It's my turn to gush today. Thanks to Amy over at My Friend Amy who had a great letter yesterday, and I hope you'll follow me to Fiction Vixen's place tomorrow to see who her letter it addressed to. Also a big thanks to Kassa for organizing this whole experience.
Dear Ms. Huff,
Dear Ms. Huff,
I first discovered your books about four years ago, when I switched from reading almost exclusively detective fiction, to reading paranormal romances. Your Blood Books came up on a forum I was on at Amazon, and as I was just getting my feet wet in the whole shifter/vampire world, I was taking recommendations, and picked them up and loved every minute of them. When I discovered your Smoke series I may have squeed out loud, or at the very least in my head. And when I found out Tony and Henry were in a relationship, I probably swooned slightly. This was before I had discovered m/m romance, but I knew it was how it should be for those two. Even though their relationship didn’t last, I was so totally in love with Tony at that point, I was okay with that, especially when he set his sights on Lee.
Those books were the first time I became seriously invested in fictional characters, and remain so years later. I may have written you, in total outrage, when I read a production company was going to turn Tony into a girl, and “ruin” my favourite books. How could they DO that to me? You so kindly replied, and explained how it all works, and while totally selfish, I’m happy to see it hasn’t happened yet.
Your use of humour in your work, without turning it into a slapstick comedy, it something I would aspire to in my own writing, and to this day, those three books still rank up there with my favourite stories of all time. I am also immensely proud to claim to be a fellow-Canadian, and your Canadian settings just bring those books even closer to my heart. So thank you, for introducing me to such amazing characters, and making me care about fictional people, in a way that still slightly freaks me out. :-)
Tam
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33 comments:
I LOVE when a book makes you laugh or cry out loud when you're trying to be quiet. I actually had never heard of this author so I'm really quite intrigued.
Great letter and I'm so excited with all these new authors. Which book would you suggest to start? And does it come in ebook?
It can be embarrassing but good too. LOL
Hmmm. Well, she writes a lot of fantasy, but in this particular vein (hahaha) I'd suggest you start with The Blood Books Vol. 1 (which is at the top). It would give you the background of Henry, but if you want to avoid the m/f flirting around, you could then hop straight to my fave, the Smoke series so you'd know who Henry was. I don't remember when Tony came on the scene in the Blood books but he's basically just food for Henry at that point, so you don't need to read more.
I imagine they come in kindle, but I'm not certain. I read these back in the day before I discovered e-books.
This is a new to me author, but I love that she makes you laugh, which is what I enjoy reading.
I also love that not only did you write to her, but she wrote back. That's awesome.
Great letter!
Thanks Patti. She was very polite to my diatribe against the evil entertainment industry ruining my fave book. LOL Having had her Blood Books made into a TV series, she explained how it worked to me. She was very polite to someone whom I'm sure she thought was a rabid crazy woman. :-)
I love how her witches and wizards are just normal folk, rather than some kind of avenging kick-ass babe/dude out to save the world. The Summoning the Keeper series is explained thusly "Claire is a Keeper, charged with keeping the fabric of the metaphysical universe together, who inadvertently finds herself in charge of a Bed & Breakfast with a hole to Hell in the basement. Oh and she has a talking cat. Very funny stuff and more of an m/f romance.
I checked at the Amazon Kindle store Kassa and they don't seem to have the first Blood book (or the compilation) but have the second one and have the third Smoke book but not the first two. What's up with that? Maybe a publisher thing?
I've not read any of these books either but they sound fun. I'm on a bit of a fantasy roll at the moment so I'll bear them in mind.
Thanks for a great letter and bringing this author to my attention!
If you like fantasy they are a fun read Jen, with just a whiff of romance added in. ;-)
You should know there's a new Tony & Lee short story in the anthology "Those Who Fight Monsters" http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1894063481 and that although Tanya's is the best story, a couple of other authors are also pretty good. Of course, it's totally worth the purchase price just for the Tony story.
Ohhh. Thank you chicken. I'll definitely be checking that out.
Oh lord Tam - you make me think of reading a much love author's work and literally laughing out loud or just have a goofy look that makes people look at me oddly...
I love when an author does that....
These sound so fun - just the ticket for a weekend hiding from my holy terrors...
:)
I have to confess it makes me smile EH when I see other people doing it, so I hope they are equally amused in a good way when I start snorting in public. :-) I just adore the books, and I'm not much of a fantasy reader but these work for me in a big way.
Oh, I loved the Blood and Smoke books! I should reread those sometime...
What a lovely letter, Tam. :)
Yay, someone who read them. :-) Thanks Chris.
Hi Tam:
Oh, Tanya Huff's Blood Books are on my keeper shelf! I too love her voice. I've not read her Smoke series but you have me totally intrigued.
I'm a Canadian too and have seen her interviewed on a number of occasions particularly when the Blood books were made into the short lived TV series. :-)
Wonderful letter Tam, thanks for sharing and inspiring me to read more of Ms. Huff's work.
She is vera cool!
Best
Thanks Lea. Hope you try the Smoke books. You'll just fall totally in love with Tony, and as a bonus get Henry as well. :-)
I haven't read this author before and if there's humour in it, that's a real bonus. Damn, My TBR list expands again!
They are funny and sweet and a bit gory and scary, all rolled into one Juni. :-)
I know, these blog crawls are awful for increasing the TBR.
I haven't read this author and it sounds like I've missed out. I may have to get out of m/m land one day. Great letter, Tam!
Thanks Lily. The Smoke books are 99.5% m/m. :-) First Henry and Tony and then a 3 book flirtation between Lee and Tony. Obviously I can't say enough about them, just loved the characters, even the supporting cast were all unique and fun characters with their own personalities.
"When I discovered your Smoke series I may have squeed out loud" I LOVE it when that happens! Very nice letter Tam!
Your enthusiasm is contagious <-- please say I wrote this correctly, I'm lazy enough today to not doing a spellcheck...
Anyhoo, I loved reading your letter and must now check these books out ;)
Thanks Julie. It's fun to have that feeling. :-)
You got it right Leontine. LOL They are a fun read with lots of great elements and set in Vancouver which is extra interesting for me.
Just popping in to say I read these books a long time ago and loved them. The few episodes of the television show couldn't begin to compare!
Nice letter, Tam!
Although TV Henry was cute as a button and right up my alley Wren, you're right, it didn't have the same allure and I was heartbroken to hear they might bastardize Tony into a girl to appeal to the same fan base. Oh those evil network execs. :-)
Thanks for stopping by.
Loved this letter, Tam. I'm a big fan of these Tanya Huff novels, especially the Smoke series. Scary, funny, smart, and sexy -- and very original. I've read both the Blood series and the Smoke series at least twice. Your story about writing to the author is great. I keep wondering which of her other books might be just as satisfying.
The whole Tony and Lee story was so well done, especially Lee all indignant about how he was not going to be the damsel in distress. And watching Tony mature over the course of the series was very rewarding.
(Sorry about being "Anonymous." I'll figure this out another time.)
--Cary
Great letter Tam. Looks like I have a new author to investigate.
Fantastic letter Tam!
And when I found out Tony and Henry were in a relationship, I probably swooned slightly.
What? I've read the first in the series, but...Tony and Henry weren't in a relationship. More details please? I also have one of Tanya Huff's books on my TBR list *checks* Of Darkness, Light, and Fire, which is actually two books I think :)
Thanks Cary. You might like the Summoning the Keeper series. It's got a female lead character who is quite funny with a cute love story.
Thanks Kaetrin.
When Henry moved to Vancouver Orannia, Tony went with him and they were living together as a couple while Tony went to college. However they split up but remain best friends early in the novel so you don't get to see too much of them together as a couple but Henry helps Tony with all of his adventures through the books with the romantic POV switching to Tony and Lee, although unrequited until the last page of the last book. LOL
Great letter Tam :) I love it when you can't help but become totally invested in characters :)
Thanks Mandi. It's not usually my style, I'm more of a "whatever" type reader but this time, I totally fell in love with them and any kind of change to the "truth" of their character makes me berserk. LOL
And here I was hoping for some Henry & Tony one-on-one time :) Thank you Tam!
@orannia, please read the Blood books, where you will get some Henry & Tony one-on-one time. :-)
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