Ask Michael Reilly (author MISISIPI) discussion

Good question!

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

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