Ask Emily Colin discussion

Hello all,

I'd like to welcome you to my discussion group for THE MEMORY THIEF. Feel free to ask whatever you'd like--about the writing process, the characters themselves, why an acrophobic person would choose to write about mountaineering, or anything else book-related that strikes your fancy.

I'll be back on October 20th to chat!

Thanks for reading,
Emily

What drew you to mountain climbing in this novel? Or was it one of those things that the characters decided for you?

One of the aspects I appreciated the most about TMT is the narrative style: three different 1st POVs, three hearts laid bare... Was that your choice of technique from the start? Did the story play in your mind in this fashion as you conceived it? My considerations about your stunning and original debut on Mina's Bookshelf http://minadecaro.blogspot.com/2012/1...

Hi Christy,

Thanks for your question! What drew me to mountain climbing...hmmm. The short story is, I went to the library, searching for something new and unexpected to read, and wound up borrowing a memoir written by a woman who'd lost her mountaineer husband in an avalanche. Her story made me think--what kind of person is drawn to climbing mountains? And what must it be like to love a professional climber, who takes their life in their hands every time they go to work--for no other reason except the fact that they love to climb and feel called to make it their life's work?

I became fascinated by climbing, and yes, I did a lot of research in order to make the book work. But in the end, when I'd written the last page of TMT, I realized that mountain climbing was really a metaphor for the larger issues that the book addresses--being unafraid to follow your dreams, even when they terrify you and even when they break your heart. And I think I was going through a similar process when I sat down and decided to write the book, with no knowledge of what would happen--would anyone want to read it? Would it ever find a home? Ultimately, I guess the book is about the issues I was struggling with as I wrote it--a realization I only had much later. Such is the nature of creativity, I suppose!

Hi Mina,

I've said this before, but...thank you for your wonderful and insightful blog post about TMT. To answer your question, yes, it was my intention from the start to use multiple POVs. I know some folks find books that are written in this fashion to be confusing or distracting, but personally I love having the chance to see a situation from multiple perspectives, to peek inside different characters' heads. There was never any doubt in my mind that that was how the book would be structured. In fact, initially the book was written from six POVs instead of three--J.C., Gabe and even Grace had the opportunity to tell their sides of the story. I loved it, but some of my beta readers and agents who expressed interest in the book early on told me that it was too much--and so I whittled the POVs down to three.

I still have all of the scenes that I wrote from these characters' perspectives, though--many of which wound up in the final book, told from Maddie, Nicholas or Aidan's POV--and have actually thought about releasing them on my blog as outtakes. What do you think? Would you have any interest in seeing them? Because if so--and if others concur--I could probably be persuaded to make it happen...

Yes, please! Make it happen. Unlike those readers who are thrown off-balance by multiple POVs, I love the intimacy it creates between reader and characters. I actually missed J.C. 's perspective, but editors know better...

I completely agree with Mina! Yes, please! I'd love to see the perspective of the other characters! Please do release them!

Maryellen and Mina, I will definitely do it ... I think I have about 6 or so scenes that fell to the cutting-room floor. Look for them on my blog this week!

Sweet! I'm happy to hear you'll release these scenes. I love the multiple POVs too & I know I'm going to enjoy reading what ended up on the cutting room floor :)

Thanks, Christy! Check out the first outtake on my blog: http://www.emilycolin.com/category/blog/

Would love to know what you think!

Hi Ms. Colin, I just want to say from the outset that your prose and dialogue are beautiful.

But I have to say, this book made me so desperately sad and I felt that way for days after I read it. I don’t know, I don’t have to have a happy ending in a book, but when I reached the last page, I felt that no one was truly happy, that everyone had to settle for second (or third) best in life. I literally hurt for everyone in your novel, and it never actually hurt less. Maybe it was the paranormal aspect – and I do love paranormal – but I think I felt worst for AJ. It was as if he was just going into some void and the only character who could have no hope of happiness in the future.

I don’t know, maybe I read it at a bad time in my life, and I would love to read your next novel, but please, maybe a little levity?:)