Road Trip
Just wanted to check it. It has been a while.I am revising some of my oldest as yet unplublished material, making it all better and more in harmony with everything that I have written since.
On Sunday I am flying up to New Orleans with my daughter Amanda. She is interested in attending Tulane. She wants to study technical theater and the classics. Yeah I think it is an odd combination too but those are her two passions. Far be it from me to dash another artistic person's dreams. I have givenn hher freedom to explore. Who can say what will become of that?
Anyway, while I am in New Orleans I have planned an overnight visit with the infamous Gremster, a.k.a. Grem. Fior those of you who were ont eh advanced reader's list for Spectre of Dammerwald, yes, this is the real life Grem after whom the character was patterned. For the record Grem was the first to read the parts of the book that pertained to his character. I had feared that I was portraying it in an unfavorable light. Much to my amazement not only does Grem think that I have captured his essence, he has proven to be one of the favorite characters for many of the recipients of the advance readers copies.
When I return from New Orleans later on next week, my son wants to take me to see V for Vindictive. I have heard a bit about the movie from not only my son but others who have seen it. There is a strange dynamic between me and the directors Andy and Larry Wachowski. I have never had the priviledge of meeting them but I feel we are kindred spirits on some creative plane. A couple opf people who have read both of the One Over X series books that are currently in print have suggested that I send copies of the books to them. I know next to nothing about making a movie or even writing a movie script. I know what I envision when I am writing and when I re-read what I have written. I think One Over X would be a challenge for any director.
I know that the purist in me would like to see One Over X be the success that it deserves to become. I am realistic. The books have found a niche. Without the financial backing of a huge publisher that can spend the $60,000 for a full-page ad in one of the national Sunday papers, what chance does a book by a relative unknown have? It has been a frustration to my publisher, Ash Creek that I have to work so much at my 'day job' that I cannot more effectively self-promote. Frankly I am impressed at how well the books have sold without much promotional effort. I am also impressed that mosty who have read them like them and that they are sending me emails periodically asking me what is the story with the release date for An Extreme Departure, Book 3 of the series.
I will summarize. Jack at Ash Creek wanted to go ovber the text a time or tow again. This was over a year ago. He went over it and made suggestion. I went over it looking at his suggestions and I found a lot to be ahamed of so I wessentially revised it a page at a time. Blame me as much as the publisher for the delays. I have also changed something that is fundamental to the series. I have removed the elements tthat pertain to the wolves as they now a separate body of work collectively called The Wolfcat Chronicle. So word to the wise, if you happen to have access to a first edition of A Game of Hangman, it will become a collectors item. Also int he new editions for One Over X, book one has been split into two books. In due faithfulness to the original vision I have called Book 1 From The Inside and Book 2 To the Closer. Except for rewriting the first fifty to sixty pages, and correcting typos as best I could, the new versions were sent to the publisher largely as they were before, just improved where there was genheral consensus of need. The edn result is a more readable Book 1 and a much more concise Book 2 which is, of course now oficially Book 3.
Tentatively there will now be eight books to the original One Over X series, instread of six. AAs this detail is new and still largely open to discussion it could change. I am straving to make each book's length between 300 and 350 pages in 6X9 12 pt.
When I get back from New Orleans I will give you a full accountof my experiences, impressions and perhaps even an interview with the real Grem.
E
posted by Unknown @ 8:24 PM
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