Novelist For Hire

Part of the fun of writing Night Magic, the third book in my New Orleans Nights series? I suddenly had a great excuse to visit New Orleans again. I’ve told you some about the trip, but did I show you this photo? poet for hireA Poet for Hire

Isn’t this a cute idea? Poets aren’t the richest people on the block. Here was a way for French Quarter poets to make money to keep them in pen and paper, not to mention shrimp po’boys.

My brother-in-law, who was traveling with us, thought it was more than cute. He bought a poem and asked his chosen poet to write about an upcoming family wedding and the changes it would create in their family. Then he gave it to his wife. Was I lucky to marry into this family, or what?

The resulting poem was so much more touching than we expected. What started as a commercial venture suddenly became a family keepsake.

A Novelist for Hire

Today I’m hard at work finishing up A Family of Strangers (the book formerly known as The Perfect Daughter.) In fact that actually makes me a novelist who has already been hired, doesn’t it?

So while I’m hard at work on my own novel for hire, I thought I’d let you do the heavy lifting on my blog. Here’s my scenario, and then my question.

The Book You Would Choose

Imagine this: You turn a corner, and there in the street is a chair, like one of the ones above, and a man or woman sitting in it with a sign that says “Novelist for Hire.” A typewriter sits in front of them, ready for business.

Here’s the magical part: You recognize the novelist! It’s somebody you know and whose work you revere. And you have been presented with the most wonderful opportunity. Because now you can ask that person to write the sequel to a book you adored, or the next in a series that seems to have ended, or something brand new on a subject that fascinates you. The book will be all yours when they finish. How can you resist?

See what I mean about you doing the heavy lifting? Now it’s up to you to tell us who your novelist is, and what you would ask them to produce. I’ll be thinking right along with you.

Have fun!

2 Comments

  1. Shanna on September 19, 2018 at 8:36 pm

    Oh wow I don’t know where I would start. Even though it wouldn’t be the same I would probably want the last book of the Sue Grafton series. I also love the Ann George Southern Sisters series, and a good wrap up to the Cat Who books. So, many amazing authors die to soon and there worlds are left with nobody to tell their story.

  2. Thea on October 17, 2018 at 10:13 am

    I would like ‘any’ novelist to write a gripping story of how violence, abuse, poverty and humiliation affect the generations of family members who endure and sometimes overcome, but usually continue to suffer and pass on the difficulties to future generations. This is the basis for most dysfunctional relationships, but everything written about it is so boring it doesn’t get the attention the subject deserves.

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