We have a September book!
You likely haven’t heard of this one. Trust me.
In this live, we look at why I’ve chosen not only a less-known book than Possession or Jane Eyre as well as the reasons I think readers who loved those two books will also love this one.
Both Jane Eyre and Possession explored these themes (among others):
Feeling seen and understood in a difficult world
Finding a beloved who truly sees and knows you
The desire to communicate one’s worldview meaningfully
Overcoming adversity to find a sense of home
The complexity of language and being able to express oneself.
The Mars House also addresses the above, plus:
Grappling with climate change
Different ways society can form and support its members
Connecting across differing political beliefs
The benefits and dangers of dependence on the internet
The beauty and possibilities in different languages
PLUS it has a murder mystery in the middle of it, a sense of humor, hope for humanity, and one of my favorite love stories ever.
When I finished reading it the most recent time, I groaned all the way through dinner because I was so sad it was over. Barry McWilliams was there. He can verify there was actual groaning.
I had another book planned for September, but once I reread this one, there was no other choice.
If you’ve never read sci-fi / fantasy before, you’ll be in good company. Most of the people who attended this live reported they haven’t either.
The wider we read, the more we can draw from as inspiration as writers. Austin Kleon nailed it in his book Steal Like an Artist. I’m not talking about plagiarism here — this is about reading as many writers and genres as we can, and seeing the possibilities for storytelling by responding to what moves us.
You might be a raving sci-fi fan who doesn’t even know it yet.
Even if you aren’t, there are books shelved in literature that could just as easily be shelved in sci-fi. Is The Handmaid’s Tale one of your favorites? Margaret Atwood could just as easily have been called a sci-fi / fantasy author if she hadn’t already established herself as a brilliant literary writer. If you like writing that swims between the two, I think you’ll adore this book.
And finally, this book almost didn’t exist. Natasha Pulley wrote historical fiction before this idea popped into her head. In the live, I read part of the acknowledgement section where she shares that her former UK publisher not only rejected this book after successfully publishing multiple other titles of hers, they said they never wanted to hear from her again.
Is this how we want to limit authors?
I have spoken to so many people after hitting stop on Secret Library Podcast recordings who have shared their desire to publish a slightly different take on their current genre or something in another area altogether who have faced enormous pushback.
It would be easier to publish the new book if they had never been published before.
Let’s champion what happens when an author expands their conception of what’s possible. After all, we all need to expand what we believe can be true in order to make the world better for all of us.
Who’s with me?
The details:
The Mars House by Natasha Pulley
We start reading SEPTEMBER 7
Weekly debriefs begin SEPTEMBER 14
About 40 pages reading a week — audio edition is also excellent
ANY EDITION WELCOME — reading weeks will be broken by chapter, not page number.
Reading schedule coming soon.
Upgrade before September 7 to join!
Let’s go!
