Even better than a fantasy book with a map...

[rudi]

...is an author website with an interactive map.

(Complete with the comic shop apparently frequented by the characters!)

Comments

[the_flea_king]

That is cool!

[melissa_writing]

Thanks :)

[tanaise]

Church of Chain and Roses used to have a website based around it--the guy who inspired London designed his website around sketches he'd done of the setting in the story. It was ridiculously recursive, really, when you think about it. :)

[rudi]

Recursive, but very handy from a writing point of view.

I'm amazed how much I can find on Flickr and YouTube to show me what faraway locales actually look like (even relatively obscure places.)

[tanaise]

It got a little silly, though--I'd written Church based on a photoshopped photo on his website, and then gave him the story to read at one point. He liked it enough that when he redesigned his website, he sketched the settings in the story to use as the image maps in it, so when I wandered back to his page at one point, I was quite surprised that I 'recognized' things on it. :)

(also, thanks in part to Google's overeager spider/robots, I should probably just forget about trying that story anywhere else, and offically make it available online.)

[rudi]

Sounds cool, though.

I suppose you could try some reprint-friendly markets? Behind the Wainscot, perhaps?

(That Muse/Killers mash-up is quite nice, BTW.)

[melissa_writing]

Thanks :)

[rudi]

You're welcome!

It's a very nice site, and it did its job well, since I'm going to keep an eye out for the book now.

[melissa_writing]

Since the map was one of my big requests for my designer, I'm very glad it worked. Most of those are my photos (he photoshopped them, of course) and my street map. They're what I kept over the desk while writing so I thought it might be fun to share my visuals with people. I can't tell you how pleased I am to hear that it worked for someone other than just me :)

If you're interested, my publisher is giving away Advanced Reader Copies (and I am too). There's info on the "news & contests" page which is linked to the index page of the site. Or, go to the Writing button, then Extra, then 3rd Eye Beer (that nav structure will be made tidier soon, but for now that''s the path).

regards,
M.

[rudi]

Interesting that things have come full circle, with the images that were your inspirations turning into something that readers can make part of their experience.

Cool idea with the contest as well. You really seem to be finding good ways to draw people into your world (and, of course, your book.)

What's up with people with no computers nor internet access?

[nancath]

Hey Rudi. Some of our friends back in Mass. have no computers nor internet access. Do they think this is the stone age or what? I am at the library with my MacBook now using their free wireless. I mean, come one, how hard is it to get on line?
Ah the "happy valley". Too bad the 60's were 35 years ago!

Re: What's up with people with no computers nor internet access?

[rudi]

Greetings N.!

Yes, I hear all kinds of promising things about the new stoneless clay tablet technology ;)

Re: What's up with people with no computers nor internet access?

[rudi]

(Or is this E., since I seem to remember her saying something about borrowing a computer, and perhaps she's unintentionally shifting identities by not changing an automatic LJ log-on?)

Re: What's up with people with no computers nor internet access?

[nancath]

Actually it is Neil writing from CT about E who is retreating back to the bog and forest. She will be writing in caves any day now. Nice place up there in the woods actually off the beaten unbeaten or otherwise non path. A horse would not be out of place. :-)