Favorite RTC Book?

[Erika]

What are your favorite books by Richie? I know many will want to say "All" but if you had to pick one or two... or maybe three, what would they be? :)

[Holly S.]

I first starting reading RTC when I was around 11 or 12 years old. I think the first one I ever read was Someone at the Door. I fell in love immediately and read every book I could find. My favorites then were Trick or Treat and Someone at the Door. About 2 weeks ago, I got the urge to starting reading RTC again. I've already ordered every book except the Buffy ones. I've reread around 10 of them and I'm 23 now, but my favorites are still Trick or Treat and Someone at the Door. However, I can't wait to read the Walk of the Spirits and The Unseen set, as well as Blood Roots and Scarecrow! I'm sure that I'll love them just as much!

[Erika]

Once you read each one, feel free to make a post about them! I'd LOVE to chat about any of them. Especially Blood Roots and Scarecrow :D

[Becky White]

I first discoverd RTC around 6th or 7th grade. I had just recently gotten hooked on the "Teen thriller" genre, and was getting bored with the R.L. Stein and Christopher Pike series because they just weren't that well written and rather repetitive. Yes, even at that young age I was a critic, lol. I've been an avid reader for as long as I can remember, and have always been very passionate about books. Richie's books made it very easy to get attached to because the story lines would suck you in and the characters were always very easy to empathize with. As everyone else has said all of her books are fantastic, but my top 2 favorites would be "Blood Roots" and "Silent Stalker". I really wish that she would have written more Adult novels because she would've had more freedom, but I'm assuming that after "Blood Roots" and "Scarecrow" didn't seem to appeal as much to the Adult market as her YA books appealed to the teen populace she must've decided to "stick with what paid the bills" lol. I'm 27 years old and am not embarrassed to say that I still own and re-read all of her other novels whenever I'm in the mood for what I call a "Candy novel", meaning it's a quick and easy read that's also very entertaining. She came to St. Louis when I was 13 to give a writing lecture at a local public library and I had the awesome honor of meeting her. At that time she was discussing a book that she'd been working on for the past several years which she was going to gear more towards her Adult audience. The book was not finished or published at that time but she had hoped it would be finished within a year's time. She described the book as being about "were-wolf/demonic-like entities", and a young heroine with "psychic" gifts. I waited and waited for that book to come out, but it never did. She instead published "Summer of Secrets" and "Starstruck", and "House Next Door", none of which fit the description of what she'd described. I have not yet finished the "Unseen" series (the last 2 books are now the only ones of her books that I haven't read), but I do own and have read the first 2 installments of the series. It didn't strike me until I read the second book a few years ago, but I'm thinking that this is the story she was trying to write back then. Maybe she wasn't able to sell it to the Adult market, so she decided it'd be best to write it for the YA crowd and break it off into a miniseries. Who knows?

I've also always wished they would convert her books to movies! I think that any of her storylines would make great movies. They've done it with Lois Duncan, Christopher Pike, and a few other YA authors from the 90's and '00's. It's just so sad that she hasn't gained more notoriety for her talent. I think that if they reprinted her novels there would be a huge upsurge in popularity and she would bring in a whole new generation of fans.

Anyway, I've been kinda babbling in this post, lol. I combined 3 different discussions into one post. But feel free to share your opinions!

[Erika]

If I had to make an educated guess, I'd say the novel you are referring to might be Night Stair, the adult novel that was never published. I asked Richie about this myself and she answered it in her first newsletter :

"Hi Richie, My name is Erika and I have been a huge fan of yours since I was in 6th grade (over ten years ago). You not only got me into reading, but also inspired me to be a writer (I just graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Creative Writing this past May).

Anyway, there are so many things I would love to ask you, but one question that's been on my mind is:

On the very last page of the book "Blood Roots," there is an ad for the novel "Scarecrow" and at the bottom of the page it says "And look for her next horror novel... "Night Stair" Coming in 1994. I was just wondering what ever happened to that novel? Did it end up being published under a different title or did it just never make it to print?

-Erika


Hi, Erika--

I've always considered it a great gift if my books could inspire someone to read. But to write, too? That's a greater gift than I could even hope for! I'm so touched by your words, and so delighted that I might have played even a little part in opening up those magical doors for you. Thank you so much for telling me.

As for your question, yes, I know exactly what you're talking about, and here's what happened:

I had written the book NIGHT STAIR, which I ended up changing to ONCE UPON A NIGHT. My editor loved it, I loved it, and the two of us had worked really hard on it. It was a book we were both immensely proud of. My editor had promised me the book would be my big "breakout" novel for the adult market. My editor had basically "ok'd" it--I was only working on a very few "touch up" revisions. Then...my editor left. Just like that. Called me and told me she was going to a different publisher, and it was against company policy for her to take me with her. I was devastated, to put it mildly! Another editor was assigned to me--I was told he was great and would be well-matched with me, etc. Well, Mister Well-Matched turned out to be Mr. Totally Clueless! He had NO idea of what the book was about, he just didn't "get" it. Every single thing my former editor loved about it, he told me to change. Every single thing my former editor felt really "made" the book, the new editor didn't like and didn't understand. Finally, my agent stepped in, told Mr. New Editor's boss that he was being a jerk (though I think she said it politely!) and we pulled the book. I still have the book, though I haven't looked at it in years (too painful at first!) BUT I have always dreamed that someday I would submit that book again and get it published. Probably would need updating, rewriting, etc. But I still think it would be a great book!!!

So there you have it. And yes, it was awkward, too, the book being mentioned and advertised--then falling into a bottomless black hole forever!

I just want to thank you again for reading my books and for finding some inspiration in them. I wish you all the best. Perhaps I'll be visiting your website someday, asking for information about books by Erika Bluemel?????

All my best,
Richie"


I don't know about you, but because this novel puzzled me for so many years, I would absolutely DIE to get my hands on it. lol. I hope it does get published one day.

This may not be the same novel... because what you said she described does sound a lot like Unseen. But... you never know...


As for her notoriety... I completely agree! It doesn't seem fair. She is a far better writer than most popular young adult authors out there today.