I got into an argument with my original publisher. They wanted me to do 'Kitty' and nothing else. I wanted to do lots of things, not just 'Kitty' books.

I wanted to be Carrie Vaughn the awesome writer, not the chick who writes the 'Kitty' books.

So, Cormac, have you ever dealt with a PMSing werewolf?'
No.'
Well, it's a real bitch...

Grand Central really didn't want me doing anything under my own name but the 'Kitty' novels.

I got a crash-course education in urban fantasy. I suddenly had to look up all these other writers I was supposed to be in a genre with. I instantly had to become an expert in this genre I knew almost nothing about.

Robin McKinley's 'The Blue Sword' was a defining book of my teen years, and I'd love to have more books like that in the world.