Author’s Note: Snow Queen
I’m working on the Author’s Note and Acknowledgments for The Snow Queen’s Shadow [Amazon | B&N | Mysterious Galaxy].
Sometimes this part feels repetitive, since I tend to thank mostly the same people with every book. But then, these are the same people who help me improve the story, who take it from manuscript to finished book. I think it’s important to thank them, and to remember that this isn’t something I could do alone.
I’m thinking about trying to include a bit more information this time around. So I was wondering — if there were one question you could ask me about writing or about the princess series, what would it be? I don’t mean spoilers, but what sort of behind-the-scenes info would be most interesting to you as a reader?
Or just in general, if you do read author notes and such, what sort of thing makes them enjoyable and worth reading?
To the authors out there, what are your thoughts on acknowledgments and author notes?
I suspect I might be overthinking this whole thing, but hey, it’s what I do!
Steve Buchheit
December 27, 2010 @ 3:37 pm
For me it’s the story part of the acknowledgments. Not so much the “this person read, this person provided consulting,” etc, but the “and in the darkest night, this person said this which kept me going.” Or, “when the story was headed in the wrong direction, this person gave the critical piece of advice.” Or even the “thanks to this person for the solace and dim sum.”
Don’t forget the “these people are experts, any errors that remain in the manuscript are mine and mine alone,” disclaimer.
Dwagginz
December 27, 2010 @ 4:35 pm
Question: What inspired you to put pen-to-paper and write the Princess series in the way you did?
I guess it’s phrased like that because it’s not an ordinary group of princesses. Danielle, well, she’s pretty ‘normal’, but Talia and Snow are far from princess material – Especially Talia. Maybe Talia is lesbian because you wanted to represent the LGBT crowd, maybe it’s just how she progressed? That’s the sort of stuff I’d like to know, but I suspect it’d take more than a foreword to answer.
I do sometimes read the notes, but it depends. If it’s a “I’d like to thank my mum for making cookies” one, I’ll ignore it beyond a glance, but if it’s a personal story like the intro to the Dark Tower novels by Stephen King, then I’ll read it as it pertains to the series and gives you the slightest glimpse into the thought process behind the series.
Cassandra
December 27, 2010 @ 5:05 pm
I read everything printed in the book. I’m not fussy about acknowledgements, but I do prefer when they are in the back of the book. I find the new trend of putting them in the beginning to be a bit disconcerting.
Jim C. Hines
December 27, 2010 @ 7:53 pm
You see that as a new trend? Most of the books I read have them in the beginning.
Jim C. Hines
December 27, 2010 @ 7:55 pm
I know I won’t be able to get into all of that, so I’ll tell you here that Talia’s sexuality wasn’t a deliberate attempt at inclusiveness so much as … well, it just felt right for the character. I wish I could go back six years and double-check exactly what was going through my head, but there was never a checklist or quota or anything like that. Talia was simply Talia.
Jim C. Hines
December 27, 2010 @ 7:56 pm
That’s the consensus I’m getting on LJ too. A simple list of thank yous is a bit dull, but as soon as it becomes a story — even a very simple story — then it gets more interesting.
And what do you mean, errors? I resent your implication, sir!
Jer_
December 27, 2010 @ 11:12 pm
This is precisely what I was going to say…
Mike Mullin
December 28, 2010 @ 1:08 am
I love a bit of personal information about the author, if that’s relevant to the story. I finished The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney today, and her own story told in the author’s note made me rethink the book a bit (in a good way). Also, I’m with Cassandra: acknowledgments belong at the back of the book. When I open a novel, I’m anxious to get into the story. If I love the book, then maybe I want to read more about the people who made it possible.
KS 'Kaz' Augustin
December 28, 2010 @ 1:20 am
Yeah, I agree with Mike. I always prefer to put information at the end of the book, when the reader has a bit more time to think about what s/he just read. I do this because I’m an impatient reader myself and tend to go back to Introductions, Forewords, What Have You, after I’ve read the book.
Dwagginz
December 28, 2010 @ 6:20 am
Thought so 🙂 She’s pretty damned awesome, either way! Some authors write LGB characters just to include them rather than it being a natural decision, and it’s good that Talia is naturally so.
Cassandra
December 28, 2010 @ 2:57 pm
I’ve noticed it more and more in the past two years ish… it’s a personal preference that’s basically irrelevant but irritates me every time anyway. I like acknowledgements at the end because they are kind of like a buffer zone between book-world and real-world, a bit of an adjustment period if you will.
Jim C. Hines
December 28, 2010 @ 3:04 pm
I just hadn’t seen it as a recent trend.
But that does make sense, and I don’t want to bump anyone out of the book before the story even starts. I’ll probably be moving the note to the back for this one.
Cassandra
December 28, 2010 @ 8:21 pm
Perhaps it’s a genre thing – I predominantly read YA. It really is a minor preference though.
tiana
January 1, 2011 @ 1:25 am
Is the book that is coming out in July the last one? And do you think the Princess books will ever be made into movies and if so who will play Danielle, Snow and Talia?
Jim C. Hines
January 1, 2011 @ 9:41 am
Tiana,
Yes, Snow Queen is planned as the last book in the princess series. As for a movie, your guess is as good as mine. I’d love to see Hollywood pick up the books and do something with ’em, but as the author, I have pretty much zero power in making that happen.
Best,
Jim