This page contains the answers to some frequently asked questions from blog readers. If you want to ask a question about paranormal fiction or about this blog, just e-mail your question to fangfiction1@gmail.com. I will answer your question personally and will add it to the FAQ page if it concerns a topic of general interest. Don't forget to click on the pink to go to linked information.
1. What authors/titles do you recommend for a new paranormal fiction reader?
The answer to this question is different for everyone. My recommendation would depend on what type of regular fiction you like to read. Do you like funny, sexy fiction? Action-filled, dark adventure? Chick lit? Romance? Urban fantasy? Mystery? Take a look at the ratings for each series on this blog, and read the RATINGS page. That will help you make your decision. Also, look at the plot types listed with each book/series and read the plot descriptions on the PLOT TYPES page. You might also want to take a look at the CREATURE SEARCH page, especially if you have love or hate reading about a particular type of supernatural creature. Answering all these questions about your personal preferences will help you choose an author. If you have tried all of these things and still need more direction, e-mail me at fangfiction1@gmail.com with a list of your favorite fiction authors and I’ll give you a few suggestions.
2. Why don’t you have all of the famous paranormal series on your blog (e.g., Keri Arthur's RILEY JENSEN, Christine Feehan's CARPATHIANS, Sherrilyn Kenyon's DARK-HUNTERS, Nina Bangs's GODS OF THE NIGHT).
Those authors/series are already included in my book (Fang-tastic Fiction: 21st Century Paranormal Reads). Authors included on the blog have (in general) written new series/books that were published after Fang-tastic Fiction went to press, and I won’t be duplicating book entries on my blog. If one of these authors writes a new series or if I review a new book in a series, I will put that series on the blog. If you want to see the Introduction and a few pages of the read-alike lists for Fang-tastic Fiction, click here to go to the google books preview page.
3. What is the difference between paranormal romance and urban fantasy?
Go to the PLOT TYPES page of this blog. The differences are explained there.
4. What are the ratings that are listed for each series or title?
These are the levels of violence, sensuality, and humor that I have designated for each series/title. Go to the RATINGS page of this blog for a more detailed explanation of the ratings and a clickable list of the series/titles on this blog that fit into each category.
5. What are the letters that are listed for each series: SMR, UF, HIS, CH?
Those are the abbreviations for the main plot types found in modern paranormal fiction: Soul Mate Romance, Urban Fantasy, Historical, and Chick Lit. Go to the PLOT TYPES page of this blog for a more detailed explanation and a clickable list of the series/titles on this blog that fit into each category.
6. On one of your older blog posts, I found a link to an upcoming title, but the title on the author's web site is not the same as the one you posted. What's going on?
In order to keep the blog as up to date as possible, I add upcoming titles to blog entries as far ahead as I possibly can. I get those titles from the author's own blogs and web sites. Sometimes, however, an author or publisher will change the title of a book late in the publishing process. This is a fairly rare event. If the old (incorrect) title is posted on one of my older blog entries, it probably won't get corrected until I update the entry when I review the next book in the series. I have thousands of book reviews on my blog, and my work schedule doesn't allow enough time for me to continuously review and update old posts. Sorry for the inconvenience, but this title-change situation doesn't happen very often.
7. Your older posts don't include the titles of some of the upcoming books from several authors.
See the answer to #6 above. I generally update the list of titles when I review the latest book in a series.
8. Your posts don't always include all of the novellas and/or short stories from anthologies that are part of a series.
I do my best to include all series-related short stories and novellas, but sometimes I miss one or two. I appreciate it when readers call these to my attention.