Feature & Follow Friday is a blog hop that is designed to provide some much-appreciated exposure to the bloggers participating, and to expand their following. Hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, each of whom feature a chosen blog for the week, it's an interesting way to get to know one another.
Question of the Week: Do you mind books with similar ideas to other books? Similar concepts, backgrounds, retellings or pulled-to-publish fanfic?
Let's be honest - is there really an original idea left in the literary world? There's a finite toolbox of ideas, themes, tropes, and cliches upon which every author draws. What sets writers apart from one another is how well they wield those tools. Some may settle for building the literary equivalent of a shack, while others may aspire to creating a mansion, but settle for a nice cottage. There are a rare few, however, who can aim for a sprawling castle or cavernous cathedral - and pull it off.
Retellings are a perfect example. When done with skill, they can be pieces of literary wonder, just as good as (and sometimes better than) the original. Without that skill, however, they come across as the clumsy, cheap, awkward rip-offs that they really are. Even fan fiction, when done with skill, can be successful. Take, for example, series like Star Wars, Star Trek, Quantum Leap, and Stargate - the novels being professionally published are really just authorized fan fiction. Of course, I can probably think of a hundred or so others that are nothing more than an opportunity to share some really inappropriate sexual fantasies. :)
Parajunkee also hosts a Social Hop for Facebook and Twitter, which I regularly take part in. So, if you're one of those people who aren't on Blogger, or who just don't like Google Friend Connect, it's a great way to keep in touch and follow one another.
While you're here, please pop over to the Seventh Star Press Blog today and check out this week's Blogger Spotlight . . . me!
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