Charles Finch's Blog - Posts Tagged "lenox"
Lenox cover reveal!
Come over to facebook.com/charlesfinchauthor to check out the cover of AN OLD BETRAYAL, the newest Charles Lenox novel!
Or add it to to your "Want to Read" list here: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17...
Or add it to to your "Want to Read" list here: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17...
Early Lenox giveaway
Many of you may have spotted this already, but my publisher will be giving away fifteen copies of the new Charles Lenox novel, AN OLD BETRAYAL, a month before it hits bookshelves. Enter here, and tell your friends to do the same!
http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...
http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...
Signed bookplates!
I get a lot of requests for signed books. Unfortunately I can't make it everywhere - but I can offer bookplates. All you have to do is send an e-mail to [email protected] showing either
a) a receipt for your pre-order of THE LAST ENCHANTMENTS, my first non-mystery novel
or
b) show a picture of your library hold of the same book (just to include people who prefer not to buy the books)
And of course I'll need your address, too. I may even include a note with the bookplate! And I'm happy to personalize them.
Hopefully this is at least a decent compromise - until I make it to every bookstore in America.
a) a receipt for your pre-order of THE LAST ENCHANTMENTS, my first non-mystery novel
or
b) show a picture of your library hold of the same book (just to include people who prefer not to buy the books)
And of course I'll need your address, too. I may even include a note with the bookplate! And I'm happy to personalize them.
Hopefully this is at least a decent compromise - until I make it to every bookstore in America.
Recurring characters
One of the tricky parts about writing a series over the course of a long period (it's been nearly a decade since I first wrote the name Lenox down on a piece of paper, thinking it might make a good name for a protagonist) is knowing how much characters should change.
There are protagonists who never, or rarely, change - Miss Marple, Sherlock Holmes, Robert Parker's Spenser. Then there are those who grow and change and even die, like those of Elizabeth George or Sue Grafton or PD James.
I like both methods. I think the second is riskier - you can alienate the reader, or lose sight of what made the character interesting in the first place. (Since the author spends a LOT more time with the characters than the reader, it's tempting to make unnaturally drastic changes, just for the excitement.) Elizabeth George's books have been worse to me since she killed off a major character.
I try to have my characters grow and evolve, and at the same time stay somewhat static - so that visiting them in the sixth book and the first book doesn't feel like THAT different of an experience. They're still the same people, with the same qualities and fears and loves. This seems to me true to life. It's uncommon to see people take huge turns. More often you see people deepen into their characters.
What do you prefer - characters trapped in amber, or characters who evolve in crazy new directions? What's your favorite example of one way or the other? Curious as a writer to hear how readers react to this subject.
There are protagonists who never, or rarely, change - Miss Marple, Sherlock Holmes, Robert Parker's Spenser. Then there are those who grow and change and even die, like those of Elizabeth George or Sue Grafton or PD James.
I like both methods. I think the second is riskier - you can alienate the reader, or lose sight of what made the character interesting in the first place. (Since the author spends a LOT more time with the characters than the reader, it's tempting to make unnaturally drastic changes, just for the excitement.) Elizabeth George's books have been worse to me since she killed off a major character.
I try to have my characters grow and evolve, and at the same time stay somewhat static - so that visiting them in the sixth book and the first book doesn't feel like THAT different of an experience. They're still the same people, with the same qualities and fears and loves. This seems to me true to life. It's uncommon to see people take huge turns. More often you see people deepen into their characters.
What do you prefer - characters trapped in amber, or characters who evolve in crazy new directions? What's your favorite example of one way or the other? Curious as a writer to hear how readers react to this subject.
ONE DAY SALE!
A Beautiful Blue Death is THE Goodreads Deal of the Day today - $2.99 on all e-book formats! It's usually $10. Grab it, and tell your friends to start the series!
https://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Deat...
https://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Deat...
Giveaway!
Oh boy. This is THE giveaway.
The amazing Louise Penny's new novel "Glass Houses" doesn't come out until August 29th...but I got my hands on a single copy for one lucky winner. And to pair with it, like baguette with Three Pines camembert, a signed copy of "The Inheritance."
To enter, it's simple: go over to my facebook.com/charlesfinchauthor, and hit like and share on the contest's post. GOOD LUCK!!!
The amazing Louise Penny's new novel "Glass Houses" doesn't come out until August 29th...but I got my hands on a single copy for one lucky winner. And to pair with it, like baguette with Three Pines camembert, a signed copy of "The Inheritance."
To enter, it's simple: go over to my facebook.com/charlesfinchauthor, and hit like and share on the contest's post. GOOD LUCK!!!
Giveaway!
Oh boy. This is THE giveaway.
The amazing Louise Penny's new novel "Glass Houses" doesn't come out until August 29th...but I got my hands on a single copy for one lucky winner. And to pair with it, like baguette with Three Pines camembert, a signed copy of "The Inheritance."
To enter, it's simple: go over to my facebook.com/charlesfinchauthor, and hit like and share on the contest's post. GOOD LUCK!!!
The amazing Louise Penny's new novel "Glass Houses" doesn't come out until August 29th...but I got my hands on a single copy for one lucky winner. And to pair with it, like baguette with Three Pines camembert, a signed copy of "The Inheritance."
To enter, it's simple: go over to my facebook.com/charlesfinchauthor, and hit like and share on the contest's post. GOOD LUCK!!!
Goodreads giveaway!
10 copies of The Woman in the Water - enter here! It takes five seconds. Good luck :)
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...
PUB DAY!
It's pub day!!!!!!!
My new book "The Woman in the Water" has been out in the wild for ten hours ☺️ What a nice, and only slightly terrifying, feeling. Thank you ~SO~ much to all of you who pre-ordered and spread the word! I will never be able to express my gratitude.
Here are a few links to buy it, if you're inclined to treat yourself...
http://bit.ly/TheWomanInTheWaterAmazon
http://bit.ly/TheWomanInTheWaterBN
http://bit.ly/TheWomanInTheWaterIndie...
http://bit.ly/TheWomanInTheWateriBooks
My new book "The Woman in the Water" has been out in the wild for ten hours ☺️ What a nice, and only slightly terrifying, feeling. Thank you ~SO~ much to all of you who pre-ordered and spread the word! I will never be able to express my gratitude.
Here are a few links to buy it, if you're inclined to treat yourself...
http://bit.ly/TheWomanInTheWaterAmazon
http://bit.ly/TheWomanInTheWaterBN
http://bit.ly/TheWomanInTheWaterIndie...
http://bit.ly/TheWomanInTheWateriBooks
