When reading the novel, I really wanted to take the place of Nora and live this whole experience through her eyes. Her seemingly boring life suddenly became interesting when Patch, both dark and mysterious, stepped into it. She ended up doing things she never thought she would ever do. Such as when Patch convinced Nora to ride the Archangel, a roller coaster with a one-hundred- foot vertical drop, even though she is terrified of heights. "...I was ripped out of the car while the roller coaster sped off without me. I rolled onto the tracks and grappled for something to anchor myself. My hands found nothing, and I tumbled over the edge...The next thing I knew, the ride screeched to a stop at the unloading platform." The horrific experience scared her half to death. On the website, by entering the interactive simulation, you would be able to experience Nora's ride on the Archangel, falling off and all. But this was also a turning point of the novel because this is where Nora began to question things. Had she imagined falling off, or did it really happen? Later on in the novel, Nora agrees to go on a date with Patch, and ends up playing pool at Bo's Arcade. "'Five dollars says you can't sink the blue striped one,' I said, selecting it purposely; it was shielded from the white cue ball by a mass of colorful balls....drilled the cue ball. The momentum of the cue ball transferred to the solid green then to the eight ball, and punched the striped blue into a pocket." On the Hush, Hush website, you would be able to play against Patch, the mastermind. If you beat him, which is nearly close to impossible, you get credits that you would be able to spend on the website, whether it be store merchandise or an upgrade on the simulation. After the game of pool, Patch drives to a takeout restaurant and goes inside to order. Because Nora is still wary of him, she takes the opportunity to search his car in order to "find out all his secrets". While searching, Nora discovers something that leaves her questioning Patch more than she already does. "I pulled out a steel flashlight and turned it on, but nothing happened...It was the last thought I had before my eyes homed in on the rusty liquid that had dried at one end of the flashlight. Blood." At this point, Nora is left wondering who Patch really is and questions his intentions; is he one of the good guys or not? But, eventually Nora learns what they really are. "...I saw the upside-down V scars gleaming black on his skin...the tip of my finger quivering on his scar. It took me a moment to realize it wasn't actually my finger moving, but me. All of me. I was sucked into a soft, dark chute and everything went black." Nora was sucked into Patch's memories, learning what he is and why he is here. On the website, you are given the opportunity to choose a handful of his memories and "live" through them, just like Nora.By offering fans of Hush, Hush a website that enables them to explore the crazy world of Coldwater, Maine, they will feel more attached to the series as a whole, having experienced the same things the characters experienced. And by enabling fans to write their own fan-fiction, the books never seem to stop, new reading material offered every day. And it will allow for fans to write the ending that they wanted but never got. By having a store that offers exclusive Hush, Hush merchandise, you are able to wear the title of fan loud and proud. By bringing the thrilling world of Coldwater to real life, fans are able to experience things they never dreamed of doing before.
I like the different variety of options you include in the one experience--you really capture the different strengths of the book's experience and allow fans to keep coming back for different reasons. Good job of thinking about the book!
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