Showing posts with label Readers are cool. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Readers are cool. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

What's The Difference Between Thriller And Mystery?

One of the coolest things about writing for kids is when I get to hear from those kids themselves. You'd think that happens very often, but you'd be surprised. Since I'm still new at the author gig, I mostly talk to librarians, teachers, parents, grandparents--those people who will be buying books for the tweens in their life.

So it was cool to hear from a friend who bought the book for his son, but then he told me his teacher wouldn't let him read it for his required mystery book. Since Double Vision is a thriller. This kid ended up reading the book anyway once the assignment was finished (my readers are cool that way). Not that I disagree with the teacher--there are certainly many middle-grade books that are stronger mysteries--but it did make wonder...

What makes a mystery, and what makes a thriller? Is it the puzzle versus the chase?

I do think Double Vision is more of a thriller, so the teacher was right. But isn't it also a mystery? There's a puzzle and a whodunit to solve...

What do you think makes each category? Or is it all just nonsense, this labeling?

April 2022 News (or: on reading slumps and lots of editing...)

  April snuck up on me like a thief in the night! I’ve been so busy writing, editing, and coming up with ideas for  Daybreak on Raven Island...