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As people may or may not know, every time someone clicks on one of my Amazon links to buy a book (or anything else from Amazon), I get a small percentage back as Amazon gift credit. This is why I usually list book titles like so: The Mermaid’s Madness [Amazon | Mysterious Galaxy]. For a while now, I’ve used that credit to buy and give away books. Thanks to everyone who’s clicked on those links over the past month or two, it’s time to hand out some more.
To enter, just comment on this entry stating which of the two books you’d prefer and why. Are you Team Goblin or Team Princess? One entry per person, and anonymous commenters, please make sure I have some way to reach you. I’ll pick three winners either over the weekend or early next week. At least once a month, I receive an e-mail or a comment asking if I’m going to do a fourth goblin book. The answer has always been, “Probably not.” I can think of only two situations wherein I might consider writing another goblin book:
Sometimes I wonder if I made the right call, if maybe I should have kept going with the series. Jig has some wonderful fans, and he really was a fun character to write. (Not to mention the goblins were making great money over in Germany!) And then last night I caught the rebirth of Scrubs. This is a show that “ended” after season eight. I thought they had a wonderful series finale, and I was very impressed at how they handled everything. It worked. And then they decided to keep going. I don’t know why. I don’t know if it was a purely commercial decision, or if someone honestly thought they had more stories to tell. All I know is that it was painful. Many of the characters had crossed the line into caricature. The stories felt repetitive–things we had already seen in earlier seasons. The whole thing felt hollow. I hope they’ll improve as the season progresses, and I’ll keep watching to see where they go with it. But those two new episodes affirmed for me why I don’t just sit down and write a fourth Jig book. If I wrote it because the fans wanted it, or for money, or for any reason aside from my own love and excitement over a new story, the odds are that I’d lose the heart of those stories. I’d end up with the same kind of empty, repetitive caricature I watched last night. I was disappointed when Scrubs ended, but I enjoyed the series, and I loved and respected the way they wrapped things up. As a fan, I find myself wishing they had left it there. And as a writer, I don’t want to do that to my own fans. —
Today is my day at SF Novelists, where I wax not-so-eloquently on what makes a story. I also offer another free book, ’cause I like giving away books http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/24/whats-a-story/ Oh, and before I forget, it looks like Goblin Quest is going to be released in Kindle and other e-book formats on July 7. I’m excited, since this means the entire goblin trilogy will finally be available in electronic format. Finally, I’m told I should be getting page proofs for The Mermaid’s Madness [Amazon | Mysterious Galaxy] very soon now. Between this and the rewrite on Red Hood, blogging and e-mail might be a little light for the next few weeks. |
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Copyright © 2010 Jim C. Hines - All Rights Reserved |
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This time, I’m going to offer three signed copies of either Goblin Quest and The Stepsister Scheme. If you’ve been thinking about trying one of my series but haven’t felt like shelling out $8, here’s your chance. Or, if you already own the books but want an autographed copy, that’s okay too! (But if you win a book you already own, I’d ask that you give your old copy to someone else who might appreciate it.)
The thing is, in my brain, Jig’s story is finished. I’ve shown him and his fellow goblins growing and changing over the three books. I leave them in a very different place in book three, and I like that. I like that we got to see Tymalous Shadowstar’s story as well. I like that we got closure for some of the other characters and situations from book one. It feels done.
