Another reason for visiting and revisiting the Shinn series, is the world she has created. In the first scene, which takes place in a seedy tavern, we get our first glimpse of what the world is like through the eyes of the tavern keeper who also gives us our first glimpse of the main characters.

Later, we see the world through the eyes of these characters, not just as scenery but as they experience it ... as places of safety or danger. When they see a house, it is not just a house but a place with a purpose for them. When they ride through the forest, they experience it for what it promises.

We also learn about the world through scene and dialogue. This is often difficult because of the need to avoid telling someone something they already know ... a danger new writers are often warned about. Shinn has handled this by having a character who is new to the country who needs to know all this. By having two characters working together to give him this information and to discuss various aspects between themselves, the reader learns as the character learns. 

The series is fascinating for the reader but it also uses many techniques that are instructive for a writer as well.

It's been far too long since I have posted. But now I hope to come to this 'World' regularly. What is Anne Gray's World? It is largely made up of writing, reading, enjoying my garden, and friends, with a dash of other things. So these topics are mostly what I'll write about.

People often wonder why writers write, and there are many answers to that. For some, it would be as relevant to ask, "Why do you breathe?" Because writing is as necessary to life as breath. For some, it might be the hope of fame or riches, both of which are enjoyed by only a small percentage of writers. Some fall in love with an idea or a character or ... There are likely as many answers as there are writers. Some may not know. Whatever the reason, there is a drive that cannot be denied, and if it is, there is a great deal of stress.

So ... on to books. I'll write in the next few blogs about a series which I've read several times and will read again: Sharon Shinn's Twelve Houses series. This is a series I've recommended to a number of people, and several of them have also read it more than once. In fact, my niece, during a two month visit, has read the entire series of five books twice and has started a third reading. And it's not because there is nothing else in the house to read!

Some people have asked why one would read the same books over and over again. Once you know 'what happens', what more is there? Yet, much of the enjoyment of a good book comes after you know 'what happens', for this is when you can really focus on the characters, the writing, the world and all the other elements that make a book enjoyable.

The characters and the interactions among characters are, for me, of first importance. If I like, or at least am interested in, the characters, I'm more likely to want to read more stories featuring those characters. And re-reading allows me to see how those characters were created. Shinn's Twelve Houses series features a wonderful cast of characters, both major and minor. Even the minor characters are so well drawn that on re-reading, I was surprised at how seldom they were actually encountered.

The 'world' of a book is what draws some people. Whether it is a designated 'real' place or a fantasy world, it is necessary for the reader to believe that that world is 'real'. To believe that they are walking roads, entering buildings, eating food: seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting, smelling everything there. Some worlds are only sketchily drawn, the world of Sharon Shinn's Twelve Houses series seems as real to me as the one I actually live in.