I’ve just met a Kindred Spirit and her name is Sheri Kennedy a.k.a. Kennedy J Quinn. Like me, she studied Philosophy at uni, and like me, she thinks and writes outside the box.
In fact, the whole article is about Experimental Fiction, and I love it because for the first time ever, I know what to call Vokhtah. It’s not straight scifi. It’s not straight fantasy, and it doesn’t fit into any of the other sub-genres either. Until now. Vokhtah has a home, and I’m thrilled.
I’m off to check out Sheri’s novel ‘Feeling Human’!
The A to Z Challenge asks bloggers to post 26 articles on a themed topic. It’s supposed to be every day except Sundays during the month of April but I find that too busy and decided to post mine ‘about’ once a month. Yes, it’ll take me a couple of years. Sigh.
My topic, like the last three times, will be writing genres.
This genre:
Xperimental Fiction
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Meeka's Mind 
January 27th, 2023 at 3:08 pm
Glad you found a home – except that if you have to define it at Amazon it is not very useful unless you find a bunch of other people in it.
You’d think ‘mainstream’ would be easier, but it ALSO does not exist at Amazon, because it has been sliced and slivered into too many specific categories – and there’s no core left.
And, for the win, experimental applies to a bit of what I created. But in odd ways, and you could even skip the fact that, for example, the chapter epigraphs hang together as a complete, lightly connected layer of the external world/journalists/gossip columnists commenting on the main story. Some people will skip the epigraphs themselves. They’ll get most of it, but not all – I don’t throw things in at random, though it may take a while to understand some connections, and others won’t be connectable until the end of the whole trilogy.
You are FAR more experimental than I could ever be. It is a good thing.
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January 28th, 2023 at 8:30 am
You’re right about the category not being marketable, or at least not yet. For me though, it’s the personal satisfaction of finally being able to give Vokhtah a label. In many ways it feels akin to the first time I actually felt comfortable calling myself a ‘writer’.
And who knows? Maybe one day Amazon will give us a category for Experimental. I know I’d go to it like a shot as all the books I love to read /are/ experimental in one way or another. They’re…more, never less.
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January 25th, 2023 at 12:23 am
That was so interesting! Vokhtah definitely fits. And that must feel awesome to have a way to describe the book. I’ve read everything of Sheri’s except Feeling Human, which now I have to read, while I wait for Vokhtah II. Lol A great share, Andrea. That was fascinating.
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January 25th, 2023 at 6:57 am
-grin- I wonder if we can lobby Amazon to create a category called Experimental Fiction?
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January 26th, 2023 at 2:16 am
That would be cool. I think there’d be a lot of interest.
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January 26th, 2023 at 7:46 am
-grin- a project for 2023. 😀
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January 24th, 2023 at 3:14 pm
That’s pretty much what I write. Usually with a dystopian bent. And yeah I’m still at it.
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January 24th, 2023 at 6:54 pm
-grin- I’m waiting for the day you say “Hey, guess what? I’ve published a novel. Want to read it?”
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January 25th, 2023 at 12:05 pm
Come and gone, Meeks. Two in fact. I don’t peddle them primarily because, although the stories are good, the writing is sub-par.
You can find them for free on Smashwords.
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January 25th, 2023 at 9:14 pm
Oh! Damn. I don’t use Smashwords because the one time I bought something and tried to download it, nothing happened.
As for ‘sub-par’, I find that exceedingly hard to believe. I know you have very high standards, but that’s ridiculous, Mole. 😦
Could I talk you into publishing them on Amazon, even as a short term thing?
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January 26th, 2023 at 2:59 am
Oh, they’re there too. Everywhere Draft2Digital offers them. On smash words they’re free. Amazon’ll cost you $2.77.
Hardcopies on thebookpatch.com
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January 26th, 2023 at 7:46 am
Hah! That’s more like it. I have a Kindle so I’m happy to pay that -cough- exorbitant -cough- price. 😉
You, however, are not yet free to go. Link please!
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January 26th, 2023 at 7:54 am
If you insist, Meeks.
https://www.amazon.com/author/davecline
Blue Across the Sea is the first.
The Gribble’s Eye the second.
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January 26th, 2023 at 8:27 am
Good lad. 😀
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January 26th, 2023 at 8:33 am
p.s. just downloaded The Gribble’s Eye. 😀
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January 26th, 2023 at 8:47 am
Thanks, Meeks.
That one comes with pictures.
I found an artist on Fiverr who lives in Indonesia and he and I worked together to get them created. He’s a great guy, but he’s no longer drawing.
The theory was that a younger audience might be more engaged if there were illustrations.
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January 26th, 2023 at 4:29 pm
To be honest I was taken by the title, but I’m sure I can cope with pictures too. 😀 😀
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January 24th, 2023 at 1:31 pm
I think “experimental” certainly describes Voktah.
Most of my writing projects have felt like experiments, actually. Not the same thing, I know, but it felt like an adventure, especially the first book.
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January 24th, 2023 at 6:58 pm
The Herbert West series may have been inspired by Horror, but I would never call it a horror story.
I think my favourite authors all push the envelope in one way or another. None of you write cookie cutter stories, and I suspect that’s because you/we love to create every aspect of our work, including the rules. 😀
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January 25th, 2023 at 11:14 am
Making (and breaking) our own rules is part of the experience! 🙂
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January 25th, 2023 at 9:15 pm
-grin- indeed it is. :d
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January 24th, 2023 at 12:14 pm
Thanks for sharing this!
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January 24th, 2023 at 7:01 pm
I love it, Jacqui. As soon as I started reading I felt doors in my mind start opening. 🙂
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January 25th, 2023 at 2:49 am
That is such a good feeling!
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January 25th, 2023 at 6:56 am
It is a great feeling, and completely unexpected too. These moments of discovery are what make blogging and social media worthwhile.
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