This topic has covered the book in some detail, but you haven't taken a good look at the "New York Times Bestselling Author". Let me help out with that, because it is a wild ride that just gets better and better.



1) Smut writer (under a pen name so hilariously troonish I am starting to suspect this is a he after all)
2) Also wrote Rick and Morty Presents: Pickle Rick
3) Mainly works in "steampunk paranormal romances"
4) Lives in Roswell, GA  🛸

Other works by this strong and diverse author include...
Strong and Diverse Females: The Diversening



King Mancastle! 👍

But that's not all. Ms. Dawson's other, uh, literary merits invite special consideration. For, as Ava L. Lovelace, she puts the LOVE back into Lovelace. And when I say "LOVE", it is LOVE in a very specific, very-very special way.




This is, shall we say, a lady of very specific interests and very finely honed focus.




There are 118 of these masterworks.



And, uh, not so masterworks.

Anyway, you can rest assured Ravenloft, and D&D in general, are in good hands.

From what I've heard, writing licensed novels for franchises and smut for lonely spinsters are the only ways of making a living as a novelist these days. Not saying it makes her the next Hemingway, but it's pretty much what I would expect. The publishing industry is a trainwreck these days.

Quote from: ForgottenF on November 01, 2024, 06:50:14 PMFrom what I've heard, writing licensed novels for franchises and smut for lonely spinsters are the only ways of making a living as a novelist these days. Not saying it makes her the next Hemingway, but it's pretty much what I would expect. The publishing industry is a trainwreck these days.

I've known a few authors and this us unfortunately true. Steamy romances sell well.

But whooooeee she sure is pushing it with those Lovelace books.

I suspect she does a sort of quirky humor vibe with her stories. Wonder why wotc hired her over their stable of established writers? Aside from most of them being guys.

Thank you, Melan, though I believe I regret the knowledge. She seems to have her carved out romance niche, with a Chuck Tingle level of repetition. A prolific output that is not unlike the pulps, might be the kindest thing I can say.

 I was hoping for a modicum of earnest effort in the writing of the novel, to compensate for the MtG Planeswalker, Avengers Assemble!, ChatGPT AI-esque strutting vomitus of a cover. And now I can blithely extinguish that hope, too. Was never heavily into the popular franchise novel scene, so I was never really in the market for this novel, but I do respect the Ravenloft setting and hoped for some respect in kind from WotC. Now I expect corporate low-effort shlock of an even lower level than my current day lowered expectations.

It's liberating in a way. So I guess that is a 'thank you!'

The new Ravenloft novel is incest porn? Really? Who thought that was a good idea?

Quote from: BoxCrayonTales on November 02, 2024, 02:15:51 PMWho thought that was a good idea?

Her father-in-law, perhaps.

Quote from: BoxCrayonTales on November 02, 2024, 02:15:51 PMThe new Ravenloft novel is incest porn? Really? Who thought that was a good idea?

No. I don't believe it will be that at all. Melan is just pointing out the author has an additional nom de plume side gig that rewards her likely quite well to warrant a vast body of similar work under a rather short period of time. That means the author has fame for churning out large amounts of fetish erotica works, thus leaving questions about her craftsmanship for this novel.

I don't believe her or WotC would try to pass off a taboo fetish in this published work. The risk doesn't seem worth it. However overly prolific fetish work does raise questions about the time dedication to make this novel respect D&D, Ravenloft, its canon and its fans. If you can likely make a better living spinning out pulp-like volumes of fetish erotica what incentive does one have to put more time and effort for a likely less of a return in established (yet still niche) genre speculative publishing?

Quote from: Opaopajr on November 02, 2024, 03:36:04 PM

Quote from: BoxCrayonTales on November 02, 2024, 02:15:51 PMThe new Ravenloft novel is incest porn? Really? Who thought that was a good idea?

No. I don't believe it will be that at all. Melan is just pointing out the author has an additional nom de plume side gig that rewards her likely quite well to warrant a vast body of similar work under a rather short period of time. That means the author has fame for churning out large amounts of fetish erotica works, thus leaving questions about her craftsmanship for this novel.

I don't believe her or WotC would try to pass off a taboo fetish in this published work. The risk doesn't seem worth it. However overly prolific fetish work does raise questions about the time dedication to make this novel respect D&D, Ravenloft, its canon and its fans. If you can likely make a better living spinning out pulp-like volumes of fetish erotica what incentive does one have to put more time and effort for a likely less of a return in established (yet still niche) genre speculative publishing?

Greetings!

Well, it seems to me that she already has an established porn audience. Furthermore, she can always continue writing erotica as a side gig, or return to do so as she deems fit. Writing some Ravenloft novel is an excellent opportunity for her to expand her professional resume into something beyond erotica, and also expands her audience into new areas. It is a "Win/Win" opportunity for her in every way.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Quote from: Opaopajr on November 02, 2024, 01:55:23 AMbut I do respect the Ravenloft setting and hoped for some respect in kind from WotC. Now I expect corporate low-effort shlock of an even lower level than my current day lowered expectations.

It may even be deliberate to get a negative reaction from the cover. Or they just used whatever AI generated and called it a day.

But the cover has that deliberate disonance vibe to it that smacks of outrage marketing.

On the other hand wotc has a dislike of Weiss and Hickman so it could be a big "Take that!". Its the sort of petty thing wotc would also do.

Quote from: Opaopajr on November 02, 2024, 03:36:04 PMI don't believe her or WotC would try to pass off a taboo fetish in this published work.

NEVER expect a writer with a fetish to not try to slip it in somewhere. Wanna lay odds Strahd puts the moves on one of his "Heirs"? wotc has no QC and it will slip past till someone spots it in the book. Very brief working with Stephen King taught me this one the hard way.

If the writer has any common sense she will make these heir's very distant relations to the point of irrelevancy. But odds are that wont happen.

You know. looking at that cover art. Theres parts of it that are really familiar looking. The Kenku, Strahd, the Tiefling... and more... Just cant place where. Its definitely AI as the more look at it the more funky alot of hand and finger placements are.

AI is disgusting. I can understand poor individuals resorting to it, but companies? Fuck off

Quote from: BoxCrayonTales on November 02, 2024, 06:28:14 PMAI is disgusting. I can understand poor individuals resorting to it, but companies? Fuck off

And in this case I would lay good odds they are not drawing from their own library of art.

Not sure but think the orc is pulled near whole cloth from a pic on Reddit or DA last year. And if it was on DA then the original artist is screwed as DA jumped on the AI art theft bandwagon.

Quote from: SHARK on November 02, 2024, 04:04:05 PMGreetings!

Well, it seems to me that she already has an established porn audience. Furthermore, she can always continue writing erotica as a side gig, or return to do so as she deems fit. Writing some Ravenloft novel is an excellent opportunity for her to expand her professional resume into something beyond erotica, and also expands her audience into new areas. It is a "Win/Win" opportunity for her in every way.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

You know what SHARK?, you are right, I am being overly reserved on my expectations of her work from her past output. It very much is possible she could be expanding her repertoire and fanbase and she will put extra effort into this one. My cynicism is getting the best of me, especially in an age where others in recent pop media show they were not worth the benefit of the doubt.

She is not them, as far as I know of her work, and you've rekindle the triumph of hope over experience in my jaded heart. But I don't want to be the first to buy and read it to find out if my benefit of the doubt was misplaced. I'll let others less jaded than I take the plunge, yet I recant my blasé dismissal of her potential outright. It was wrong and I look forward to be proven wrong. Thank you for bringing me back to the light.

Quote from: Omega on November 02, 2024, 04:45:50 PM

Quote from: Opaopajr on November 02, 2024, 03:36:04 PMI don't believe her or WotC would try to pass off a taboo fetish in this published work.

NEVER expect a writer with a fetish to not try to slip it in somewhere. Wanna lay odds Strahd puts the moves on one of his "Heirs"? wotc has no QC and it will slip past till someone spots it in the book. Very brief working with Stephen King taught me this one the hard way.

If the writer has any common sense she will make these heir's very distant relations to the point of irrelevancy. But odds are that wont happen.

You know I'm tempted to ask, but for your professional discretion I will refrain. I'll take your experience to heart, because I've seen similar artistic motifs show their face throughout history. But again, hope over experience, I want to be wrong!   -- And no, I won't lay odds, my inner bookie is too cynical for charitable odds.

I am welcome to being pleasantly surprised! What a golden opportunity for an artist!