Michael’s Comments (group member since Jan 07, 2014)

Michael’s comments from the Ask Michael Reilly (author MISISIPI) group.

HI Aneta

Glad to see you got the book safety.

Actually, the book names are not linked to the stones which accompany each's title page. The novel is broken into "parts" in order to better differentiate the phases of the story and the title pages just seemed like the most appropriate places to present each of the seven stones (including the end page for the surplus stone) for the reader's benefit. The book biblical names are significant in that they thematically represent the new situation the story encounters within that part but there is no link between the book name and the stone shown for it. Therefore you won't find specific portions within any book that tie into the stone shown at the start. Sorry :(

Thanks for posting your review and I'm really glad that you liked the novel.

Best
Mike

Have you been watching Helix, the new virus-run-amok-in-remote-Artic-base show on Sci-Fy (Scy-Fi, ScyFy, sheesh!)?

It's from Ronald D Moore, the genius mind behind the recent Battlestar Galactica reboot (one of the top 5 TV shows of the last 10 years in my opinion) so I was very excited to see his take on The Andromeda Strain meets The Thing.

The point at which I (almost) stopped watching and abandoned the whole thing:

10 minutes into the pilot. A crack team of CDC virologists arrives at the Artic Station and prepares to enter. There is an unknown contagion behind the doors they are about to pass behind, something deadly and horrible. The station chief states that they will have full access to all parts of the station via subcutaneous ID chips which he proceeds to implant in each of the team's palm---using an injector delivery device which breaks the skin to deploy the chip into their hands. Which he does...without sterilizing the contact piece or replacing it between applications. Just BAM-BAM-BAM-BAM..All done! Have some ice-cream for the pain.

I wouldn't take an aspirin from these so-called scientists now. I think they are all going to die. Serves them right.

:)

At: http://bit.ly/1hDLLLY

I think I can classify it as the WIKISIPI for the book!

I kinda liked 75% of Gone Girl. It had an intriguing start and I was drawn to it because of the parallels with MISISIPI in how the plot gets going.

Sadly, I thought the final set of goings-on and ultimate resolution were weak and inconsistent with what was good in the lead-in and I was minded how many must-read books recently, especially thrillers, have strong hooks and set-ups but then stagger to flimsy and floppy endings to my great dissatisfaction.

Seems David Fincher might feel the same way about GG. The Guardian reports than the ending is being overhauled to deviate from the book. I'll be interested to see how it ultimately plays out.

What do you think?

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/...

So here is the PR answer to why MISSISSIPPI is spelled MISISIPI...

The book was titled MISSISSIPPI for the first 4 years of its development. This was for several reasons.

1. The novel was originally inspired by the Paula Cole song of that name.
2. The novel climaxes in NOLA during Katrina
3. The book's first half is a meandering road trip from North to South
4. One of the themes is the idea of small acts with big consequences over time, the way a river springs as a stream and blah blah blah blah

So I was really happy with my very apt title and how it encompassed the actual plot points as well as the authory Walter Mitty notion that I had delusions-of-greatness toward.

Then as publication date approached, I got cold feet. No prospective reader looking at the cover is going to know any of points 1-4 so I began to wonder if the title would instead instill in them the expectation of Huck Finn frolics, cotton fields, Scarlett O'Hara-type hist-fict content etc.

So, I still liked the word as per points 1-4 but the now it seemed like it would misrepresent the story to would-be readers. And then, one day, a brain storm. Even in Ireland, we learn the special cadence way to spell MISS-ISS-IPP-I. So the importance of the exact spelling is as known to us as to you all in the US of A.

So I decided to keep the word but lose any mis-conceptions(1) by screwing with the spelling. Hence, the title became MISISIPI. In doing so, I actually thought I gained two more points to justify it.

5. Now the word looked "wrong", this ironically could be something which might entice someone to lift it from the bookshelf, if only for curiosity value. I had jujitsu'd the title. I felt even more impressed with myself! And...

6. One of the other themes is that of identity and mis-identity. How meta was that now!!!! Delusions of grandeur cranked up to 11.

I fully accept that readers browsing the bookshelves will not know or give a crap about any of the above.

So the issue here is whether the word MISISIPI harms or helps the book's allure to would-be readers.

I think the incredible demand for the paperback during this giveaway (560 entrants and rising after only 4 days) seems to allay my fears on that front.

Everyone who will ultimately read the book will get it. Those who already have read it do get it and have said so to me.

Those who will bristle and the title or assume I flat out cannot spell will likely move on past and seek out some other book to read. That's fine. It's their right and their prerogative. And in all likelihood, the story might not have been to their tastes since the title shift is closely allied to the themes within the story.

That's it! Hope it makes sense. Thanks everyone for the support thus far. You're all awesome. Here's to the next 500!

Mike

And I also just wanted to give a big shoutout to everyone in the Goodreads support, especially Claire who have helped this Giveaway go so smoothly thusfar, despite my own best efforts to derail it. Well played, Goodreads, well played!

Good question!

When we hit 500 Goodreads Entrants I will reveal all (spoiler-free version anyway). Fair enough?

Hi All

Thanks for stopping by the group. This is just a general thread for anyone who is entered in the Goodreads Jan Giveaway for the print edition of Misisipi. Ask me anything about the book you might be getting or just chat amongst yourselves.

And THANK YOU for supporting the Giveaway. It means a lot to me.

Mike Reilly