Hello Friends,
Before I sit down to write the next book in my series, I revisit the source material. Sure, I’ve read all of Jane Austen’s books many times, and sure, I could go through the major plot points and even act out a few scenes if I were tasked with doing some readers’ theater. Still, the act of going through the book with a different frame of mind is crucial.
It was my deep read of Mansfield Park while earning my MFA, taking a long look at the characters, that inspired me to try my hand at a modern re-imagining of Austen in the first place. Once I decided to do it, I read that book again through the lens of looking for the little details. Mason Jennings croons that “it’s the little details that derail your dreams,” and while I love that song, I would have to respectfully disagree. The little details are what make the story come to life.
During a re-read, we should know what is coming, so we can let that part go. We don’t have to wonder how it works out in the end, or if they get back together, or if the mystery is solved and the baddies are captured. Instead, we can focus on a clue that was left early on that we missed the first time. We can find the breadcrumbs we missed before. We can hunt for Easter Eggs, because, as someone who likes to put them in books, I know that people will miss them the first time. I know, because I do all the time.
When I re-read Emma to prepare for Jane, book four of The Austen Chronicles (more on that below), I was obviously focusing on Jane Fairfax, as she is the protagonist of my book. I couldn’t just focus on what she does, and her story beats, I knew all of those, but I had to dig into what makes her tick. I discovered her underlying anxiety and could feel the weight of responsibility that sits on her shoulders. Austen put it all there for us to see, but because we are so easily caught up in the barrage of laughs and head-shaking moments in what is, for my money, the funniest of the six books, we miss out on some plot points and character developments. Emma constantly puts herself in absurd situations and refuses to listen to reason and often makes a fool out of herself, that we miss some of the other things.
No writer wants to write a book that readers will only enjoy once and so, they put in layers. They have parallel stories happening. They build big worlds even when the space is cramped. Every character has a purpose. Every placement of every chair in every room matters. It may mean something different for each reader and that is good. That is the idea. The reader is rewarded for catching that seemingly dropped line, or that hair toss on the second or third, or 30th read.
Anne Rice spent, what seemed to be, 4,000 pages describing snow in a forest in The Vampire Lestat, and I remember thinking “get on with it already” the first time I read it. I wanted to get moving. I wanted the vampires and boy did I get them. It was later, when I was older, and I read the first five Vampire Chronicles again, that I realized why she wrote in such detail about the snow. The snow was not just snow. The snow was a character. I missed it that first time. I am so pleased I didn’t the second time.
I’ve been honored to be included in Tonya Todd’s Banned Books Week series again this year. She asked me to be on the panel discussing Ellison’s Invisible Man. I’ve read that book as a student, as a teacher, and as a “private citizen” as it were. I am looking forward to getting back into that world as a panelist. It should be a riveting conversation. I will share the link with you this October during Banned Books Week.
I think it is important to read new books. I am always reading new books or finding old books that are new to me. I think we should all do that. I want people to read my new books when they come out. I’m not suggesting you should pick ten books and only read them over and over forever and ever, but, there is a reason people can easily come up with a list of desert island books. Narrowing it down would be hard, but we all can think of a bunch that we would be happy reading over and over. So maybe, if you have some time, or find yourself coping with choice paralysis, (let’s face it, we’ve all been there), you should go to your shelf and make yourself a desert island on the couch.
What are your five desert island books? Let me know. I’ll give you the complete works of Shakespeare, so you don’t have to pick that, and a full dictionary of your choosing. Words matter so you should have that.
I would take Persuasion by Jane Austen, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Don Quixote by Cervantes, Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, and the collected version of His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. I know this is a collection, but I already allowed the complete works of Shakespeare, so I feel like these are allowed.
Notes from my Bookshelf
I recently re-read Tom Taylor’s first 20 issues on Nightwing, which is maybe the best comic going from the big two. So fun.
John Vercher’s Devil is Fine is way better than fine. As my wife said so eloquently, “there really isn’t anything else like it.” It will absolutely make its way to my re-read pile. As closely as I paid attention, I know I missed something. Carys Davies’ Clear is short, stark, and compelling as is Leif Enger’s I Cheerfully Refuse. Both books will sit with you for days and days after you finish.
Finally, in the “new to me camp,” Becoming Nicole by Amy Ellis Nutt” came out in 2015 and I somehow didn’t know about it. The book is a deep dive into the life of Nicole Maines and her family during her early life and transition; it’s not to be missed.
Notes from my Keyboard
It has been a great month. I am nearing 40K words and 120 pages in book 4 of The Austen Chronicles. Jane is singing her heart out to me. Her playlist is epic. I am really looking forward to seeing how her story ends. I actually figured out the last line of the book. I also set up the next two books in this one, so things are coming together nicely.
If you have not picked up your digital advance reader copy of That Other Dashwood Girl or Comics Lit Vol 1. You can get them both here. If you click the links of the books just above, you can preorder them at your favorite bookstore.
Thanks again for being a subscriber,
ARF
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