Hello, all!

I'm new to Book Country and wanted to begin by posting "The Soul of a Sweater." This is a draft of a prologue designed to introduce a novel, "Changing Sweaters." My intent in putting it out here is to elicit feedback about its effectiveness as a prologue. I'm eager to learn what, having read this, readers would expect the book to be about? Does this bit whet your literary appetite? Does it make you want to read the novel it prefaces or just ditch it?

How does the narrative voice of this prologue strike you? The tone? With only this to go on, as a lead-in, a "teaser," would you want to read a whole novel from this viewpoint? What issues, incidents, themes, etc. would you anticipate experiencing in such a story? What do you thing the book would be "about"? 

Enticing? Off-putting? I welcome any and all impressions and input.

Many thanks!

~Kate Sebeny

Hi and welcome to Book Country. The Soul of a Sweater makes me think of Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colors" song where there is a story behind how her coat came into being made. Changing Sweaters makes me think that the person who owns the sweater is leaving one part of their life behind and moving on.

The title is probably not one that I'd pick up but only because I'm thinking it wouldn't fall into a genre I like--such as paranormal, mystery, or horror. If a demon or werewolf owned the sweater, I probably would take a look. If you DO write one about a demon or werewolf, let me know.

Although prologues are used in published books, I've gone to many discussions where agents have said they don't recommend using them. Most of the material in a prologue will show up in later chapters anyway, and sometimes, it reveals too much without letting the story unfold with some mystery to it. I'm not a big fan of prologues when they are too long because I want to get to the action.

I hope this way helpful and good luck with your book.

Personally, I love prologues, but I am a fan of the period in which prologues were common. I have kicked around a prologue for my own book, as a joke. My story and style have a lot in common with those 'Golden Age' adventures and/or literary works. As a matter of fact, I have based my prologue on one I found in a nineteen-thirties edition of a Henry James novel. Changing a few sentences/words (my story is about a cat) makes it really hilarious. To me, anyway.

.

I don't know if I'll use it or not. I try the patience of my potential audience already. But a prologue is certainly great fun to play around with.