I just found this new blog by a newbie PhD whose interest is electronic literature. Recently, she writes about a blog fiction, Roommate from Hell, that is being simultaneously published as a "blog" and as a book. My problem is that it's a fake blog not just a fictious one. Even though the story is, obviously, a fiction (and that's okay) the dates are also made up, so there isn't even the illusion that this is a "real" blog. It's not occuring "now." As Jill points out, the writing doesn't resemble most blogs: "Already the blog fiction Roommate From Hell, which I mentioned yesterday, is showing signs of being translated from book to blog." She's right -- the writing seems so . . . definite -- like the author already knows where this story is going. That's not the case in a real blog, and it's that sense of expectancy, in part, that makes blogs so interesting to read. In Roommate, there's too much use of past tense, too much reflection, not enough reaction. Blogs tend to be very reactive, I think. Even when you read some of the meatier blogs -- ones that you know are drafted and revised -- there's still an attempt to be brief, witty and even a little shocking. I'm not sure if the blog is the best medium for this kind of hyperfiction. Roommate from hell seems too contrived to really "work" as a blog. Maybe it's just a marketing ploy . . . .

Additionally, there are no links or comments in the blog. I know some bloggers neither link nor allow comments, but, honestly, I don't read those blogs. They are even more self-absorbed than the rest -- and that's saying something. The absence of these rather ubiquitous elements hurts Roommate's credibility.

And then there's the story: a young woman walks in on her hot roommate's demonic ritual. The demon-roommate is, of course, a gorgeous, tough, gothy-girl and the other one's a mouse, a tag-along. There's something very boy's-fetish-wet-dream about it. It will be interesting to see what comes of this. I will probably read the blog, but have no intention of buying the book.