Book 2.0

I went to the Book 2.0 session at the MLA conference. I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I knew we'd be hearing from, Sean Stewart, one of the authors of "Cathy's Book." I thought about purchasing the book before the session to familiarize myself with it a bit. I looked at it and someone told me it was a great read for teenage girls. I decided not to buy it.

Sean told us all about the experience of an interactive book and how the readers experience can go beyond the book if they so choose. He mentioned how the character has a myspace page and that if you call the number on the book you actually reach the character's voicemail and leave her a message and retrieve her messages if you've read the book and figured out the code by reading into the clues given. It's like "Choose-Your-Own-Adventure" with and entire online community to help you. Suddenly I was upset that I hadn't bought the book.

Cathy's book has been out for about 6 months now. When they were trying to market the book they gave every teen two books. One book was for their own reading pleasure and the other book was to be left somewhere where another teen would pick it up and, hopefully, read it. It's supposed to be someones lost diary so this was an ingenious idea!

The author is already 50 pages into a sequel and is planning to stop writing after the third book is done. It will be very interesting to see if and how the websites and phone messages will coincide with the next two books. Think about it. A book is forever. My daughter will someday read this book. Will the phone numbers still exist? Will the online community be the same? The story will remain the same, but will all the fun choose-your-own-adventure-like be able to stay in place? I find it fascinating. That's why I bought the book. It took a few days to read it, and all I can say is COOL! It took me back to the mystery novels I used to read as an adolescent and, yet, it is different. There is a whole online phenomena taking place around this book.

I hope you didn't start reading this blog expecting to hear more about the book. I have a lot of trouble writing about books or movies without giving it away, so you'll have to read the book for yourself. Let me know if you do!