This weekend we went to the local apple festival (which I wouldn't have know about if it wasn't for friends of ours mentioning their daughter was singing there!)
We were excited! Apple fest! I couldn't wait to see the vendors thinking they'd be giving samples of the different types of apples in the area-- maybe we'd try some new variety we hadn't had before. I wanted to taste test the ciders and see whose is best this year. See all the gadgets for apples-- peelers, corers, cutters. Check out new recipe ideas. Get some caramel apples, or apple crisp, or apple pie.
I walked down to meet up with my son (who had gone with friends). After an enjoyable time listening to the kids sing (the group Brett spent the summer with for Alice in Wonderland) we wandered around the tents set up in the street to find...a street bazaar.
Now, I don't want you to think I didn't have a good time, because I did. Spending time with family and friends is always good! It's just that I was disappointed. It was the apple fest, and there was one booth selling apples. The theatre had candy apples, and a couple other places had apple inspired desserts, but it wasn't what I had concocted in my mind. To me, it was false advertising.
I've had this happen with books, too. You read the back cover and are really excited about the book, but what is on the back, doesn't happen until almost the end of the book, and you feel disappointed. (at least I do-- I thought that was what the story was going to be about.)
When I was working on my query letter, this was sitting in the back of my mind. I could make an exciting letter if I focused on the quest Princess Kaylee has to go on, but that doesn't happen until half way through the book. It's not the most important thing in the story, and I didn't want an agent to think I was falsely advertising my book. Did I do the right thing by focusing on a different angle? I don't know- I am still waiting to hear back from my queries. But, in my heart, I know I did the right thing. I didn't falsely advertise my story.
What about you? Have you ever gotten excited about an event, book, movie (or anything else) only to be disappointed that it wasn't what was advertised? Share in the comments.
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You know, we have a "Strawberry Festival" nearby and it was kind of the same thing; you could eat shortcake, and a few other strawberry themed items, but it certainly wasn't the celebration of all things strawberry that it had been advertised to be. Bunch of shysters, if you ask me! :)
ReplyDeleteI most commonly experience this with movies. Hollywood has gotten so good at understanding their audience that they can make any movie sound amazing. Unfortunately, most are barely worth watching, much less dropping $50 to see in a theatre. (Yet I still go!)
EJ:
ReplyDeleteWe've found it better to wait for the movie to come on on DVD and buy it ans watch at home. No dealing with people talking during the movie, can have whatever snacks you want, and my favorite: you can pause and rewind (in case you missed something or want to be sure you saw what you thought you saw!)