Monday, January 9, 2012

Why the Novel Matters


Welcome back to Novel Matters! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season and are excited about the possibilities of 2012. We have missed you and the stimulating conversations we have come to enjoy so much. We've been busy bees while you were gone. Here's a taste of what's coming in the new year:

Drumroll please...announcing our theme for this year -
why the novel matters. Everything we do in 2012 will circle back to this question, and we'll be looking for your input, so put those thinking caps on.

Soon we'll announce the particulars of a "Why the Novel Matters" essay contest. The essay can address novels in general or one in particular and the grand prize will be a Kindle! Lucky finalists will not go away empty-handed, as we have some delightful parting gifts, so stay tuned.

We've lined up interviews with fabulous authors whose books help us answer our theme question. They'll give us a peek into their methods and madness and maybe even their struggles with publication. Look for these interviews to begin in February and continue on the fourth Monday of each month through November.

We'd love to have a picture of you reading one of our books in an exotic locale (or just around town, but be creative). We'll post your photo on our blog and give you a shout-out on our
new Facebook page.

Yes, Novel Matters is now on Facebook, and we'd love for you to 'like' us
here. Now it's even easier to stay in touch and keep the conversation going. We'll also post photos of the writer's life and try to make it look more glamorous than it actually is (no pictures in our jammies, we promise).

We've sharpened our Ticonderoga #2 pencils and are tapping into our creative juices to bring some short stories to the blog. Who knows, a story could grow into a living, breathing novel and you will be here at its conception. At the very least, we'll have fun trying.

We'll continue partnering with our sister blog, She Reads, exchanging posts monthly and supporting each others' endeavors to spread the positive message of a loving Creator.

Last, the six of us will post reviews of books we love in the coming months. And of course, we'll explore the question, "Why does this novel matter?" for each one. We'll need your feedback on this, too.

By the end of 2012, we hope to have a pretty good handle on why what we do matters. Is this an important question for you? We'd love to hear.

14 comments:

BK said...

Life would be so boring without stories. They are as old as time itself. I find that novels specifically, the really powerful ones, have lead characters that motivate you to do things you might not otherwise try. I mean that in a good sense, not a negative one. Such as teaching you persistence through the severest trials, doing what it takes to help someone in need, etc.

Patti Hill said...

BK, you have a great start on an essay here! Maybe a Kindle is in your future.

Wendy Paine Miller said...

Exciting ideas, ladies! Looking forward to reading.

Just liked your page. Feel free to swing by mine.

And a Kindle! Sweet!
~ Wendy

Henrietta Frankensee said...

Hands have stopped shaking. Vision clearing. Cold sweats easing......Phew! I survived 2 weeks withdrawl from Novelmatters!
You are addressing a noble and worthy question. I am very excited for the new year. The creative juices are circulating again.

Debbie Fuller Thomas said...

BK, can you name a lead character that particularly inspired you?
Wendy, we'll certainly check out your page. And BTW, even if you already have a Kindle, you probably know someone special who would LOVE to open that gift.

Debbie Fuller Thomas said...

Henrietta - so funny! It's good you're back, too.

Pam said...

This is new to me and I am anxious to learn what you stand for and write for .. Looks like an amazing year will unfold!

Megan Sayer said...

Yaaay!!! So excited. It's going to be a GOOD year.

Bonnie Grove said...

I'm excited about all of it, but I'm especially looking forward to a year of grappling with the question "Why does the novel matter?"

All of the major events this year will focus on trying to answer that question (understanding there is no one answer).

I'm also pumped about being on Facebook. I think it will add to the community life we have here.

Megan Sayer said...

I'm a bit surprised that you're going to spend a whole year unpacking this one question though. Isn't the answer obvious?

If it wasn't for novels, what would we do in bed?

Marian said...

I think the truth conveyed by a skilled novelist has lasting impact. I have several friends who don't think novels matter. They only read biographies or other non-fiction. I would like to convince them otherwise. So, bring on the ammunition.

Geoffrey Cubbage said...

...does it have to be a Ticonderoga #2? I think I still have a value-pack of Eagles kicking around this drawer somewhere.

Kathleen Popa said...

Geoffrey, Ticonderoga is just so much fun to say! But yeah, okay, you can use your Eagles. They do sound patriotic.

Susan Gregory said...

I'm looking forward to discovering which books you love and why.