Squeetus summer book club: Enna Burning, chapter 21

Last chapter!

I read through it speedily and didn't stop to write notes. It's often true for me that last chapters come quickly. If I get the rest of the story right, the last chapter usually feels natural and doesn't need as much revision as some. Looking back at my first draft, I'd gamble that the last chapter is the least changed of all of them. Then I go back and spend a year or two revising what came before, trying to lead up to and earn that final chapter.

I started this book years before getting pregnant for the first time and turned in the final draft exactly one week before giving birth to my first child.

My editor, Victoria Wells Arms, helped me hugely to shape this story. She read many drafts over a couple of years and gave me copious notes, which I used to help myself see the story objectively and make it stronger. Some think that editors just look at grammar, spelling, etc. That is a copy editor's job, who comes in at the end when there's a final draft. An editor like Victoria works with the author over the whole writing process and is essential for helping a book be the best it can. No author can work in a vacuum. A good editor makes all the difference. My husband, as always, was also a great in house editor and sounding board. In the acknowledgements I mention T.L. Trent. This is Tiffany Trent (author of The Unnaturalists), who I met in grad school. She read early drafts of both Enna Burning and Goose Girl.

Rachel says, "I loved the ending of Enna Burning; I think the whole 'learning each other's languages' twist at the end sums up the essence of reading. And also, great picture (the other one was great too, of course :)." Yes! It was important for me to make that work. I love themes! Yeah, I got a new author photo. It was time. The old one was several years, hairstyles, and children ago. I finally decided not to be lazy and get a new one when my 7yo saw the cover for Dangerous and said, "Mama, if you put that picture on the book people will think that's what you look like."

Ralsa asks, "If Enna had died at the end of this book, the events of River Secrets and Forest Born would've gone a lot differently, wouldn't they?" Definitely! If they'd have happened at all. I never wrote a version of Enna dying, but I always want to explore every possibility. If a writer always knows there's only one possible ending and considers no others, the text reflects that and the reader can't as easily imagine other endings either.

Thanks for taking this journey with me! This took a lot of my writing time this month so I don't know that I'll do it again, but it was rewarding for me to look back at this book.

Comments

[Leilani]

Thank you so much for the book club! It's always fun revisiting your books and getting more into them :)

[Viola]

Aww not do another book club? They're so much fun! I can't tell you how much I love reading authors' opinions on their own works, it's a completely different point of view than any of the readers. If you never do another one, I understand...but you know, you've said a lot of times how Razo always weasels his way into things, and well, the next book is River Secrets... ;D Come on, you can't leave him hanging like that!

[Audrey]

I agree with Viola that this has been a fun experience, getting to read your thoughts on the book and hear what changes took place during the writing process. I, too, think it'd be fun to do the same thing with River Secrets, but I can understand how work intensive it must be for you to put these posts together.

Thanks for this one, Shannon!

Since we're done with this book, though, I thought I'd share the bookmarks I use for my copies of Shannon's books: Sprouts!
http://tinyurl.com/lxw88do

[Rebecca]

Thank you so much for doing the book club! We really appreciate that you did this for us!

[Avra-Sha Faohla]

I just finished reading Enna Burning and really loved it! I had a question, though, about Sileph. Why did he come to seek Enna at the end, when the war was already over? Before, he was manipulating her to try to get her to betray her people, but what is he trying to get from her now? Does he actually believe himself to be in love with her after all? Or does he think maybe that she can teach him fire? I'd be really grateful if you could answer this burning (ha!) question of mine.

Avra