The Read ...
All fiction writers wrestle with backstory. Fantasy writers have an added nemesis -- infodumps that try to explain the characters' world without slowing down the story. While browsing the bookstore shelves, I picked a random volumne of Rachel Caine's Morganville Vampires series. If I remember right, she's going to be at MileHi Con in Denver. Thought it'd be politick to read a couple more of the books. I was rewarded by a skillful example of feeding backstory/world info into the story line without slowing it down.
The book: Feast of Fools, the fourth in the series. I know I read Glass Houses, the first in the series, and I'm sure I haven't read any others. Still, her first chapter was masterful in leading the reader into the new installment of "how to deal with benign and not-so-benign vampires". I really sat up and took notice when I learned the MC's over-protective parents had moved to Morganville and needed protection from their daughter in this new environment. Whatever, by the end of the first chapter, I was back in the loop with a good idea of the new problems facing Claire, new villains, and what had happened to the main/secondary characters in the previous books. All as the story surged ahead.
Loved the opening hook for the book too. "It was hard to imagine how Claire's day -- even by Morganville standards -- could get any worse ... and then the vampires holding her hostage wanted breakfast." I leave you to wonder what the big, bad vampires wanted for breakfast.
Oh, the vampires. They wanted scrambled eggs, which was good since Claire didn't know how to cook eggs over easy. A sad commentary on today's young adults. My kids, even the male, could cook a whole meal by the time they were 12.
The book: Feast of Fools, the fourth in the series. I know I read Glass Houses, the first in the series, and I'm sure I haven't read any others. Still, her first chapter was masterful in leading the reader into the new installment of "how to deal with benign and not-so-benign vampires". I really sat up and took notice when I learned the MC's over-protective parents had moved to Morganville and needed protection from their daughter in this new environment. Whatever, by the end of the first chapter, I was back in the loop with a good idea of the new problems facing Claire, new villains, and what had happened to the main/secondary characters in the previous books. All as the story surged ahead.
Loved the opening hook for the book too. "It was hard to imagine how Claire's day -- even by Morganville standards -- could get any worse ... and then the vampires holding her hostage wanted breakfast." I leave you to wonder what the big, bad vampires wanted for breakfast.
Web Stuff ...
Trying to get my first Renna's Tale up on the blog. Grump. Grump. Snarl. Blogger won't let you cut and paste from Word docs. Anyone have any ideas besides typing the story in ... all nine pages?
Progress ...
Just be fiddling with the website ... trying to get stat counters in and other such necessities.
Did get Dark Solstice re-editing done -- mostly duplicate comments (telling and then showing or vice-versa), changing passive that still lurked, and other miscellaneous. Now I've got to think of marketing.
Trivia ...
Am deep in Suzanne Collins' Catching Fire, but keep slapping my hand when I pick up Mockingjay. I don't think it's a good idea to read two books in a series at the same time.
Oh, the vampires. They wanted scrambled eggs, which was good since Claire didn't know how to cook eggs over easy. A sad commentary on today's young adults. My kids, even the male, could cook a whole meal by the time they were 12.
6 comments:
I read the description of Dark Solstice; it sounds incredibly intriguing; I'd really like to read it. I now have a Nook and will download e-books to my desktop too. Sigh. I'm "old fashioned" and prefer the print book. But the world has changed.
Marketing is always the biggie. I feel fortunate that at my age (70) I'm getting a memoir published by a start-up press, but now one has to self-market no matter what the route. I might try some things on my own also. We'll see....
Ann
Yes, Copy and paste from your Word document into the html window instead of the Compose window. The tabs are right next to each other.
Once you've transferred the piece to the html window, go back to the Compose window and fix any formatting you've lost, like paragraph breaks, italics, etc.
Piece of cake!
Patricia
About backstory and infodumps -- also a hazard in mysteries and thrillers, especially those that involve foreign intrigue or specialized fields such as banking or computer technology. Some writers provide way too much information.
Patricia
Thanks for the info on copying text, Pat. I should of known the button had a purpose. Will try to remember for the next story. Almost have "The Foiling of Gorsfeld" re-proofed.
Oh, that is an awesome opening hook!
I am waiting breathlessly for my copy of Mockingjay to arrive. Laughing about you having to slap your hand away from it!
You realize I was reading "Catching Fire", the second book in the trilogy, at the time.
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