Posted by Gunther Gloop on 04/22/07 22:27

"Temsonic" <dim.sp@miau.diolch> wrote in message
news:ByPWh.20419$N94.14994@newsfe4-gui.ntli.net...
>
> The synopsis of your book sounds like prime Studio Ghibli conversion
> material... might be worth posting a copy to a certain Mr H Miyazaki :)
> The excerpts on the website look great, your style is effortless to read
> which is always a good sign. I'm thinking about buying a copy to read to
> my daughter (nearly 8, brighter than average for her age), is it suitable
> for children of that age - i.e. if it was a film what rating would you
> give it?


Thanks for that. Nice to hear. :)

I did think about Miyazaki & Studio Ghibli. The story is reminiscent of the
type of thing he does -imaginationwise I mean, rather than in style. I'm
sure if he got to work on it he would be able to craft it in his style
too -like with Howl's Moving Castle. ...Although I do like my own version as
is. :)
I wouldn't be averse to the kind of thing he would be bound to do with it,
but really I think it would work best (other than in book form) as a 'real'
film.
Then again, I'd hate to see it done in the kind of formulaic manner
Hollywood could come up with. ...I think a stylistic French director like
Jean-Pierre Jeunet could do a great job.
....Actually, I have so many key-scenes from the 'movie' swilling around in
my head all day every day, I think I'd hate any version as it would never
measure up to what I have in mind [would love to do it myself. :) ]

All dreams of course. :)
But I will get around to thinking of "who I maybe should send it to" once I
get the chance.

As for suitability. There's nothing in it that's unsuitable for younger
ages, although I think most younger people (under 10, say) prefer to read
about "the Battle of Good Vs. Evil".
One of the main objectives of this book was to do something other than
that -bring back good old-fashioned story-telling (in completely new ways of
course) that doesn't resort to formula... but yet keep interests up!
It's not "Book 1" in a series -it is one whole story in and of itself.

"So is it suitable for an 8year old or not?" you ask... Yes. I would class
it as "Family Fiction" -by that I mean for all the family -maybe even more
enjoyed by adults -on different levels.
....Although... now that I think of it... there _are_ quite a few sad bits in
the book. There are a few deaths along the way, but nothing violent
(inasmuch as death by itself can be not violent).
Mostly, sad chapters are quickly followed by the funniest parts though.
Often the sad bits are also funny in themselves.
I'm sure there's nothing a well-balanced 8 year old wouldn't be able to
handle. :)

I think kids/ young adults will enjoy the adventure of it. Older adults
should hopefully enjoy the kind of feeling one gets when listening to an old
music-box ...a kind of dreamy longing-for/reminiscence-of childhood.

Or something. ;)

So far, the youngest age I've had feedback from is a few 12 year olds who
read and enjoyed it (a lot).
Oldest that I know of was 65 (my mother in law). She loved it too, although
I got a bit worried when she rang to tell me mid-way how much she was
enjoying reading about the cat (NB: there's a dog in it, but no cat!).


There seems to have been a blockage at amazon.co.uk too.
I know amazon.com have started shipping it, but I don't think .co.uk have
managed to ship any yet (which worries me, but hopefully that will be sorted
this week).
In better news though, their price is now only £7.99, which is the price I
was hoping for -rather than the £8.11 (?) they had initially, which was a
conversion of the US $15.95 retail.


> By the way, what's the music playing on the website? It's very nice, and
> also rather Ghibli-esque.
>

Believe it or not, it's a remix of Utopia by Goldfrapp -even though it
sounds almost nothing like it.
Remix by Café Del Mar, I think. There are reasons why it's so suitable for
this story, but I won't bore you with those inconsequential details. :)

(I don't think the song plays/works with all browsers either, which is a
pity, but not the end of the world.)

So, I hope I haven't put you off. :)

That link is in my sig if anyone else is interested in taking a look.

-Kevin.


--
A great book I heartily recommend...
http://www.ooyay.com/

[Back to original message]