Urban Fantasy Recommendations

Currently reading - Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris

Last week an RWA chapter mate asked for recommendations on urban fantasy books for a critique partner of hers. Here's a portion of the e-mail I sent her:


"There's not a whole lot out there as far as how-to's for urban fantasy. I'd suggest http://www.urbanfantasywriters.com/ as well as -

How to Write the Break-Out Novel by Donald Maas
How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy by Orson Scott Card

The best thing to do though is to read the genre. My recommendations would include (with the first book in the series in parantheses):

Jim Butcher - The Dresden Files series (Storm Warning)
MaryJanice Davidson - Queen Betsy series (Undead and Unwed)
Charlaine Harris - The Sookie Stackhouse Mysteries (Dead Until Dark)
Kim Harrision - The Hollows series (Dead Witch Walking)
Mark Henry - Amanda Feral series (Happy Hour of the Damned)
Lilith Saintcrow - Jill Kismet series (Night Shift)

Lots of other good ones out there, so tell your friend not to limit herself/himself.

Also, some agents are looking for books with a male protagonist since the field's dominated with female protagonists thanks to Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

Anybody else have some suggestions? I'd love to hear them.