Let’s Talk Books! – Echo North, Thinking Outside the Books

Let’s Talk Books! started out as an issue of my monthly newsletter, where I tell my readers what books I am currently working through and do a little review of those books. While you will have to sign up for my newsletter to get the dish on the books I am currently reading, I decided it would be fun to include some new Let’s Talk Books! content on my blog! In Let’s Talk Books! - Blog Edition I will dive deeper into topics such as world-building, behind-the-scenes, and characters of newly completed books and books I grew up reading and still return to today!

The wolf glanced back, amber eyes and bone-white teeth flashing in the lamplight. "Welcome to the house under the mountain, my lady."

Quote from Echo North, by Joanna Ruth Meyer

To get this new blog category started, I wanted to discuss a story element from a book I recently completed, Echo North. Echo North is a beautiful fantasy novel by Joanna Ruth Meyer that contains a fun element I think was a wonderfully creative addition to the story. The element of this book I want to discuss today is the author’s unique creativity in taking real-world objects and making them come to life, specifically books.

SPOILER WARNING: I will try not to drop spoilers in Let’s Talk Books! posts, but just in case, I will leave spoiler warnings in articles that may contain book spoilers. So, consider this your in-post spoiler warning! If you have not read Echo North, now is an excellent time to save this post so you can return after reading the book.

All the frames were made, unusually, of leather, some soft and supple, some old and cracked. I couldn't place why they seemed familiar until I noticed that every mirror had a little gold description plate, many at the top, a few at the bottom or tilted sideways along either edge. Book spines ̶ they reminded me of book spines.

Quote from Echo North, by Joanna Ruth Meyer

The Books of Echo North

Echo North follows the story of Echo Alkaev, a girl struggling to cope with how her appearance has impacted her life. But things get interesting when she encounters an unusual situation involving a talking wolf and an enchanted house. Due to circumstances that I won’t give away here, Echo is tasked with caring for an enchanted house. Within this magical house, there is a special library filled with books. Early in her story, Echo discovers that these books have a unique quality; she can enter their pages and experience their stories! In fact, she can not only enter the stories, but she can also meet other people who enter the stories as well. Those who enter the books and the stories they contain can interact with the characters and plot of the books, even participating in the story without changing its course. This gives more than one character a form of entertainment, much like an interactive play. But that is not all it does.

Why Are These Books Such a Great Story Element?

There are a few reasons why I think these books in Echo North are such a great element of the story, but the one I would like to focus on is the creativity of building tension. We all know that fantasy books are filled with great examples of “thinking outside the box,” so to speak, and Echo North hits the nail on the head! Interactive books are not a new concept to the fantasy novel world, but this story presents the idea in its own light, specifically as a creative way to build tension within the main character and the reader.

How do these enchanted books offer a creative way to build tension? The books Echo discovers hold something, or someone, detrimental to her story. She doesn’t know that at first, but eventually, she begins to suspect it. Placing this character in the enchanted books is a brilliant, subtle way to hint at what is really going on. While I will not tell you what happens, I will say that because of these books, I was on the edge of my seat, hoping my theory of what was happening was true. In addition to this, Echo’s movement in and out of the books adds a unique time problem for all characters involved, adding to Echo’s fear, and the fear of the reader, that Echo will run out of time! What will she run out of time for? Well, you will just have to read the book and find out.

I wept in the snow and crumbled to ash, for I was only pages in a book, burned and lost and gone forever.

Quote from Echo North, by Joanna Ruth Meyer

This creative and emotional story was a exciting to read and full of great life lessons. As a writer, I love how the author used each element of the world she was building, but the books were my favorite!

Have you read Echo North? What did you think of the books Echo could jump into? Did you catch any other ways they added to the novel’s plot? Comment and let me know!

Writing Journal: Finding Inspiration

Dear Journal,

I always forget how inspiring the ocean is until I am standing on the sand, watching the waves crash over each other. One would think that it only offers one view, water. But it doesn't. There is water, but the view is always different! Especially when the tide is out!

I recently started scheduling time to get photos of things that inspire my writing and help me visualize locations in my fictional world. A lot of these photos are of items on the beaches I visit. When the tide is out, undersea worlds are revealed! Rocks shaped by waves reveal crevasses that are home to all kinds of little creatures. I have come to believe that few footprints on the beach are cuter than those left behind by tiny crabs. These little crabs live in places that look like simple crevasses, but when you take a photo just right or get down on their level, it's another world! The rocks become caves, with waves crashing through them. Each bend, if you look close enough, is filled with life! I was able to get some beautiful photos. They have already begun to inspire new stories. Moments like those spent exploring low tide get me fired up for writing!

I wonder what adventures await the characters who will walk these newly imagined places...

Sincerely,

Ondrea Keigh

Writing Journal: World of Words

Dear Journal,

Sometimes I feel like words occupy their own world. When I am writing, it is almost like I am walking down a path, meeting words as I go. The everyday words live life in clearly seen houses on either side of the street. They are polite. They wave as you walk by, invite you in, and offer their assistance. Some words are so hospitable that I accidentally overstay my welcome. But the longer I spend on this path that leads through the heart of this "world of words", the more I realize there is more than just Main Street. Some of the other words in this world are harder to find. They live beyond the common, not in houses, but in dens, crevasses, and trees. They, too, are polite. But more cautious. One must be willing to search for these words. Upon meeting them, it seems only proper to learn more about them and where they came from; get to know them. I have found they are just as kind as the words on Main Street, but when they offer their assistance, they expect much more from you. I am hard-pressed to make sure I live up to their expectations. Sometimes I hold off on using what they offer until I am sure I can use it correctly. Other times, I wait because I feel that some of these shy words are too advanced for a character in my story. Still, other times, I feel as though I have already reviewed a sentence so many times in search of the right words that the sheer number of words who offer me their help is a little overwhelming. Not to mention their good friends and leaders, punctuation and grammar, who serve to guide them, organize them, and make sure no one "eats grandma," if you know what I mean (we all know how many lives the comma has saved).

While grammar and I seem to do okay together, punctuation and I don't always get along; I have a hard time remembering all of his rules, especially since it feels like he changes the rules as he goes. It can be very confusing. However, punctuation and grammar are essential to the success of all words. I have discovered that words, as individuals, are not always the brightest. They are in desperate need of each other to be at their best, but they regularly need help from the outside. I once saw some words forming a sentence without the proper guidance. They misused a period and started the next sentence without following the correct guidelines set forth by grammar. The second half of what should have been one sentence, which started with "that," wandered off in the middle of the conversation, apparently in search of someone or something named "that." In short, without the leadership of punctuation and grammar, words often run over each other, trespass, and otherwise make each other's lives a little confusing. It is sad, really, because most of them have quite good intentions (though some are troublemakers). They just need a little help. When I work with the words, I try to ensure that their wise leaders are around at the right time for the right reasons. But sometimes I forget.

Despite all the confusion in the world of words, it is a fascinating place to explore! Even though I am a writer, I find myself at a loss for words in many situations. But not to worry, there is no shortage of words, if one knows how to find them. I am always learning, and I look forward to all the stories I can tell with the help of the great citizens of the world of words.

Sincerely,

Ondrea Keigh