Query Queue

Below, listed in the order received, are the titles of books whose query letters have been submitted for ridicule, but which have not been critiqued.

In order to offer the "Guess the Plot" feature with each query critique, Evil Editor needs his minions to suggest amusing fake plots for the titles. Send your fake plots as comments to this post. Try to limit them to 50 words. Don't worry if your plot is ridiculous; the actual plots usually are, as well.

Titles will be added to the list as new query letters come in, so check back. If you would be heartbroken to submit a plot, only to find it wasn't used, don't participate. We don't want any hurt feelings out there.

Titles in green still need fake plots. Titles in red don't.

Headless at the House of Tiki

All the Queen's Horses
Shifted

The queue is almost empty! It's the perfect time to send your query.

Book Chat 47: Stefanie Pintoff/In the Shadow of Gotham

Evil Editor said...This is the whole chat. Us.

ril said...Lucky I read the book, then.

Evil Editor said...I see this book is compared on the back cover to Caleb Carr's books. Ever read any of his?

ril said...Nope.

Evil Editor said...Me neither.

ril said...Actually, I think this is the first "detective" yarn I've read. Apart from maybe a couple of Agatha Christies years ago... And, of course, the complete "Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators."

Evil Editor said...This might be my first historical detective yarn. Though I saw The Name of the Rose.

ril said...I found it quite entertaining and easy to read. Surprised it was an award winner, though.

Evil Editor said...The award was for best first mystery novel. Usually people who've had their 1st novel published are only to happy to show up at the book chat. I never got an answer.

ril said...Very mysterious.

Evil Editor said...Who does she think she is? I'm Evil Editor. This is worse than that hockey player who didn't go to the White House...Of course if she showed up and it was two people, she'd have left already.

ril said...Not if we tied her to a chair in the crypt.

Evil Editor said...I thought this was well done, though I felt like the guilty party didn't have a big enough role. I felt like I had to go back and see who that was. Trying not to give away whodunnit.

ril said...It seemed to have all the elements I would have expected from the genre. Clever detective, helpful amateur sidekick, multiple potential suspects, lots of red herrings, shirtwaists. There was some sleight of hand to hide the "twist" ending.

Evil Editor said...It seemed to be well researched re the geography of the city.

ril said...I thought early on the historical detail was a little heavy handed. It was like having a guided tour of a museum: and on the left, you will see a Hammond typewriter, quite typical of the period...

Evil Editor said...One could attribute the excessive detail to an attempt to write in the style popular at the time the book is set.

ril said...Possibly, yes. The voice did slip a little on occasion and there seemed to be a couple of anachronisms of speech, but on the whole she held it up pretty well. Some Amazon reviews complained of the stilted narrative, but it did feel somewhat authentic to the period.

ril said...I don't know if it was because I knew the writer was female, but it took a while to get used to the idea that the narrator was a male detective...Couldn't help imagining Alistair, the criminologist, as the guy at the start of the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

ril said...She didn't seem to quite know what to do with Joe. Made a big deal out of how he resented the up and coming young 'uns subordination and then followed him round like a puppy at the investigation scene. Then he disappeared for a while. And as soon as he reappeared he had a stroke to get him out of the way again...

Evil Editor said...That's true. That was set up to be a major source of conflict. Then poof.

ril said...On the other hand, if he'd stayed around, that might have seemed a tad cliched...

Evil Editor said...These chats go more efficiently when there are two. I've already said all I had to say. Which, as you may have noted, was pretty much nothing.

ril said...I assume there's potential for Alistair and Simon to solve a few more cases together. So long as Isabella doesn't come between them.

Evil Editor said...Are they in her second book? Ah I see she now has three books starring Simon and Alistair. Spoiler alert. Alistair isn't the murderer.

ril said...Probably needs another three to have a shot at TV...Maybe a bit slow for American TV, though? British TV loves Whodunnits.

Evil Editor said...Yes, we like our crime shows set to loud rock music. So loud you can't hear the dialogue.

ril said...I guess the closed captions cost so much they want everybody to use them?

Evil Editor said...I only use closed captions when I'm watching British whodunnits.

ril said...You can find out who dun it quicker that way...

Evil Editor said...I'm ready to call it a chat. In fact, I'm ready to call it the last chat.

Book Chat 46 Carrie Ryan/The Forest of Hands and Teeth

Dave said...To start, I think this is a dark story and I'm wondering if I'm not having a generational reaction.

Robin Billings said...To Dave's point about 'dark' - I suppose it is dark, but I see a lot of darkness in the world, anyway - not morbidly, just realistically, so a dark novel doesn't worry me. And I like seeing a protagonist face that kind of thing, with difficulty, and find a way through it, ya know?

stacy said...Kids are growing up in dark times, IMHO.

Dave said...I'm not sure these times are dark just confused and dismal. I"ve been through dark times without hope and this isn't what I call dark times.

stacy said...Maybe. They feel pretty dark to me, though. But you're right that they could be a lot darker, Dave.

Evil Editor said...All our YA books have been dark. Hunger Games, Marbury Lens...was Graveyard Book YA?

Dave said...About 15 years ago I had to help home school my niece (being the scientist and engineer, the science fell to me) and she commented that my tastes in literature and poetry were too dark. (SO what If I like Sylvia Plath et. al.) So I stepped back from all that literature and guess what comes into vogue. That was the basis of my generational comment. These teens and YA seem to want dark and emotional stories.

Sylvia said...Just went searching for Scott Westerfeld's comment on the subject which I think helpls explain it: "Teenagers love a good apocalypse. Who doesn't? All those annoying rules suspended. Society's pretenses made irrelevant. Malls to be looted. School out forever."

Carrie Ryan said...re: it being a dark book. I get this a lot and I do think it's true to a certain extent. That world is a dark world -- there's always a threat of death and fear.

One of the things that really fascinates me is how people still find love and happiness during the most horrific circumstances. In war, in concentration camps, in famine-- there are families and love and compassion. It's sort of the opposite of the townsfolk pulling up the ladder to the platforms -- that in extreme times sometimes you can actually find the best in people.

I think for me there's comfort in this idea -- that we can go through horrible times but still find purpose and a full life.

Robin Billings said...Bookwise, I enjoyed the present-tense feel of this month's choice. Normally, I don't. But this was done very, very well. You keep picking them like this, EE, please.

stacy said...Me too, Robin. Normally not into present tense, but it worked really well in this book.

Evil Editor said...The Unconsecrated were done well. Very scary. I wasn't clear on whether Gabrielle, the fast one, was fast only in comparison, or fast like The Flash.

Robin Billings said...I was thinking 'by comparison', but I think that's because this world was drawn so well, it seemed like 'realistic rules' applied.

Evil Editor said...It just seemed if all the others were really slow, it would be easy to run away from them. Guess they were everywhere, so there was nowhere to run.

Dave said...I liked the writing in this book but not the situations. It's darker and more introspective than THE GRAVEYARD book. Also, I think I related to the boys in THE MARBURY LENS and I'm not relating to the girl in FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH. Probably because I'm closer to the 17 year old hockey goalie and not the 13 year old niece who likes Hetalia manga.

stacy said...I thought the take on the zombie trope here was pretty fresh and original. Also, the scenes in this were so strong, I felt like I was watching a movie in my mind as I read. Good writing.

Sylvia said...I like dystopian, especially with a female protag, so this is exactly the kind of story I enjoy.

stacy said...Yeah, me too, Sylvia.

Robin Billings said...It's really well done, immediate entry into the world. As I said, normally this present tense style brings me out of a novel rather than placing me into it, but in this case, it worked well.

Evil Editor said...Was anyone else reminded of the scene in Titanic where the lifeboats wouldn't go back for more survivors, when the people on the platforms pulled up the ladders and left others below to fend for themselves?

Carrie Ryan said...That's a lot of what I was going for -- this idea that community can break down in life/death situations. I'm always fascinated by how people act under the most extreme circumstances and whether they'll risk themselves to help others.

stacy said...I didn't see Titanic. I think I'm the only American who didn't.

Sylvia said...I haven't seen the Titanic either. :)

Robin Billings said...I didn't see Titanic either, Stacy. Usually, if something is a 'must see', I make it a point not to see it.

Evil Editor said...It's important to be up on pop culture like Titanic so that you understand my jokes when I make fun of it.

Dave said...I did see Titanic and have seen it subsequently on Cable and yes, this has that dark, soul-tearing revelation that some must die.

Evil Editor said...I believe there will be a movie made from this book. Not sure what stage they're currently at.

Robin Billings said...Cool for the author!

stacy said...I read that the company who optioned it is fast-tracking it for a 2013 release date.

Carrie Ryan said...Yep, they've exercised the option. Beyond that, I'm not sure where things stand. IMDB said that filming would be starting early 2012 so I'm keeping my fingers very crossed :)

Evil Editor said...As I understand it there's a sequel and a prequel to this book. The prequel stars Tabitha. Don't know if the sequel has any of the same characters or if it's just set in the same world.

stacy said...I read the teasers, and it seems like they are set in the same world.

Carrie Ryan said...There's a prequel short story, HARE MOON, that you can get online as an eshort story. It's about Tabitha when she was Mary's age and shows a little more about how she came to be the way she is (she really fascinated me when I wrote her in FHT).

There are two sequels (or rather, companions): THE DEAD-TOSSED WAVES is told from the POV of Mary's daughter and is a generation later. THE DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES is more of a direct sequel to the second book.

There are also a lot of other short stories set in that world - mostly around the time of the Return: Bougainvillea in Zombies vs. Unicorns; A Game of Firsts in The First Time; a story in Defy the Dark (forthcoming); Scenic Route in Enthralled; Flotsam & Jetsam in Living Dead 2.

Evil Editor said...What exactly was the Return?

stacy said...I never really understood that either, EE.

Carrie Ryan said...The Return was the zombie apocalypse.

Dave said...There is a sense of camaraderie in MARBURY LENS that I didn't get here.

Evil Editor said...There was camaraderie among them all when they were growing up. The book picks up at the point when it all goes kablooey.

DAVE SAID...I thought the writing is this was magnificent and damn near perfection. It just flowed and worked so well as the story unfolded. Really well crafted.

Carrie Ryan said...WOW!! Thank you so much!!!

stacy said...Totally agree, Dave. The writing was stellar. The part where Sister Tabitha took Mary to the deep part of the Cathedral and threatened to dump her into the Forest scared the crap out of me.

Evil Editor said...That Tabitha scene was scary, and then, apparently, she actually does throw Gabrielle to the Unconsecrated.

Robin Billings said...A lot scared the crap out of me, Stace - a tribute to how well it's done, eh?! You BELIEVE.

stacy said...I gotta tell you: the scenes were totally clear in my head. Of course, I was seeing Amy Adams as Mary. Sister Tabitha was Meryl Streep. But I know my watching the movie DOUBT had some influence on that, for some reason. Oh yeah. I have to admit that at first, when I figured out what the Unconsecrated were, I thought, "Great. A zombie novel. Just great." But that thought was faint because I was already hooked.

SYLVIA SAID...I might just break down and buy the book - I think the narrator for the audio book doesn't have as intense a voice as you guys are reading it in.

Evil Editor said...Intense is a good description. I think it's the way the moaning of the zombies is always there, like cicadas, you kind of get used to it, but it's there in the back of your mind, 24/7, reminding you that you're a goner if you make one wrong step.

Robin Billings said...Yeah, and the anxiety of that watching out for yourself 24/7 is always there. Like undercurrent background music.

Dave said...Am I the only one who had Nuns in grade school and high school? They always tried to scare the kids into behaving with threats of hell and rulers and other garbage things. That didn't impress me, it just aggravated me into remembering why a classmate just admitted these many years later that they drank through HS. I can present some really unkind examples if you want but I grew up with that frigid, cold hateful and mean discipline.

stacy said...I didn't have nuns in school, but I did have a really mean second grade teacher. Mrs. Gwaltney. She should have been a prison warden instead.

Evil Editor said...One of my teachers burned a student alive the first day of class. I gotta admit the rest of us all behaved the rest of the year.

stacy said...Where were you, EE? Slytherin?

Robin Billings said...I loathe nuns. 8 years of them in grade school. Ewwwww.

Dave said...Sister Tabitha is up there with the dark and brooding "you must do it this way, soullessly and mindlessly, because we know its the only way. It just destroys your self-confidence. That may be what this is, one girls search for self-confidence and the meaning of life. I don't mean that sarcastically or mockingly, either. I mean that in the best sense I can put it.

stacy said...I think that's pretty much the theme of the novel, Dave. Good description.

Sylvia said...Nuns and penguins. Growing up I knew they existed but I never actually saw one except now and then on a documentary. Just totally removed from my life.

stacy said...It really hit home for me how people—prior to our modern existence—really needed strict rules of conduct for survival. All those little pagan mating rituals that wove their way in through all the religious stuff.

Carrie Ryan said...This was another issue I was exploring. I never wanted the Sisterhood to be just plain evil -- I think they were strict because they felt it was the only way to keep the villagers safe. Yes, they lied and manipulated, but that's how they felt they'd survive. So in my mind, they acted out of love.

Evil Editor said...When they got to the new village, why were all the zombies indoors? Did they all get together and decide to lay a trap?

Carrie Ryan said...My zombies aren't sentient so they couldn't plan like that. I think some of them were outside but "downed" and others were inside. I think it just depends on where they were when they "downed." Some of them might have been infected when the village turned and trapped themselves inside to be safe, only to then Return, etc. Does that make sense?

Dave said...In other thoughts, I gave this book away as a gift at Christmas. I haven't heard anything about it. My Nephew's girl is 13 and I expect to hear nothing from her. Teens don't speak to Aunts and Uncles these days. They save their minds for important things like twitter and FB with their peers.

Evil Editor said...Now that she reached the ocean, and it looks like there's hope, should she try to go back and get the dog and the kid and her friends?

stacy said...Maybe we'll find out in the sequel.

Dave said...I"m not sure where it would go. Taking a boat out on a sea you've just discovered is a feat all by itself.

stacy said...She could put more Unconsecrated out in the ocean. Zombie sharks.

Evil Editor said...It would be interesting to see what happened in a big city. Is everyone a zombie? Are there thousands living in skyscrapers? Did the military try and fail to wipe out the unconsecrated?

Carrie Ryan said...This is where the third book (THE DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES) is set :)

Robin Billings said...I'm glad there was hope at the end - if there hadn't been, there would've been no reason to the journey, for me. And I like the idea of an island being a sanctuary of sorts.

Carrie Ryan said...I'm glad you saw the hope!! I meant for there to be hope :)

re: And I like the idea of an island being a sanctuary of sorts. That's the idea behind my short story Bougainvillea in Zombies v. Unicorns -- whether an island would work long term.

Dave said...I don't know if I could write something as dark as that second season of WALKING DEAD where they spent all that time looking for the child and that other event, the "kneecapping"...

stacy said...I haven't seen much of the Walking Dead. Is it good? Whoops. I mean, I haven't seen WALKING DEAD. Unfortunately, I've seen a lot of the Walking Dead here in Chicago. Heh heh.

Evil Editor said...The walking dead is scary. The zombies are realistic, but not as plentiful as in this book.

Carrie Ryan said...I'm also a huge fan of Walking Dead -- I started reading the graphic novels when they first came out and I've loved how they've grown so mainstream :)

Dave said...WALKING DEAD is spectacular but draining. It is relentlessly dark as civilization and society crumble before your eyes. I mean shatters rather than crumbles. And every so often, they rip out your heart with something so cold and despair-ful that you gotta cringe.

Carrie Ryan said...Hopefully that answers your questions! I'll keep checking back to see if there's more discussion or more questions! Thanks!

Book Chat 45 Michael Chabon/The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay

This was among my favorite Book Chat books, and I highly recommend it. Unfortunately, no one who'd read the book made the chat, so it was cancelled. Comments below were made after the fact.


150 said...I appreciated that even with the superhero focus, he still made room to mention my favorite vintage genre of comics, the romance.


Zachary Gole said...He did his research on comics very thoroughly, I think, and aside from the invention of Empire Comics and the other work of the titular protagonists, he stuck pretty close to fact. Romance comics were an important part of the industry at the time, so it made sense they'd be mentioned in the book.

One thing I thought was interesting is that Michael Chabon apparently likes making up his own words. There were a few words I didn't recognize and on Googling them (after failing to find them in a dictionary) I discovered that the reason I didn't recognize them was because Chabon had (by his own admission) invented them. Three I remember were "aetataureate", "cheminations", and "busculation", though there may have been more.

Ah, yes, here's an article online where he makes some reference (in the last footnote) to his invented words, though I don't think all the words he lists there are from The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay—I gather that he's slipped invented words into some of his other works as well. As someone who also occasionally enjoys inventing his own words, I appreciated knowing there was a successful and respected author who shared my proclivity.


ril said...All of Chabon's works will become available as e-books from now into 2012:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/michael-chabon-e-book-rights-153304102.html

Book Chat 44: David Gordon/The Serialist

Evil Editor said...This book reminded me, maybe just in tone, of two books we did earlier this year, Kockroach and Beat the Reaper.

stacy said...It reminded me of Beat the Reaper as well. I liked the ode this book made to pulp fiction. It was a good read.

David Gordon said...good morning everybody....you can stop talking about me behind my back.

stacy said...We'll probably save that for later, David. hee hee hee

Evil Editor said...Thanks for coming. Here's hoping a few more trickle in soon.

vkw said...Hi David, thank you for coming.

David Gordon said...hi....thank you for reading.

Evil Editor said...So, the excerpts from Harry's writing career. Did you write those specifically for this book, or had you already written them?

David Gordon said...Specifically for the book...I briefly tried looking at an attempted prior vampire story but I realized that while they had to seem like excerpts no actual excerpt could work, at least not such a short one.....I needed bits that felt like excerpts but that also stood alone, like little stories

vkw said...Harry is a fascinating character on one hand, I thought he was very billiant, on the other hand, not so much. But, he seemed always quite practical. David, can you tell us more about developing Harry for this novel?

David Gordon said...Well I'm curious about how you mean brilliant and practical...I had the general idea for the plot...a porn writer is approached by a famous prisoner who is a fan...for a long time...but I didn't really feel like writing it...then as time went by I kept sort of thinking of other things....such as the bit about having multiple pulp series going....or using his mom's name...or tutoring...and thinking, oh that could be the same guy....at a certain point I started to get a sense of Harry and his voice in my head then I could write it.

vkw said...Harry did brilliant and practical things - like he always called the cops and he was able to put clues together rather quickly. His relationship with Claire was so charming and lovely. But he was unlucky in love and lived with his mom and I think he could have been a great writer but kind of settled a bit.

David Gordon said...Yes vkw I agree. I wanted a "writer" character who was depressed, broke, kind of feeling like a failure...but who still cared about books etc. It made it more interesting. Like OK, now what does it mean to be a writer? Also making him unlucky in love I think positioned him to be the right protagonist for the creepy adventure he has. Another guy, lets say a ladies man type, would have a whole different story.

stacy said...Harry does seem to get a bit tripped up by what he perceives as his own shortcomings.

David Gordon said...Yes definitely, Stacy. He is tougher on himself than I'd be.

vkw said...Exactly, he was hard on himself even though I think his writing success was quite good.

David Gordon said...If I met someone who'd written all those sci fi and crime books I'd be very impressed.

Evil Editor said...And porn. Don't forget the porn.

stacy said...Yeah, I was working my way around to that in what was hopefully a polite way. : ) I loved how Claire talked him into ghostwriting her papers and totally became his agent. Every writer needs a Claire!

Evil Editor said...Claire was a doll. I have a thing for brilliant girls ever since reading The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie & sequels.

stacy said...Claire was great!

David Gordon said...Haha. Yes, I slowly fell in love with Claire too and kept adding more scenes with her.

stacy said...I liked Dani as well, though she clearly (and understandably) had a few issues. Her line about luggage and "Everyone carries their own" was pure gold. That's so true, especially in relationships.

vkw said...I think he was unlucky in love because his love interest was, well rather shallow and uninteresting. So, he chose unwisely. But, he thought it was about him, even though part of him knew she was shallow and uninteresting. He was a very interesting character.

stacy said...I didn't see Dani as shallow or uninteresting. Given that her twin was brutally murdered, I could totally see how she went the route that she did and how that would have driven her a little crazy. I think Claire was a little off base about Dani's motives—although Dani didn't seem to be totally aware of why she was getting involved with the investigation.

vkw said...I wasn't referring to Dani as being uninteresting, but rather Harry's ex-girlfriend that he still held a torch for. Dani was clearly "not all there", but not uninteresting.

David Gordon said...Regarding Harry and his love life too, I also feel like I focused in a certain, particularly difficult part of his life in order to help the story. I even hold out the possiblity that something could happen with Teresa later. So his depression, his friendship with Claire, his affair with Dani...that might all look different in a few years.

vkw said...Harry's huge character flaw, in my mind, is that cared way too much about what other people thought about him. So, when he thought others looked down on him like his snobbish ex for being a hack writer, he was dissappointed in himself. But when he went to the vampire party or saw people reading his book or when someone shook his hand even though he wasn't a gorrilla size harlem protecter, he felt better about himself and he was bit shocked as well.

David Gordon said...Yes VKW I agree. That's an example of where my view of Harry is not his own.

stacy said...David, did you do any ghostwriting prior to writing this book? I noticed in your bio that you've worked in a lot of different fields.

David Gordon said...Yes! I did some "ghostwriting." No famous people or anything, but I helped all sorts of people write and often rewrite texts, speeches, papers, articles. I wrote ad copy and pr copy and quarterly reports. I edited theses. I also wrote porn. I was an editor at Hustler and Chic and also wrote a lot for Barely Legal. If anyone knows what those are. ;)

Evil Editor said...Of course we do. I'm probably very familiar with your work.

stacy said...Very funny, EE. I actually thought the porn excerpts in the book were hilarious.

David Gordon said...Stacy I'm glad you laughed. Most of the time writing porn, I was really trying to make my friends in the office laugh.

vkw said...That's impressive. Not many people can say they edited theses and wrote porn.

David Gordon said...Haha. Well I always say my resume looks like a maniac's life unless you add -- really a novelist trying to pay rent.

Evil Editor said...Are you working on another Harry/Claire novel, or are you on to something different?

David Gordon said...I am finishing -- he said optimistically -- another book right now. It is a thriller but different, more Hitchcock maybe, I hope, anyway and set in LA.

Evil Editor said...Sounds like Rear Window, but the guy in the back apartment is a serial killer. Every night Jimmy Stewart sees him kill someone else, but no one will believe him.

Evil Editor said...I applaud you for writing a mystery in which there are twins and the live one doesn't turn out to be the dead one. Don't think it's ever been done before.

David Gordon said...Thanks EE. Part of the fun/challenge of writing a "genre" book was figuring out how to deal with the necessary but somewhat stock characters and situations. I decided to just embrace it but then do my best to give everybody some kind of spin.

stacy said...I think you did a good job of bending all the characters a bit.

stacy said...David, this seemed to be an ode to pulp fiction, like that written by Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. You a fan?

David Gordon said...Oh yes, very much a fan. I love those books and still read a lot of mysteries and crime. I reread all of Chandler while writing this.

Evil Editor said...The contrast between the humor and the horrible things done to the victims . . . just when we think we're in a quirky little mystery, suddenly we're hit in the face with entrails.

David Gordon said...Yes EE I like that sudden switch between humor and horror or just darkness or sadness. I like it in art and also feel like it is true to life.

vkw said...I was disappointed when Harry didn't get to write the novel and didn't become a millionaire. I really liked him and really saw his potential. It just seemed like he should have had a big "win".

David Gordon said...haha well I try to imply that the book you are reading is sort of his "novelized" version of events. That's why I gave actual dates and made up sounding names that he changed "to protect people." But for me his victory is deciding that writing another vampire book is ok too.

stacy said...Nothing wrong with vampire books. The good ones, anyway.

stacy said...The humor came through in the characters and the absurdity of what Harry was doing as a writer (or at least, he seemed to feel it was absurd). I was a bit sad that his professional life didn't change much by the end, but it also felt appropriate.

David Gordon said...Thanks. I struggled with that a lot. And worried about it. I also worried about how long it takes for people to start dying. Haha. But these things were inherent in my idea, there was no way around them, so I just embraced it.

David Gordon said...And like I said, I wanted to stick up for the pulp writers. I actually think Hammett is about as good as it gets.

Evil Editor said...No movie is as true to the novel as The Maltese Falcon.

Evil Editor said...I can't remember another serial killer book in which the serial killer is in jail the whole time. And yet he still gives you the chills and the belief that he's orchestrating everything makes him seem just as dangerous.

stacy said...I agree, EE.

stacy said...About how many months (or years) did you spend writing this novel?

David Gordon said...The book took about 2 years altogether. Writing it, revising it and then later, a few months working with the editor.

stacy said...I totally didn't see X as the second killer.

David Gordon said...Stacy: Oh good! I'm glad you were surprised. That is the sort of thing that is impossible to tell. Nothing is really surprising to me by draft ten or whatever.

David Gordon said...Though I did try to play fair and leave clues.

Evil Editor said...With a name like X, you're pretty much destined to be a serial killer.

David Gordon said...haha Yeah I had fun with the names and titles and such. I take a childish pleasure in that stuff.

David Gordon said...Yes. Well I knew some people would guess, some not, and some don't care, but I wanted to offer up a real mystery with clues, suspects, an explanation etc.

Evil Editor said...No one guessed. A few will claim they guessed. But they're lying.

stacy said...The biggest clue was Y. I kind of smacked my forehead when you revealed who it was. Though in a way I was gratified to see that Harry worked it out first.

vkw said...I was surprised that it was X. I thought it was going to be Z, or A, or B. Then there was always the vague possibility that C. But, figuring out mysteries, isn't my strength. I just figure everyone is guilty until the author tells me otherwise. I do admit I didn't think it was X.

David Gordon said...VKW I agree. I usually lose track or just take the ride myself....or when I guess right but it's not really deduction, just the cynicism of knowing the killer can't be found on page 50 or whatever. I tried to work that into Harry. He writes these books but has no idea how to solve a crime. Then he does.

Evil Editor said...My theory was that the killer was D. The possibility E was innocent was way down on my list, but good that you kept it alive. E could have written to F and ordered him/her to follow Harry around and kill G, H and I.

David Gordon said...Yes EE I definitely tried to present that option. Also A, etc.

fairyhedgehog said...I've just realised that I'd got the time wrong and missed the chat or most of it. Sorry. It's the clocks going back that did it.

stacy said...Yeah, A was the red herring. It's left me wondering why Q.

vkw said...I figured it out about 3/4 of the way through when I was really into the novel and wanted to know who the killer and skipped to the end and read a few pages. then I went back and fitted all the new clues together perfectly. Don't be offended, I read movie synoposis before seeing a movie. Surprise isn't a motivator for me. Yes, I did open my christmas presents before christmas.

David Gordon said...That's ok VKW. My book opens with a passage about peeking ahead so sort of assumed a few people would.

Evil Editor said...It was made clear why M at some point, but now I've forgotten.

stacy said...It was made clear why? I must've missed that.

David Gordon said...Because A is paranoid and ever since P, R.

stacy said...Oh, right. I think that was mentioned at some point in the book.

Evil Editor said...Now that I think about it, if I were Harry, finding N would have made me assume a certain person was the killer, not just add them to my list of possible suspects.

fairyhedgehog said...What struck me most was how real it felt - at the beginning I had to keep checking back as to whether the author really had written all those other books!

fairyhedgehog said...I didn't think I'd get the book read in time but when it came to it I couldn't put it down.

David Gordon said...Thanks FHH! That seems like the perfect reaction to me!

fairyhedgehog said...But I did skip the gory bits. I didn't want to have nightmares!

Evil Editor said...Of course, the REAL reason is so we'll think A is the killer.

David Gordon said...Yes of course EE, I needed red herrings and twists. Though I try to have Harry hint even at that sort of thing too.

fairyhedgehog said...I had no idea "who dunnit" but I didn't mind - I was enjoying the ride. And we were given enough clues that when we found out it was L it was an "aha!" moment, not a "wtf?" one.

David Gordon said...I'm glad FHH. I tried to play fair in that way. I am certainly the artsy literary type but I wanted my mystery to be real one with clues and an answer.

fairyhedgehog said...I loved the bit about "why do we read?" - I dogeared the page so I could find it again, which is something I haven't done in decades! "When I read, the words on the page replace the voice in my head and I cease, for a little while, to be me..." Oh yes.

David Gordon said...Thanks FHH. Really to me this book is almost more about being a reader than a writer.

stacy said...What cracked me up were the little "societies" based on his mother's ghostwriting personality. The only thing that was missing was the fan fiction. : )

David Gordon said...Stacy I had a fantasy of posting Harry's various "series" online and letting other people finish the stories but I dont think I'm popualr enough yet. It would just be sad.

stacy said... although I think it's kind of neat when people make or join groups based on how strongly they feel about a writer.

vkw said...Will we get to read about Harry in a sequel?

David Gordon said...I have no plans for a sequel but I could be swayed by popular demand.

stacy said...Really? I think you did a pretty good set up at the end for a sequel.

Evil Editor said...The four of us don't constitute popular demand, but we're just the four who remembered to show up. Others read the book.

fairyhedgehog said...So, we need a David Gordon fan club to ensure a sequel then!

Evil Editor said...Nero Wolfe and Stephanie Plum started with one book.

David Gordon said...Yes, well I'm writing a new book and it is a mystery, but as much as I love reading series I never imagined characters going on myself. I would be interested in trying. Though when I think Rex Stouts and Simenons....I can't imagine thinking up 50 of these things.

fairyhedgehog said...I enjoyed it too when the narrator tells us that he's come to the part he always dreads "when the plot needs to snap together and resolve itself". (Poor little dogeared book!)

stacy said...Me too. Though I feel that way pretty much all the way through writing a book. : )

David Gordon said...haha yes FHH, that became my solution for the difficult parts to write....I could say, this is a difficult part.

fairyhedgehog said...I'm gutted that I was waiting for the chat to start and it had started. Maths skills are clearly not my strong point.

vkw said...It was a good book and this was a good chat, I feel a tiny bit sorry for those that missed it. Their loss. Thank you for joining us and I really would like to read more about Harry.)

stacy said...The book was a really great read and it's definitely one I'll be passing on to others. I'm glad we got the opportunity to pick your brain a bit. Thanks for chatting with us!

fairyhedgehog said...Thank you so much, David, for coming to chat to us. It's been great reading all your comments and replies.

David Gordon said...Thank you all. I really appreciate it. Most of time we write things and never hear back!

Book Chat 43 Naomi Novik/His Majesty's Dragon

Evil Editor said...Welcome, chatticts.

stacy said...Chatticts? Is that even a word?

Evil Editor said...I thought it was less offensive than chattel.

Dave Fragments said...A book with dragons and sailing ships. I always wanted a sailboat. Not one of those motorized stinkpots but a true sailing ship.

vkw said...sailing boats, napoleon, war and dragons. It's like cowboys and aliens.

Evil Editor said...I thought the dragons were a lot like dogs. Talking dogs. But smarter. And bigger.

vkw said...I was thinking the same EE about the dragons being like dogs but they talk and had an intimacy with their riders. I started to see them more like best friends, spouses or even like children.

Dave Fragments said...I thought that Temeraire grew up from young thoughts to older thoughts and there was a difference between human friendships and this dragon friendship/faithful bond that it forms with humans.

vkw said...There was a relationship difference between the riders/dragons than between friends/riders. However, there is a commitment and intimacy between individuals with their families as compared to individuals with their co-workers. I think Ms. Novik did well demonstrating that.

Dave Fragments said...There's a lot of old language in this. It's not filled with modernism and colloquial phrases. I like that.

Evil Editor said...Do you think the author read lots of books written in the time of Napoleon in order to perfect the style of the book?

stacy said...I imagine she reads a lot from that time period. Felt pretty authentic to me.

vkw said...I loved the voice. I read the author's bio and naomi novik has had an interest is napoleonic history for a long time. She combined her interest with this era and fantasy.

Dave Fragments said...I think she has a good set of BETA readers and lots of editing to get that voice. To remove the modern is as hard as using a consistent tone of gloom or cheery comedy.

Evil Editor said...If Novik knew how attached the reader would become to the dragons, she would have killed off Rankin instead of Levitas.

vkw said...Dragon lovers always understand how much readers love dragons. Fantasy became my genre of choice when I read the series Dragonriders of Pern as a young adolescent. I avoided dragon stories after that because I loved the way dragons and their riders were written in the series. Never thought an author could do better. Ms. Novik did a very good job, excellent. As for killing off Levitas, I didn't like it but it's reality. People/dragons we love, die.

Dave Fragments said...The relationships we see are ones that are all around us and we accept the differences without seeing the differences. Think of the contrast between movies like MASTER AND COMMANDER and TOP GUN to make it easy on myself. The airmen are brash and wild and rude. The seamen are principled and daring. Both are good but vastly different. We see the clash of two cultures - Air versus naval and upper versus lower class and duty combined with honor.

stacy said...I've often wondered how dragons even entered folklore. Makes me wonder if someone strayed across a full set of dinosaur bones in Cro-magnon times and came up with the idea.

Evil Editor said...Dragons are to dinosaurs as elephants are to mice. Maybe a Cro Magnon stumbled across a Boeing 747.

Dave Fragments said...In folklore, I would start in China where the legends go back to creation (I think) and then to the Vikings and (I think thor's hammer) where the final battle between the gods has this giant snake Jörmungandr and Midgard and the Rainbow Bridge. There's also a Mexican element with Quetzalcoatl that I can't speak to now.

vkw said...I've thought about that too Stacy. How did dragons come to be? But more importantly, where can I get one? :) I'm not kidding, although I imagine they are very expensive to own. That may mean that only the very wealthy could own dragons.

Evil Editor said...Having to feed your pet a few cows and sheep every day would get expensive. Although they could fly off to a ranch and feed themselves.

stacy said...That was one part of the book that made me a little uncomfortable. I mean, I know they weren't real cows and such, but I did feel a little sorry for them. But then, the dragons were just being dragons.

Evil Editor said...I agree, Stacy. It was like people who toss a hamster in the cage with their pet snake.

vkw said...Sure your dragon could feed itself, but no doubt the dragon would just go to the ranch next door. We would be warring with our neighbors all the time rather than the french. Our neighbors would shoot at our dragons and we shoot at their dragons. Very messy. I suspect that it would be better to have dragons under the care of the government who can care for dragons. This would be especially the case considering they live for centuries. Of course, if you owned a dragon, you would have to will it to your children or survivors. That could be the beginning of a novel.

Evil Editor said...If there were dragons in the real world, would they have been hunted to extinction by now?

vkw said...No, we tend not to kill off our children or dogs. Although sometimes we mistreat them and their are laws to protect them.

Dave Fragments said...My brother and a few of my neighbors keep horses and I've been around at feeding time. If you love the pet or take car of such a huge animal, you keep it healthy and clean.

stacy said...If there were dragons in the real world, so much about our world would be different. Would there have even been a WWII? If so, would the outcome have been different?

Evil Editor said...Would Hitler's dragon have been attached to him or would he have dropped Hitler in the middle of the ocean?

vkw said...I am not sure about Hitler. Sure he was beyond cruel. Had no conscience. No moral compass. Ok he was a psychopath - however, I bet he would make sure his dragon was well cared for. Probably chop off the head of anyone who didn't care for his dragon.

stacy said...I don't know. Hitler was pretty freaking mean. Chances are he would have mistreated his dragon. I vote his dragon would have dropped him.

vkw said...Hitler's dragon would have attached to him, just like children attach to horrid parents and dogs worship their owners without fault.

stacy said...Maybe, vkw. I'd have a hard time believing a dragon would accept mistreatment from a handler. This hypothetical discussion is getting a little surreal.

Evil Editor said...If you were Laurence's girlfriend, would you have been willing to stick with him, or would you have been too jealous of Temeraire?

stacy said...I think if I were Laurence's girlfriend, I would have accepted Temeraire, possibly even loved him, too.

vkw said...I think Laurence was better off without the girlfriend. It didn't seem like a very committed relationship to begin with. I think Laurence was unconsciously pleased he didn't have to settle for her. I would have dumped Laurence just because he was away for long periods-years as it was. I didn't like the manner that the parents were depicted. They were rather cold fish.

stacy said...vkw, I agree the parents were cold fish. But I think it was consistent with their class and breeding from that time. I did feel that the aviators could have been more lively and roguish in the beginning. I felt like that was a bit more explained rather than shown. For the first half of the novel or so, everyone seemed so damned polite, even the dragons. Not quite halfway through, I was thinking a dragon mistakenly or not so mistakenly eating a person would liven things up.

Evil Editor said...Levitas should have eaten Rankin. I don't imagine he'd have tasted any worse than a live sheep.

vkw said...I think Levitas dragon friends should have accidentally stepped on Rankin. And Rankin's "friends" should have seen to it that he "slipped" in the tubs and drowned. After, of course, they warned him that people that don't treat their dragon well - slip in tubs of the time. Rather sad, but too bad.

Dave Fragments said...Laurence's girlfriend is true to the Victorian era. Laurence was a young man who had seen action at sea and was in line to be Captain of a prestige ship, a big one, possibly one of he 78 or 90 gun ships of the line. Being the wife of a ship's captain would make her a Lady to Contend with at all levels of society. Being the wife of an airman who kept a carnivorous beast in the back yard and might be found whoring and drinking with his buddies did not mover her up in society. It did not make her a lady. One of the more telling lines that Laurence thinks or says, is that not even the lowest mate on a ship would leave the decks strewn with dirt and garbage. they clean the decks every morning and function in relative cleanliness.

Evil Editor said...The Temeraire series has something like seven books in it. So far. Anyone read beyond this one?

Dave Fragments said...I haven't read any more yet. I might buy them for myself for Christmas. I like that Naomi Novik didn't blow the entire storyline in the first novel. Temeraire has barely come of age in this story. I had some bad thoughts when I realized that we were starting with the hatching of an egg but there is sufficient story and culture clash to hold the novel together. That's one thing that writers struggle with in the stories and novels I read. What is one episode for a chapter or short story or how broad a sweep of history is appropriate for how many words.

vkw said...I do think I may see about reading more in the series.

Dave Fragments said...This story is very much like that Victorian romance we read a few months ago. It is a novel of manners and airs.

Evil Editor said...The Iron Duke had mechanical airships instead of dragons. It's easier for the reader to get attached to a dragon. But the premise is the same: alternate history in which air travel was available in earlier times.

vkw said...I agree with Dave. This book was very good because of the manners and airs and the time period it was set in.

stacy said...I get that, but I think in a novel with dragons and ships, I would have liked to have seen a little more action throughout. Just seems to me a world with dragons would be a little more roguish. I dunno. Maybe that's the writer in me coming out. "I would have done it this way."

Evil Editor said...I thought Temeraire was a little TOO smart when he hatched. All he'd heard through his egg was stuff like Avast ye lubbers, and Holy crap! A French frigate! Yet he was fluent in eight languages. Or whatever.

stacy said...Yeah, EE, and I think I would have liked to see him start off a little feral. Not to compare to something completely unrelated, but one of the things that made the love between Buck and his owner stronger in THE CALL OF THE WILD was that Buck was so wild prior to meeting him. I think, for me, a less polite and wilder Temeraire—something that Laurence would have had to reign in and protect—would have been more ... satisfying. Then again ... maybe that would have been cliché.

Dave Fragments said...Look at the differences in breeding -- Temeraire was bred for intelligence, speed and maneuverability. It loved learning and reading. The other dragons were much simpler in outlook and made to be beasts of burden in some cases. Even in the climactic battle, Temeraire is different from the others and its weapon is not one of blood but of air.

vkw said...Dave is right about the breeding. In this way, the dragons were like canines and bred for specific puposes. Breeding leads to some unwanted characteristics like being a bit soft in the head. I've known a few dumb dogs.

Evil Editor said...Why is the title His Majesty's Dragon? Aren't all the dragons his majesty's dragons?

vkw said...Because the dragon is pressed into his Majesty's service as is his rider? Because the egg was stolen from a dictator and when hatched the dragon is pressed into the monarchy? Perhaps it's just a good-sounding title?

Dave Fragments said...I read a bit that bears on the title. You have to look up the origin of "Temeraire" as a ship of the line. IT is a real ship that the Brits sailed. The source of the name is of importance. The original Temeraire was a French ship, captured by the Brits. Now in the British Isles, this book is titled "Temeraire" and being a seafaring nation to this day, they know the history where us landlubbers in the middle of the colonies, don't. I know a pile of crap about Napoleonic era and the culture of ships at sea. MOBY DICK, THE PERFECT STORM, Hornblower and Master and Commander, and go back to Shogun all fascinate me as being of other times and the gaps in my learning.

stacy said...I've started both MOBY DICK and MASTER AND COMMANDER. But I'm having a hard time NOT seeing Russell Crowe in the M&C book in my mind. Not that I'm complaining.

Evil Editor said...Are all dragons pressed into military service? Levitas was more courier, but still, for the military. Seems like someone would have started a FedEx-like company if dragons were available to more than the air force. Or dragon rides at the faire.

stacy said...Right on, EE. Maybe there's more of those things in subsequent books.

vkw said...I wonder if there can be a fed/ex delivery service. Again the cost of caring for a dragon may not make a delivery system cost efficient. I think perhaps that only governments can afford to keep dragons. Perhaps citizens are not allowed to have dragons and if they become a rider of one are pressed into service?

stacy said...True, vkw. That FedEx company might find itself in the same position our Post Office is in now.

Dave Fragments said...Can we ask the question a different way? Were all sailing ships part of the war fleet during Lord Nelson's time? What was the role of merchant vessels? I think dragons are like that.

Evil Editor said...Dragons did deliver the mail to ships as I recall. They'd be a great pony express-like service. One of you write a book in which dragons exist in the old west and put the pony express out of business.

stacy said...They would get that mail delivered fast.

vkw said...The dragons did deliver the mail to the ships. But that still makes them government employees.

stacy said...I think the ponies would get eaten.

vkw said...Didn't the pony express last a year? Just over a year? Short book.

Evil Editor said...The discussion never would have veered off like this if the author had shown up. Let that be a lesson to future authors chosen for chats.

stacy said...We're so great at the hypotheticals, though.

Evil Editor said...BTW, two of our next three authors have agreed to attend.

stacy said...I'm guessing one of them is not named Michael Chabon?

Evil Editor said...Good guess. Just couldn't find any contact information.

Dave Fragments said...Ms Novik leaves a bit of the care and feeding of dragons to the unexplained. The feeding is mentioned once because they speculate how Napoleon could assembled forty (I think) dragons together to fly the troop transports across the channel. Feeding logistics is particularly mentioned.

vkw said...Imagine for a moment how difficult it is to feed and move an army and how often this was the downfall of many armies. Now imagine the logistics of feeding forty dragons every day, on average two cows each. that is eighty cows per day and in a week that is 560. I am not good with math or economics but that's a lot of cows. Are slaughter cows about $300, today? Wonder how much they cost back then?

Evil Editor said...I think a cow costs closer to $1000 these days.

Sarah Laurenson said...Chiming in way late, of course.

I loved this book and have devoured the rest of the series except the last one. But I also cut my reading teeth on Horatio Hornblower and I collect dragons (of the pewter variety).

This series is more similar to Horatio Hornblower than to say Alexander Kent's Richard Bolitho series. Hornblower is more about philosophy and dealing with internal fears. Bolitho is more action oriented.

So I got a very Hornblower voice from this series, but the dragons added a deeper element and the wider philosphical debate on slavery. She ticked almost all of my interest boxes with these books.

As for the title, I think it's the main issue for Temeraire since he isn't sure he wants to be one of His Majesty's dragons.

And the reason he spoke so many languages had to do with what was said to him while he was still in the egg in China and being transferred to the French.

When you get deeper in, you see a lot of differences in the Chinese and how they handle dragons as a part of society.

Book Chat 42 Leslie D. Soule/Fallenwood

Fairyhedgehog said...I was surprised that Ash didn't get to go home at the end and resolve her problems in our world. I'm wondering if that will happen in a sequel, or if there's going to be an indefinite number of sequels.

Evil Editor said...Or if she prefers Fallenwood and will stay there forever.

Falcondraco said...Well I'm gonna have her return to the real world in the sequel, and then come back to Fallenwood. That's the plan anyway. I've only got a little bit of the sequel written so far. Classes have been taking up a lot of my time lately. But if you guys have any suggestions for the sequel, please let me know!

stacy said...I'd like to see Ash solve some of her problems in her own world. That's kind of where I was expecting the end of this book to go.

Falcondraco said...Thanks Stacy! Do you mean her own personal/relationship problems, or emotional issues/baggage, or larger global/social problems?

stacy said...Mostly her personal and emotional problems, which seem to be tied together. Or at least, she learns from it. But there's really no way to direct the plot, I don't think. It's gonna go where it goes. But that's just what I expected things to go in this book. Doesn't mean that's "right" or that's where things are going to go.

Evil Editor said...You don't HAVE to write a sequel. Is this a world you want to explore more?

Falcondraco said...Yeah, I definitely want to explore Fallenwood more. And...I wasn't going to write a sequel at first, but it's been gradually writing itself in little snippets. So now it's to where I'm saying to myself, "How can I NOT write this?" :)

Fairyhedgehog said...I'm curious as to what happens now that all magic has gone from the world, although I thought that the way Ash won over Akaji suggested that maybe her type of magic still existed. Unless his counterpart in another world just suddenly died but that would be a big coincidence. I wonder if the author could say a bit more about how the system of magic works in her world.

Falcondraco said...Oh. Ok. Great question! Well, in the system I devised for Fallenwood, the magic of the planet is channeled through the crystal (in the sequel you'll get to find out that the one crystal in Fallenwood wasn't the only one, so magic still exists - it's just that Ash doesn't know that). Magic can be used by those who are born into it (like Terces even though he never uses it) or you can become a magic user by touching one of the crystals.

Fairyhedgehog said...Yes, along the same lines as Robin's question, I was wondering what fantasy books you like to read. I was going to ask about "influences" but I'm not sure that is always easy to work out.

Falcondraco said...Thanks Fairyhedgehog! Actually, for one of my classes, I had to come up with an annotated bibiliography of influences. *pulls out binder*
Here's the list I came up with for that:
-The Lord of the Rings
-Shakespeare's "Macbeth" and "Hamlet"
-Oedipus Rex (deals with the whole "fate" issue)
-Brian Jacques's Redwall series

-I love Harry Potter. I've read all the books of that series.
-Nocturne by Louise Cooper
I have a few other books on there, but they're more contemporary novels and books on writing and such.

Evil Editor said...I love it when the black unicorn stabs Laertes in MacBeth.

Falcondraco said...EE: Ha ha ha! That would be hilarious - a remake of Macbeth where the black unicorn comes in and stabs Laertes! People would be going "Whaaaaaa???"

stacy said...Falcondraco, I too am interested in your influences. Any fantasy writers you particularly like or that you find inspirational?

Falcondraco said...I love Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, J.K. Rowling, Brian Jacques - all inspirational to me in their own ways.

stacy said...Hmmm. Never heard of Brian Jacques. I'll have to check him out.

Evil Editor said...Evil Jr. had lots of Brian Jacques books. The Redwall Series. I didn't read them, but the cover art indicates the characters might be mice.

stacy said...Well, I'm working on a piece where many of the characters are rats. Would probably be good research reading, anyway.

Sylvia said...I was intrigued the fantasy world you built up and this is probably an obvious question but ... Were you inspired by The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe?

Falcondraco said...Definitely! I loved reading the Chronicles of Narnia. It's funny you should ask this because a friend and I were talking about Fallenwood the other day, and he mentioned that it had similarities to The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. I tried to write a "FanFic" story based on The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, though, and it turned out to be really horrible. Has anyone else tried FanFic before? If so, what do you think of it on the whole?

Evil Editor said...Back when we did writing exercises here we did Sherlock Holmes and noir detective and E.A. Poe fanfic. If you can call 300-word pieces fanfic. They turned out great.

stacy said...Ah yes. I remember my noir fanfic protagonist Dirk Beefhead. You're bringing back memories here, Falcondraco. : )

Falcondraco said...Oh, and I read this excellent book called How To Write Science Fiction and Fantasy, by Orson Scott Card. He says that you have to have a "price" for magic, every time it's used. That's why I came up with the idea of the lifelong "Curse" that comes with magic in Fallenwood.

Robin B. said...I never thought about there being a price for the use of magic - a price of some sort, even when not overt. Interesting way to look at it!

Sylvia said...How To Write Science Fiction and Fantasy, by Orson Scott Card That's on my list of must-read books, following a recommendation by a friend. So I take it you recommend it too?

Falcondraco said...I definitely recommend it!

Evil Editor said...I assume you've read Scott Card's most famous book.

Falcondraco said...Unfortunately, How to write Science Fiction and Fantasy is the only book I've read of his.

Evil Editor said...What?! Ender's Game is required reading of everyone in the F & SF field. That's your assignment for this week.

Falcondraco said...Note to Self: Read Ender's Game.

stacy said...I too have not read Ender's Game (yet.) That can be my assignment, too.

Sylvia said...(I liked Ender's Game too)

Robin B. said...I'm interested in the genesis of the plot - was it a combination of doing a lot of reading (I know that feeling well!) in your area of interest, fantasy, plus a daydreaming kind of thing, that became the story?

Falcondraco said...Yeah, I would say it was a combination of reading and daydreaming. I thought up a lot of it when I was working as a cashier, and Fallenwood became my "escape" where I could have fun thinking of plot ideas and working the kinks out and such.

Fairyhedgehog said...I was glad that the Wolf Man was ready to go. One less thing on Ash's conscience.

Evil Editor said...There was a Wolf Man?

stacy said...The Wolf King, I think she meant. I very much liked the idea of the Wolf King. (I love wolves!) Will we be seeing more wolves in the sequel?

Falcondraco said...I'd love to write wolves into the sequel, but not sure how I'd work them in. Hmm...

Evil Editor said...That can be her problem in our world that she has to solve. Wolf infestation of her school.

ColleenB said...Will Graymalkin(sp) remain a cat in the sequel?

Falcondraco said...Right now I'm thinking he will, but it's not set in stone or anything.

Evil Editor said...Make him a werecat.

stacy said...Falcondraco, can you tell us a little about the process you went through to get published?

Falcondraco said...Stacy asks: Falcondraco, can you tell us a little about the process you went through to get published? Sure! Well, I tried a LOT to get published through the conventional means - I made a bunch of these mini books with like three chapters in them, typed up a bunch of query letters, sat down with a huge volume called the Writer's Market, spent a small fortune on stamps and...nothing. I'd never heard of ebooks before, but Decadent Publishing was starting up as an ebook publishing company looking for editors. So I became an editor first, and then decided to submit one of my short stories to them, which they accepted and then later Fallenwood.
I'm not published in print yet, just in e-book format.

stacy said...Falcondraco, I noticed you used a lot of different points of view in this novel. How did you keep track of all the characters? Did you use an outline? Notes? Or did you just sit down and write? (I'm pretty disorganized and tend to just sit down and write, but I'm always curious about the processes of other writers.)

Falcondraco said...I used kind of a rough outline. At first, though, I just sat down and wrote. The first draft was a real mess. Then I took a creative writing class and started getting the story cleaned up and following a progression. So...sorta both methods - no outline at first, and then an outline later on.

Fairyhedgehog said...I was a bit puzzled by Princess Isabella. I think I might have missed the part where her total brainlessness was explained. It seemed so strong as to be magically based.

Falcondraco said...Ooh! That's a good idea! Maybe I could include something like that in the sequel, like Isabelle was just brainwashed or had her mind magically erased or something...

Robin B. said...That's a cool idea about the Princess. I like it!

stacy said...Are there plans to put Fallenwood into print format?

Falcondraco said...I think how it works is that if you sell X number of copies, it ends up going to print. Unfortunately, I don't know what number the X stands for though...

Sylvia said...That's with Decadent Publishing? Are you still an editor there?

Falcondraco said... So far as I know, that's how it works with Decadent. I'm not currently an editor for them since my classes are taking up all of my time. I've figured out that it's nigh-impossible for me to edit and do coursework all at once. My grades tend to suffer if I do that...

Fairyhedgehog said...I liked the Dragon oracle; I have a soft spot for dragons. I felt that maybe I missed some of the significance of dragons in the book.

Falcondraco said...Thanks! I would have liked to do more with the dragons. They'll definitely show up in the sequel though. I do need to do some more world-building where the dragons are concerned though, maybe figure out how many will be in Fallenwood, how rare they are, and such...

Evil Editor said...Speaking of dragons, I was considering shutting down the book chats, but I just started a book called His Majesty's Dragon, which is alternate history in which trained talking dragons act as air support in the Napoleonic wars. I think everyone would like it if you want a September book.

Sylvia said...You mean Temeraire? That was the name of of the book in the UK - funny that they've changed it. Although looking at Amazon.co.uk, I note it says Temeraire (Temeraire 1) [a.k.a. His Majesty's Dragon] which I guess answers that question. Anyway, I've read it and loved it. Will happily re-read for the chat.

Robin B. said...The cover art for your novel is quite good, and I'm wondering how you decided what you wanted?

Falcondraco said...Well, with the ebook publishers, you fill out a form explaining who your main characters are, what the story's about, important symbols and such, and the cover artist creates samples that you can choose from or ask them to alter or whatnot. Like for my short story "The Devil's Bidding", the cover didn't have flames at first, but I really wanted flames, so Dara England was nice enough to add them in for me. She's the one who designed the Fallenwood cover as well. So it was Dara that came up with the overall design for the cover. She's fantastic.

Evil Editor said...I kind of felt Fallenwood was more geared toward middle grade than YA. Based totally on the 4 YA we've read in past book chats (Marbury Lens, Graveyard Book, Twilight, and Hunger Games.

Falcondraco said...Oh, Ok. Good to know. :)

Robin B. said...I think those age range things are a bit nebulous, to be honest, EE, though i see what you mean.

Sylvia said...Hmm, all of the YA books we've read have serious themes about death, including this one. Is that saying something about YA or about us?

Falcondraco said...Oooh! Good question!!!! Personally I'm not sure how to answer that. I've noticed the death theme with a lot of YA novels as well.

Robin B. said...I like the title Fallenwood

Falcondraco said...Thanks, Robin! The title just popped into my head one day and sounded cool. I've noticed that someone already used it for the title of their CD though...lol.

stacy said...Well, people use the same titles all the time. I have a script in the works titled SINEATER, for example, and that's already the name of a fairly famous horror novel.

Evil Editor said...Some titles have been used dozens of times.

stacy said...I thought the jester's curse was pretty interesting.

Evil Editor said...I forgot what his curse was. The trouble with ebooks is that it's harder to flip through and refresh your memory.

stacy said...He can't stop performing until the king tells him to. And Queen Genevieve cruelly keeps the king busy for something like four hours toward the beginning of the novel.

Falcondraco said...The jester's curse was a spoken one - when anyone says "Entertain us," he automatically goes into entertainment mode - playing the lute, doing backflips, etc. uncontrollably until the person says "We are entertained."

Evil Editor said...My minions are constantly telling me to entertain them. And they never say We are entertained.

Evil Editor said...Not you guys, my other minions.

Falcondraco said...So what do you guys think of the magic system in Fallenwood? Is it confusing?

fairyhedgehog said...I thought the magic system was interesting and not quite like any other I'd seen. I wondered what Ash's curse will be when she realises that she can work magic - but that's obviously a question for another day now.

Falcondraco said...And what do you think about the changing point of view in the story? For the sequel, I'm going to try and write it all in Ash's point of view, which I think will make it flow better.

Evil Editor said...If it's all Ash's POV it can be in first person. Which is good if you want to keep putting in lots of her thoughts.

stacy said...In my own works, I tend to stick to no more than three points of view, but that's just me. Stephen King uses something like a half-dozen points of view in The Stand, but he had written a good fifteen novels before then and handled multiple POVs deftly.

Falcondraco said...I noticed that with 'Salem's Lot as well, that Stephen King handles many points of view, a new one with each chapter almost. He does it very well though, and it really paints you a picture of the town and its inhabitants.

stacy said...Yes, Falcondraco! Been years since I've read that one.

Sylvia said...I think I'd find a single point of view easier to follow, to be honest.

stacy said...I think more than one POV is fine. It works well when the author sticks with the main characters, such as the main protagonist and the main antagonist.

Falcondraco said...Thanks Sylvia! Yeah, I was thinking a single point of view might be better. So I'll stick with that for the sequel. Fallenwood was the very first novel I've ever written, so I'm still learning the ropes.

Robin B. said...I think the POV question is answered by saying 'depends'. But I did need to ground myself here and there as I read, so i'd say your idea of sticking to one POV would be good. I'm for first person, if that is a choice?

Evil Editor said...I'm in favor of not keeping our guest any longer. Hopefully this chat was good practice for when you're a famous author and you do a reading followed by a Q & A session with your fans. Thanks for attending, Leslie, and thanks for your contribution to the auction.

Falcondraco said...Thank you very much for hosting the Fallenwood book chat. I hope you've enjoyed the novel, and thank you very much for your comments and questions. :)

Sylvia said...Thank you for coming, Leslie! It's always great to get insight into the mind behind the book!

Dave Fragments said...Sorry I missed the discussion. I read the book and enjoyed it. I wanted to say nice things to the author and missed the chance.

Book Chat 41 Andrew Smith/The Marbury Lens

Andrew Smith said...Hello.

Evil Editor said...So kind of you to join us. And clever. We seldom criticize a book when the author shows up.

Andrew Smith said...Oh. I'll go away if it makes it more comfortable.

Sylvia said...Don't go! It's much more interesting when the author is here.

Robin B. said...Nothing to criticize, imo. Wonderful read.

Andrew Smith said...Thank you Robin.

Landra said...Concur with Robin. Definitely engrossing.

Anonymous said...I loved the book.

Evil Editor said...There are, of course, a few loose ends. Is a sequel in the works?

Andrew Smith said...There is a sequel, EE. There are always loose ends. I am not allowed to tell about the sequel yet, but should be able to give all details about it in a week or so. It will be out in 2012.

Dave said...I had a question when I started reading this. Did you ever think it was too harsh for teens and too dark a subject -- kidnapping and murder in the first few chapters?

Andrew Smith said...Things like that happen.

Evil Editor said...Never mind kidnapping and murder. Jack getting invited into a three-way by Con and his current babe.

vkw said...I thought the attempted molestation was too dark. But that could be me.

Landra said...I have to say the first few chapters to me were a 16 year-old's nightmare.

Andrew Smith said...I was hoping I would get canned for writing it. Seriously.

Robin B. said...Whoa, Andrew - you HOPED you'd get canned?!

Andrew Smith said...Robin, I was actually hoping that someone would tell me the book was for adults, that it WASN'T YA (a genre category I despise), but my editor and publisher absolutely love the book. Go figure there, too. There was never a hint of a discussion about "toning things down."

Robin B. said...Ahhh - I see, Andrew. YA isn't my thing, either. It's like calling To Kill a Mockingbird a kid's story because the narrator is young. Totally agree on that. And I think that's why well-written YA novels have huge adult audiences - "YA" is a concept, not a reality.

Sylvia said...I think that's wonderful that you weren't asked to tone it down. Sometimes it seems like mainstream publishing is focused too much on keeping books light.

Landra said...I agree. Toning the story down would have ruined it. I like the tone--kidnapping and murder at the beginning is what grabbed me as a reader to keep going. At that point I'm thinking "Could this get any worse." Then came the crotch grabbing idiot on the plane. Eck!

Andrew Smith said...Ha!

Sylvia said...I presumed killing the guy was to show part of the world logic - he still existed in Marbury even though he was gone from the "real" world. The threesome scene had me laughing, actually.

Whirlochre said...Picking up on Dave, you took a very big gamble when you had Jack knock off the evil paedo as it makes your protag a 17 year-old murderer. As things panned out, you could have had Horvath left for dead without diminishing what Jack comes to feel about the whole thing (or, as far as I'm aware, upsetting anything on the plot front). But no — you killed the paedo. I'd love to hear your take on that decision.

Andrew Smith said...It happened to me when I was a kid. But I didn't kill anyone.

Evil Editor said...Or at least you aren't admitting to killing anyone.

Andrew Smith said...I'm pretty sure he's dead now.

Sarah Skilton said...I didn't personally view Jack as a murderer because Horvath's death was an accident. I did have some dread that the police might show up before the end of the book, though.

Robin B. said...I was actually happy to see something spelled-out, dark, from the beginning. It seems to me we coddle too much now.

Matthew MacNish said...Personally I felt it was all the brutal darkness in this story that set it aside (and above) all other YA lit I'd read before it. It was harsh, yes, but honest.

Sylvia said...I really respected the way you dealt with the kidnapping and the helplessness, actually. In such a way that readers could understand how such a thing could happen without blaming the victim for putting himself into the situation.

Robin B. said...Agree with Sylvia - not blaming the victim is a good, good thing. Too much of that happens now. I liked the language - you managed spartan and poetic at the same time.

vkw said...Somehow being invited to a threesome, murder and kidnapping, I could deal with. Torture and the rest, I had a hard time with.

Sarah Skilton said...I loved the book (and even had a dream about Marbury the night after I finished reading. I woke up semi-paralyzed, and then thought, "Awesome.") I've got two questions about Marbury Lens:

1. How important was it for you to set a large portion of the book in England? Was it to give the guys more freedom than they might have had in the U.S.? (to meet girls, have access to alcohol, be able to travel around on their own?)

2. Is everyone's experience of Marbury different? What I mean is, Jack and Conner saw people there that they knew (or could potentially know) in "real" life, but if someone else were to go to Marbury, would they see the same people, or only people in their personal circle?

Andrew Smith said...Sarah,

1. I spent a lot of time in England as a kid. All my books are largely autobiographical.

2. Good question. Marbury is real. Everyone sees the same thing when they're tuned to the same channel.

Dave said...Was this a description of some mental illness on Jack's part? That thought lasted until Conner went to Marbury but it still persists in my mind.

Andrew Smith said...Dave, It's not mental illness. I don't think so, at least.

Whirlochre said...Going to Blackpool is a form of mental illness. Surprised you didn't go for Margate or Brighton.

Andrew Smith said...I like Blackpool. I also like Brighton. Go figure.

vkw said...I could see Marbury being an unconscious fugue-state that Jack was using to deal with his feelings about Connor, kidnapping, attempted rape and the eventual murder. I wasn't disappointed when Marbury was real.

Dave said...These kids, no matter what they say to adults are so isolated and alone. Or at least they feel so isolated and alone. They don't understand that all these things have happened before and they hold them inside and let them stew away.

Whirlochre said...The best part of the book was undoubtedly the relationship between Jack and Conner — had this been in any way iffy, all the stuff about lenses and Marbury would have fallen apart. In terms of how the book developed, I'm assuming this relationship arose from out of the Marbury thing and not the other way round — or did you start out with the two guys and add the funky glasses later?

Andrew Smith said...Whirlochre, originally the story was ONLY going to be about my revisiting this idea of the kidnapping. I started having weird dreams while writing the book -- about Marbury -- and I figured there was something else trying to come out. That's where the glasses came from. As far as Conner goes, yes... he is the key.

Evil Editor said...Is the addictive nature of the glasses a metaphor for something that happened to someone in your life?

Andrew Smith said...A lot of former addicts have contacted me after reading TML. But no... other than Jack's own inability to step away from his own inner haunting, the addiction is merely, purely, internal and psychological.

Sarah Skilton said...For me, the experience of reading the book paralleled the experience of Jack using the lenses. You feel this pull to keep going back, and you feel discombobulated about what's occurred in England during Jack's time in Marbury.

Matthew MacNish said...Well said, Sarah. When I first met Andrew, I told him the book felt just like heroin to me. I simply could not put it down. Now, nearly a year later, I still can't stop thinking about it.

vkw said...I thought the glasses were an excellent description of addiction. Here Jack finally gets the great girlfriend but he's always itching to go back to Marbury and, of course, once the girlfriend realizes how messed up Jack is, all she wants to do is rescue him. Co-dependency at at its best and at its birth.

Andrew Smith said...If I were in Jack's place - and I suppose I am - I would not stop myself from going back, just because of the rush of doing it. That's just how I am.

Landra said...Sarah and Matthew, you're absolutely right. The story grabs you. I like the heroin addict analogy Matthew. For me the best way to describe it is like a wreck on the side of the road. Back in traffic you see the flashing lights, you know it's a mess but you can't stop yourself from slowing down and gawking. Wondering did someone die? Will they die? and all those other inner intrusive thoughts. To the point that you are waiting for the news that night so you can get the story behind it.

Evil Editor said...I have to admit I got tired of the voice in Jack's head saying the same things over and over. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to get from that.

Whirlochre said...Agree with EE — though those italics were a kind of mental distress foil to the reality distress of Marbury, I suppose.

Landra said...Jack's head voice I thought was the dweller or worrying part of him. Know that voice all too well. I felt it was more stress oriented. Jack's entire world is torn up- well, both worlds. The inner voice to me is how he's trying to stay stable. Intrusive thoughts, devils!

Sarah Skilton said...Landra, I agree about the inner voice. It felt realistic to me. Intrusive thoughts go on auto-repeat. That's part of what makes them awful.

Matthew MacNish said...I didn't mind the echoes at all. That kind of thing happens when a person experiences trauma. And I agree with others. None of the fantasy/horror/sci-fi would have mattered if this wasn't ultimately a great story with great characters in a true friendship.

vkw said...I didn't mind the talking voice in Jack's head. Intrusive thoughts are always in our minds and the more stressed someone is the more those thoughts intrude. It's a good measure of anxiety.

Evil Editor said...Agreed, but my intrusive thoughts have more variety. If the voice in my head kept saying Fuck you, EE, I'd have to wear an iPod 24-7.

Andrew Smith said...Maybe I should get an iPod.

Matthew MacNish said...It would be extremely annoying to hear that in real life, but it felt completely authentic to the story, and the stress that would come with it, to me.

Robin B. said...Inner voices are fascinating. I believe none of us are much like our inside voices. We keep it safely tucked away, if we can.

Dave said...It was a ghost. This was a haunting a very stylish and grand haunting but that's what I finally decided Marbury is, a haunting.

Andrew Smith said...Nicely put, Dave.

Sylvia said...I came to the conclusion (maybe rationalising coincidences) that Marbury was very small, hence Jack seeing so many people he recognised in London. I wasn't sure if you had to be (or have been) in London to appear in Marbury though. Now that I think about it, the crazed doctor wouldn't have been in Marbury if that were the case.

Whirlochre said...When I reached Seth's Story (1) I thought 'uh oh, here comes backstory' and it was an interruption to the flow at first. By parts (2) and beyond, I'd settled down to how this was going to work, but I did wonder why you'd chosen to drop in narrative in this way. Seth chatting directly to Jack might have been another option — why didn't you go for that?

Andrew Smith said... I can't explain it. It just happened that way. I don't know why I write the way I do, it just happens.

vkw said...Seth's story is the one I keep thinking about. Some of the Marbury imagery intrudes into my thoughts and dreams, but it was seth's story that I found haunting and beautiful.

Dave said...I did like the links between Jack's birth and Seth's life. That worked out so well.

Andrew Smith said...I wanted to write a book about Seth. People kept telling me not to write historical because nobody will publish it. Eh... so I did it anyway.

Dave said...The last ghost story I read that felt really scary good like this was O'Nan's Night country. As Seth's story unfolded, this was just as thrilling. Seth is a forefather of Jack and I suspect that Griffen and his buddies in Marbury are somehow related (maybe not by blood) to Seth the ghost's family.

Landra said...It seems that writing historical worked out for you Andrew.

Matthew MacNish said...Andrew, if you could also say a bit about the difference between the purple lens and the blue?

Andrew Smith said...You will see what happens with those other lenses. I promise. They are not nice.

Evil Editor said...He's hoping to figure out a cool lens idea in time for book 3.

Whirlochre said...Maybe the other lens is simply to help the partially sighted find the bad lens.

Evil Editor said...One lens allows Jack to see Marbury. The other is those X-Ray specs they sell in the back of comic books.

Matthew MacNish said...Considering the M-theory angle, and the way you described it as cars on a freeway at one point ... are there other worlds besides Marbury and our own? Other cars, so to speak?

Andrew Smith said...Okay, there are other worlds. In fact, every time Jack goes back to Marbury, it's a different Marbury; and when he comes home, it's a different home, too. Things haven't stopped changing for Jack. He just doesn't realize how messed up they're becoming...

vkw said...that's where I was hoping you were going Andrew. The lenses are addictive and it always starts out fascinating, interesting, fun, and adrenaline pumping up until you're sticking a needle in your arm. . .

Dave said...My Niece's boy just turned 16 a couple months ago. I see the same lost thoughts and discoveries of teen angst as I watch him grow up. This is teen angst, teen worry, teen everything is against me and all that hullabaloo that teens have going on that we (adults) forgot and mostly don't think about. Adults are all about certainty. Teens aren't.

Whirlochre said...Given the mixed-upness of the whole Marbury thing, it's good to see Jack equally mixed up about Nickie.

vkw said...There is a fine line between anxiety produced intrusive thoughts and audio hallucinations. this is the stuff that fascinates me. That's why I found this so compelling.

Matthew MacNish said...That's a great point VKW. I wondered whether Jack might be hallucinating until nearly two-thirds of the way in.

Whirlochre said...I'm guessing Disney haven't approached you yet about turning this into a cartoon featuring a giraffe as Jack — but would you like to see it made into a film?

Andrew Smith said...It's been optioned for film. And I did have a meeting at Disney studios. Talk about a trip through Marbury...

Robin B. said...Whirl, this seems like it would be a cool as hell visual novel, aka film, doesn't it?

Whirlochre said...I see a Smith/EE team-up in the offing: The Marbury Pince-nez...

Matthew MacNish said...I'd love to see a graphic novel, too.

Landra said...Disney... hm, I don't think a giraffe named Jack is the way to go. Maybe a mongoose. No really, I think visually this would be a great movie.

vkw said...I would love to see this as a movie. But not a YA movie more like a "the Road" movie.

Whirlochre said...It's certainly got a visual slipstream element teens of all ages would love to combine with popcorn and necking...

Landra said...On board with Matthew on a graphic novel too. I think there is more to offer with a graphic novel probably than film.

Andrew Smith said...There are some very talented Visual Effects artists working on it. I've seen their concept art and it's stunning.

Evil Editor said...Once the movie exists they should make virtual reality glasses you can wear to watch it.

Sarah Skilton said...Ha! That would be terrifying, actually.

Matthew MacNish said... Hollywood would probably ruin this. Independently it might be done well ...

Dave said...I just saw the last Harry Potter movie and it is far and away a different story than the first one. Characters age and grow. Good luck with the movie industry. It's more dreadful than Marbury. It has real zombies with purple spots and flesh eating creatures wandering about.

Whirlochre said...I was itching for something to happen to Spot — but it didn't. Please tell me there was a Spot vs Bug scene flagged down by your agent as "one of Andrew's 'must-be-killed' darlings". Maybe in book 3...

vkw said...whatever you do, Andrew. Save the dog. I always hate it when the dog dies.

Andrew Smith said...The only reason I put the dog in the book was to NOT kill it. People got so mad at me for the psycho who shoots a dog in my second novel.

Matthew MacNish said...And the cat in the first.

Whirlochre said...Ha! Deliberate pooch invincibility. Love it.

Landra said...Are readers happy with this new save the animals approach Andrew?

Evil Editor said...If you want to kill an animal make it a werewolf.

Dave said...Killing children and dogs is an art. If you do it, do it well. Remember Blue-eyed handsome Henry Fonda shoots a kid in ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST and shocked the world.

Landra... hmm... I have four more books coming out between now and 2014, and I'm trying to think about whether there are any animals that get whacked in them...

Robin B. said...Andrew, when you write, does the prose come out close to what we've read, with some smooothing, or is there a longer process?

Dave said...Do you have the "feast or famine" publishing syndrome? Starve, starve, starve and then more than a book a year all at once?

Andrew Smith said...Dave, I write about 3 books per year.

Sarah Skilton said...Three books a year is amazing. I know you're not a fan of the genre term YA but do all of them have teenage protags? Or some older? Do you think you'll put out an "adult" book in the next few years?

Andrew Smith said...I am writing a very adult novel at the moment. It just happens to have 3 teens as the main characters. After that, I am trying to figure out a way to write a Middle Grade that can still allow for an f-bomb or two. And an adult novel (true adult novel) is definitely coming.

Evil Editor said...Have you considered a child's picture book with some graphic (but tasteful) sex?

Andrew Smith said...Graphic and tasteful, like all sex.

Robin B. said...Agree on the tasteful re sex, although our definitions of that word might just vary. The three books per year answers my question, then, about writing process! You're quick - but I assume there was a lot of stewing time before the writing began?

Andrew Smith said...Robin, yes. Lots of stewing. Then when I write I usually finish in under 7 weeks. In regards to an earlier question, what I write is so close to the final product that there are very few changes at all -- more stuff added, certainly, than omitted.

Robin B. said...Interesting about your process, Andrew. Seems to me you've had the smarts not to cut the very things that individualize your writing, which then makes the reading of it a very personal experience for your audience.

Andrew Smith said...Thank you Robin. I've been writing for my entire life. It was a friend (published author) who finally dared me into getting something published. I never honestly wanted to be published, but responded to the dare. Now, it's like Jack and the glasses I suppose. Writing is addictive, harmful to the people who love me, and self-destructive.

Dave said...I just went and looked you up on Amazon. There's a real picture. I hope they put in on the flap of the next book. A rocking horse is kinda blah.

Andrew Smith said...Dave, I have always shunned author photos on my books. I also never wanted any bio on the dust jacket, either. They forced that on me. I only wanted this: Andrew Smith wrote this book.

Landra said...Question: How many wonderful scenes were cut from Book 1? Have you thought about publishing a version of the book with these scenes in it or are they null and void due to the sequel?

Andrew Smith said...No scenes were cut from book 1 at all. Book 2 is very long. It will be interesting to see what happens when we start digging into that monster.

Evil Editor said...Have you been approached about a Marbury theme park?

Andrew Smith said...No, but I have patented human scalp codpieces for kids at Halloween.

Sarah Skilton said...EE, gaining admittance to the Marbury theme park is easy; the hard part is fighting your way out.

Evil Editor said...It would be great. You sit in a comfortable chair, put on Marbury lenses and thru virtual reality you experience Marbury until your head gets cut off and nailed to a wall.

Evil Editor said...Any final questions or comments before we release Andrew from his cage?

Andrew Smith said...Thanks for hosting this, EE. It was terrific. Thanks everyone for stopping by.