Squawk Radio
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
ELOISA ON GREAT THINGS ABOUT CYBERSPACE
I don't suppose it will surprise anyone to learn that I've been receiving a lot of mail about TAMING OF THE DUKE. It doesn't surprise me; I have a steady flow of mail most days, and for a few weeks after a book comes out there's a veritable deluge. Because I write in series, those letters are often deeply influential on my work. Here's a crucial example: when I created the Earl of Mayne, he was a throw-away character (to me). Same for Gillian Pythian-Adams. Fun to write, nothing more than that. It was letters from readers that saved both of them from languishing in the dark, gloomy depths of never falling in love and never getting their own book *grin*. Josie's character has changed as perceptive readers wrote me about her, told me their experiences with their weight, and celebrated her snappiness. So far, so good.
But this is the first time that the letters are making me change my mind AFTER a book is published, rather than before. I was driving to a booksigning yesterday (hosted by the absolutely marvelous Elsie; it was wonderful, and I met a couple of great readers - hi Andrea!), when I realized that TAMING wasn't over for me. In fact, I decided on the spot to write another chapter -- a chapter that I didn't visualize in my original draft, and didn't realize was needed until I received these letters (and by letters, I include all the wonderful comments on my Readers' board on my website).
This raises some problems, vis-a-vis my publisher: I wrote an email to my agent this morning laying out some questions about whether anyone has ever added to books on the re-print... But there's always my website -- after all, this is cyberspace!
So: I'm writing another chapter of TAMING. It'll go up on my website in about 2 weeks, I would say. I'll put it in the Readers' Pages. And I have to say, although I had a splendid time at the signing, I had an even better time lying in bed afterwards, thinking about Rafe and Imogen again. I missed them!
SO: let's have a discussion about missing chapters. Leaving TAMING out of it, which romance have you read in which you really, really wish there could be one more chapter -- and what should that chapter deal with?
But this is the first time that the letters are making me change my mind AFTER a book is published, rather than before. I was driving to a booksigning yesterday (hosted by the absolutely marvelous Elsie; it was wonderful, and I met a couple of great readers - hi Andrea!), when I realized that TAMING wasn't over for me. In fact, I decided on the spot to write another chapter -- a chapter that I didn't visualize in my original draft, and didn't realize was needed until I received these letters (and by letters, I include all the wonderful comments on my Readers' board on my website).
This raises some problems, vis-a-vis my publisher: I wrote an email to my agent this morning laying out some questions about whether anyone has ever added to books on the re-print... But there's always my website -- after all, this is cyberspace!
So: I'm writing another chapter of TAMING. It'll go up on my website in about 2 weeks, I would say. I'll put it in the Readers' Pages. And I have to say, although I had a splendid time at the signing, I had an even better time lying in bed afterwards, thinking about Rafe and Imogen again. I missed them!
SO: let's have a discussion about missing chapters. Leaving TAMING out of it, which romance have you read in which you really, really wish there could be one more chapter -- and what should that chapter deal with?
Eloisa James, 10:42 AM
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