SHANNON MUIR’S THURSDAY THOUGHTS on THE PULP AND MYSTERY SHELF are observations from the site administrator on her writing life, or the industry at large. Anything Shannon Muir thinks about goes – check the blog on Thursdays!

You’ve probably noticed that in the standard interview here at The Pulp and Mystery Shelf that authors are asked about the genres they write in. I admit I admire those who answer, because I’m still struggling with figuring out where my genre – or genres – are.

For example, I would not see myself as a suspense writer. However, I recently had someone liken my story in EXPLORER PULP, “Hidden History” (available now for Kindle, Smashwords, and in print at Amazon and Barnes and Noble) to something they’d see as a fit in Alfred Hitchock’s Mystery Magazine. In the past, I’d perceived my style of writing mysteries and crime fiction more appropriate for the Ellery Queen vein and therefore only have submitted there instead of its sister magazine.

Now here is an online reader – someone I don’t know – defining me as a suspense writer in a way I did not see myself. Re-reading the story, I can see how that comparison would be made. What I learned from the experience is that I might just have a wider range than I think; what I need most right now is a better sense of what my range is.