Subj : Board Stiff.. an excerpt +
To   : August Abolins
From : George Pope
Date : Fri Apr 22 2022 13:02:14

> My first Xanth novel was "Board Stiff".  I loved the opening
> chapter.  The puns were exellent.
>> I like Piers -- he personally connects with the reasder..
>> ..his puns in Xanth gets lame & expected  after awhile,.
>> but his attachment & 4th wall usage in using them is
>> funny.
> 4th wall?

As in theatre: when the characters address the audience directly. (There's a  presumed "4th wall" besides the 3 you see wheb looking forward, between the  stage & the audience.  To break this wall is to address the audience directly  (in or out of character, scripted, or adlibbed)

> In Board Stiff, he made the punnery part of solving the mystery
> that the character encountered. That was clever.

He does that in many of his books in that series -- I love it! Each pun is a  clue that leads to the next & ultimately provides everything needed to do the  task/quest.

I'vesent himas few puns -- haven't seen my name mentioned yet, but I think I'm  behind on the Xanth series now.

> I still get a chuckle at this part at the beginning:
> "... I'm actually a smart girl who would make any man an
> excellent wife. But no man sees that. No man is interested in
> my mind or personality, just my whatevers. So here is my wish:
> I'm board stiff. I want Adventure, Excitement, and Romance."
> Now the ripples made her reflection shimmer. She definitely had
> the wishing well's attention. "I searched all over for a
> suitable offering," she continued. "It occurred to me that how
> you look is governed by the sand on your bottom. It is frankly
> sort of dull. So I found a pretty colored stone that should add
> interest. Here it is: my offering, and I hope you like it." She
> brought out the stone, which was like a faceted blue diamond,
> sparkling all over. She dropped it into the well. Something
> happened. A sudden whirlwind surrounded her, lifting her up and
> ripping off her clothing. She was changing, somehow. Then she
> fell flat on the ground. Literally. She had been transformed
> into a flat, stiff board with two knotholes for eyes."

Was this one who later became a Princess, through a Sorceror's  intervention/powers?

Ui do recall that scene.

I get a kick asrt how he maintains his G-rating by invoking The Adult  Conspiracy in such a way, olderfolk have no interruption in understanding  what's happening, & younger ones will just get peeved at this Conspiracy!

I one of his latter books in the series, he began creeping into PG territory,  but sly & subtly & punnily(of course)

Some of his series are meant to be more adult in concepts & language, 'though  he's not one for gratuitous vulgarity.


> I find that people who say that they don't read CAN be made
> interested in non-fiction: biographies, history, politics,
> books on medical topics, cookbooks, etc..
> Same thing with kids. Kids who can't seem to bear struggling
> with Harry Potter, can be fascinated by the Guiness World
> Record books, encyclopedias, game manuals, field guides, maps.

My son went straight to encyclopedia type books, & still hasn't gained much  interest in Fiction. He read a couple series wshen younger & would giggle like  a Luna's Tick while reading them (one was the Dog Man series, IIRC)

I read both equally voraciously as a child -- usually had 6+ books open & going at once -- as my mood changed, I'd switch to another (like thinking of a  question I had abnout the next step/chapter)

This taught me well to absorb multiple data points & keep exch straight in its  own context. Ten years later, I could quote any book I'd read to that point,  name the characters & plot, too.  In grade school, I read my textbooks in the  first couple weeks, then never opened them again, unless commanded to, in  class, & I still got straight As.  Yup, I was not Mr. Popular for that!

Fifty years of life's distractions & chemical abuses (only in the first 20 or  so) and a major stroke has killed off that skill among others. :'(

I miss them! Oh well, luckily along the way I've learned how to fake some of it
& get acceptable results within a desired range.

For my job, I've talked with doctors for long phone calls, multiple times &  they are all surprised to learn I'm not a doctor or any kind of medically  trained person, when something came up that triggered then to ask.

In earlier times, before the guilds, I'd've been a doctor just fine. . . Surgeries I'd refer to my buddy the barber for a referral fee. . .  :D 


--- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-6
 * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)

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