A Thriller by Ella Piazzi
It’s a warm spring morning in 1986, when the body of a girl is found right outside the Funfair. Who is she and why was she killed? Detective Inspector Linda Grace Bonora is immediately on the case.
Supported by her deputy and friend Sergio Reali and her girlfriend Samia, she will peel off every single veil wrapping this young Jane Doe, giving her a name, an address and a reason to die.
Follow DI Bonora in her first investigation, and step into Ferrara, a small Medieaval city in the North-East of Italy surrounded by foggy countryside, where families have known each other for generations and nothing really ever happens…
Join us every first Wednesday of the month, starting this week!
Why did we decide to embrace the format? A word from our co-founder Alex.
The first time I heard that serial novels were making a comeback was 2021, the year Kindle Vella was launched. Given what we know today about the platform – soon closing down as it hasn’t lived up to expectations – this is probably the worst possible example to explain to you why we are embarking on this venture. So, I’ll try and start again with a more charming story.
The first time I read online that serial novels were making a comeback was 2021, around 15 years after self-publishing behemoth Wattpad, and today’s largest storytelling community, was founded (10 years if you consider its first round of venture capital funding as a breakthrough point). Being a bit of a nerd when it comes to digitalisation and publishing, I can tell you that endless articles – both academic and mundane – have been written on how the platform has revolutionised the way stories are told and created ‘a shift from consumer culture to a culture of participation’ (Ramdarshan Bold, 2018). Simply put, a world where people can be writers, publishers and readers in one; self-publishing 2.0, or self-publishing with a twist if you like, given the possibility for creators to publish at their desired pace and have almost instant feedback on their writing, acquiring social capital if successful.
While researching for this piece, I was actually astounded by the number of platforms similar to Wattpad that exist today if one wishes to publish their work, in instalments, for the benefit of “the masses”: Inkitt, Radish, Sweek, Penana and more (an interesting article on the subject here).
As a reader, I quite like the idea of serial writing, for 3 reasons:
- Convenience: the fact that, thanks to digital platforms and mobile devices, one can access new stories anytime/anywhere, fitting reading around busy, on-the-move lifestyles;
- Manageability: it is a fact that attention spans have shortened dramatically over the last few years. It’s not that one can no longer read a whole book, but perhaps quick, bite-sized chapters of a story are a little easier to handle;
- Suspense & Engagement: in a digital world that moves way faster than our brains, one has the power (and actually looks forward) to stop and wait for the next chapter. While I do not participate in the online debate sparked by each new instalment, I do feel that the format encourages more meaningful engagement.
A mystery to unveil awaits… We hope you’ll enjoy the journey with us.
You can find Chapter One of ‘St. George’s Funfair’ on our blog from Wednesday.
