Look Who’s Going to RT: Melissa Marr

Melissa MarrCan you introduce yourself to my readers a little?
I write the Wicked Lovely series which is a folklore-based series of books about traditional Celtic faeries and the humans who encounter them in the modern world. The 1st book, Wicked Lovely, received the RITA for YA from Romance Writers of America, was on the recommended reading list for SFF in Locus, and was re-issued in Germany as an adult novel last year. So, I’m not really sure what my genre is. The 4th book in the series, Radiant Shadows, releases the 20th—the week of RT. In addition to these, I wrote a 3 volume manga series in this world and a variety of short stories. My first adult book, Graveminder, releases in 2011, but I’m not really sure what the genre of it is either. I’m currently just calling everything I write “fiction” or “stories” to avoid figuring out a label.

Can you introduce us to the world that you have created?
Wicked Lovely is set in our world, but with faeries. Most humans can’t see them, but the teen protag of the first book (Aislinn) can and the protag of the second book (Leslie) gets drawn into their world. The series has a mix of human and faery narrators. These aren’t sparkly Disney fairies, but the creatures of the old Celtic folklore: terrible, beautiful, human-sized, and dangerous.

Will this be your first RT or are you a veteran? Any advice for those who are going for the first time?
This is my 3rd RT. My best advice is to relax and enjoy. RT is one of my favourite events. Authors and readers mingle all over. It’s not divisive in any way. There are, of course, some of the “scandalous” activities people fuss over post-RT, but I’ve never seen or experienced anything untoward. Choose the events that interest you. Go to them. Relax. Meet people. Enjoy. If you want scandalous, you can find it; if you don’t, you can avoid it. It’s all good.

Are you speaking on any panels during RT? Are there any you are looking forward to?
I’m on the film panel, a manga panel, YA, and Paranormal Romance panel. I’m doing the Harper/Avon mixer (I sign books & look longingly at the free drinks), a YA How-To Workshop (I put together with Kelley Armstrong and Holly Black), the manga signing, and of course, the Giant Book Signing. It all sounds like fun to me (which, I suspect, is why I say “yes” to so many things).

If someone were wanting to meet up with you at RT, who should they look for?
When I’m not on panel, I’ll be listening to panels where my crit partner (Jeaniene Frost) or friends (Kelley Armstrong, Holly Black, Jennifer Barnes, Rachel Vincent, Joce Drake, etc etc etc) are speaking *pauses* or in the bar with said friends. I come to RT not just to meet readers, but also because it’s a chance to spend time with friends I don’t get to see anywhere near often enough.

About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.