"Paperback Writer"

While I'm on the topic of books, a few more words about "Paperback Writers" (sort of a carry-over from yesterday).   I have recently discovered author websites, blogs, and even Facebook pages of a lot of my favorite writers.  I am actually "friends" with two of them, Facebook says so!

It's a lovely thing to be able to get "insider" information directly from the writer.  You can find out all sorts of interesting things.  Sometimes they have short excerpts from their next book, or they'll tell you the next date of publication, or they'll talk about their inspiration, their history, their backgrounds.  All of a sudden the writer becomes a real person who is sharing a real-life picture of who they are. 

They often discuss characters from their books, talking about them as if they were almost real.  I guess when you spend the months and months required to write a noval, the characters you create can take on a life of their own of sorts.  I love that.  

With books that I love, I also come close to thinking of some characters as real!  So much so that I want their story to go on and on.  "But what happens next?" is my frequent thought as I finish the last few pages. That's a great testament to the ability of the writer.  For that reason I'm happy when there is an epilogue or a  sequel or trilogies, or an on-going series of interrelated stories. I can hold on to the character and the story a little while longer. 

Back on the subject of social networking with writers (paperback and otherwise!),  sometimes you find out something that doesn't make you so happy.  For instance, one of my very favorite authors noted that it takes her about 2 years to write a book!  Two Years!!  In two years you could have two children, or sail around the world in a canoe, or read the collected works of Shakespere....twice!   Gee whiz, her books are good and all, but they're not "War and Peace" for heaven's sake! 

Of course, I know that you can't hurry these things, writing is a very personalized talent, you can only write the way you can write!  It is just frustrating for the reader.  When I get a new book by one of my favorite authors, I must force myself to ration my reading.  I have to limit myself to only reading a small portion each day.  In this manner, I can make a new book last for a maximum of about 4 days, 5 days IF I've had a busy week!  Otherwise, I'd finish them in one sitting!  But even if rationing is successful, there is still a 2 year wait till the next one!  It does make me appreciate her books more, and thankfully, hers are of the sort that I can read multiple times, so that helps fill the gap....some!

That's a pretty selfish point of view, I guess, thinking only of my own reading habits.  Still, if you were to go to her FB page, you would see comment after comment from her other readers, expressing similar impatience for the next book.  Some of the comments are funny or well done, but my very favorite comment was simply, "Write faster."   LOL!    Concise and to the point!  I didn't write it, but I wish I had!  Gotta love it!

Anyway, if you are interested in the personal side of your favorite
"Paperback Writer", look for them on Facebook or Google,  I'll bet they are there somewhere....fooling around with clever comments and talking to people, when they KNOW they should be back at work.... writing faster!!