Robert Hart's Blog - Posts Tagged "colette"
Is it a prequel, a sequel or what?
Many stories these days are part of a series and we all know what is meant by a prequel and a sequel - and a standalone. With these, there is an explicit placing of the story in the series timeline. But what do we call a story that takes place entirely within the time frame of another story? Or one that is contemporaneous with another related story, even if the stories don't touch until later in the series?
My new novella Colette , available in paperback and launching on 28th January 2023 as an ebook (pre-orders on Amazon), is a case in point. It is contemporaneous with Mrs Henderson's Limp and is also a prequel to Through my Eyes. Again. The main character, French/English Colette is referred to in Through my Eyes. Again. and also in the upcoming sequel Through different Eyes . That upcoming novel (watch out for it in 2023) takes place almost entirely within the time frame of Through my Eyes. Again. telling the story of Col and Mutti Frida from when they disappeared from Will Johnstone's life in late April 1964.
Colette is thus a parallel story to Mrs Henderson's Limp and a prequel to Through my Eyes. Again. The four stories are all related - and the epilogues of Colette and Through different Eyes describe the same event - but through different eyes.
I suppose the four stories populate and define a "universe" in some way - but one that has diverged into an alternate timeline sometime after 1945. Perhaps the defining moment for that split is when Will Johnstone's consciousness is transported into his twelve-year-old body (October 1962) at the opening of Through my Eyes. Again.
But placing these stories in a universe leaves unsolved the problem of how to describe them. In a way, these stories mirror life. We are all the central character in our own story but a subsidiary character in the story of those people entwined, however loosely, in our story.
In that sense, prequel and sequel seem to lose their relevance.
My new novella Colette , available in paperback and launching on 28th January 2023 as an ebook (pre-orders on Amazon), is a case in point. It is contemporaneous with Mrs Henderson's Limp and is also a prequel to Through my Eyes. Again. The main character, French/English Colette is referred to in Through my Eyes. Again. and also in the upcoming sequel Through different Eyes . That upcoming novel (watch out for it in 2023) takes place almost entirely within the time frame of Through my Eyes. Again. telling the story of Col and Mutti Frida from when they disappeared from Will Johnstone's life in late April 1964.
Colette is thus a parallel story to Mrs Henderson's Limp and a prequel to Through my Eyes. Again. The four stories are all related - and the epilogues of Colette and Through different Eyes describe the same event - but through different eyes.
I suppose the four stories populate and define a "universe" in some way - but one that has diverged into an alternate timeline sometime after 1945. Perhaps the defining moment for that split is when Will Johnstone's consciousness is transported into his twelve-year-old body (October 1962) at the opening of Through my Eyes. Again.
But placing these stories in a universe leaves unsolved the problem of how to describe them. In a way, these stories mirror life. We are all the central character in our own story but a subsidiary character in the story of those people entwined, however loosely, in our story.
In that sense, prequel and sequel seem to lose their relevance.
Reviews can be humbling
My new World War II novella Colette has been out for less than a month and it's garnering great reviews on many platforms beside Goodreads.
Reading reviews is can be an emotional ride for an author. Putting your writing out there is dangerous: you are asking people to read your work and they are free to comment on it as they see fit. While five star reviews are great, the reviews I treasure most are the thoughtful ones that provide insight into why a reader liked the book ... and what they found problematic. These reviews drive my writing forward.
Thank you to all my readers - and most particularly to those that leave a review.
Reading reviews is can be an emotional ride for an author. Putting your writing out there is dangerous: you are asking people to read your work and they are free to comment on it as they see fit. While five star reviews are great, the reviews I treasure most are the thoughtful ones that provide insight into why a reader liked the book ... and what they found problematic. These reviews drive my writing forward.
Thank you to all my readers - and most particularly to those that leave a review.
Colette wins Editors' Choice award!!!
I nearly fell off my chair this morning while reading my emails...
Colette has won an editors' choice award in the 2023 Bookshelf writing awards.
This means it made the finalist list! Now - this is not like hitting #1 on the best seller list, but it's still amazing for this new writer!
And now you have even more reason to go and read it!
I'm still a bit dazed, but I need to get to work and finish formatting Through different Eyes for publication.
Watch this space for the cover reveals coming soon!
Colette has won an editors' choice award in the 2023 Bookshelf writing awards.
This means it made the finalist list! Now - this is not like hitting #1 on the best seller list, but it's still amazing for this new writer!
And now you have even more reason to go and read it!
I'm still a bit dazed, but I need to get to work and finish formatting Through different Eyes for publication.
Watch this space for the cover reveals coming soon!
