Personal Announcement

[Amadera]

Yep, yep. Think nothing of it!

[Sister Vigilante]

I feel like a jerk bumping this thread (that is, even moreso than I did in the first place), but I did just want to say the book is finally out. Big thanks to everyone who bought a copy! Somebody seems to be buying it at any rate.

 

Cheers,

SV

[Guest Guest_amadera_*]

No need to feel bad for bumping this thread. It’s a very good book, kept me guessing till the end. Don’t want to give spoilers, but I was dead wrong in my assumption of what had occured – and that doesn’t happen to me often. In my circle, I’m notorious for guessing endings.

The characters are very well developed and believable – you care about them as you come to know them –, and the setting is just as convincing. You really feel there, and I think that’s what it comes down to, in the end, and how you know that the writer is talented, and did his job.

So, well done and bump away!

 

“I’d much rather be well-read than a member of society.â€

-- Sumiregawa (J.R.)

 

Great quote.

[Sister Vigilante]

Well, thanks so much! And thanks very much for the Amazon review. Now I'm curious though and I have to ask--go ahead and post it with a spoiler tag--what did you think had happened? It's been so long since I thought of it in terms of its "mystery" plot, but now I'm watching all this Detective Conan and thinking very much about mysteries. Of course it's a sort of cruel joke that the solution is mentioned in about the third chapter, and several times thereafter, but it's the sort of thing readers have been trained to ignore regardless of its plausibility because it would be "too easy." But there are several other theories put forward by the characters. Which one, so to speak, got you?

 

(p.s. You're in good company, as that's actually the line I most often get as "favorite quote")

 

No need to feel bad for bumping this thread. It’s a very good book, kept me guessing till the end. Don’t want to give spoilers, but I was dead wrong in my assumption of what had occured – and that doesn’t happen to me often. In my circle, I’m notorious for guessing endings.

The characters are very well developed and believable – you care about them as you come to know them –, and the setting is just as convincing. You really feel there, and I think that’s what it comes down to, in the end, and how you know that the writer is talented, and did his job.

So, well done and bump away!

 

“I’d much rather be well-read than a member of society.â€

-- Sumiregawa (J.R.)

 

Great quote.

[Amadera]

ALERT BOOK SPOILER --- HUGE BOOK SPOILER --- ALERT BOOK SPOILER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course it's a sort of cruel joke that the solution is mentioned in about the third chapter, and several times thereafter, but it's the sort of thing readers have been trained to ignore regardless of its plausibility because it would be "too easy."

 

Exactly. But the genius (in your book) of that very principle goes much further than that, as I will attempt to explain...

 

To begin with, what I figured happened was this: that Pickett’s suspicious story about that teenager, in town, before they went to the gorge, had been put there as the kind of hint that, later on, makes you believe he did it – and everyone knows that usually those hints are just put there to send you on a false track, that it’s something completely different which happened. Too, quite frankly, I wanted it to be him, and didn't like him until he opened up to Pete. Then I felt guilty, as much as Pete did, for having been so harsh towards him.

 

So, at first, I thought, for sure, that it was him – you know, the simplest most obvious explanation is usually the right one (but the reader will look for something more complicated, so let’s surprise him by ending it, after all, with the simplest of explanation).

 

When, in fact, and ironically, that’s exactly what you did. I looked for the simplest explanation, but you managed to go further, and bring out something that I had not even taken into consideration as an explanation, so simple it was – and that’s the beauty of it all.

 

Allow me to elaborate:

 

The thing is that, in today’s book/movie world, the simplest explanation to a crime or, should I say, a suspicious death, is usually to point the finger at the first guy that seems guilty, which is why most writers will drop hints to that effect, but think of a complicated grand finale which will involve, he/she hopes, something the reader will not have thought of, or will have brushed off along the way for whatever reason.

 

It is as if everyone has forgotten what “simple†truly means.

 

Simple is not a crazy killer, showing up during a students’ field trip, who will take the chance of attacking three girls at the same time. Simple is them just having a stupid accident. Simple is the envy and jealousy amongst teenage girls.

 

That was the simplest, most obvious explanation; but I just didn’t see it because, like others, my mind is so used to dealing with the fantastically complicated endings of books and movies, that I’ve forgotten how very simple things can be.

 

It’s very important to add that, in my opinion, it was possible, for you, to give such an ending because the book was filled with intelligent quotes, suspense and much anticipation, showing clearly that the simple ending you gave the story was a conscious choice.

 

One which makes the reader think and brings him/her back to what is really important in life. The simple things. In fact, if you think of any great book or movie, the elements which make us feel the most, and make the stories hold together, are always the simple things.

 

And this factor of simplicity, in a book, if it’s done intelligently and no matter the amount of fantastic content said book may hold, has the advantage of making things feel more realistic; which is something that is rare to find in any thriller/suspense these days, but which defines every classic novel ever written.

 

And, like I said before it is very refreshing to go through a gripping story and, in the end, get something you did not expect.

 

I read one of your Amazon reviews, in which its author gave you a world of praise, before stating that he/she was somewhat disappointed by the ending of the book. And then he/she went on with more praise, writing that he/she can’t wait to buy your next book.

Doesn’t that seem odd?

Honestly, if I read a book and don’t like the ending, that’s pretty much it for me. I won’t take another chance with that author – unless it’s a classic or some other work that I am reading for academic reasons.

But here you have another phenomenon taking place. The reader can’t wait for your next book – so he/she did enjoy it, enough to give it all that praise, and it was great praise for you.

You see, my opinion is that he/she has not yet realized that which I have explained above. He/she is destabilized, and doesn’t quite understand why – hence the 4 stars our of 5 he/she gave “Taroko Gorgeâ€.

 

That, I think, is one of the best compliments a writer could ever get. To be praised for going outside the box, by a confused reader who can’t wait to read your next book.

 

I hope I’ve answered your question; forgive my English, it’s terrible -- I am French.

Too, my writing/thoughts might seem a bit blurry, but I have a terrible migraine at the moment, hehe. I do hope I made some sense.

 

 

Now, allow me to end this with something I have read a while back, and which came back to me today, when I read your message: some little text you may already know of, which I have taken the liberty of translating from a French book I have at home.

 

 

***

 

The reader, which seeks only to satisfy his mind’s natural tendencies, asks the writer to answer his predominant tastes, and invariably qualifies of well written the work, or passage, which pleases his own imagination, be it idealist, bawdy, sad, dreamy or positive.

In short, the public is composed of many groups which cry out to us:

 

'Console me'

'Amuse me'

'Make me sad'

'Make me dream'

'Make me laugh'

'Make me shudder'

'Make my cry'

'Make me think'.

 

Only a few elite minds ask the artist: “Create something beautiful, in the form that is most agreeable to you, according to your own temperament.â€

 

-- Guy De Maupassant

 

***

 

BTW, no need to thank me for the review, or my comments: you worked hard and they are well deserved.

 

Still, you are most welcome

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

END OF: ALERT BOOK SPOILER --- HUGE BOOK SPOILER --- ALERT BOOK SPOILER

[Guest Annukka]

Congratulations on your book! I just purchased it from Amazon - it's not really my genre, but since I very much enjoyed your Angelo mod, I'd like to show my support. Keep up the good writing!

[Sister Vigilante]

Thanks! It's much appreciated. I hope you enjoy it.

 

 

Congratulations on your book! I just purchased it from Amazon - it's not really my genre, but since I very much enjoyed your Angelo mod, I'd like to show my support. Keep up the good writing!

[Cal Jones]

Hey, I've not been on Gibberlings for ages (I've been busy with some major life changes, not to mention playing stuff like DA and ME2) but just wanted to say I finally saw the book on Amazon UK so I've ordered it. I'll let you know how I like it. There was only one left so it must've done OK!

[Sister Vigilante]

Thanks loads, Cal! It's got that one lonely review on Amazon.uk (not a terribly good one either) so it's good to know my friends across the pond are reading it after all.

 

Hey, I've not been on Gibberlings for ages (I've been busy with some major life changes, not to mention playing stuff like DA and ME2) but just wanted to say I finally saw the book on Amazon UK so I've ordered it. I'll let you know how I like it. There was only one left so it must've done OK!

[Cal Jones]

I'll be sure to write a review once I've readed. It's been despatched so I should get it next week.

I trust you have more novels in the pipeline?

[Sister Vigilante]

Thanks again

The next book is in the works, yes indeed.

 

 

I'll be sure to write a review once I've readed. It's been despatched so I should get it next week.

I trust you have more novels in the pipeline?

[Cal Jones]

I'm about halfway through now (I had another book to finish first) - good stuff so far. And nice one getting a quote from Mo Hayder on your cover - I like her books.

I also see you have managed a better beard than Angelo.

[Sister Vigilante]

Thanks once again And yeah, my publisher was really excited to get that quote, while I was like "Who's that?...Oh-h-h-h a British lady who's not J.K. Rowling, no wonder"

 

And yes, I rock that beard.

 

 

I'm about halfway through now (I had another book to finish first) - good stuff so far. And nice one getting a quote from Mo Hayder on your cover - I like her books.

I also see you have managed a better beard than Angelo.

[Cal Jones]

Thanks once again And yeah, my publisher was really excited to get that quote, while I was like "Who's that?...Oh-h-h-h a British lady who's not J.K. Rowling, no wonder"

 

And yes, I rock that beard.

 

I think she did a stint as a hostess in Tokyo - probably why she was interested.

 

Anyway, finished it now. Enjoyed the book but write a longer one next time because I got through this one too quickly!

[Sister Vigilante]

Thanks yet again! And as regards the next one, all I can say is...yeah, don't worry

 

Thanks once again And yeah, my publisher was really excited to get that quote, while I was like "Who's that?...Oh-h-h-h a British lady who's not J.K. Rowling, no wonder"

 

And yes, I rock that beard.

 

I think she did a stint as a hostess in Tokyo - probably why she was interested.

 

Anyway, finished it now. Enjoyed the book but write a longer one next time because I got through this one too quickly!