Genres as Beer

You heard me. This is high logic here. Seriously... I was thinking the other day about something I've frequently said... when I drink beer [note: remember my often said philosophy—if you can see through it, why bother? So really I am mostly talking about ale, though the Beer Wench has proven to me that variety in lager is indeed available]

Back to writing and beer... When I drink beer, there is sort of a 'flavor total' I seek. I love a variety, but if it is amber, I like it bitter, if it is golden it needs to be REALLY bitter... but if it is BROWN, then I sort of prefer something a little on the sweet side. Especially if it's DARK brown and heavy—I like a porter, or a smooth oatmeal stout better than a plain old stout.

See... This is how I WRITE! Let me e'splain...

Let's say TOPICS addressed determine how DARK a beer is...Death is of course darkest, but if death is pretty black, rape is nearly there and kidnapping is pretty dark brown... are you with me? Psychological trauma is amber—because it's dark, but easier to overcome.

Sweet stories of love and romance? Golden. Unreal elements would be those unexpected thrills... fantasy, paranormal--(can you say pumpkin spice or ginger ale—and by ginger ale I mean an ale made with ginger, not a soft drink)--I like these, too—quite a bit if they're done well, but honestly, I like them best STILL DARK... those Christmas Ales that are brown and have nutmeg and cloves are AMAZING. The mainstream version not so much...

A FUN romance... (I'm sorry... is my cynic showing? *cough*) But a comedic romance or a romance with some life lessons (usually sold under the heading 'chick lit') would be still golden but maybe... FRUITY... (My buddy Stacy writes romance with enough humor and action that I'd maybe call them a raspberry ale, though surely she'd prefer to be a snozberry) My point is, even in fiction there is a 'flavor total' I prefer... if it is DARK, I need the sweet elements. My cozy mysteries have dead bodies... but they are funny, on the light side... Maybe nut browns.

I write a darker MOOD in most of my stuff, but the death (if even there) isn't so central, so the topic isn't quite as dark. In this writing I focus on YA (which allows some 'innocence', by ALWAYS having a character or two with a sense of humor, and by allowing for a relatively happy ending. And I generally focus on more 'relatively dark' instead of fully dark... yes, death, but it is more peripheral, rather than the theme... I kidnap a lot (is that bad?) Two of my ten books have included rapes.

So there we have it.

What kind of ale do YOU write?