Link This |
Email this |
Blog This |
Comments (4)
What's in a Name?
April 10, 2007
Like many people, there are certain authors that I absolutely adore, while others I could easily live without. What I find extremely facinating is when these authors are the same person.
I just finished
Innocent in Death by
J.D. Robb. This series that follows homicide Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her megabillionaire husband, Roarke, takes place in New York City in the year 2059. Murder is still a problem, but Dallas and her crack team deftly solve every mystery with very human characters. Interestingly, J.D. Robb also writes under the name Nora Roberts. I've never been a big Roberts fan, since the stories seem to be the same old, same old. Just change the names and hair color and insert in the plot. Can this possibly be the same author??
Amanda Quick is another favorite. Her historical romances with a pyschic twist are engaging and addictive. Meanwhile, her alias, Jayne Ann Krentz embraces the contemporary romantic thriller. And while Krentz's books are an all right read, I crave the Quick stories. They are especially enjoyable in the audio format (something about that British accent). Of course, Krentz pulled a fast one by taking her Arcane Society from the Quick books and infusing them in her latest,
White Lies. Nicely done, Jayne. You really hooked me.
The good news is that the different names lets you know what you're getting. No guess work. When there is a certain expectation from an author, changing the format can sometimes lead to dissent. Case in point is
Linda Howard's Killing Time with its time travel element. It caught some of her faithful off guard and they weren't happy about it (personally I liked it). Maybe a name change would have helped.
Bottom line: No matter the name you pick....just write a good book, please.
Posted by Barbara Vey on April 10, 2007 | Comments (4)
