Every good novel throws us a Story Question and withholds the answer until the end of the book. A skilled author keeps us in suspense and--most importantly--makes us care about the outcome. Will the mother find her long-lost daughter? Will the daughter be alive or dead? Will the hero and heroine fall in love and live happily ever after? Why do we care?
Sure, a book can be about all sorts of other things as well, like friendship, growing up, and finding identity. In her debut novel, THE OPPOSITE OF INVISIBLE, Liz Gallagher tackles all these issues with flair.
But the Story Question is what pulls us from chapter to chapter like a child tugging at our hands, promising to show us something REALLY COOL.
Ms. Gallagher is already Master of the Story Question. Will Alice end up with her best friend or her Secret Crush? The urgency of Alice's romantic dilemma keeps us turning the pages. Ms. Gallagher's lively writing makes us care about what happens to her characters. I can't wait for her next book.
Speaking of Story Questions, in my current Work-in-Progress, tentatively titled THE FURBALL DIARIES, I have to hone the suspense factor. I think I know the story question. Will young Opaline Bhatta ever accept her new baby sister? Will the reader care? I still have time to revise the manuscript. I'm gearing up to dive into the murky, uncharted depths of the story and see what I can discover.
What is your Story Question?
What are you reading?
3 comments:
Hey Anjali! I finally got my hands on Invisible lives this past week, and I have to say, I loved it.
& I had fun picturing Asha as some Aishwarya/Shilpa Shetty mix. heh.
Can't wait to read some more of your books!
& I've also finished all of the Twilight Saga, so I'm waiting for the fourth book release this weekend. :)
Thanks so much for your kind words about INVISIBLE LIVES.
Are you going to a Breaking Dawn party?
Yep! And I thought my midnight jaunts to Books & Co. were over over with HP7. Hurray =D
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