Guest Author Post: Sandy Williams and Three Reasons Why THE SHADOW READER is Not a Paranormal Romance *Book Giveaway*

KB: One of my new favorite debut authors this year is Sandy Williams. Her debut Urban Fantasy, The Shadow Reader (click here to read my review) is so full of awesomesauce and has one of the best love triangles (with no sex!) I've read in recent memory. If you're an Urban Fantasy fan who loves a great, action packed story with an amazing heroine who is torn between two wonderful man, then you must read The Shadow Reader.

I asked Sandy if she wouldn't mind stopping by and talk about The Shadow Reader and why it's considered more Urban Fantasy than a Paranormal romance, including the question of which section The Shadow Reader should be shelved in bookstores and what genre it's labeled...

When I began writing THE SHADOW READER back in 2009, I was determined to make it a paranormal romance. I loved reading urban fantasies and paranormal books, and I really loved reading romance. I knew a wanted a relationship to be at the core of this book, but when I finally typed THE END, I was torn. I wasn’t quite sure if I’d written an urban fantasy or a paranormal romance. I was so unsure of the genre that, when I queried the book, I labeled it a UF to some agents and a PR to others.

Now, despite the relationship stuff and the kissing (kissing!), I’m certain it’s not a PR. Here are the three main reasons why I think THE SHADOW READER falls under the UF heading.

1. There’s no s e x. To be honest, I’m not sure how there’s not any s e x in The Shadow Reader. I planned for there to be some, but as I was writing the book, this love triangle thing started to develop (I so did not plan a love triangle!), and I could not for the life of me figure out how to work in a smexy scene without making McKenzie seem like a… a promiscuous person. Sex is pretty much a requirement for adult paranormal romances these days. If I wanted to sell The Shadow Reader as a PR, I would have had to edit in at least one of those scenes.

2. There’s only one POV Many paranormal romances – and romances in general – have two points of view. They alternate between the hero and heroine. I’ve always loved getting to see both people falling for each other, but from the start with The Shadow Reader, I knew I wanted this book to be from McKenzie’s POV only.

3. There’s too much world building I’m not saying that paranormal romances don’t have much world building – many of them have developed awesome worlds and cultures – but the world building isn’t the focus. The relationship between the hero and the heroine is. In The Shadow Reader, the war between the fae is a huge issue that drives the story forward. Its resolution is what we’re reading for, not whether McKenzie ends up with a certain guy or not (although, we really, really want to know that as well). The story is about her survival and the impact that war has on her life and her friends.

Now, having said all that, I was told my local B&N shelves The Shadow Reader in both the SFF section and the Romance section (I’ve only seen it in SFF. I didn’t think to check the Romance shelves.) That makes me perfectly happy. I love romance, and while a large percentage of my book focuses on the fae and their war, The Shadow Reader wouldn’t be what it is without the romance.

What do you guys think? Should The Shadow Reader be shelved with the SFF or with the Romance books? And if you’ve bought or spotted The Shadow Reader at your local bookstore, which shelves did you see it on?

Bio:
Sandy graduated from Texas A&M University with a double major in political science and history. She thought about attending law school. Fortunately, before handing over her life’s savings, she realized case studies weren’t nearly as interesting as novels and decided to get an MA in Library Science instead. She worked as a librarian until her husband whisked her off to London on an extended business trip. She’s now back home in Texas, writing full-time, raising newborn twin boys, and squeezing in time to play geeky board and card games like Settlers of Catan, Dominion, and Runebound.

She loves hanging out with other readers and talking about books. For recommendations, check out her Goodreads account. And if you have a favorite book or author, she’d love to hear from you on Facebook, Twitter, or via email. 

Synopsis: Some humans can see the fae. McKenzie Lewis can track them, reading the shadows they leave behind. But some shadows lead to danger. Others lead to lies.

A Houston college student trying to finish her degree, McKenzie has been working for the fae king for years, tracking vicious rebels who would claim the Realm. Her job isn’t her only secret. For just as long, she’s been in love with Kyol, the king’s sword-master—and relationships between humans and fae are forbidden.

But any hope for a normal life is shattered when she’s captured by Aren, the fierce and uncompromising rebel leader. He teaches her the forbidden fae language and tells her dark truths about the Court, all to persuade her to turn against the king. Time is running out, and as the fight starts to claim human lives, McKenzie has no choice but to decide once and for all whom to trust and where she ultimately stands in the face of a cataclysmic civil war.

CONTEST TIME!

Sandy has a signed copy of The Shadow Reader to give away to one lucky person (US residents only). For your chance to win, leave a comment here for Sandy by Friday, 12/30.