puckett

The Horror of Romance

People look at me like I’m a two-headed snake in a freak show whenever I tell them my books and short stories aren’t all written in the same genre. I write romance, horror, inspirational, children’s picture books and my newest venture is erotic/horror. Yes, I really did just say erotic/horror. The later genre I co-authored with my daughter, Charity Parkerson. I left the steamy scenes to her while I stuck to mutilating and killing people.

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The truth is I’m really not certain why there aren’t more authors choosing to write in multi-genres. I know I have several stories in my head still waiting to be written and they don’t all fit into the same mold. I wouldn’t think I was that different from any other author. In my opinion, a good story is a good story no matter what the genre is. Besides, I like changing things up every now and then. It keeps things interesting. I enjoy writing about people falling in love, but it’s just as much fun to find a creative way to kill someone.

Right now you’re out there questioning my sanity. That’s okay. You wouldn’t be the first person to do so. And, yes, I do understand the whole theory behind branding myself as a writer, but while that may work for traditional publishing houses, does that same idea work for indie authors? Without having the powerful machinery of publishing houses behind us, I truly believe, indie authors need to be more creative and should always be willing to try something new.

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I like being able to appeal to a wider spectrum of readers. But even after saying that, that’s not the only reason I write in so many different genres. I write the stories that insist on being written and I never know who or what will inspire my next tale. Will Work for Food was written after seeing a beggar on the street corner. Paying the Hitchhiker came to me as I was riding with my husband from Tennessee to Myrtle Beach. I wrote Concealed in My Heart because of a dream. Every single one of my short stories and books were inspired by something different. I have accepted the fact that my mind has a mind of its own.

It seems that with the aging process, more and more of my stories are turning into tales of horror. Maybe it’s because I’m turning into a cranky old bitch in my old age. While I still do believe in love at first sight, I also can think of a hundred different ways to kill someone and bury the body. I’m probably better off not overanalyzing what dark paths my mind is willing to travel down on most days. Writing is a great way of breaking the law without really breaking the law. Just because you don’t see your name in any of my books doesn’t mean that wasn’t YOU I killed in my latest horror story. I do like killing people who have ticked me off. So think carefully, have you done something lately to piss me off?

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So my question still stands, why shouldn’t I write any story I want to? As a reader, my interests have always been wide and varied. I love reading romances, mysteries, horror, Science Fiction and last but not least the back of milk cartons. The written word should always be appreciated. Since someone, somewhere took the time to write it, the very least we can do is take the time to read it.

I’m not a famous author, so it’s probably bad form to be offering advice to anyone on how to advance their writing career. My professional advice is to take everything I say with a grain of salt. The truth is there is no magic bullet for making it as a writer. I have no idea why some excellent writers never make it big, while a few terrible ones become bestselling authors. Maybe it’s the luck of the draw or just maybe, even though they aren’t excellent wordsmiths, they are great storytellers.

What I’m trying to say is don’t be afraid to try something new. You might just discover the writer you were truly meant to be.

Bio:

Regina lives in Tennessee. She has been a writer for as long as she can remember. The only way she knows to shut the voices up is to tell their stories and to let them live among the pages of her books.

She loves writing in many different genres because life is too short to be stuck in a rut.

Amazon Author Page -   http://www.amazon.com/Regina-Puckett/e/B004S3ORSG/ref

Twitter - https://twitter.com/ReginaPucket

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/regina.puckett1

Website - http://reginapuckettsbooks.weebly.com/index.html

Booklikes - http://reginapuckett1.booklikes.com/

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/154116.Regina_Puckett

Thank you, Regina for a great post. It occurs to me that a reader following a particular author could also discover new genres if that writer is multi-genre too.

Eric @ www.ericjgates.com