Jenn McKinlay: Shocking no one, I'm sure, I'm working on a couple of things at the moment. The first project is a dear reader letter for my May romcom SUMMER READING.
Why? Because when I decided to write a heroine who has dyslexia, I knew I wanted the book to be as accessible as possible. Straight up, it looks different. The font is a sans serif called Verdana, words that would be italicized are in bold instead, and there are no hyphens at the end of sentences, because the book designers agreed that if you're writing a book about a character with dyslexia, it should be as dyslexic friendly as possible. Still, for readers without dyslexia, I had to explain.
Of course, the readers who are determined to hate the book do not care and dole out their one stars because "how dare I change a book's format" -- yes, there are already a few of those popping up on Goodreads. *eye roll* This is the part of being an author where you have to, in the immortal words of Taylor Swift, "Shake it off." LOL.
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It's a romance mystery mash-up and so far it's been great fun to revisit. Kindle Vella, a serialized fiction platform, is fairly new and I'm hoping these episodes give me greater access to Kindle readers, especially since the first three episodes are FREE. Who doesn't love FREE? I've heard authors say there's a vast ocean of Kindle-only readers out there, so I'm hoping to bridge those waters a bit. We'll see.
And lastly, I'm working on the first draft of Fatal First Edition, the next Library Lover's mystery that for some inexplicable reason I thought would be cool to set on a train. *face palm*
Yeah, picture me tied to the tracks looking up at this...
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That's about how well it's going. *sigh* Who knew train travel could be so complicated? Cool! But complicated! And that's it from Chez Jenn.
As I write and rewrite my dear reader letter, I have to ask, does anyone read those? Should I put a brain teaser in the middle just to see? LOL.
JENN: Making SUMMER READING more accessiible with dyslexic-friendly fonts sounds fantastic. Boo on the haters!
ReplyDeleteSadly, Canadians can't access Kindle Vella stories. I tried!
All the best with writing FATAL FIRST EDITION. Choo choo!
Oh rats to Canadians not having access to Kindle Vella. Boo hoo.
DeleteI read the opening chapter and it is wonderful. I have to get back to it but have been so busy with other books and a couple of reviews...
DeleteTHE BIG QUESTION: Jenn, will it become a book that we can just buy, like the novellas became BOOKED? Then the Canadian readers can get it, too!
I tried again and got the following message when using my Amazon.com account:
Delete"Kindle Vella stories are available for US customers on Amazon.com."
So, all international readers are shut out from accessing Vella stories/books.
Well, that kinda takes the fire out of the whole notion of using Vella! It's a great idea, I think, and hopefully Amazon will roll it out to include international readers, too, in the near future.
DeleteI didn't know Vella was U.S. only. I sincerely hope they open it up internationally or what's the point?
DeleteBoo on the haters! Diana
DeleteWhere is everyone?
ReplyDeleteI always read author newsletters (is that what you mean by a Dear Reader letter, Jenn?). I enjoy the sense of personal news sharing, and I love seeing the author's name in my in-box.
Your current projects sound intriguing to me, Jenn. The Kindle Vella and the train one's especially. Don't look up. Just keep writing!
(I think the post just went up, Amanda.)
DeleteAh, thanks, Edith. I wondered...
DeleteWeirdly, it was scheduled for 12:30 AM but didn't show up until 8:00 AM - taking the long way around :)
DeleteIsn't Jenn visiting the east coast? Maybe it was delayed due to the weather.
DeleteWhat great projects, Jenn. Will the Dear Reader letter be in the book, or sent out/posted separately? I would certainly read it. I devour Acknowledgments in books, as well as Author Notes sections in historical novels.
ReplyDeleteIs the train novel set in the US? Have you been train traveling as research? When Amtrack started their Writer-in-Residence program, I think I applied, but never heard another word, and later read that the required contract signed over some of the rights to Amtrak, so it wouldn't have happened even if I had been selected. But the thought of writing while clattering along the rails across the country (which I have done going to and from Malice some years, and might again this year) sounded so fabulous!
Me, too, Edith. I always read authors' notes and acknowledgements..
DeleteAnd me, too, absolutely. I always read authors' notes and acknowledgements.
DeleteYes, the dear reader letter will go in the book. I never read those, so maybe it's just me :)
DeleteAnother person who always reads dear reader, author’s notes, and acknowledgements. Wink, wink, Jenn. Consider all the good things you’ve been missing. As my Federal Courts professor used to say “All the good stuff is in the footnotes.” I applied this to all kinds of notes and acknowledgments. Cheers, Elisabeth
DeleteCongrats on your many projects. I'm a mostly Kindle reader but I never heard of Kindle Vella, so thanks for that information. Never mind about the haters on Goodreads, it was a brilliant, and thoughtful move to make the book dyslexic friendly. And a murder mystery on a train -- what fun. At least for us readers once you've done all the work. Keep on rolling...
ReplyDeleteThank you. There is something inherently exciting about a murder on a train. Thank you, Agatha Christie.
DeleteYou amaze me! You always have so much going on! I do read "Dear Reader" letters. I'm glad to find that my preference for Verdana is an inclusive preference.
ReplyDeleteI prefer Verdana, too. Much easier on the eyes.
DeleteJenn, it makes me really angry that readers give one stars, anyway! Who are they so mad at? Who put the bee in their bonnets? GR-r-r.
ReplyDeleteI love that you used the best font for dyslexic readers in SUMMER READING. I love your sense of humor and I appreciate your many projects! Thank you for lifting my spirits, constantly! You rock!!
Thank, Judy. I appreciate your enthusiasm and support as well!
DeleteWhy does everyone have to be a critic? It makes me so weary that so many people feel every other person needs to be or think exactly the same as they do. No matter how wrong they are. s/
ReplyDeleteSeveral years ago my youngest's exchange partner from Munich was talking about coming to the States for a long visit, trying to hit as many points of interest as she could. She doesn't drive (still, even at age 37), and was planning to take trains from point to point. Looking into it for her, I realized it's IMPOSSIBLE in this country to do such a thing without the ability to drive. Or to have mountains of money, which she did not. Our train stations are not in city centers as they are in Europe. Even here in Cincinnati, where the Amtrak station is in a historic train station, Union Terminal, it's too far from other transportation to be helpful. And walking is out of the question, thanks to both the neighborhood and the distances.
Not to mention speed. Train travel in Europe and elsewhere is streamlined, and it's possible to use it efficiently, but not here. The interstate system is much more direct, and most of our infrastructure money has gone to that sort of travel. Unless you're transporting cattle or coal, which has very efficient lines, but they are specific to those industries, and not conducive to tourism, especially from foreign visitors.
So I totally see why you're wrestling with that as a venue for fiction, Jenn. And that's a darn shame.
Oh, and on behalf of struggling readers everywhere, like my late brother who loved to read, thank you for your kindness. Accessibility shouldn't be so hard, or so controversial.
DeleteKaren, in my career as an archaeologist, I was part of many ODOT projects. We championed every effort to bring better passenger rail service to Ohio (and elsewhere), but those projects never got off the ground. Too many ODOT projects served the politicians' bragging rights, instead of serving their constituents' needs.
DeleteIt's ridiculous that rail service is a political football. To our national detriment.
DeleteAgreed. In Arizona, we don't have Amtrak in Phoenix. Can you believe it? You have to go down to Tucson. It's ridiculous.
DeleteAgreed with the comment "Why does everyone have to be a critic?" And do not get me started on train travel. I think the East Coast may be better than the rest of the USA? When I lived in Washington, DC, I remember taking trains from DC to Boston in MA and Charlottesville in VA. Easy peasy. If I wanted to, I could take a train to NYC.
DeleteAgreed about Europe. Sorry to say this but they have higher taxes than we do in the USA.
Diana
I always read the notes and acknowledgements and anything else the author provides, same way I stay and read all the credits after a movie, not that I have even been to one in years. And I love the idea of your next story taking place on a train! Hope it's a cross-country trip. I'm really looking forward to reading Summer Reading. As a retired reading teacher I am hoping to learn more that will help readers.
ReplyDeleteIt's a half-country trip. Chicago to New Haven via Boston. I never name the line of the train because...fictional license :)
DeleteOh, yes, yes yes, I always read the acknowledgments! It’s such an insight… And makes me understand the author of the book so much more.
ReplyDeleteBut I always ask to have mine at the back of the book, so people read it last. You don’t want to say something like “thank you Dr. Smith for your advice on poisonous berries” In the acknowledgments. Kind of a spoiler :-). Yes, Karen, I agree – – why does everyone have to be such a critic? It’s very wearying. And what on earth is the goal?
Yaayy Jenn!
Oh, I never thought of having the acknowledgments in the back. So smart! I think that's where they put mine but now I have to go check. LOL.
DeleteJenn, get off the tracks and on top of that train. Then you'll be able to see where you're going--just remember to duck at the tunnels! And it's wonderful that SUMMER READING is geared for dyslexic readers. My brother was dyslexic and never managed to read a book until he was a senior in high school, when a teacher reached out to help him. Thumb your nose at the haters! They're like some kind of weird fungus, trying to suck all the joy out of life.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love that, Flora. Much better view from up there!
DeleteJenn,
ReplyDeleteI read EVERYTHING so I would definitely read the letter to the reader. Wouldn’t it be great if all publishers switched to a font that would be helpful to people with dyslexia? I’m sure they would gain more readers and sell more books that way.
If I could rate Amazon reviews, I would give many of them 1 star, only because zero stars are not an option. After I read a book that I loved, I was curious and read some Amazon reviews. A one star review stated, without indicating that it was a spoiler, “I didn’t like it that A killed B at the end of the book.” Gee, thanks!!!
DebRo
That right there is a crime, IMHO. No spoilers in reviews! Dang it.
DeleteJust getting back from Church and happy to find your post up . . .
ReplyDeleteYes, to reading those letters [and everything else] . . . . kudos to you for making SUMMER READING dyslexic-reader-friendly . . . . .
Thank you, Joan!
DeleteWow - that is a busy schedule, Jenn. Looking forward to all of it. Yep, I read dear reader letters. Curious about Vella. Interesting concept. I haven't dipped my toes in as a reader or a writer, but I'm watching.
ReplyDeleteI'm still undecided about Vella, but we'll see. The writing life is an adventure :)
DeleteJenn, so sorry to say I do not have Kindle, though I know many people who do have them. And so look forward to reading your novel in the summer!
DeleteDiana
I love what you are doing to make your book more accessible. I would definitely read the Dear Reader letter because I will read anything you write! Also, I always read the author’s notes, acknowledgments, etc. As far as reviews go, I don’t know why people have to post one-star reviews for things like “the book is too short”, “the book is too long”, etc. There used to be a regular reviewer I saw on the Barnes and Noble website ( she was vert prolific). She wrote extremely detailed, long reviews. I used to see readers giving books one-star reviews because of the long, detailed reviews by the first reviewer. Can’t wait to read Summer Reading!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Christi. I'm very excited to have it released into the world :)
DeleteKudos to you and your publisher for using Verdana. Many students who weren’t diagnosed with dyslexia still found it more comfortable to read with this font. More reading = best life :-). I read the author notes on books from authors I like or books that intrigued me. Thanks for caring about all your readers!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Becca. I love Verdana and used it in my self-pub stuff :)
DeleteYes yes yes! I read Dear Reader letters. Also the Acknowledgments page. Fascinated by the dual person: the author and the protagonists in their works. In your case, Jenn, there's a massive cast of characters to consider!
ReplyDeleteHallie, it is always fun to read the acknowledgments page too! Diana
DeleteI find writing acknowledgments to be grueling. So many people to thank and am petrified of forgetting anyone.
DeleteThank you for making Summer Reading dyslexic friendly. One of the reasons I read in Kindle is they have an option to use a dyslexic friendly font. I find it easier to follow, though my dyslexia is mostly with numbers. Always love reading your books, Jenn… would love more of the Museum of Literature series…. Those are great fun. Almost becoming my favorite of your series behind the library series. Got to run off to work… thanks for all your wonderful books.
ReplyDeleteOh, thank you! I had so much fun writing the museum of literature novellas - who knew novellas could be such a hoot to write?
DeleteJENN, I love love love that style of writing, especially the loop in the R.
ReplyDeleteDid not know there was a special style for Dyslexic readers. I learned something new today. When I was a young child, I remember my kindergarten teacher gave all of us different books. She gave me a copy of Disney's Cinderella and the title was written with a looped R. I was learning how to cursive write and I would copy how they wrote the R. I still write my R with a loop in my R.
Yes, I love "Dear Reader" letters because it feels as if the author is talking to me. Look forward to reading Summer Reading!
On another note, I loved your social media photo about "bad breakfast choices". That photo reminded me of the breakfast that my tour group, including me, had on our first morning in Paris, France donkey years ago! (British readers here will know what I mean by "donkey years ago".)
Diana
Oh, man, that lobster tail (as they call it) was sooooo good.
DeleteI read Dear Reader letters. I also read the acknowledgments at the end of a book. But sometimes I skip the opening letters/acknowledgements and go back to read later because I've already waited long enough to get my hands on the new book. It's interesting - the negative comments about the font - it is making the book more assessable right? Encouraging reading for those who may find reading a struggle, what is wrong with that? I'm looking forward to seeing how I respond to the change in font.
ReplyDeleteI've noticed some people with light their torches and sharpen their pitchforks for any reason whatsoever. Haters gonna hate, as they say.
DeleteJenn, will I CAN'T EVEN be available for purchase as a compete book at some point? I can read it one chapter at a time but much prefer to have the entire story at once. If you know the plans for it, please share them. Love the characters, BTW.
ReplyDeleteOh, thank you! I have to finish writing it and then I think I hav to leave it on Vella for a year. So maybe next January? It's been fun to write in chunks - a bit more seat of the pants than I'm used to so maybe I'm stretching as an author? We'll see.
DeleteI guess Vella is the new and coming thing but I have avoided it so far. Even though some of my favorite authors have put stories in that form. My gripe is having to wait for the next installment. Like the Queen song says, I want it all, and I want it now! I do read the author's notes and letter to readers. It can be very enlightening. I'm interested to see what a dyslexia-friendly font looks like.
ReplyDeleteI hear you, Pat. I am the queen of I want what I want when I want it! LOL.
DeleteJenn, I always read Acknowledgements, Author’s Notes, etc. so I will definitely read the letter. The people griping about the font need to do so as well since they have clearly missed the point. Some people just live to try and make others as unhappy as they are.
ReplyDeleteI need to carve out time to look into Vella.
The train sounds fun. I took an Amtrak from Orlando to Boston ( changed trains in NYC) several years ago and it was a great trip. I wish train travel was more developed here. I would love to travel that way.
SAME! I want a bullet train, dang it!
DeleteJenn, I read dear reader letters and always read acknowledgements. Love the train idea, and going to check out Vella!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to start reading these letters. LOL.
DeleteJenn, I read everything from start to finish in a book, so I'd absolutely read your letter. I think it's wonderful that you are making Summer Reading Dyslexic friendly. I first encountered this term in college because my roommate worked in this specialty, which was actually rather early days of addressing the problem, in 1974. The Vella platform sounds interesting. I might try it out. And, Fatal First Edition is definitely in my wheelhouse of reading. I love trains and mysteries combined. Chugga chugga chugga chugga choo choo!
ReplyDeleteRight? It's like the perfect combo - which of course Dame Agatha figured out early in the game.
DeleteJenn, as someone who falls asleep to the "Ambient Noises" app's train sound, I am 100% behind setting a mystery on a train! If you've never seen the 1976 movie SILVER STREAK, which is a buddy/mystery/romance/comedy, you have to watch it. And then get your film rights agent on it, because I'm pretty sure that's the most recent set-on-a-train mystery movie (no, THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN doesn't count) so it's past time for another one!
ReplyDeleteI had no idea there was a train sound in the ambient noise genre. I'm going to have to check it out. LOL on movie rights and thanks for the rec. I will most def watch Silver Streak!
DeleteI at least look at everything in a book. I'd read a "dear reader" letter, but if the acknowledgements goes on for way too long with huge lists of names, I start skimming over it.
ReplyDeleteSo yes, right that letter. Some of us will read it and get it and it will help us understand what you are doing in the book.
Almost past my bedtime, and was napping like a cat today. As always your discipline is amazing. Now am I amazed? nope. but happy you are looking at dyslexia. thx ever so.
ReplyDeleteI just checked the one-star ratings on goodreads and there were no reviews attached? And the only mentions I saw of the change to a more dyslexia-friendly format were positive? Why are you lying all over this blog post? I was really interested in this book (which is why I was googling it in the first place and found this blog), but your behavior here puts you on my never-read list.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read Summer Reading! My oldest nephew (10) has difficulty reading. I bought him a short novel by Henry Winkler (yes, "The Fonz") printed in dyslexic font because Henry Winkler is dyslexic. It was a little weird for me but if it works, it works. How exciting to introduce dyslexic readers to your stories. My dear friend was one of your beta readers and said it was really good as usual. We're excited about the local Portuguese connection. I'm even more excited about the Library Lovers series continuing. Lindsey is my fictional alter-ego with a job and a hot guy. I do read "dear reader" notes and acknowledgments!
ReplyDelete