THE RIGHT SIDE: A Note From The Author
Sometimes – and they’re often the best times in what my grandmother always called “the writing game” – a character grabs you and won’t let go. This character – a figment of your own imagination but not wholly under your power – demands to be brought to life, and in the case of LeAnne Hogan, the main character in THE RIGHT SIDE (coming June 27), will bring herself to life with or without your help. So – I helped! By now I’ve written many novels, but never one like this, neither in the experience of the writing or in the resulting novel. There’s a take-off point in any novel (except bad ones), a moment somewhere along the line where the story becomes airborne. In the case of THE RIGHT SIDE, I had the feeling of being airborne even before the start, like one of those high-flying planes that separates from the belly of a bomber at fifty thousand feet.
LeAnne’s a warrior, although I wouldn’t call her a lover of war. She’s more of a protector, a lover of duty, the tip of a necessary spear most of us prefer not to think about. LeAnne said things that surprised me, amazed me, shocked me at times, and I wasn’t even sure what I thought of her until the very last few lines. My favorite ending of any of my books: am I allowed to say that?
Duty, war, damage external and internal, trust, love: they’re all important in THE RIGHT SIDE. There’s also the smell of Afghanistan in a stateside closet, a secret affair, a missing child – and a dog. Not a narrating dog, and to give the dog’s name here would be a spoiler. I can say this dog has a powerful personality, and a deeply mysterious soul. THE RIGHT SIDE is different from the Chet and Bernie novels, but I believe C&B fans will like it just as much – or more! – if in a somewhat different way.
Here’s the cover:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1501118404?tag=simonsayscom
Barnes & Noble: http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501118401
Books-a-Million: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/9781501118401
IndieBound: http://www.IndieBound.org/book/9781501118401?aff=simonsayscom
iBooks: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501118425?ct=rightside_9781501118425_ssbiz
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Spencer_Quinn_The_Right_Side?id=MyppDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=rightside_9781501118425_ssbiz
Tags: Afghanistan, chet, Chet and Bernie series, LeAnne, LeAnne novel, The Right Side
This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 13th, 2016 at 7:45 am and is filed under Chet The Dog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
8:17 am on December 13th, 2016
Good morning everyone! Thank you for listening and letting us see the cover of
The Right Side. Enjoyed the commentary on the book and the characters.
Off to the library ????. Toddler Tuesday awaits.
8:47 am on December 13th, 2016
Good morning! The Right Side has grabbed us now. Can we preorder?
BMALS, thanks for telling us about wooly balls. They sure sound funny, but we will keep an eye out for them.
BSD, tell Nana to get rid of everything she hasn’t used for a year, or forgot she even had. It isn’t easy to do, and she will lose money on all of it, but it will make for a hassle-free move. Momma says the only difficult thing about our actual move was worrying about her fur children making the trip and the transition safely and in good health. She must be talking about the horses and Zeus and Bella. No worries for me or my mama I’m sure.
8:51 am on December 13th, 2016
Howlers, good to see rain ☔️ in your neck of the woods!
8:51 am on December 13th, 2016
Also to BSD: we all love living in our “just-big-enough” house. It is so easy to take care of, and to get around from one end to the other. No steps for Mama Meash, either.
9:05 am on December 13th, 2016
I love this insight into the writing experience. The Right Side sounds intriguing. Of course, I’m wondering why the dog’s name would be a spoiler…and the ending…. The cover is excellent. I’ve pre-ordered it at Amazon.
Good morning all.
9:11 am on December 13th, 2016
HOH, yes we are getting rain again today. We had about 3 inches last week, and half an inch so far today, with plenty more to come. The dust is no longer a problem on our trails, but I guess we are still in a drought. Temps here are a balmy 55. We were sitting on our porch and at our firepit last evening!
Do you know if all those fires in the mountains between you and us have been extinguished?
9:55 am on December 13th, 2016
Ooh, I like the cover! Looks like a Rottie for dog type.
9:56 am on December 13th, 2016
Spence: Thank You for the Background Information on your long anticipated New Book. We are so Looking Forward to June 27th and the debut of The Right Side!
That’s more than 2 Days, right?
9:57 am on December 13th, 2016
Very kool cover!
10:19 am on December 13th, 2016
I think The Right Side will be an emotional ride. The cover is very nice. I will buy this book.
The moon is huge this morning.
10:34 am on December 13th, 2016
http://nature365.tv/december-13-2016/ Bon Voyage
I guess I will have to preorder the kindle edition and then order a signed and pawprinted copy too. Sigh. I just can’t wait all that time until the hard copy comes. grump
The cover looks good Peter and I really like the sound of that character. I guess you HAD to write it huh?
10:36 am on December 13th, 2016
A dog with a powerful personality and a deeply mysterious soul. hmmmmm. I wonder if a plunder name is involved.
10:50 am on December 13th, 2016
The Right Side is on my must buy/read list. Looks to be an excellent novel.
Josh and Jess made it back last night and today I am meeting them for a Christmas program at school.
Saturday they are having a big family Christmas dinner and gift exchange. Unfortunately, the next snow storm is supposed to start Saturday with 10-15″ snow fall before it is done. Then topped with an ice storm on Sunday. That should make for unfavorable driving conditions! Good think for me they are only 5 miles away! Everyone else has a much longer drive.
2:21 pm on December 13th, 2016
Thank you for the beautiful card Barb, Maggie and Sassy.
I’m reading a new biography on Albert Camus and his novel The Stranger. I first read the novel as an undergrad and taught it at some point. Near the end he uses the phrase, “the tender indifference of the universe” and I’ve never been able to figure out what he means. It seems to be a contradiction in terms.
2:41 pm on December 13th, 2016
B. We think it means that the universe is non-judgemental and good or bad, we are all wide open to a kick in the shins )metaphorically (.
2:44 pm on December 13th, 2016
I wish I was half as well-read as others on the blog. Since I apparently can’t find the time to just “sit and read” in my house, I am thinking of regular trips to the library to sit and read.
I have pre-ordered the book. Such an unusual writing experience from OFA, I can’t wait!
My handiy man is available for work and I have a long list of nagging problems I want resolved–plus a couple of big projects. This means my house is going to be torn up leading into Christmas. I am having the carpet in the living room replaced with carpet tiles which means packing up a wall full of books and moving furniture into the dining room. I have become an advocate of carpet tiles if a person has pets. The previous owners had beautiful solid beige carpets upstairs and cream-colored Berber carpeting downstairs. None of it works for having cats and dogs.
3:25 pm on December 13th, 2016
HOH: That may be it. LOL!
My problem is that “indifference” has come to mean lack of interest, concern or sympathy, whereas “tender” means showing concern and sympathy. Pondering….
5:10 pm on December 13th, 2016
Someone asked the size of Teddy’s wooly balls. They are larger than I thought-ranging in size from baseball to softball size. Does that describe well enough? They are quite pretty. I am giving a set to Jessica and one to Kelly. I am not sure Shannon would use them. I hope Jessica keeps them out of Lucas’s reach, because he will destroy them!
5:31 pm on December 13th, 2016
WOW!…WOW! WOW!…snort!…What a great post by the Charming Mr. Abrahams! What emotional and personal insight into the bringing forth life of a character. I can’t wait to meet her and her big ole pal whose name is a spoiler!..zow!…June cannot come quick enough for me!me!me!…yeeeep!
8:31 pm on December 13th, 2016
What are the chances the canine character’s name is Wee Doc or Ole Nigel? We can hope.
8:47 pm on December 13th, 2016
Nigel!…I was thinking Nigel was a perfect name for a Rottie!…snort!…All he is missing is the Ears…heh!
10:07 pm on December 13th, 2016
The dog does look like a Rottie. Not sure about the name Nigel. I think of something like Harley, Boss, Bullet, Bolt, or something else tough sounding. Nigel sounds like an English gentleman, and maybe a terrier with big ears.
10:08 pm on December 13th, 2016
Interesting!….I just realized Ole pointy head Spencer wrote “The Right Side”…snort!…Not The Charming Mr. Abrahams….hmmmm… Very Interesting indeed!…guffle!
10:09 pm on December 13th, 2016
Barb!…heh!…Thanks for the You Know What I got in the mail today. Our first at the new/old address…snorkel!
10:18 pm on December 13th, 2016
BMALS: I am a gentledog as Sassy can assure you. I am also confident in my toughness, but please keep your thoughts about the toughness of my name to yourself. it could lead to the Giant questioning his toughness and his name’s toughness. He looks up to me for my toughness. I don’t know if AJ could take it. He is delicate that way.
10:27 pm on December 13th, 2016
Wow!…WOW! WOW!… I am once again (and again!) re-reading the authors post and this line stuck out to me this time around, “I can say this dog has a powerful personality, and a deeply mysterious soul.”….snort!…Now I can’t wait to meet the Gal and her Best Pal even more….yeeeep!snort!…June, how far away are you actually?? …sniff!
10:38 pm on December 13th, 2016
Night all, and a special goodnight to Nigel from Miss Sassy Pants.
11:09 pm on December 13th, 2016
Barb!…SMOOOCH!…Goodnight!..snort!
11:10 pm on December 13th, 2016
Mars!…Yeeep!…Watching Mars. We will have trouble sleeping tonight I am sure…gasp!
12:29 am on December 14th, 2016
I am with Staff…I think the dog is named after someone we know on the blog