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tim
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Really getting into it |
Location: UK, West of London in Ber...
Registered: February 2002
Messages: 842
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I had some awkward news today. I need to find a new publisher for Chris and Nigel. Well that is simply continuing the exercise to become published anyway, so it's no big deal. It just means that it will not necessarily it the bookstores in 2003 like I hoped.
I got almost this far before with a previous publisher, and they, too, had a change of direction. It just goes to show that I should have kept the champagne on ice! Perhaps the topic is more difficult than the market is ready for.
An no, I will not name either publisher. Each acted professionally and in a timely manner
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trevor
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Really getting into it |
Registered: November 2002
Messages: 732
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No Message Body
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...Or was it just some lame standard letter saying they chose not to exercise their option to publish?
Well, you ALMOST got there this time. Each time a little closer one would hope. And young gay erotica probably IS rather controversial, but not unheard of in printed form. I have a book called 'Memoirs of a Voluptuary' (published in 1996 by Wordsworth Editions Ltd, a British publisher as it happens), that is little more than descriptions of four boarding-school boys fucking each other plus some naughty mostly lesbian sex descriptions. There is no love here like in your work, only sex, which would make it more controversial still in my opinion at least.
Some of the sex is actually quite stimulating, some of it repetive and boring. The book is overall quite well-written however, putting the English language to good use with lots of colorful and (what I would imagine) little-used and possibly archaic expressions, since it's intended to take place fairly early on in the century.
If you haven't tried this publisher yet, maybe you should.
-Lenny
"But he that hath the steerage of my course,
direct my sail."
-William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act One, Scene IV
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Darren
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Likes it here |
Registered: January 1970
Messages: 190
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Sorry to hear about the news. I know this is something that we were all looking forward to. I guess publishers are not quite ready yet. Sooner or later, they will come...
I know that you might consider this blastphamy, but have you considered writing the story with 16 yr olds instead of 14. I cannot remember if this would affect the story any. Or is this even an issue with the publisher(s)?
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I really don't think Tim has any reason to feel awkward. I mean, didn't each of the rest of us here start sliding beads on a congratulatory abacus when we first heard there was even a chance that "Chris and Nigel" would be published?
During that time when Tim was having web server problems last year, I told him that one of my big dreams was to win the multi-million dollar lottery and use some of the money to start a not-for-profit web service offering free unlimited no-questions-asked web space to worthy sites like his (there have been other sites which had similar problems; and unfortunately, they have vanished and have never been seen since). My plans now extend to publishing.
In a way, however, this sad news should not come totally unexpected. Since he was dealing with a publisher from good ol' Texas USA, it really isn't all that surprising that ultimately they would become skittish over a book with a premise like "Chris and Nigel" (although, ironically, had it been, say, "Christine and Nancy", it may have had an easier time, since lebianism seems to be more "accessible" and "marketable"). In last night's local newspaper, I saw an article about a book on teaching sex education to teenagers which has just been published; and of course, since it doesn't adhere to their myopic and ultimately deadly "abstinence only" policy, the book has incurred the wrath of the right-wing censors, who are demanding it be banned and that those who approved its publication be fired. The author had been trying to get this book published for years, presenting it to several publishers who ultimately feared getting the still-borns' collective shorts in a knot, until finding a publisher brave enough to stand up to them.
So hang in there, Tim! If there's any consolation, that newspaper article should serve as a reminder that you are not alone (as the title of that film I wish you could see boldly proclaims!). I think I can speak safely for all of us here who still hope one day to get a copy of "Chris and Nigel" signed by the author himself that we're all behind you.
Long live "C&N" (and the author they rode in with)!
We do not remember days...we remember moments.
Cesare Pavese
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tim
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Really getting into it |
Location: UK, West of London in Ber...
Registered: February 2002
Messages: 842
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All commercial.
Initially the conversation was about the terms and conditions of the contract which proved to be non negotiable and created an unpleasant feeling (the negotiations, not the contract - contracts are simply a business matter, theyare either agreed or not agreed, and risks are taken or not based on the terms in them).
Those negotiations highlighted the fact that the decision to make "A tentative offer of publication" was based on a departed staff memeber's judgement and the CEO's judgement was that the departed person's judgemenmt on this offer was flawed, and that the topic was out of line with their current commercial direction.
Now I have never heard the words "tentative offer of publication" before. I was under the firm impression that an offer was an offer, but publishing is not my world (yet).
I am seriously considering setting up a publishing house for gay literature, but I do not have expertise in setting up distribution channels.
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tim
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Really getting into it |
Location: UK, West of London in Ber...
Registered: February 2002
Messages: 842
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http://www.wordsworth-editions.co.uk/ do not seem to be "that type of publisher", but I will ask them
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...Which this one was one of. It was called 'Wordsworth Classic Erotica', and the books (paperback editions) all had old black-and-white (or rather, sepia) photos of voluptous women on the front in various states of undressedness.
-Lenny
"But he that hath the steerage of my course,
direct my sail."
-William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act One, Scene IV
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tim
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Really getting into it |
Location: UK, West of London in Ber...
Registered: February 2002
Messages: 842
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Not now. "We no longer print erotic titles" came by email. Was worth a try though
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Re: Counting Chickens 
