Welcome to bookchat where you can talk about anything...books, plays, essays, and audio books. You don’t have to be reading a book to come in, sit down, and chat with us.
I have mentioned before in a diary how good it feels to know as you read a book that the author in the driving seat is one you can trust. You can be comfortable knowing where he is taking you and know that you will get there in good time and enjoy the trip even if sad things happen in the story.
Let us be honest, though. Books cost money, sometimes a LOT of money. Buying a series of books that cost $20 each can really add up when you get to book nine or ten. Then, there is the time you spend reading the book. In some people’s lives time is money. In the lives of many people where there is so much required just to survive; where a person may have two jobs, may be taking classes, and raising a family, there may not be much time left to read.
Does an author feel honored if you choose to buy and read their book? Maybe. I don’t exact gratitude from my authors, instead I am grateful for their work and for sharing their thoughts, but…
(there is always a but).
I think there are fair expectations between an author and reader.
1. That the book will have an ending, not just drift into space leaving all threads untied, no problems solved, making the reader decide what happened or killing off all the characters without warning.
As a reader I am happier with a series in which each book comes to a satisfying end. I can see that another book is coming and sometimes the author says there will be a certain number of books, but each book is rounded off and the immediate problem is solved.
Brandon Sanderson has done that with The Stormlight Archives and I am grateful. J. K. Rowling did that. I trust them. If they start another series after the first one is over, I will trust them to finish that series, too, and I will be more likely to put my money and energy into their books. Kelly McCullough ended a series I liked and then did another one. He finished the second series in a timely way and I am willing to read a third one. He has earned my trust. I know it is not easy. I respect that the authors worked hard and I feel that they respected me and their characters.
I understand that sometimes a publisher will not let the author write another book in the series and that freaks me out…not the author’s fault. Sometimes, a publisher will insist on a longer time between books than a fan would wish even if the book is ready to go…again, not the author’s fault.
And what do publishers owe readers? I went to see if the third book in a trilogy was out. Yes, it was: The Labyrinth of Flame (The Shattered Sigil, #3)
by Courtney Schafer
but so far only on Nook or Kindle,
Using Google, I discovered that Ms. Schafer had to use Kickstarter funds for this book.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/593452308/the-labyrinth-of-flame
I thought the first two books were pretty good:
The Whitefire Crossing
The Tainted City
She says she is going to try to get it printed so I will wait and hope.
2. That the author will want to write the sequel in a timely fashion because he too likes the world and the characters and wants to see what happened. How many years that may take is being argued with a couple of famous authors and mean things have been said that imply the reader is wrong to want another book without a long wait in a series they have enjoyed. Personally, I am getting older and the author who waits too long is going to lose a sale if I die or lose my marbles. More likely, I will find other authors who are writing books I can enjoy and I will spend my money and time with their worlds.
If the author does not want to finish the series then I think he should just say so and quit. Let the reader re-read what is already there and make up their own minds about what happened and stop waiting for another book.
I am willing, for example, to give Patrick Rothfuss one more year (that will make six years) and then I will stop hoping for a book to finish his trilogy. I will decide he has painted himself into some kind of corner and that is that. Too bad, but whatever. Life happened.
I understand that fans can be too demanding. If we want good writing and a good book, we have to be prepared to wait for a while…yes, I agree. The author has to trust that his fans won’t forget him and be fickle. But…the wait can sometimes just be too long.
Other thoughts:
In a series it often happens that one or more of the books is weaker than the others and it can turn a reader off. I try to keep going in that case, hoping the series will get better and usually it does. Even an author who is getting older and the plots are not so great anymore may draw me in just to visit with beloved characters.
If I begin buying a series and it suddenly goes to an e reader format, I am screwed. I can hope the book will come out in print form and sometimes it does, but I do see the handwriting on the wall and I can see that I may end up re-reading already finished series that I own and love instead of being able to pursue the newer ones.
There are many older series that you can find in used books, but sometimes parts are missing. I would love to see those older series put all in one book as they did with Cherryh’s Morgaine series.
I am a sincere reader who believes in spending money on books so that the authors may eat. I know that many here are the same. Without us…well, it would be a sad world with no writers and no readers.
A huge thanks to the writers who keep getting your books out to us in a timely fashion.
Which authors do you trust?
Diaries of the Week:
Write On! The worst writing advice.
By SensibleShoes
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/1/21/1473034/-Write-On-The-worst-writing-advice#view-story
………………………...
Another sign of Greenland ice melting-icebergs are showing up 4 months early off Newfoundland.
By Pakalolo
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/01/22/1473108/-Another-sign-of-Greenland-ice-melting-icebergs-are-showing-up-4-months-early-off-Newfoundland
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Day 124 - Happy 66th Republic Day to India!
By guavaboy
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/01/26/1474969/-Day-124-Happy-66th-Republic-Day-to-India
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All Times are EDT, EST
Readers & Book Lovers Series
Schedule Day Time EST/EDT Series Editor(s)
Sunday 6:00 PM Young Reader's Pavilion The Book Bear
(last Sun of the month) 7:30 PM LGBT Literature Chrislove
Monday (occasional) 8:00 PM Books! Susan Grigsby
Tuesday 5:00 PM Indigo Kalliope: Poems from the Left Kit RMP, ruleoflaw
8:00 PM Contemporary Fiction Views bookgirl
Wednesday 8:00 PM Bookflurries Bookchat cfk
Thursday 2:00 PM Self-Publishing 101 akadjian
8:00 PM Write On! SensibleShoes
(once a month) 2:00 PM Monthly Bookpost AdmiralNaismith
Friday 8:00 PM Books Go Boom! Brecht
Saturday 9:00 AM You Can't Read That!
Paul's Book Reviews pwoodford
9:00 PM Books So Bad They're Good Ellid
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To help with the poll:
Kingfisher (coming Feb. 2)
by Patricia A. McKillip
Children of Earth and Sky (coming May 10)
by Guy Gavriel Kay