1. Kessie says:

    I tried to read the Green Ember, but I got three chapters in and nothing had happened, so I gave up. Maybe I should try it again.

    Going by my own reading habits, I notice an author once they have several books out. I never heard of Harry Potter until book 4 launched. There’s a vampire series on Amazon that has 30+ books, and it started as Twilight fanfic. (The author’s name is Bella Forrest.) Most authors seem to have to write for a long time in obscurity until they get noticed. Poor Frank Peretti tried for ten years to get Present Darkness published.

    • Good observation, Kessie. “instant fame” isn’t instant at all, even if an author doesn’t have thirty books out. There are drafts and rewrites and edits and agent hunting and publisher hunting. But once in a great while a new author makes it big on the first book. Sometimes, though, that isn’t followed up by another great success.

      I think Rowling got her sales boost because there was controversy, what with many Christians coming out against the book.

      I haven’t read The Green Ember yet, bu the (many) Amazon reviews were overall favorable. I usually learn more about a book from the lower reviews, but there simply weren’t many of those. So it makes me want to read the book. I couldn’t help but wonder what influences the author would own.

      Becky

  2. Audie says:

    So, I see the picture at the top of this article, and my first thought was something like “Hey, it’s Red Green, cool. Not sure why he’s on here, but cool anyway.”

  3. Lisa says:

    I wish I knew the answer to that question – I’m not sure who the next new voice will be. Of course all of us writers hope it will be us! But as we all know, especially in the Christian speculative fiction realm, it’s really hard to be doing something “different”. The trick seems to be to be different, but not too different. To push the envelope just a bit. I guess. I dunno. I’d love to hear what others think about who the new voice will be, so I can check them out myself. I think S.D. Smith looks like a good bet, but personally I prefer adult fantasy over YA or middle grade. But if I ever get some more of those mythical reading hours, I would definitely pick up his book! Plus, the cover is golden. 😀

What do you think?