I've been contemplating this most recent meltdown in the vampire corner of the fantasy-horror genre. (While, I admit, also asking what the hell is up with the sub-genre that it seems to have the largest, most public, authorial meltdowns: are the authors most likely to melt more attracted to that genre for some reason? or does the genre induce the melting? chicken, egg, someone?).
Anyway!![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
anghara explained that authors -- who can't control cover, back copy, inner flap, etc -- really only owe readers The Story. (And this does not, therefore, mean authors then owe The Sequel, nor can readers sue for it. Ahem.) All true. But I think this is oversimplication. The author owes us the story promised, and by that I mean: the author owes us a certain loyalty to, and recognition of, the story's beginning, and the characters' beginnings. Ignoring any information gleaned elsewhere (from reader reviews to back copy), in the first opening paragraphs, it's now down to me, and the author. Show your stuff, author. Tell me what I'm gonna get.
( In which I go on at length about what I've learned as a reader, about authorial promises, and why I think LKH is on the raging defense and her fans are on the raging offense. )
Anyway!
anghara explained that authors -- who can't control cover, back copy, inner flap, etc -- really only owe readers The Story. (And this does not, therefore, mean authors then owe The Sequel, nor can readers sue for it. Ahem.) All true. But I think this is oversimplication. The author owes us the story promised, and by that I mean: the author owes us a certain loyalty to, and recognition of, the story's beginning, and the characters' beginnings. Ignoring any information gleaned elsewhere (from reader reviews to back copy), in the first opening paragraphs, it's now down to me, and the author. Show your stuff, author. Tell me what I'm gonna get. ( In which I go on at length about what I've learned as a reader, about authorial promises, and why I think LKH is on the raging defense and her fans are on the raging offense. )