I've been obsessively tracking my copy of Mockingjay as it makes its way here to rural New Hampshire. Given the themes of the Hunger Games series, I'm aware of the irony of using technology to track a low-tech item like a book.
Tough--now I know it's here in town. It should arrive in my mailbox this morning.
I'll have to physically put it down to drive, I think, but it's going to be tough. However, I've got a good reason: I have my Adversary book event at Borders in Concord (on Fort Eddy Rd.--exit 14 off Rt. 93) at 7:30 tonight. If you're in Southern New Hampshire, please stop by. Mention that you read the Disgruntled Bear and I'll give you extra chocolate or something.
Did I mention there will be chocolate? Books and chocolate.
And last night, Ganzfield and Hunger Games fused in my dreams, *tiny spoiler* centering around the term "avox."
Showing posts with label mockingjay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mockingjay. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Anticipation
C'mon, fellow YA readers, you know what's coming next week. Chant it with me...
Mock-Ing-Jay!
Mock-Ing-Jay!
Mock-Ing-Jay!
I'm re-reading Hunger Games and Catching Fire this week. I love getting the next installment of a new series. But, with Mockingjay coming out just four days after Adversary, I got to thinking about a problem with book series...
How do you keep the reader's knowledge of specifics--characters, relationships, past plot developments, and/or alternate history? If you write paranormal stuff, readers also need to know about special abilities or twists on cannon. Do your vampires sparkle in sunlight rather than bursting into flames? Do your werewolves change form with ambient temperature rather than moon-cycle?
If you don't refresh their memories, readers will be confused by some of the new plot ("Who's that guy, and what on earth is he doing?"). If you give them too much of a refresher as everything starts up again, your first chapters drag.
In Adversary, I wrote a "Dear Reader" letter for the opening which gave a quick overview of the main characters, their abilities, Ganzfield, G-positives, and dodecamine. In Legacy, I've done the same, but also added a bit of information about the plot developments from the last book. I've been making final revisions this week--it goes to the editor in the first week of September. I keep wondering which way to err. Too little info might confuse people, but too much might bore them or at least make them say, "I know this already!" So, now I'm asking you:
When you read a series, do you prefer to have a lot of reminders in the opening chapters, or do you prefer to have the story pick up immediately and assume you know the details from the previous books?
Thanks again to Lea at YA Book Queen for hosting my guest post yesterday, and thanks to all of you who clicked over and said hi!
* Wine not included. No, this isn't my living room; I found the picture on an architecture website. Really.
Mock-Ing-Jay!
Mock-Ing-Jay!
Mock-Ing-Jay!
I'm re-reading Hunger Games and Catching Fire this week. I love getting the next installment of a new series. But, with Mockingjay coming out just four days after Adversary, I got to thinking about a problem with book series...
How do you keep the reader's knowledge of specifics--characters, relationships, past plot developments, and/or alternate history? If you write paranormal stuff, readers also need to know about special abilities or twists on cannon. Do your vampires sparkle in sunlight rather than bursting into flames? Do your werewolves change form with ambient temperature rather than moon-cycle?
If you don't refresh their memories, readers will be confused by some of the new plot ("Who's that guy, and what on earth is he doing?"). If you give them too much of a refresher as everything starts up again, your first chapters drag.
In Adversary, I wrote a "Dear Reader" letter for the opening which gave a quick overview of the main characters, their abilities, Ganzfield, G-positives, and dodecamine. In Legacy, I've done the same, but also added a bit of information about the plot developments from the last book. I've been making final revisions this week--it goes to the editor in the first week of September. I keep wondering which way to err. Too little info might confuse people, but too much might bore them or at least make them say, "I know this already!" So, now I'm asking you:
When you read a series, do you prefer to have a lot of reminders in the opening chapters, or do you prefer to have the story pick up immediately and assume you know the details from the previous books?
Thanks again to Lea at YA Book Queen for hosting my guest post yesterday, and thanks to all of you who clicked over and said hi!
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| * Image copyright Jennifer Larson, http://www.an-architecture.com/2010/04/couch-cushion-architecture.html |
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