Yes, I'm A Cheater

Do you ever skip to the last page of a book when you're only halfway through it?


I do. Frequently. Yes, I feel your anger. To some, skipping ahead is as horrifying as kicking a puppy. Before you give me the big smack down, however, here's why I do it...


I need to, and usually for one of two reasons. Either the book is so bad that I must peek at the ending to confirm it's a stinker all the way through. That way I won't waste my time reading every word. Or the story is so riveting, I'm so invested in the characters, that I can't stand it. I MUST find out whose names are on the last few pages so I don't have to worry about them making it.


Now then, it is a rare few books that create in me the desire to flip over to the finale. These are the stories that unearth in me passionate emotions of love or hate. Most often this happens with books I least expect it from.


Case In Point
Did you know I write for Novel Reviews? As a result, I've got a stack of ARC's (Advanced Reader Copies) to plow through. Many don't even have cover art on them yet, so there's no way I can even judge a book by its cover at this stage of the game.


The other day, I grabbed the next read that'd surfaced to the top of the pile and wham! Quite unexpectedly I was totally sucked in. I'm talking fan-freaking-tastic story. Around page 50, the urge arose to risk a paper cut and flick at breakneck speed through those pages to the end. And yes, thankfully, as I scanned for the names of the characters I cared about, whew. There they were in black and white.


And that, my friends, is exactly the goal you should have when writing your next Great American Novel. Make a reader care about your characters, so much that they can't help themselves from finding out if those characters are going to be okay or not.


Oh yeah, I suppose you're wondering what that fabulous book is. Check out Keowee Valley by Katherine Scott Crawford later this summer... September, to be exact. If you're curious, click here.