Echoes Echoes

There's an element of standup comedy called an echo, in which the comic mentions something, and later mentions it again, to great impact. (If done well.) I thought I'd try some in OTHERS, and I'll be impressed if readers spot some and mention them to me.

(Rats... I spoiled it... unless you read the book before this.)

An example of an echo is describing a scene including a whistling teakettle. No thing special there, until the MC saunters into a bar called "The Whistling Teakettle". This is even more effective (though obviously harder to pull off) if there are additional similar elements, or if the first teakettle had something unique about it that was reflected in the bar description.

I may have a little fun with readers (once I actually have a few), and ask them if they noticed echoes, and if so, name a few. Where's Waldo?

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I don't think I could call this an echo; merely a reiteration of an answer I gave at last night's meeting. "Why do so many male writers have female protagonists?"

I slipped a little, in that I attempted for all the other guys, when I should have just answered for myself.

In short: I'm a little tired of male heroes. Why can't a girl be a hero? Why can't a girl be a woman, and strong, and self-reliant, and precocious, and sharp, and ignorant of a glass ceiling, and yet be accessible and approachable and modest and dignified?

I also happen to appreciate women. I think they get--here's a trite phrase that's still appropriate--short shrift. They do more and are sharper and more with-it than I think they get credit for.

I think I may get myself in trouble for continuing in this vein, so let's just say that a female MC in a book like this just adds to the interest.

And as to "getting into a woman's head", well, I see that comment as maybe a bit...umm...well, let's just say that women don't all think alike, so this could be a portrayal of some women, maybe even a few. But, not all.

And I have noticed that women buy more books than men. From a marketing standpoint, I think women would prefer a female MC, and in a way, I challenge males to get as much enjoyment out of this book as women will.

As you can see, I don't write popcorn. I couldn't write several of these things a year, so I applaud any author who can crank out any novels in any shape or form in that volume.

--Dave