Comments for Anne Lyle http://www.annelyle.com Writer of historical fantasy Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:34:53 +0000 hourly 1 Comment on The Alchemist of Souls: deleted scenes by zlsasnett http://www.annelyle.com/blog/goodies/the-alchemist-of-souls-deleted-scenes/#comment-469 zlsasnett Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:34:53 +0000 http://www.annelyle.com/?p=1290#comment-469 What a great idea! Deleted scenes just like on DVDs. I love having a peek inside the story and seeing what the author had in mind before edits. Thanks for sharing that. I can't wait for the book to finally be released. What a great idea! Deleted scenes just like on DVDs. I love having a peek inside the story and seeing what the author had in mind before edits.

Thanks for sharing that. I can’t wait for the book to finally be released.

]]> Comment on The Alchemist of Souls: deleted scenes by Helen Callaghan http://www.annelyle.com/blog/goodies/the-alchemist-of-souls-deleted-scenes/#comment-468 Helen Callaghan Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:12:44 +0000 http://www.annelyle.com/?p=1290#comment-468 I totally get the whole discovery writing thing - and think this is a great use of the material. Nice sense of atmosphere and definitely made me want to read more! I totally get the whole discovery writing thing – and think this is a great use of the material. Nice sense of atmosphere and definitely made me want to read more!

]]> Comment on Romance in fantasy by Prudence http://www.annelyle.com/blog/musings/romance-in-fantasy/#comment-467 Prudence Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:48:46 +0000 http://www.annelyle.com/?p=1300#comment-467 I like a bit of romance of the not-too-steamy kind in my Fantasy - as well as other types of relationships. IRL where there are people, there are relationships of all kinds springing up. Any book which ignores this is lacking something in my opinion. Probably due to growing up on Anne McCaffrey who did relationships very well. She became the bench mark for my subsequent Fantasy reading. I like a bit of romance of the not-too-steamy kind in my Fantasy – as well as other types of relationships.
IRL where there are people, there are relationships of all kinds springing up. Any book which ignores this is lacking something in my opinion. Probably due to growing up on Anne McCaffrey who did relationships very well. She became the bench mark for my subsequent Fantasy reading.

]]> Comment on Romance in fantasy by Felix Pearce http://www.annelyle.com/blog/musings/romance-in-fantasy/#comment-466 Felix Pearce Wed, 15 Feb 2012 11:26:27 +0000 http://www.annelyle.com/?p=1300#comment-466 I'm agnostic, really. I'd say romance is a storytelling tool like any other - if it works for the characters in the setting go with it, if it detracts from the main themes and plot, play it down or leave it out. My longest piece of fiction to date is mostly powered by non-romance-related plot, but a lot of the characterisation hinges on an uncomfortable triangle of unresolved emotional Stuff between three different characters, into which the hero shoves his oar to stir things up - largely because he's a b*****d and that's what he does. I left the romantic angle in because the tensions that whole subplot creates do in fact have a bearing on how the main plot turns out. Or at least they will when I've redrafted, dammit... I will admit I don't see paranormal romance as "serious" literature in the same way I would a more plot-driven speculative fiction book. It's not that I'd shun reading them at all, but I think of them more in an airport-novel way than as the kind of world I want to lose myself in for weeks at a time. And really, for me at least, having an amazing world to dive into and explore is always what good fantasy's been about. I’m agnostic, really. I’d say romance is a storytelling tool like any other – if it works for the characters in the setting go with it, if it detracts from the main themes and plot, play it down or leave it out. My longest piece of fiction to date is mostly powered by non-romance-related plot, but a lot of the characterisation hinges on an uncomfortable triangle of unresolved emotional Stuff between three different characters, into which the hero shoves his oar to stir things up – largely because he’s a b*****d and that’s what he does. I left the romantic angle in because the tensions that whole subplot creates do in fact have a bearing on how the main plot turns out. Or at least they will when I’ve redrafted, dammit…

I will admit I don’t see paranormal romance as “serious” literature in the same way I would a more plot-driven speculative fiction book. It’s not that I’d shun reading them at all, but I think of them more in an airport-novel way than as the kind of world I want to lose myself in for weeks at a time. And really, for me at least, having an amazing world to dive into and explore is always what good fantasy’s been about.

]]> Comment on Romance in fantasy by Rabia http://www.annelyle.com/blog/musings/romance-in-fantasy/#comment-465 Rabia Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:04:45 +0000 http://www.annelyle.com/?p=1300#comment-465 I like romantic subplots in my fantasy, but I prefer the focus to be on the adventure, not the romantic relationship. I like romantic subplots in my fantasy, but I prefer the focus to be on the adventure, not the romantic relationship.

]]> Comment on Romance in fantasy by Anne http://www.annelyle.com/blog/musings/romance-in-fantasy/#comment-464 Anne Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:25:37 +0000 http://www.annelyle.com/?p=1300#comment-464 Same here. I don't read fantasy for the romance, per se, but if it fits the character to notice the appropriate sex more than once in a blue moon, it seems odd for them to live like a monk. It annoys me when readers are all prurient about sex and then demand blood and gore like that's normal! Same here. I don’t read fantasy for the romance, per se, but if it fits the character to notice the appropriate sex more than once in a blue moon, it seems odd for them to live like a monk. It annoys me when readers are all prurient about sex and then demand blood and gore like that’s normal!

]]> Comment on Romance in fantasy by Alexa Muir http://www.annelyle.com/blog/musings/romance-in-fantasy/#comment-463 Alexa Muir Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:09:56 +0000 http://www.annelyle.com/?p=1300#comment-463 Hi Anne, I like the timing of your post, it's very appropriate! Personally I grew up reading Tanith Lee, Sheri Tepper, and Anne McCaffrey (thanks to my mother drip feeding them to me the moment I hit 11), all of whom wrote stories that were predominently fantasy/sci-fi based but artfully wove romance into them when appropriate. That's effected my tolerance for Romance in Sci-fi/Fantasy stories; I don't like it being overdone or over the top, and if it is a Romance story set in a fantastical world I like the description to tell me that before I start. I like stories of all types and enjoy ones that have a touch of Romance in them, but only if it suits the characters and the story - there's nothing worse than feeling like it's been shoe-horned in there just to get the Romance tag added to the novel's description... Hi Anne,

I like the timing of your post, it’s very appropriate!

Personally I grew up reading Tanith Lee, Sheri Tepper, and Anne McCaffrey (thanks to my mother drip feeding them to me the moment I hit 11), all of whom wrote stories that were predominently fantasy/sci-fi based but artfully wove romance into them when appropriate. That’s effected my tolerance for Romance in Sci-fi/Fantasy stories; I don’t like it being overdone or over the top, and if it is a Romance story set in a fantastical world I like the description to tell me that before I start.

I like stories of all types and enjoy ones that have a touch of Romance in them, but only if it suits the characters and the story – there’s nothing worse than feeling like it’s been shoe-horned in there just to get the Romance tag added to the novel’s description…

]]> Comment on Romance in fantasy by Elspeth Cooper http://www.annelyle.com/blog/musings/romance-in-fantasy/#comment-462 Elspeth Cooper Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:24:24 +0000 http://www.annelyle.com/?p=1300#comment-462 I like a dash of romance in my fantasy, I must admit. I think it adds to the development of rounded, credible characters if I can glimpse them when their emotions have made them vulnerable, but I prefer the romance to be secondary to the adventure, intrigue and miscellaneous perils which were why I picked up a fantasy novel in the first place. Romance as the olive, rather than the whole martini, as it were. I like a dash of romance in my fantasy, I must admit. I think it adds to the development of rounded, credible characters if I can glimpse them when their emotions have made them vulnerable, but I prefer the romance to be secondary to the adventure, intrigue and miscellaneous perils which were why I picked up a fantasy novel in the first place. Romance as the olive, rather than the whole martini, as it were.

]]> Comment on Web Presence 101.5 – Twitter by Alex F. Fayle http://www.annelyle.com/blog/technology/web-presence-101-5-twitter/#comment-461 Alex F. Fayle Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:57:52 +0000 http://www.annelyle.com/?p=1079#comment-461 I enjoy Twitter and yet at the same time it overwhelms me. I feel like there are a whole bunch of people talking and few listening. On the negative side of hanging out at a party, Twitter can also give the sensation of being ignored when trying to join conversations, which leaves you standing against the wall with your punch and a few appetizers wondering why you bothered getting dressed and leaving the house... I enjoy Twitter and yet at the same time it overwhelms me. I feel like there are a whole bunch of people talking and few listening.

On the negative side of hanging out at a party, Twitter can also give the sensation of being ignored when trying to join conversations, which leaves you standing against the wall with your punch and a few appetizers wondering why you bothered getting dressed and leaving the house…

]]> Comment on SFX Weekender 3 by EKCarmel http://www.annelyle.com/blog/conventions/sfx-weekender-3/#comment-460 EKCarmel Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:59:01 +0000 http://www.annelyle.com/?p=1245#comment-460 Congrats from a fellow HtTS grad on your panelist status! Sounds like an unusual con, but a fun one. Congrats from a fellow HtTS grad on your panelist status! Sounds like an unusual con, but a fun one.

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