According to Amazon.com, customers who bought Inside the Outside also bought Megamind. While I'm delighted to be in the same company as a film that earned $321,885,765 worldwide, I can't help but wonder what the actual connection is.
Megamind, if you're not familiar, is an animated feature starring the voices of Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, and Tina Fey. And, according to Amazon, it is about a super villain named Megamind who dreams have come true when he conquers Metro Man, thereby gaining control of Metro City. But when a new villain is created and chaos runs rampant, the world's biggest Megamind might actually save the day. I've never seen it, but it sounds sweet.
Inside the Outside, on the other hand, is a horror novel written by yours truly. And, unlike the family friendly Megamind, my story is about a young girl who grows up in a cult tucked away in the San Bernardino Mountains and is raised as a cannibal. There's lots of horror and bloodshed, people get killed and others get eaten. There is, however, a fair amount of bowling in the book, which, I think we all can agree, is a family friendly activity, but, other than that, I'm at a loss for the connection.
So, just for fun, I decided to see what customers had to say about both Megamind and Inside the Outside. In doing so, I think I might've unraveled the mystery. What I've done is paired snippets of reviews together, and your job is to see if you can guess which review is for Megamind and which is for Inside the Outside. It's an awful lot of fun and I think I can promise you it's not going to be as easy as you think.
CUSTOMER REVIEW PAIRING #1:
"I...enjoy[ed] the message that seems to be tailored to both kids and adults[,] that persistence can pay off even after multiple setbacks. There are plenty of scenes to make a person laugh."
or
"This book had me on the verge of tears, laughter, and terror, sometimes at the same time."
It's tough, right?
CUSTOMER REVIEW PAIRING #2:
Wonderfully funny twist on the old hero versus villain theme. The ending is somewhat predictable, but everything else is hysterically new.
or
"One of the best books I've read all year. Creepy, original, with a tight story and enviable prose."
I told you it wasn't going to be easy!
CUSTOMER REVIEW PAIRING #3:
"I purchased this for my grandchildren to watch when at my house. They are absolutely in love with it and I must admit I haven't gotten tired of it yet. You can't go wrong with this movie."
or
"Martin Lastrapes' debut novel is classified as horror (and indeed seems to be rising quickly up the charts), but really it achieves something even more powerful; I'd call it literary terror."
I know, I know... it sounds like I'm making these up, but I swear they're actual reviews from actual customers on Amazon.com.
After reading through all the reviews, I actually felt silly for not having seen the connection between Megamind and Inside the Outside before. I think the lesson here is don't underestimate good taste.
Now, if I can only figure out how to further tap into the Megamind market, I might be able to finally live out my dream of being a wealthy recluse.