I'm sure this has been discussed before but I didn't see anything that sounded like my book so I'm reaching out for a little help. The MC is a female detective, set in 1865, where the world is made up of integrated humans and abnormals. Her antagonist is a CID ancient vampire at Scotland Yard. Her confidante is a ghost, His confidante is his werewolf detective. Derigibles play a key role in getting the protagonist back and forth over the channel. There is a murder mystery that starts the story off. My beta's say I've bent so many genres they would drop this under the banner of steampunk. I'm afraid that category is being over used and my book will be lost among the deluge. Any thoughts?
Personally, I'd call it a Supernatural Mystery story to your publishers. If you have to pick just one, I'd call it Mystery. I've never dealt with publishers before, though, so that's just my tuppence. Someone else may be able to raise you a shilling.
It sounds like a steampunk setting, for sure. Maybe distinguish it a bit by adding something about the plot instead of just the setting? A steampunk mystery, a steampunk romance, whatever. You're right that the term has been used quite a bit lately, but I don't think you're going to fool anyone by calling the story something else when the story seems so clearly to be steampunk. As soon as an agent/publisher sees "dirigible" the game will be up, I'd say.
Yeah, it's probably edging toward steampunk or one of the other fantasy sub-sets. Those tend to override the other, more classic elements like mystery or romance. It definitely wouldn't be mystery, but there are plenty of (insert fantasy/SF subset) mysteries out there. Sounds interesting though. I'd check it out. ETA: seems that Bay agrees... she'd know better than I
Yeah - I should probably have googled the definition of "dirigible" before I offered my advice. I had no idea they were so important.
Definitely Steampunk. Whatever else you tack onto it ...mystery, romance, whatever ...I think a publisher will categorise it as Steampunk.
