How much work does your title do to take readers into the story?Visit Van Hoang's website.
Silver and Smoke seems like a simple title, but it conveys all the parts of the novel that I wanted to focus on. Silver draws to mind the silver screen, where the novel is set during 1936 Old Hollywood. The Smoke refers to the magical element, but it could also reference how much of the film industry is about illusions, whether behind a fantastical world or through tricks--both are true in this book.
What's in a name?
The main character's name is Issa Bui, which I thought would be a bit silly to have an actor with the last name resembling so close to "boo." She also has to literally spell it out for people even though it's a straightforward sort of name, which is indicative of...[read on]
The Page 69 Test: The Monstrous Misses Mai.
The Page 69 Test: Silver and Smoke.
Q&A with Van Hoang.
--Marshal Zeringue
Posts
