Had some bad news on Friday, folks – a rather fine publishing emporium in the USA was taking a long and serious look at the prospect of bringing THE BIG O’s sequel, aka CRIME ALWAYS PAYS, to a shelf near you, but they eventually decided nay, nay and thrice nay. It’s a shame because the people involved are good people, and smart too, and it would have been good to work with them. But, and for the kind of reasons you never stop to think of when you start out writing a book, it would appear that Operation Grand Vizier has, temporarily at least, run into the sand. Boo, etc. But lo! I’m not taking this lying down. I wallowed all weekend, and that’s as self-indulgent as it’ll get. In five years time, and as a direct consequence of the last six months, I’ll be a better writer and a wiser human being. Every writer has his or her war stories about rejections and setbacks, and at the end of the day, guv, what’s life but stories for the grandkids?
Besides, it’s only a book. As I said earlier today, I could be sitting in Gaza City right now, or southern Israel, with a baby in a cot and half-expecting a rocket through the window.
If the worst thing that happens me in 2009 is a book rejection, it’ll have been a tolerable year. Meanwhile, anyone who needs a laugh should check out the classic Brian-Stewie walkie-talkie riff. Roll it there, Collette, over …
UPDATE: My brother-in-law arrived last night, with the Tom and Jerry-style photograph below (no photo-shopping involved, honest), which was taken by his lovely wife, my equally lovely sister, and which just about captured the mood perfectly. I calls it ‘No Guts, No Glory’. Peace, out.
16 comments:
A year from now you'll be laughing about this
or be languishing in an Istanbul jail cell having decided to risk it all on 1 big score...
count me on the big score BTW I've heard that if you eat a garlic bread it throws the sniffer dogs right off.
Truly sorry to hear about the setback, Dec. But you're impressively Zen as ever. If you and Adrian get around to that score, it'd be an honour to work with youse.
Cheers
gb
No word of a lie, my v-word is "shesh".
And my v-word is nones, which mean it's time to get off my monastic ass and pray again.
Don't do it, gents. Or if you do, make sure to cadge enough toilet paper on which you can write novels that you'll then smuggle out of your cells.
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Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/
The One Big Score. Yeah, sounds like a good idea, my only advice is don't blog about it...
Damn - sorry to hear that Dec. I hope that one day soon it will see the light of day (and if not, I'm coming round to nick a copy of the manuscript.
Donna
ahhhh, hate that. but don't give up. ever ever ever.
Cheers, chaps. But ... the One Big Score? I dunno. Now, if it was one last score, possibly for old times' sake, then maybe.
Donna, m'love, you'd have been getting a manuscript whether you wanted one or not. Thems the breaks.
Sophie? You're darn tootin'.
Cheers, Dec
Sorry to hear that Dec. Your books are the antidote to the depression and a depression. It took me all of last January to stop laughing after I read The Big O.
best wishes
Norm
that cat's just a fuckin pussy man
It's their loss, man. I'll bet it won't be long before someone else picks it up.
Bummer. But I'll buy a copy anyway, particularly if I can get it through The Book Depository.
I've written the phrases "don't give up" and "don't take rejection too hard" at least five times over the last few days.
No matter what way you come at it, rejection is a bastard and no amount of reassurance will change that. All you can do is keep on keeping on.
As an aside, I seem to remember you telling me you weren't one for short fiction (I may have been drunk at the time). Have you considered giving it a try while you regroup? There are lots of markets out there on the interwebs. They don't pay, but it's good for the soul.
By the way, if there's a Big Score going down, I'm going to sell you all out to the authorities for my own monetary gain. Just so you know.
Ah, crap. Been there, Dec. No fun. But you have a very beautiful daughter and you're a fine writer and us yanks is kinda dumb. It's not you, nor your book, but the breaks.
Dec, what about in Ireland? Will it be released by the same press as The Big O ? Best of luck!
Appreciate it, folks ...
Barbara? It's nothing to do with Yanks, dumb or otherwise ... it's that universal issue, the bottom-line.
Not sure what the deal will be with Ireland, Brent ... As soon as I hear, I'll let you know.
Cheers, Dec
Re the bottom line, there has to be way, an alternative way, perhaps, of getting worthwhile books to the public. I don't mean overturning the profit motive, and I don't mean pissing and mpoaning about how millions want to read Dan Brown, and thousands want to read my book. I mean just developing some new models for publishing. Any suggestions?
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Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/
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