Some of the feedback I’m getting from readers of Haints is that it’s “homespun witchy” (I love this description!) and beautiful (I love this, too.) But I’m most delighted by how many readers are commenting on the symbolism or metaphor they pick up from Haints. It’s not so much the fact that people are noticing metaphor … it’s the way they tell me about it. The layers of meaning in Haints seem to catch people by surprise. When they mention it to me, it’s always with a hint of happiness … like, “Well, that was unexpected!”
YEEESSS! Metaphor should pop up out of nowhere, because it should feel like a deeply personal way to tie in your own life experiences to the story on the pages in front of you. It should feel like personal recognition, when you begin to see the layers of meaning in a book you enjoy. So, for those who happily told me they saw metaphor in my story–thank you! What a compliment!
I’m firmly in the camp of writers who believe heavy-handed allegory is the worst. First, foremost, and overwhelmingly, my purpose in writing a book is entertainment. I want readers to be interested in the characters, the setting, the action. I want them to want more! When I finish a book I like, I close the cover and wish I could hang out with those paper people a little longer. That’s what I’m hoping readers get from Haints. Any perceived metaphor is a sweet, sweet frosting on top.
If you’d like to meet my characters yourself, buy the eBook from BookBaby or Amazon. You can also preorder paperbacks from those places until December 7, then you’ll be able to simply order them. (Amazon has weird presale requirements.) If you’re local to Knoxville, stop in Union Ave bookstore for your paperback, or Whimsy & A Dream.
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