1) I always wondered why the three aud stories came from different publishing houses? it breaks my heart to hear that this is one of the reasons there won’t be a new aud novel anytime soon… [This question is from a comment on a recent blog post which I’ve elected to answer here, in full. Or, er, in part. I’ll continue in another post.]
In 1995 I wrote the outline for the first Aud book, The Blue Place (working title, Penny in My Mouth–“Who’s Penny?” my agent asked). It was to be my third novel. My contract with Ballantine/Del Rey, the publisher of my first two novels (Ammonite and Slow River), included an option clause: Ballantine had the right of first refusal of my next science fiction novel. The problem was, Penny in My Mouth wasn’t science fiction, it was sleek, unreliable-narrator literary crime fiction. My then-agent and I decided we’d see if Ballantine wanted it anyway.
They didn’t–it didn’t fit their notion of a mystery. This wasn’t surprising: it’s not a mystery. So then my agent approached HarperCollins…who snapped it up, along with a collection of mixed short stories and essays (working title Women and Other Aliens). I was delighted: not only was (still is–even more so) it almost unheard of to publish such a strange collection, HarperCollins were offering a terrific amount of money: four times what I’d been offered for Slow River. And I hadn’t even written the whole novel: just an outline and three chapters. The collection, at this stage, was still purely imaginary.
But then the acquiring editor resigned to become an agent, and my agent and I weren’t convinced that anyone else at Harper was enthusiastic enough about the novel and collection. So we pulled them, and tentatively approached Avon. They, too, were wildly enthusiastic–about Penny, at least. They didn’t want Women. I thought about that, then shrugged. I’m a novelist first and foremost; novels are more important to me.
So I made a deal with the Executive Editor at Avon, for not quite as much money as I would have got from HarperCollins (though still a lot, compared to SR) but lots of flattering enthusiasm: bouquet of white roses, handmade chocolates, big fat cheque. For a kid from the sf ghetto, this was heady stuff.
I set to work on finishing the novel. I finished it on time. I thought it was pretty good. The editor thought the ending was all wrong. She asked me to change it. I said no. She asked me if I’d be willing to stop the book just before the ending so as to leave the ending in doubt. I said no. She asked me if I’d change the title. I said no. She passed me along to the Senior Editor.
The Senior Editor and I went through the will-you-change-things dance: no, I said, no, and no. SE sighed and bowed her head–over everything but the title. We went at it hammer and tongs. By this time it was spring of 1997. Time was getting short (publication was set for spring 19998). Marketing was brought to bear. My agent was dragged into it. “We need something with more movement,” said marketing. “Who is Penny?” my agent still wanted to know. On and on and on. And then one day I had an idea, a way for everyone to get what they wanted (I thought): “Let’s call it Thaw!”
Ringing silence.
Thaw, it turns out, wasn’t what they had in mind. Well, what did they have in mind? I asked. The Blue Place, they said. I thought that was the most ridiculous thing I’d ever heard. But they told me they could sell it, and, besides, it would make an awesome cover. So, for the first time in my publishing life, I gave in. For the record, I still wish I hadn’t.
The Blue Place, with a blue cover depicting a woman nothing like Aud, was published in April 1998. It got stellar reviews. It sold pretty well. I got angry letters from dozens of readers about the ending–but asking when the next one would be out. I was already hot on the trail of Aud II, working title Red Raw…
[to be continued]
Nicola, that's a fascinating story. I'm so glad that writers today have options. I've heard so, so many horror stories. Over at CJ Cherryh's site recently I was reading of Jane Fancher's war stories, and CJ's own trials and misfortunes over her *excellent* 'Faery in Shadow,' which IMO is the single best Sidhe book ever written but barely survived its birth and never met its potential (fortunately she has the rights back and has re-released with lots of new material). I have several friends with truly strong novels languishing atm because they don't neatly pigeonhole into the increasingly tight categories publishers obsess over. To hell with the lot of them! It makes you long for the days of the old Soviet Union, where at least an artist's vision (as long as it didn't threaten the Kremlin) wasn't soiled and warped by knuckleheaded, timid beancounters.
Dario, publishers are just trying to get a return on their investment. The problem is, they're not always very good at their jobs.
Fortunately, I think many are getting better at what they do. They're beginning to figure out that readers don't always want neatly categorised fiction. This, as you can imagine, is nothing but good for me. Chortle.
I'm glad to hear your optimism with regard to neatly category fiction :) And I totally understand they need to make a living, but as you say, they're often not very good–indeed, I'd say they're often appallingly BAD–at their jobs. Did you chance to read the illuminating and brilliant article in the Oct. 2011 'Vanity Fair' about the genesis and evolution of Chad Harbach's bestseller “The Art of Fielding?” The article's now available in digital form: http://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/ebooks Well worth reading.
One of the fascinating things about this article was that everyone actually worked together cooperatively. I know it happen, at least to those fortunate enough to have a top-flight agent and get lucky with the publisher and editor. In your own case, you were fortunate enough to still get “Thaw” ;-) published despite having stood your ground over its electrifying ending.
Dario, it's all about the contract: most writers have the contractual right to stand their ground (or they should fire their agent). But most writers just don't have the spine. Or perhaps they second-guess themselves too much.
I've made many editorial changes–some huge–but only when I know the editor is right.
thanks for answering this.
my immediate reaction: 1) i'm sending a bouquet of white roses, handmade chocolates (i'm swiss!), and a bigger, fatter, cheque for aud IV.
(no worries, i won't. just kidding.)
2) i did like the …uhm … cover of “the blue place” even though, no, it's not aud.
3) angry readers: you don't like the ending of a novel and you decide to attack the author? that's weird! strange enough, i could deal with the ending of “the blue place” but i was sleepless after the last page of “stay”.
kate
I haven't read the article, but I will. Thanks.
Some readers felt utterly betrayed. Some were angry that they'd burst into tears in a public place–which made them feel vulnerable. I can appreciate that.
But many of those same readers were also anxious to find out if I had the phone number of the model on the cover…
do you? :-)
kate
OMG, that's funny! She didn't match my cvision of Aud either. Excellent point about the contract, and having backbone (and the objectivity/intuition to know whether a critique is right or not). Kris Rusch made those very same points about contracts and courage on her fine 'Business Rusch' blog a couple of weeks ago. Thanks for your thoughtful replies :)
Wait; the ending is great. Weird, it didn't occur to me that someone wouldn't like it?
The publisher certainly didn't. Oh, well.
The ending was horrible but good. Glad that you held your ground.
Perhaps there's an alternate earth somewhere on which I choose to change the ending, but it's one in a billion earths…