Kristina Giovanni
asked
Scott Hawkins:
Why would you write a sequel to your beautiful novel? It is perfect the way it is. There are too many series in the world that end up petering out because the authors writing them do not know how to write an ending, or they're unwilling to walk away from the characters they've created. Write more stories like it, but with new characters?
Scott Hawkins
Hi Kristina,
Yeah, that is a distinct possibility.
I've always had a couple of loose ideas about where I might go with hypothetical sequels, but I'm starting to wonder if that will happen. This one's been pretty well received and I'd hate to screw that up. (koff matrix koff)
Anyway, here's where I'm at:
I wrote a Mount Char flavored novella back in the summer with the intention of giving it out on my web site, but it really just didn't work very well. I like the characters, I miss the characters, but it didn't feel the same. Not sure what's up with that, honestly, but it makes me really nervous about digging in for a full-fledged continuation of the adventures of Carolyn.
On the other hand, not too long ago somebody suggested doing short stories on the librarians who didn't get a lot of page time in the book. That seems like it might have some juice. Carolyn's arc is more or less done, but I think there's probably some stuff left to say about the rest of them. So I might take a look at that angle.
Getting back to the idea of full-fledged sequels, there's another problem. This one is pretty ugly.
One of the core notions of Mount Char was that regression completeness thing--that bit about how every layer of mystery that you unwrap reveals another mystery. I could probably come up with another mystery for Carolyn & co. to unwrap after the events of Mount Char, but now that the books are in stores it would be tricky to make it fit in seamlessly with the stuff that's already happened. That's hard to do even when you can go back and re-edit stuff.
Anyway, I see your point. But I also see the point of people (myself among them) who might like to go back for another helping.
How's that for wishy-washy? :-)
Anyway, good morning, and thanks for the question.
Yeah, that is a distinct possibility.
I've always had a couple of loose ideas about where I might go with hypothetical sequels, but I'm starting to wonder if that will happen. This one's been pretty well received and I'd hate to screw that up. (koff matrix koff)
Anyway, here's where I'm at:
I wrote a Mount Char flavored novella back in the summer with the intention of giving it out on my web site, but it really just didn't work very well. I like the characters, I miss the characters, but it didn't feel the same. Not sure what's up with that, honestly, but it makes me really nervous about digging in for a full-fledged continuation of the adventures of Carolyn.
On the other hand, not too long ago somebody suggested doing short stories on the librarians who didn't get a lot of page time in the book. That seems like it might have some juice. Carolyn's arc is more or less done, but I think there's probably some stuff left to say about the rest of them. So I might take a look at that angle.
Getting back to the idea of full-fledged sequels, there's another problem. This one is pretty ugly.
One of the core notions of Mount Char was that regression completeness thing--that bit about how every layer of mystery that you unwrap reveals another mystery. I could probably come up with another mystery for Carolyn & co. to unwrap after the events of Mount Char, but now that the books are in stores it would be tricky to make it fit in seamlessly with the stuff that's already happened. That's hard to do even when you can go back and re-edit stuff.
Anyway, I see your point. But I also see the point of people (myself among them) who might like to go back for another helping.
How's that for wishy-washy? :-)
Anyway, good morning, and thanks for the question.
More Answered Questions
Bob Morrison
asked
Scott Hawkins:
Found your book here in Canada on Chapter.Indigo site on Heather Reisman's List of Top 20 Novels of 2015. I loved the book! Carolyn was just so darn quirky. Also, so many times I was certain where the plot was heading...but it always went in a completely different direction. Any talk of movie rights being picked up? -Bob
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