Another fabulous Mystery Monday guest is here to talk to us about genres. Janice Spina is the author of Hunting Mariah.
Hunting Mariah: An insane killer, obsessed with blood and death, seeks revenge with those he perceives wronged him. He is now on the loose. His next victim may be Mariah. Mariah has lost her memory. Will she remember what has transpired in her past? Can Mariah escape this deadly killer’s grasp? Will she finally be safe? Will the killer be apprehended?
Now don’t you just want to read this book? I certainly do!
So here we go to Janice’s writing advice…
Writing in Different Genres by Janice Spina
How important is it for authors to be able to write across genres?
First of all, not everyone cares to write in multi-genres. There are some who choose to write in one genre and for select readers. There is nothing wrong with writing in one or multi-genres. Who am I to tell anyone what is the right thing to do.
If you look at J K Rowling, for instance, she has excelled in writing for YA, PT, MG groups (young adult, preteen, middle-grade). She has also written for 18+. I am one of her biggest fans for the first group but I did not enjoy the 18+ mysteries as much as the Harry Potter series. That does not mean that her books didn’t sell well! On the contrary, once she became established as a successful author anything she wrote (even under a pen name) sold off the shelves. If only I could do that! Sigh!
I chose to write in different and multi-genres to keep myself fresh. I started out with children’s books, ages 0-8, then branched out to MG and PT, ages 9-12, then 18+. I have received a Silver Medal from MOM’S Choice Awards for one children’s book, Lamby the Lonely Lamb, and recently my first book of Davey & Derek Junior Detectives Series, The Case of the Missing Cell Phone, won the Pinnacle Book Achievement Award in the Preteen Category. These awards make an author feel that maybe she is doing something right. I am definitely enjoying what I do.
Trying out different genres gives an author an idea what feels comfortable to him/her.
You may never know what you excel in if you do not try something different. I have found that trying out different genres opens my eyes and mind to more creative thinking. Also, I discovered that MG, PT and YA are my favorites. When I write for this age group I feel like a kid again.
Since I write off the cuff I never know what my characters are going to say until they tell me and where they are going until they take me there. I find this thoroughly enjoyable. I am reading along as if I am a new reader. It can be disconcerting at times though because I don’t always want to say what the characters want to say or go where they want to go. I then need to take charge and control this story before it gets out of control. It does take more editing this way but it helps me to be more creative and real.
It really doesn’t matter what genre you write in as long as you love what you do and do it to the best of your ability. There are many people out there in cyber land that will lend you a hand if you need it. I, for one, promote fellow authors on my blog. Go to http://jemsbooks.wordpress.com for more info.
For now, writers, authors and prospective authors keep on writing and creating beautiful books from your hearts. You readers out there, we need you. For without you we wouldn’t have a reason to write!
Please keep on reading and reviewing and remember: READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY!
Thank you, Kristina Stanley, for having me on your marvelous blog! I had a wonderful time!
All my books (Jemsbooks) can be found on –
Http://Amazon.com/author/janicespina7
Create Space
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Janice-Spina?
store=allproducts&keyword=Janice+Spina
Blessings to All!
Janice Spina
Janice’s Biography:
Janice Spina is an award-winning author with ten published books and more on the way. She loves writing in different genres, children’s (PS-grade 3), middle-grade/preteen (grades 4-7), and 18+. She is also an avid reader/reviewer, blogger, copy editor and writer of poetry. Her husband illustrates all her children’s books and creates beautiful covers for all books.
She has been writing since the age of nine in the form of poems and greeting cards. She plans to continue as long as she is able to create stories for all ages. Her logo is Jemsbooks for all ages, and her motto is Reading Gives You Wings to Fly!
Janice’s children’s book, Lamby the Lonely Lamb, received a Silver Medal from Mom’s Choice Awards and her MG book, Davey & Derek Junior Detectives, Book 1, The Case of the Missing Cell Phone, received the Pinnacle Book Achievement Award in the category of Preteen books.
Janice lives in New Hampshire with her husband, John, and enjoys traveling, going to the movies, reading, hula hooping, walking, crocheting, blogging, and spending time with the grandchildren who are her inspiration to write.
She loves to hear from her readers and looks forward to new reviews of her books. She is a staunch supporter of fellow authors and features them on her blog. Get in touch with Janice by email jjspina@myfairpoint.net or through her blog and website.
Susan M. Toy has been a bookseller, an award-winning publishers’ sales rep, and is a promoter of books, authors and reading. You may learn more about Susan here. 
When Kristina asked me to write a guest post about my novel, my research, or a writing/publishing tip, my first inclination was to write something about the research I did for my new release. But then I changed my mind. I wanted to write the most helpful post I could think of, and research, while I love it and find it endlessly fascinating, is not a terribly enlightening subject for a blog post.
Amy M. Reade grew up in northern New York. After graduating from college and law school, she practiced law in New York City before moving to southern New Jersey, where she lives now with her husband, three children, dog, two cats, and a fish. She writes full time and is the author of Secrets of Hallstead House, a novel of romantic suspense set in the Thousand Islands region of New York, and The Ghosts of Peppernell Manor, a novel in the same genre set outside Charleston, South Carolina. Her third novel, House of Hanging Jade, is set in Hawaii and will be released in April, 2016. She is currently working on the first book of a series set in the United Kingdom (expected release date in early 2017). She loves cooking, reading, and traveling.
An expert on self-publishing. An author. 
On that note, let me invite you to subscribe to my Catscapades blog where I talk about everything cat and share occasionally what’s going on in the Klepto Cat Mystery factory. 
What do you think about names – generally? Or do you think about them? Most people don’t. I however, could really enjoy a big metaphysical discussion about names, but that’s not where I’m headed here. When I started this blog, I promised myself I’d stick to things related to writing or my books.
James M. Jackson 
Carol Balawyder has taught criminology in both Police Technology and Corrections Programs for 18 years. Her area of expertise is in drug addiction and she worked in a methadone clinic with heroin addicts. She is very much interested in the link between drugs and crime and the devastating effects addiction has on the addict’s entourage. She has published short stories in The Anthology of Canadian Authors Association, Room Magazine, Entre Les Lignes, Mindful.org. and Carte Blanche. She regularly writes book reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.
Kristina Stanley 