Today's Thursday inspiration comes from Tink, who had this idea:
"What if you didn't know who the author of the book was and the book was like a mystery where you had to find out?"
I am fascinated by this. You could write it as a scavenger hunt through the internet or even, gasp, the real world, where you had to figure out what historical figure was supposedly the author.
But I want fiction. A middle grade mystery with changing points of view, one of whom has written the book but doesn't admit it. In the story, a certain book has powers of some sort. Something important* hinges on who the author is, but nobody knows. After a few chapters, we realize the book in question is the one we're holding and WE have to figure out who wrote it. I want it sort of terrifying, like if we don't figure it out before the book is over something dreadful might happen to us in REAL LIFE.
I want a smart mystery with a brand-new structure and definite chills. Who will write me this book?
* No, I don't know what powers or what hinges. And this is why YOU are going to write the book.
that scares me just thinking about writing it!
but it does sound fun.
Sounds very meta to me...
very cool, J-Robb. too many good ideas, and no time...
cath, I know. I kinda want someone to write it REALLY scary.
Debbie, tis.
Thorp, ain't it the truth? I wish I could write this one.
I don't know any children's books like that, but I recently read a book called Blind Submission that took place in a California-based literary agency that was exactly that: a "whowroteit?"