tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486027252802681746.post196432325984997871..comments2023-04-09T09:21:14.198-05:00Comments on MTV Books: Mistakes happen, but...Jennifer Echolshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757825467796917325noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486027252802681746.post-91424768017555170262009-11-04T12:10:21.601-06:002009-11-04T12:10:21.601-06:00Weird. I lived in Barrington, IL for 4 years!
Smal...Weird. I lived in Barrington, IL for 4 years!<br />Small world.Jenny O'Connellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486027252802681746.post-33862121359576470092009-11-04T07:21:23.922-06:002009-11-04T07:21:23.922-06:00Your comment hit home. I'm writing a book that...Your comment hit home. I'm writing a book that takes place in Barrington, IL a place I lived near years ago. After writing the book I took a trip to Barrington and spent several days walking around the town and touring the High School where the majority of he book takes place. Thank God I did because if I published the book with my first descriptions the people and students of Barrington would know I did not live there. Now I know that anyone who comes from Barrington can read my book and feel at home. I love that little town and want it represent it correctly.Kathy Piccianohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03482098244203030454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486027252802681746.post-83229046621621145312009-11-03T12:02:54.407-06:002009-11-03T12:02:54.407-06:00Andrea, I so agree!!! I started writing a book onc...Andrea, I so agree!!! I started writing a book once that took place in NYC. I grew up around the city, went there often, but I discovered that to write from the experience of someone who actually lived there was SO hard! I became obsessed with which streets were one way and in which direction they ran. The details started driving me nuts. I was so afraid of getting it wrong.<br /><br />So I moved the story to Boston, where I've lived, and it wasn't just easier, it was actually better precisely because it was something I intimately knew.Jenny O'Connellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486027252802681746.post-5607181184902534082009-11-03T11:59:48.780-06:002009-11-03T11:59:48.780-06:00You know, as a writer I totally fear having a read...You know, as a writer I totally fear having a reader have the same reaction I did and would hope they'd cut me some slack, and I was in no way slamming the author. <br /><br />I just think it's so vital for stories that are "believeable" fiction to be based in the reality of the world we live in. Where public bathrooms don't have lids on the toilets, even if that is a very small thing. I always want to believe the author I'm reading, that they've done their research and know what they're writing about so I trust them to take me on a journey, but once I start finding flaws it ruins it for me. If I'm willing to spend hours and days reading a book, I hope they're willing to spend the few minutes it takes to figure out how long it takes to get somewhere in a cab.Jenny O'Connellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486027252802681746.post-21394248000738319592009-11-03T11:39:35.032-06:002009-11-03T11:39:35.032-06:00Oh yeah, stuff like that gets on my nerves all the...Oh yeah, stuff like that gets on my nerves all the time. I read a series of YA books where the author came right out and stated that they didn't know Boston very well and took creative license. I know Boston very well and would get super annoyed at small things like the T making stops at places it doesn't even go. If you don't know Boston, don't create a story around the city. I gave up reading them after awhile because I just couldn't let go of those small annoyances and enjoy the book.andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13413126491891084244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486027252802681746.post-30869800801565613282009-11-03T08:38:29.401-06:002009-11-03T08:38:29.401-06:00When I started reading your concern about the toil...When I started reading your concern about the toilet lid, I thought maybe you were over-reacting, but then the more I thought about it, the more I thought I'd have the same problem! Details matter, and if anything, no matter how seemingly small it may appear, takes a reader out of a story (in a negative way), then that story has not accomplished its goal.Sarah LaPollahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14266812619209867411noreply@blogger.com