I’ve been a writer for quite some time but this is my first full length novel I’ve ever written under my own name (instead of as a hired ghostwriter). And, let me tell you: this process is taking a lot longer than I expected.

I think that’s partially because I want to get it as close to perfect as possible. It’s also because I keep getting sidetracked creating an epically interactive experience (in my opinion 😆). It’s also because I have some health issues that take up a lot of my time.

So, let’s get into the whole “interactive experience” thing.

Why create an interactive experience for my book Echoes of You?

Well, because I wanna. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I enjoy the world that lives inside this book. The more I write it, the more I know I want to spend more time in it. I caught myself making maps and side stories about different characters and places and I thought, Why not share this?

I prefer book series to stand alone books. I prefer television shows to movies. I read slowly… very slowly (even though I’m capable of reading quickly). And when I ask myself why, it’s because I want to stay immersed in the stories for as long as I can. It naturally follows that I’ll create a similar experience for readers of my book!

Inspiration for the interactive experience I’m creating

Bonus content is some of my favourite content. I’m definitely dating myself, here, but I remember secret songs on CDs. . I remember when bonus features first came out on DVDs. I remember DVD-rom features on movies that allowed us to put the DVD into a computer and access extra files or redirect ourselves to secret webpages. *Ah the memories 💭

More recently, I’ve noticed books becoming interactive in new ways. Maps have long been a part of fantasy novels but I’m starting to see more interactive components like Spotify playlists and insertable artwork.

One book I loved when I was younger was The Rose Labyrinth by Titiana Hardy. I will be completely honest: I remember nothing about the plot at all. What I do remember (and the reason I loved it) is that the edition I had came with a puzzle 🧩 made of paper. I remember spreading the puzzle out on my floor and referencing it as I read. I immediately knew I wanted to something like that, one day.

Different interactive elements I’m including with the Echoes of You book

There will not be a puzzle in Echoes of You (though I will not rule out puzzles in future books 😉). I will, however, be including a variety of interactive elements, including:

• a full musical album inspired by the songs in the book 🎵 (first single already out)
• Echo Beach Visitor’s Guide and world map
• behind the scenes blog posts

And, who knows, there might still be more!

I can also say that there will be a second book in the world of Echo Beach to carry on our storyline. The second book in this series will also have bonus content, so stay tuned!!