The winner today is Lisa! Congratulations, I’ll be in touch to get your books to you.
Wow, one day left to go! I hope everyone has had as much fun as I have.
The prize today is all three ebooks in my Sky Raiders trilogy. I really thought about this series for a long time before I wrote it, and it has a special place in my heart. For those who don’t have a copy of INTENDED, the prequel, it is exclusive to members of my New Release Notification list, so you can sign up in the little form on the right of this post and you’ll receive a copy.
The theme of Sky Raiders at heart is about the potential everyone has inside them. In a literal sense, Taya has had the potential to call a change the whole time, but needs to be out of her comfort zone to realize it. I loved playing with that theme throughout the series.
Do you care about themes in books, or don’t you notice them, you are just interested in a good story?
A good story, with characters I can care about (or be sympathetic to, if I wouldn’t actually like to be friends with them), with, generally, a happy ending.
I think if the theme is subtle (which is the effect I try to go for :)) then it is part of what makes the story good. But I am 100% in agreement that I have to like at least some of the characters, or I’m out. If I don’t care about them, I don’t care about their story.
I’ve never questioned this before, but now that I do, I find that I care about themes in books. And the theme in Sky Raiders trilogy is one of my favorite.I just loved this series and Taya and Garek are my favorite couple.
Thank you so much, Anca!
I love themes in everything, especially in books. A good story is a must but a theme takes it to another level. The best books for me are those with a message that stays long after the book is finished.
I completely agree! I think subtlety is key, but that’s part of the skill of working in a good theme 🙂
Congratulations, Lisa, you’re the winner. I’ll be in touch to get you your books.
Thank you so much Michelle!! This is the best Christmas present yet 😊.
I fell absolutely in love with your Class 5 series (my introduction to your work) and I have been making my way through the rest of your books.
Please don’t ever stop writing.
Sneaking in on my husband’s computer. I’m all about the story.
Happy holidays!
Thank you, Kareni! I hope you get a new computer soon!
Themes can be fun, but a good story is more important to me. Sometimes I don’t even catch the theme until the third or fourth read-through. 🙂
LOL, I sometimes don’t notice the theme I’m working into my own story until the third pass edit 🙂
I like themes, but it all comes down in the end to a good story. Seeing the theme woven into each book, and being aware of the differences, is like having the variations in a melody playing behind your ear. Thank you for providing such interesting backdrops to the discussions for your books, Michelle! Although, this series of posts has resulted in my going through a lot of older books that were brought to mind by these topics.
I think that my favorites of your books are the science fiction topics, because of the world-building that goes into each of the settings. Such, great, great, treatments!
Best wishes for the holidays, which will be upon you one day earlier than we will see it.
Esther, thank you so much! And I agree with the melody playing in the background comment. It’s part of the whole, but I think an important one 🙂
Theme. I enjoy a good story too. But mainly – a happy ending – and not too much trauma before the happy ending.
I like less trauma in my stories these days, too Ellen. I have to force myself to be a little meaner to my characters sometimes, because I realize I’m giving them too easy a time 🙂
A little struggle is fine. I just can’t stand stories where everything is horrible and maybe even end well, but I can’t get over all the tragedy that went before.
I’ll admit sometimes I’m a little slow to notice themes. I think it is important if the author can use the theme in original feeling-way. It is a part of what makes a book wonderful or not.
I so agree, Arielle!