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howtheduck raised a good point on his blog today when he discussed the ramifications of the only people who seem interested in Mike's book being the Pattersons and their hangers-on. It may well be that Lynn does not intend the novel to be the insane success that Mike's dreams would make it. His path may lead elsewhere for the simple reason that to be a big-time successful novelist, he'd have to spend far too much time away from home. To a woman with as great a love of being tied down to the familiar as Lynn seems to have, a nomadic experience like that is the worst thing in the world. Fortunately, she's provided Michael with a way out of that horror; he writes a column about the ups and downs of suburban life for the weekly paper Elly used to work for. If the strip continued, we could well expect to see a forty-year old Mike happily slaving away at his keyboard writing his weekly column and good-naturedly shaking his head about his delusions of literary grandeur. A Mike with a day-to-day job like that would be a far better son than the selfish fool who wanted to go on the road all the time.

Date: 2007-11-27 05:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] howtheduck.livejournal.com
You have a good point about the amount of travel required to promote a book versus the time spent at home. That raises an interesting conundrum in the life of Lynn Johnston, because we have seen on the News part of her website, she does travel around for book signings for her comic strip collection books on a pretty regular basis, and she doesn’t stay just in the Corbeil area. Having this first-hand experience means that she won’t be just making up what it’s like for a change.

I noticed that when the strip listed the publicity for Mike’s book, it was CBC, CHCH, The Toronto Star, the Hamilton Spectator, and a signing at Eastgate Square; all of which are relatively local for a person living in Milborough which is just outside Toronto. Perhaps Lynn thinks that she can circumvent the issues with long distance book promotion, by keeping everything close to home. After all, in the strip we have not seen any of these moments in Mike’s life (although Jean Baker mentioned seeing Mike on TV, so we know the CBC or CHCH interview has happened). Despite this, the first signing we have is in Lilliput’s and I would guess this is the only signing we are going to see.

Date: 2007-11-27 05:09 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dreadedcandiru2.livejournal.com
Given the time constraints, I'd have to agree. The point of tis week's story may not, as I've said, be watcing his book fail. It may be instead that Lynn wants to show us that even though he's a bg shot everywhere else in the country, to the Pattersons and their business associates he'll always be plain ol'Mike. She has to go through that with her family so it's something we'll see in the strip.

Date: 2007-11-27 07:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] howtheduck.livejournal.com
She has to go through that with her family so it's something we'll see in the strip.

With her family, it is a little different, considering Lynn Johnston now lives alone. I think we may go with Lynn’s perception of how things were with her family, but as to how things really were, that’s a whole different story. I have seen first-hand how touring around and doing things causes a person to think more highly of themselves, and also how they don’t like it so much that the folks at home can instantaneously humble them with their past.

Date: 2007-11-27 08:00 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dreadedcandiru2.livejournal.com
Ah. I had a mild lapse in logic there. It will, of course, be based on her impression of how her family treated her when she came home from a book tour. A strong hint that her dislike of getting smacked down may be what drives this arc is the venue for the signing: a CHILDREN'S book store. He can't, after all, really feel like he's made the grade as a serious author when he's surrounded by posters for Thomas the Tank Engine.

Date: 2007-11-27 08:24 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] howtheduck.livejournal.com
This may be a subtle thing, but there is some kind of coffee thing going on in the background behind Mike's signing table in today's strip. There used to be coffee and pastries in the shop when it was owned by Lily Petrucci, which Elly removed when she took over. The presence of a place for food may imply that Moira Kinney has returned Lilliput's back to its coffee and pastry roots, and may also include some books for adults, who might be inclined to have coffee and pastries in a book store.

Date: 2007-11-27 08:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dreadedcandiru2.livejournal.com
Ah, yes. I'd almost forgetten about Elly's removal of the coffee corner. I shouldn't have because it's yet another example of her inability to see things from any other perspective than her own. Since she doesn't associate coffee machines and danishes with bookstores, they must be banished so that the external world conform to and confirm her image of it.

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