A new email narrative: The Daughters of Freya by Michael Betcherman and David Diamond of Emailmystery.com. Daughters of Freya is a commercial email mystery story where emails from the characters are delivered straight to your inbox. I collected a list of email narratives a while back – I should update it!
I like the FAQ, which explains that it’ll take 5-10 minutes a day to read the emails, that some emails include links to newspaper articles and that it’s a real-time mystery story. Though it’s a for-pay service, you can sign up to get the first three emails as a free preview. And if it’s good, well, US $7.49 is less than an airport paperback. (Speaking of which, I quite enjoyed The Lovely Bones. Fit perfectly into a transatlantic redeye flight, and better writing than most such books.)
Also, we’re in 2004 now, and we read email on the go, as is noted in one of the reader endorsements:
I love the fact that it comes in installments. For those of us with remote e-mail devices, it’s great while travelling. Can’t wait for the next installment.” – Avon MacFarlane, Toronto, ON.
Almost makes me want to sign up using my mobile phone email, but it’s such a nuisance reading on that phone, and it costs a fortune too, especially while travelling. I wish I had one of those blackberries or treos or something. Nah, most of the time I really don’t need one.
This reader comment captures a lot of my enjoyment of email narratives I’ve read:
“I’ve never experienced quite the same suspense from a story; having to wait for the emails instead of turning a page was tantalizing in a delicious sort of way.” – Jake Onrot, Vancouver, BC
They promised me a reviewer’s copy, so I’ll be reading it, anyway. I’ll let you know how I like it.
akl
Cool. I like the idea of serialized literature making a comeback. Much literature that we now know as novels was once published in installments in various types of serials. Installments were designed to be read in one sitting, even during a commute on the train. Perhaps reading an email narrative on your mobile phone on the subway or, god forbid, while driving your car could be called “retro”?
nicole gem
I read it and loved it. Highly recommended. If you are not convinced try the free preview at http://www.emailmystery.com. The suspense combined with not being able to turn the page and having to wait for the next email between the characters is brilliant!