by Bethany House is doing a cover survey, it’s short and a great way to get your input to those in the publishing biz! Go do it just for fun!
Writer…Interrupted has moved to Word Press! (Me and my office chair are doing a happy dance!) Be sure to visit Gina’s new site and let her know what you think of the switch!
Got this link from wordplayer.com …it’s for screenplay writers, but the concept of using “Strange attractors” would work for any fiction writer. Gotta hook first an agent’s attention, then the editor’s and then hopefully it will sell like wildfire to the public so your next WIP will be a sure sale! And as I’m back to revamping my first chapter, I’m open to all possibilities!
Also, I’m blogging this week at MInTheGap’s site. I have his live feeds on my right sidebar if you’re interested in reading the posts I’ve written, just click on whichever title interests you. My favorite? Pleading Guilty. Plead no longer, let it go…
Here are two questions for you:
1. Do you read prologues?
2. In a romance or women’s fiction novel, do you hate it when the pet dies? (this Q was asked in a poll of mystery fans and most of them said they wouldn’t finish reading the book, AND they wouldn’t read anything else by that author!)
If the story is good, I’ll keep reading no matter what.
I agree with Michelle
As you know, I love prologues! You also know that I love almost anything they say not to do now! lol. I rarely ever stop reading a book…it would have to be pretty horrific. A pet dying would be sad, but not enough to stop me in the story and I would certainly read the Author again, if they were a good writer. I will definitely check out the Bethany House…might as well talk to them again! I did receive your e-mail finally, just yesterday, that you sent last week. I don’t know what was up with that! Also…loved your poem about ‘Little Girls’! How about publishing that one?! Deb
1. Yes, I read prologues.
2. Not being a big reader of romance or women’s fiction, I’ll pass on that one 🙂
Yes! I read prologues….epilogues….story proper…..the only thing I don’t really read are the self-help Christian living books. I read Scripture a lot and get my mores and help there. My biggest source of help? Realizing Who and how great is my God! With Abraham, I am fully persuaded that, what He has promised, He is able to perform.
Thanks for visiting my blog
salad for breakfast – that’s different
Do you teach spelling with phontics I think they are important and something that isn’t taught very well in our schools
I prefer peoples personalities
*“I survived an octopus attack†Wow that must have been freak
I read prologues they annoy me but i read them Id sooner get into the story its self
I would have a good cry and then readon
On occassion, I have read the prologues, and no matter what happens in the story, as long as it stays interesting, I will finish the book.
I always read prologues–I believe they are there for a reason. AND, I have no problem reading a story where the pet dies. I mean, if it dies out of the blue for no good reason I might be like “huh?” But I don’t think I’d stop reading the book.
Thank you all for your comments!
To Michelle and Colleen–Yes…story is everything, but I always read the prologue because I figure it’s there for a purpose, right? I’d hate to miss out on key info!
Thanks, Deborah, for the kind words about my poem!
Stephen, what? What if you were a reader of “a book” that killed off the pet dog? Would you keep reading and care not a whit? :O)
All ears, I hear you and am so glad you stopped by! I get your point on the self-help Christian books, except that there are a few I really have benefited from…such as Debi Pearl’s Created to Be His Helpmeet, and Nancy Leigh DeMoss’s Lies Women Believe book.
Jenz, I do teach with phonics, absolutely! That’s the fun part…putting all the puzzle pieces together and making sense of the English language! And btw, for anyone wondering, Jenz challenged her commenter’s to share 5 weird things about themselves and on a wild tear I shared that I survived being attacked by an octopus when I was 6 years old. The TRUTH is, I survived my mom’s idea of FUN when she convinced me to plunge my arm into a sink full of live octopus so I could feel its tentacles grabbing me. (Thanks, mom, I’ll never forget it.) I like to poke fun at that memory.
Leticia, I’m a book finisher also. Have to know how it ends!
Georgiana, same here! If it dies, so be it. I’d just killed off the border collie in my book when I’d read that survey. It made me rethink my plan, and as a result, I’ve come up with an intriguing alternative. :O)
Mary, when I was about six, I read Charlotte’s Web and never finished it – I couldn’t go on after Charlotte died.
These days I wouldn’t have a problem with it, but if the death was unnecessary to the story I would think less of the book and the writer, and might not read more of their books.
But conflict in stories is important, and sometimes the story demands sad events.
I agree that it has to further the story…thanks for following up!
1–Usually-especially if it catches my attention right away.
2–It wouldn’t matter to me–Faves include Old Yeller, Where the Red Fern Grows, Bambi, (ok so Bambi’s mom isn’t a pet, and it’s not a book, but still, LOVE that movie)
I say if it’s a key element in the story, ax the Border collie. 🙂
“ax the Border collie”! Heartless, that’s what you are, girl! (Same here, but it’s not a key element, only adds to the “more strain on major character the better” theory…Thanks for weighing in!