For you Terry, at this point, readings at public libraries are more in the over 30 count. I can just place a flyer at the front with your image, date and time, and people will come, no begging involved.
Shorter novels could be part of adapting the novelistic universe to changing tastes and busier lives. Part of the magic of a writer like Clair Keegan, as Terry mentions, is that readers don't lose anything compared with longer novels. And especially they don't lose access to the interior life of other human beings, which is one of the unique things that novels give us. I'm looking forward to exploring the world of write-stars. Maybe it might be an evolution of Dublin, where crowds still turn out every year on Bloomsday to honour James Joyce and see street-corner reenactments.
I don't plot my books like you do. When an idea hits me, I normally know how the story starts and how it ends, but I let the characters tell me how to get from point A to point B. I used to concerned (probably too much) about the word count, but not as much anymore as I've heard the expression "a book should be as long as is required to tell the story, and not a word more." Interestingly, my shorter books tend to be based on dreams I've had.
I am lucky enough to be bilingual and I read in both French and English. I have always wondered why there are so few English novels that are less than 300 pages while there are several in French. There are of course some authors with books that I call "bricks" such as Marie Laberge, very popular Québec author, her books are almost all over 500 pages, but Kevin Lambert who won "Le Prix Médicis" in 2023 for "Que notre joie demeure" has several novels under 300 pages, Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette has several books under 300 pages, "Femme fleuve" , "Femme forêt" and my favourite author Martine Delvaux who wrote "Thelma, Louise & moi" 237 pages, "Rose Amer", translated in English "Bitter Rose" 105 pages, and my favourite of her novels, "Les cascadeurs de l'amour n'ont pas droit au doublage", (170 pages) translated, "The Last Bullet is for You" (125 pages), I love that title. All of these authors have written books over 300 pages, but I find at my age, I can no longer sit a full day or night to read a 500 page book. It is easier for me to find a book that interests me with less than 300 pages in French. If I am honest about Martine Delvaux, the fact that I know her personally (she was our babysitter when our son was young) may have influenced my bias for her as an author. All these "shorter" novels have complete story lines, no fill or extra long descriptions. There is my two cents about novels . I have read all of the novels you mentioned and enjoyed them all, didn't feel there was anything missing in the story.
Looking forward to reading both of your next two novels. But the world-turned-upside-down one sounds deliciously fun. Short or long, I'm positive I'm going to love it, and The Marionette (And yes, that's one of my favorite Monty Python sketches)
I do love the long, lose-myself-in-them kind of books but this sounds really interesting. You just keep writing, don't you, Terry? And you're right. This kind of job we don't do for the money but for the joy of seeing our words on the page. Finding that just right word or phrase brings way more joy to my soul than cashing a pay cheque! Although we do need that cash infusion, for sure. I love when I speak to groups and have a tidy little sum to put in the bank afterwards. Talk about icing!
For you Terry, at this point, readings at public libraries are more in the over 30 count. I can just place a flyer at the front with your image, date and time, and people will come, no begging involved.
That's because you're such a good marketer!
I hope you play more Monty Python if you have a pause in your writing.
I love your new idea—looking forward to reading into that upside-down universe.
Loved re-visiting one of my favorite Monty Python pieces!! Thanks. Looking forward to The Marionette & your future short novel. Sounds intriguing!
Shorter novels could be part of adapting the novelistic universe to changing tastes and busier lives. Part of the magic of a writer like Clair Keegan, as Terry mentions, is that readers don't lose anything compared with longer novels. And especially they don't lose access to the interior life of other human beings, which is one of the unique things that novels give us. I'm looking forward to exploring the world of write-stars. Maybe it might be an evolution of Dublin, where crowds still turn out every year on Bloomsday to honour James Joyce and see street-corner reenactments.
I don't plot my books like you do. When an idea hits me, I normally know how the story starts and how it ends, but I let the characters tell me how to get from point A to point B. I used to concerned (probably too much) about the word count, but not as much anymore as I've heard the expression "a book should be as long as is required to tell the story, and not a word more." Interestingly, my shorter books tend to be based on dreams I've had.
I am lucky enough to be bilingual and I read in both French and English. I have always wondered why there are so few English novels that are less than 300 pages while there are several in French. There are of course some authors with books that I call "bricks" such as Marie Laberge, very popular Québec author, her books are almost all over 500 pages, but Kevin Lambert who won "Le Prix Médicis" in 2023 for "Que notre joie demeure" has several novels under 300 pages, Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette has several books under 300 pages, "Femme fleuve" , "Femme forêt" and my favourite author Martine Delvaux who wrote "Thelma, Louise & moi" 237 pages, "Rose Amer", translated in English "Bitter Rose" 105 pages, and my favourite of her novels, "Les cascadeurs de l'amour n'ont pas droit au doublage", (170 pages) translated, "The Last Bullet is for You" (125 pages), I love that title. All of these authors have written books over 300 pages, but I find at my age, I can no longer sit a full day or night to read a 500 page book. It is easier for me to find a book that interests me with less than 300 pages in French. If I am honest about Martine Delvaux, the fact that I know her personally (she was our babysitter when our son was young) may have influenced my bias for her as an author. All these "shorter" novels have complete story lines, no fill or extra long descriptions. There is my two cents about novels . I have read all of the novels you mentioned and enjoyed them all, didn't feel there was anything missing in the story.
Number eleven is intriguing!!
Looking forward to reading both of your next two novels. But the world-turned-upside-down one sounds deliciously fun. Short or long, I'm positive I'm going to love it, and The Marionette (And yes, that's one of my favorite Monty Python sketches)
I do love the long, lose-myself-in-them kind of books but this sounds really interesting. You just keep writing, don't you, Terry? And you're right. This kind of job we don't do for the money but for the joy of seeing our words on the page. Finding that just right word or phrase brings way more joy to my soul than cashing a pay cheque! Although we do need that cash infusion, for sure. I love when I speak to groups and have a tidy little sum to put in the bank afterwards. Talk about icing!
Have not read a fable in a longtime but yours sounds interesting with its premise.