**Visit Tynga’s Reviews today for her PSF Guest Blog & Giveaway with RJ Anderson author of WAYFARER**
My guest today is Marcia Colette, author of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance including her new release STRIPPED about an amnesiac werewolf hybrid. Marcia is talking all about unhappy endings and giving away a copy of STRIPPED. Details below!
Paranormal author Marcia Colette was born and raised in a single-parent household in upstate New York. She graduated with a bachelors degree in biomedical engineering and a masters degree in information technology. After a couple of moves from north to south to north, she is now living in the south again in the lovely state of North Carolina with her mom and beautiful daughter. Marcia is a member of the Horror Writers Association, Paranormal Mystery Writers, and Romance Writers of America. The best place to find her is on her blog where she loves connecting with readers and other writers. Conferences/conventions where sci-fi, fantasy, and horror reign supreme are a good bet, too, along with the occasional romance conference.
Unhappy Endings
by
Marcia Colette
A reader? Huh?
Anyway, she posed a very interesting question to the rest of us writers that left me thinking about other books I’ve been working on, including STRIPPED 2. Her question was simply have we ever thought about writing a book where the good guy doesn’t save the day?
In all honesty, that has rarely—if ever—crossed my mind. As both a writer and a reader, if I invest a lot of time in a book, I want there to be a somewhat happy ending even if it’s sloppy, dark, and perhaps one limb less than what the heroine started with. I want her to be alive at the end. Not dead. Not after I’ve traveled to the end of her bittersweet ending.
By the end of my panel, I had decided to explore this idea of an unhappy ending where the most my heroine can say is she survived. I’m not ready to kill her off or anything crazy like that because I don’t want anyone to feel cheated. Which book that will be, only time will tell.
What do you think unhappy endings?
Thanks Marcia for stopping by. Come back anytime.
Visit Marcia online:
Giveaway
Giveaway courtesy of Marcia Colette
One (1) copy of STRIPPED by Marcia Colette (print copy for the US or ebook for international)
Book Description
Someone wants their perfect weapon back, only she’s not coming quietly.
Alexa Wells wants her life back. She’s just not sure what that life was. The memories inside her head—a stripper’s—aren’t hers, and before she humiliates herself onstage one more time, she sets out to collect the scattered pieces of her mind. The trail leads to Boston, charges of identity theft and murder, and the real bombshell: a forgotten werewolf lover who insists she’s a werewolf hybrid.
Matt York doesn’t care that she looks at him like he’s been smoking crack between court cases. Now that he has her back he’s not about to let her go it alone, even if she can easily kick ass and take names all by herself. Amnesia only scratches the surface of her problems, and like it or not, she’s stuck with him.
She’s also stuck with Robert Gamboldt, a venture capitalist who’s not above murdering his way to the top. He’s not about to lose his prize possession without playing dirty. It’s a simple enough offer. Be his personal assassin, or go to jail.
With options like that, it’s enough to make a hybrid go full-blood.
Warning: Delicious sexual tension with a werewolf who’ll wait as long as it takes for his hybrid werewolf mate to come around.
Click HERE read an excerpt of STRIPPED
GIVEAWAY GUIDLINES
- Open US (print copy) or Internationally (ebook copy)
- Fill out the form below
- Entries for all Paranormal Summer Fest giveaways must be received by Midnight MST on July 4th. All the giveaways winners will be announced on July 6th.
I would greatly appreciate if you shared this giveaway on your blog or favorite social networks. And please say hi to Marcia. Thanks!
Interested in guest blogging on All Things Urban Fantasy? CONTACT ME
Haha, great guest post! I agree with the happy ending of some sort, even if it does mean something's lost from the beginning (preferably not a limb, but it's a toss up!). Actually, I think happy endings are MORE believable when there is a sad or bittersweet element to them. However, straight unhappy endings just make me cry. :(
ReplyDeleteStripped sounds like a great book, thanks for the giveaway!
While I'm sure most people prefer a happy ending, I actually like to see some unhappy endings as they are more realistic; not everything ends well in real life. That being said, depending on my mood, if I know a book has an unhappy ending because I've read reviews, and I'm looking for a 'happier ending' book, I will avoid them until I am ready for them.
ReplyDeleteThanks for these great giveaways!!
That's an interesting question. Because I read Urban Fantasy, I'm okay with an "up in the air" or not quite happy ending at the end of a book as long as I know there's a sequel coming. If the series started off with the main character not saving the world, but then they grew and changed and won the day in the end, that would be okay also. However, I don't know that I'd be willing to get into a series if I thought the bad guys would win in the end. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I usually read for escapism. There's so much awful stuff going on in the real world that I need my happy endings to keep me sane.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I read the excerpt of Stripped and liked it - very different and inventive. It's going on my wishlist.
Jenn- I like happy endings that you have to fight for. Bruised, battered bleeding even. What I don't like is fighting the good fight and completely failing. I need that tiny bit of hope for something good to come at the end
ReplyDeleteStephanie - I like to avoid endings that beat you up emotionally and then offer no comfort at all. They don't have to be 100% happy, but a completely 100% unhappy ending is just too depressing for me.
JenM - I agree. I just need that hope. Even if it doesn't pay off for several books and the HEA isn't exactly the way I expected. But if the bad guys all win and kill the puppy in the end too? No thanks. I'll take a bit of escapism every time.
Thanks for stopping by, guys. And a huge thanks to Abigail for having me. :-)
ReplyDeleteJenn - I love bittersweet endings. Nothing is ever perfect, but I believe in the human spirit, and that we're strongest when things are at their worse. I think that's why so many people love the happy ending, myself included. I'll even take some damage along the way and perhaps a broken heart or two. But as long as the heroine survives to see that she has made a difference, I'm good.
Stephanie - That's why I want to give the unhappy ending a try at some point. Sadly, they're more realistic. But luckily, in a writer's world they don't have to be. We're always told that with a little hard work, we can accomplish anything, but nobody has ever put a time limit on that either. 300+ pages might not be enough. Just like it takes a couple of books for a hero and heroine to get together, I wouldn't mind if it took a couple of books to save the day. ;-)
JenM - Thanks, Jen. :-) I'm with you on the escapism part. I don't want the bad guys to win all of the time. As a reader, too, I'd feel victimized along side the heroine. Who wants that? But there aren't any rules that say the heroine can't rise up from the ashes and make the bad guys pay. It might take her some time to pull it together, but I'd stick around to see that kind of a happy ending.
Abigail - I read a book about ten years ago where the hero ending up committing suicide. Granted the situation was dire, but suicide? Are you kidding me?? The author couldn't come up with anything more noble than that? Don't ask me where that book is now because I have a feeling I had used it for kindling. Never again will I read anything from that author. Talk about no comfort at all. *grumble*
I've never really thought about books ending unhappily before actually. But the way that you put it, Marcia, in that the heroine would lose and have to live with the horror, would be a really interesting story to read. I would be really interested in a book where the bad guys won, and you see how the world is destroyed (or whatever disaster it is) and how the heroine would cope with losing. But I dont think I could read a standalone book where it ended unhappily. It would definately have to be a series. Haha
ReplyDeleteAlso, read the excerpt for Stripped, definately going on my wishlist. :D
Stripped sounds great!!! I dont like "endings"!!! Just because you have finished a book...doesnt mean the end to a story. Thanks for a great giveaway.
ReplyDeleteThe endings don't have to be HEA, but I like them to be at least hopeful. Bittersweet will do, but it there isn't hope, I won't read the author's book again. Luckily, that doesn't happen with the kind of books I read.
ReplyDeleteI'm a happy ending type of girl. I don't mind waiting for that happy ending though. I don't mind if it takes a couple of books to get to the happy ending.
ReplyDeleteMarcia, you really sparked my interest with the hero having to live with the horror. That sounds more than interesting.
I'm really enjoying were stories at the moment. Stripped sounds intriguing. Amnesia can always throw a wrench into things...
ReplyDeleteI like happy endings especially if the character went through hell, they deserve a happy ending...eventually ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited to read this! It sounds awesome!
This is a really great post and the idea is intriguing. I don't know what I would do with unhappy ending for I haven't seen one, yet in reality I see them all the time. I'm not sure how I'd handle one from my literary escapism, but I think I'm definitely not adverse to trying it out. Thanks for the contest! I'm looking forward to reading Stripped!
ReplyDeleteMarcia - Suicide? That would be depressing. Not everyone can pull off the Thelma & Louise type of ending.
ReplyDeleteHilary- I'm with you. I kind of love that about UF heroines that we sometimes meet them only after their world has been destroyed and we get to see them struggle to rebuild a life that is worth fighting for.
cfisher - Your right. I don't always need every thread tied up. Sometimes leaving a story open gives a sense of immortality to the characters. I love that.
Edie - Me too. I need something positive to get me to buy the next book.
Melissa Carmichael - I like it better if I have to wait for the happy ending over several books, the anticipation is half the fun!
Smash Attack - I'm definitely in the mood for another fun amnesia story. The last good one I read was THREE DAYS TO DEAD by Kelly Meding.
Adelina - I agree that the happy ending is made sweeter if the journey to get there was full of trials.
KittNLuv - I guess I'm just opposed to the philosophical idea that in the end evil will triumph. That's not how I live my life. So I like to read about hope, even if you nearly die in the end. A completely hopeless ending where the hero loses everything is just too bleak for me.
Hey Marcia,
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to reading Stripped. You're a new author for me so it'll be exciting to dive into the unknown *grin*
As for unhappy endings...well I gotta be frank with you...I'm a strictly a HEA kinda gal. I mean I enjoy a story where the hero/heroine overcomes obstacles or rises above past failures but I need absolute closure at the end of a book. I stick to reading series where each book is a stand-alone... I'm not much for stretching out the anticipation over a series of books...I'm kinda impatient that way. The wait for the next book always frustrates me so it needs to be a stand-alone within a series.
One of the main reasons I read is to escape reality so I want to be in a world where things are properly resolved & where good triumphs over evil. A book that reflects too much of reality automatically is vetoed from the list.
Reading is my main form of relaxation and I prefer HEA endings, but could handle other types. I definitely would not care for suicide as the ending of a book.
ReplyDeleteDo you go to Dragon-con?
Wow.. Wicked cool trailer=) I am intrigued and want to learn more on this one!=)
ReplyDeleteAloha Marcia!!=)
Ms Marcia
ReplyDeleteI was fortunate enough to be able to read an excerpt of Stripped a long time ago - I think when you first found out you were going to be able to offer it in print, might have been a year ago. I remember thinking it the excerpt was pretty enticing- I wanted to get it right away, but waiting ensued. Then, I forgot the name of the book and the name of you. I kept thinking about this book that I had read an excerpt of, and was irritated that I hadn't written the name down anywhere - and here it is! being offered for a giveaway. Not only that, but it's already out! Except I haven't seen it in the bookstores.
Where should I look - in case I don't win :)
Will it be in romance (under paranormal romance) or in the sci-fi/fantasy section for urban fantasy? Or....should I just look on-line for it?
s7anna - I read for the escapism factor too, but I'm good with a little anticipation, though I do enjoy a good HEA too :)
ReplyDeleteAndrea - Suicide endings. I'll pass big time.
Chas - The trailer is good. Glad you liked it.
Mardel - I'm so glad to reintroduce it to you :) And I would suggest looking online for it. You can click on the link in this post too.
Okay- I'll admit that I'm a sucker for HEA's! But, with that said, I tend to be okay with UF books not having a clean and pretty ending. I'm not sure why I think this way. The only reasons I can come up with are because maybe it's more fantasy integrated with 'real world', and we all know its not clean and pretty in RL all the time! LOL! Or, maybe it's because if it's romance, I want romance -- the whole sweep you off your feet and pray to God that your man will eventually turn into that huge, towering, dark and mysterious man that may or may not have a sexy Scottish accent! *snorts*
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great giveaway!