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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsIf I had paid someone to do a review of my book, it wouldn't have been THIS good
There was a nice comment on Amazon from none other than Norm Ornstein, "Washington's most quoted pundit," but I have no idea who this was. If you are someone on DU, my humblest gratitude. If not, maybe a few more of you will be inspired to check it ("The Time Cellar" out:
As a fan of time travel stories I never thought I'd ever find a novel that could rival the classic "Time and Again" by Jack Finney. I stand corrected.
I can't compare the two stories since they are so very different in nature, but for sheer enjoyment as well as thought-provoking wonder, "The Time Cellar" is quite simply a fantastic companion to Finney.
Which is as it should be; I've seen some stories that hew too closely to Finney's model. It's a treat to read a book with an entirely different approach, but no less excitement and equal plausibility. Every permutation of the time travel paradox is addressed, often brilliantly.
The writing is delightful, with a casual tone that only a very skilled wordsmith could pull off so successfully. Like a talented dancer, (DFW) makes it look easy. But the more you read, the more you realize how hard it really is to write so well, with so many subtle hints of things to come. I was also impressed with how artfully he integrated impeccable French with translations of such dialog so that it seemed all the more real, without becoming awkward. It all flows together.
It's a book which I quite literally could not put down. I read it in one sitting, and was very sorry when I reached the end. I would have loved for it to go on for several hundred more pages. I'm glad I bought it as a hard-copy, this is a book I intend to re-read often in coming years.
I couldn't recommend this more highly. (I've already started shipping off copies to my friends!)
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It's really fascinating to me--some people like the time travel parts, some like the collecting references, some liked the romance subplot, some liked the small bits of social commentary, and, so far, at least, nobody DIDN'T like it (or if they hated it, they had pity enough on me not to say so).
lovemydog
(11,833 posts)So cool getting a positive review from someone who clearly read it.
Happy new year.
DFW
(54,445 posts)Yeah, I was blown away by that. I know Norm had read it, too, but I know him, whereas the author of this review is completely unknown to me, so I was really flattered by this review. Now all I have to do is figure out how to get 10,000 more people to read it and have the same impression!
TuxedoKat
(3,818 posts)I love time travel stories. I'd like to read both books, yours and the other one too. Thanks for sharing.
DFW
(54,445 posts)In all modesty, most people who read it do like it. It's just not easy to get people to notice it.
TuxedoKat
(3,818 posts)I was just reading about it on amazon and will order it soon. Sounds very intriguing!
MicaelS
(8,747 posts)Added the paperback to my cart for my next Amazon shipment.
DFW
(54,445 posts)Let me know!
redwitch
(14,948 posts)I too love time travel stories, will add this to my list to buy son. Congratulations!
DFW
(54,445 posts)My plan was just to give people some fun escapism.
1monster
(11,012 posts)I'm going to check it out ASAP.
]
For anyone not familiar with Jack Finney's work, check out his short story "Contents of a Dead Man's Pocket" @ http://www.is.wayne.edu/MNISSANI/20302005/Deadman.htm
Meanwhile, I'm off to see if I can find THE TIME CELLAR in a Nook book format.
Congratulations DFW for earning such an excellent review.
DFW
(54,445 posts)But it seems that the comparison is high praise, indeed. I was very flattered when I found out.
Lionel Mandrake
(4,076 posts)on which the classic movie "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1956) and three (!) remakes were based.
If you ever see a great big pod, you'd better not go to sleep.
Congratulations on the favorable review by a reader with good taste.
DFW
(54,445 posts)They are the ones with snow peas in them. Even pods of humpback whales are given plenty of space. I see them like moving vans: they do wonderful things, but they are a LOT bigger than I am, so when they move, I don't want to be anywhere where they might crush me by accident!
MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)Congratulations, I'll have to check it out!
I'm finishing up a book now, my second, but it's non-fiction -- nothing cool or fun like time travel, wine, and coins. Hard, hard work!
DFW
(54,445 posts)About five years ago, I was having lunch with Stan Lee in L.A., and he said I really should go ahead with my idea. I know nothing about wine, so I figured I'd never bore anyone with more details than a reader could safely swallow. But I have enough respect for Stan's instinct. If he had thought my idea was a bust, he would have said so.
One review said "The author's passion for fine wines shines through as he uses all of the senses to describe setting." What pompous bullshit. I never touch the stuff and have no passion for it whatsoever. At least I must have been somewhat convincing, and creating a dialog between a retired (year 1818) Thomas Jefferson and a somewhat politically aware thirty-something in southern California in 2010 was more fun than you can imagine.
daleanime
(17,796 posts)for the day when I have a few extra dollars.
DFW
(54,445 posts)Do me a favor and wait until it's not an issue, OK?
daleanime
(17,796 posts)but to be honest I may be bugging the library first, I get the feeling that my buy list is going to be pretty exclusive.
OrwellwasRight
(5,170 posts)Congrats!
oldandhappy
(6,719 posts)Celebrating with you.
vanlassie
(5,690 posts)It was a fun read, and I was intrigued by the time travel aspect- not a genre I would typically read. But DFW knows how to give attention to detail, and created a real page turner towards the end! I'm still thinking about it and that alone makes me recommend a book.
DFW
(54,445 posts)I value comments like that from DU friends as much as I do from the VIPs quoted on the cover!
corkhead
(6,119 posts)these days, the only time I seem to be able to allot to "reading" is while I am driving to and from work each day
Congrats, the topics you chose for your book are all of interest to me. I look forward to "reading" it, one way or another.
DFW
(54,445 posts)There are some books my wife and both want to "hear," and the only time we have is on long drives. The only trouble is, when are we on long drives together? Answer--about 4 times a year. Two hours to her mom and back from our home near Düsseldorf, and two times three hours from Boston to the tip of Cape Cod in the summer when we come for summer vacation.
The topics in the book are all of interest to me, too, except for wine. I know nothing at all about that except what I was able to find out by asking people I know and internet research. That's why I made it a central theme. I knew I would never bore a reader with an overabundance of expertise because I had none. As for some of the more colorful characters, I used my imagination and linguistic knowledge to try to make them real. In Dallas, there are enough Hispanics to allow me to come up with my genius Guatemalteca with relatively little stretch. Granted, making her fluent in Cantonese WAS a stretch, but what's the point if you can't have any fun?
corkhead
(6,119 posts)hence the moniker. I am even more anxious to read it to see how you did on that score
DFW
(54,445 posts)I know I fooled at least one professional reviewer, but he was a book reviewer, not necessarily an oenologist, or whatever it is wine enthusiasts call themselves.
DFW
(54,445 posts)panader0
(25,816 posts)DFW
(54,445 posts)Actually, I had given the manuscript to a film producer here in NY last year, and figured she wasn't interested. I just ran into her cousin, and freaked out to hear that she "loved it!" and that I didn't respond to her email wanting further discussions because I had already signed with another studio (!!!!!).
What happened is that I never got her email! Stay tuned for the next exciting episode.........
panader0
(25,816 posts)Her novel is 'The Last of the Pascagoula'
It's available on Amazon. Not to hijack your thread DFW, just to call attention to another DU writer.
Never a bad thing.
DFW
(54,445 posts)There is some seriousl candlepower on DU and if we have other writers, I'm all for them getting recognition as well.
DebJ
(7,699 posts)Tuesday Afternoon
(56,912 posts)sounds intriguing ... I will put it on my list to read.
pnwest
(3,266 posts)what I'm gonna do today
denbot
(9,901 posts)I downloaded it to my Kindle. I'm in the middle of Mistborne, so unless I sync to the Audio version,it might be a while till I get to The Time Cellar.
On edit; being from Texas, why did you base your character in my hometown (L.A.)?
DFW
(54,445 posts)1.) The fact that there is a super ritzy area (Rodeo Drive) that is well-known almost everywhere.
2.) The fact that L.A. is better known for oddball characters--Dallas doesn't have a Hollywood or a Beverly Hills.
3.) The fact that the legend of Zorro was about Spanish California (too long to explain--you'll see when you get to the story).
4.) The fact that a local university is well-known for its film school--not so for any college local to me.
5.) The fact that the Las Vegas mafia is more likely to show up in L.A. than in Dallas (see comment #3).
6.) The ridiculous traffic situation in L.A. is more famous than Dallas traffic (again, see #3).
7.) The fact that a genius Guatemalan woman is more likely to have an ex from Hong Kong in L.A. than in Dallas
If THAT isn't enough to get you wondering WTF the book is about, I give up
I'll go audio on the rest of Mistborne.
LeftishBrit
(41,212 posts)DFW
(54,445 posts)I wrote, rather deliberately, from a distinctly American point of view and using "Yank" vernacular, but maybe it would connect in the UK to some extent. I haven't heard that anyone in the UK has read it yet.
LeftishBrit
(41,212 posts)IDemo
(16,926 posts)I will definitely be taking a look at your work.
DFW
(54,445 posts)But let me have it with both barrels if I do. If I messed up, I won't get better if no one tells me what I did wrong.
DFW
(54,445 posts)The problem mentioned by the one guy who had problems was supposedly corrected (my office had originally downloaded it as a pdf file, and Kindle only takes Word). If there are other problems, someone please let me know!
Xyzse
(8,217 posts)Time Cellar then?
DFW
(54,445 posts)I don't know if it shows up any other way.
pnwest
(3,266 posts)DFW
(54,445 posts)No matter how many VIP plugs I get, it's always gratifying to hear that from "real mortals," who took a chance on pure spec.
If you get the time and want to bother, please put a comment on the Amazon site. I can always use the free PR!
Thanks!