What's coming up for Toby.

Wow...I can't imagine saying that to an author. One of the coolest things about a good series is that each new story is better than what I (not being very creative) would have written. I say keep doing what you're doing.

Well, *I* like your stories. So there.

Oh! I didn't realize InCryptid would have different narrators. It's actually been a while since I've read any book series that swaps out narrators from installment to installment, if my mind isn't playing tricks on me. Something novel (hurr) to look forward to on top of everything else (I'm writing up a personal fannish prospective right now).

...wow, you are prolific.

I adore your Toby books, and would never in a million years think I should tell you what to write. That said, I have a friend I *don't* recommend your books to , because the missing children stuff would be exceptionally triggery for her, despite the rest of the series being right up her alley. But that kind of reaction is *all* I feel that I, as a reader, have any business sharing with you. You write what needs to be written there, and there are a lot of people, myself included, who really enjoy it.

-m

*blink* People get invested in stories, which I totally get. But no story can be written in a way that pleases everyone. I suspect that the first scribe was no sooner scratching the first glyphs in a clay tablet before there was someone at her elbow arguing it didn't happen that way.

(I admit that in my head, Story is now stomping its wee foot and yelling "You are not the boss of me!" at all and sundry.)

"I want my baby back alive, get that October woman"
Perfect description is perfect. :)

uh, major uh. I think that's a bit of a too rude remark. and kind of a threatening *if you write about this again, I won't read it*.
well, they may feel like that, but spilling it out like this, directly to the author, sorry to say, but sounds more like a stubborn child to me than any well thought constructive comment.
also I'd say that *missing children* is a bit of a wide field. it's about the story itself, the characters. you can write about one and the same theme and the storyline is still catching, interesting, fascinating, etc. to me it only becomes repetitive if the story's exactly the same. and I definitely can't say that about Toby.
so... what can I say... I'm threatening to stay your faithful reader if the stories continue to be this good. :)

I love the Toby series:) Personally I couldn't imagine writing to an author unless it were a fan letter or there was some factual error in an area that I absolutely knew a lot about. I'll keep reading for sure. I recently got a notice of shipping from Subterranean Press:)

I'll admit, I got really tired, when reading a book of Lord Peter stories, at "Yet another inheritance story." I could see someone getting the same way with missing children (although yes, really; missing children + fey = yes, of course). I could more easily see someone going "missing children are a hot button for me, and I think I'll pass."

That said, yeah, I'd never email the author to complain about stuff like this. Look for reviews and such to try before I buy, sure, but...

I live with an author, so I know better than to think one can necessarily wrangle a story into submission anyway. ;) So add me to the "what gall" bandwagon, as I also would never dream of telling even my WIFE that she needs to write what I want Or Else. (Ironically enough, her first book was very much not to my taste, too!)

Heck, I admit I was kind of fed up with Wild Hunt stories... but Toby is on the short list of characters where I'll happily follow them down a seemingly well-trodden path anyway, because you are among the authors I trust to make it interesting and unique despite that.

Bwuh?

That's a hell of a sense of entitlement. "Stop writing this theme or I'll stop reading!" really? I mean, yeah, we all have stuff we do and don't enjoy reading about, but I'm pretty sure most mature adults, when reading books or series that utilize themes they don't like, just quietly stop reading the books and find something they *do* like. From reading the rest of the comments it doesn't sound like it's a trigger issue, just that reader whinging because you're writing something they don't like, so yeah, I'm going to go with entitlement here. It's not really any reader's place to contact a writer out of the blue to make a comment like that, unless they're a beta reader or someone else who has specifically been asked to provide that kind of criticism. (And honestly, anyone in a position like that would probably be a lot classier, more professional, and more constructive than that person was anyway.)

And as others have pointed out, Toby is a detective. Of course she's going to be called on for the occasional missing-child case. And the occasional murder. The fact that she takes on multiple types of cases is part of what makes her feel real, in my opinion. And the fact that she brings those children home and people do say - to quote your post - ""I want my baby back alive, get that October woman" demonstrates that she does that job really well, even though that's the kind of case that wrecks her the most, says a lot about Toby, both as a character and as a person.

Getting rambly, but yeah. Your books are fantastic, getting my hands on a new installment of any of your series is always a huge treat, and I hope you keep on doing what you're doing with many successes to come because what you do is obviously working well for both you and your readers. :)

(Unrelated to absolutely anything in this post, but I just have to tell you: I recently realized that I have copy #42 of When Will You Rise. The answer to the ultimate question is zombies! XD)

Aw, does this mean that my plans for getting Toby some coffee and kittens time by threatening not to buy the next book are doomed? Damn, and double damn (and, er, please don't take that seriously).

It seems a bit weird to send something like that to an author, especially unprovoked, but what do I know? At least it's led to some interesting talk about the series :)

I love Toby, I love everything about her story. Don't change a thing! Toby needs to be invested in her cases to make them compelling to read, and it is no surprise with her background that the most compelling cases would involve children. Especially in the last book when Toby desperately needed something outside of herself to pull her back into her life.

The way I see it, Toby is a PI, so kidnappings and murders would be the majority of her cases. At least with the kidnappings, there's a chance that the victim will come home. I assume Toby will find the missing Lord and Ladies, probably by tripping over them. :) I have a suspicion that one member of Toby's ever-expanding circle was originally part of the Lord and Ladies' court, but I won't go into that here. ;)

Pumpkin Kitty wishes you a Happy Birthday!

I had a really good comment but it got deleted or something so I'll shorthand....

I love the October Daye books and the Incryptid books are probably gonna do the same [let's face Discount Armageddon was awesome] **Darn you for writing good books B&N should send you a thank you for all the book you sell with them....anyway moving to the topic...

I don't know about anybody else but I love books where the children are saved. I mean shit errr shoot in the real world we have children missing, kidnapped, &/or murdered every damn day [Look at what happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School **R.I.H Little Angels**]. So for me to step away from my Kay Hooper & J.D. Robb books (both of whom I love to read) and pick up an October Daye or Kate Daniels books where the children may get kidnapped or are missing but at the end of the day they are found alive and breathing...Well that's an A+++ to me.

The way I see it books are like TV. If i'm watching NCIS, Law & Order: SVU, CSI: NY, The Mentalist, Rizzoli & Isles, etc and they have a storyline that I can't I just change the channel and will pick up the next episode. Good reading is when the author is left to create things the way they envision them not when they try to make everyone happy.

So Seanan McGuire you keep making those works of art and the people will read them or they won't but the most important thing, the only thing that matters is if you're satisfied with what you are creating/created!!! Oh and I can't wait for Midnight Blue-Light Special in March!!!

J.D. Robb has been recycling plots for YEARS but the characters have changed, so they respond differently to the same challenges.

So if the same theme runs through the series, you're in good company, not doing it wrong.


(on the other hand... although you're not taking requests... MORE TALKING MICE! Or maybe the rose-goblin can have more page-time?)

I find it interesting (and by that, I actually mean creepy, rude, and just in really poor taste) that some people a). feel it's their place telling a writer what s/he "should" or "shouldn't" write, and b). think the writer will actually listen to and then act on said suggestions. Waaaaaaaaaay too Stephen King "Misery" behavior...

There have been (rare) times, when I've thought a book by a favorite author fell by the wayside. Whether it was too repetitive, or went in a direction that seemed wrong for the character. Usually, by the following book, things get back on track, and if not, then I'd quietly drop the series. I could never I imagine telling an author how to do their job - I, for one, know how NOT creative I am...

Toby and her friends are very real to me - living breathing 3-dimensional people, whom I'd love to get to know in "real" life. Not to mention the fact that the Bay Area, a place I've lived all my life, has a new life for me, sometimes darker and scarier, sometimes brighter and more hopeful, but always a thoughtful opportunity to say, "here is a place where the fair folk might be watching." I admire your creativity, and I thank you for it! <3

If you could just write faster... ;-)
Love,
Siobhan

But that's like, "I don't like Glee anymore. Because they're always singing songs."

Or, "Jeez, Sir Doyle... Does he have to always be solving convoluted crimes?"

"Too many notes, Mozart. Try poetry."

Thanks for the update. I wait impatiently for the second half of the year.