A return to your regularly scheduled programming

I got some bad news this morning from my editor: my book has been cancelled. Kaput. Taken a long walk off of a short pier. Given up the ghost. Toasted. Et cetera.

I have to admit this news didn’t come as a massive shock to me. This is actually my second attempt at a book - my first was with a publisher that went out of business just over a month after the book was initially started. I’m keenly aware that the publishing industry can be a world of abrupt endings; the technology publishing industry is even more fragile. I’m not bitter, nor am I devastated.

But I can’t help feeling a little disappointed.

That said, I don’t begrudge the time I put into the book up to this point. My writing has vastly improved since I first started working on this project, and I have gleamed valuable experience in the book writing process. But it would have been nice to have taken things all the way.

My publisher is doing me well and making sure I get some compensation for my time, and the door isn’t closed to the possibility of future opportunities. I gotta say, though, if I get another kick at the can, I really hope the adage that “third time’s the charm” really does hold water.

Comments

1 | Bob the Elder said on September 24, 2005 11:56 AM

Don't give up the ship... even if there's a third disappointment.
I'm not aware if you enjoy scifi or strange literature, but you might like to read "The Bradbury Chronicles : The Life of Ray Bradbury" by Sam Weller.
It took quite a while before he hit "pay dirt", and look at his stature as an author today.
Cheers!

Post a reply to this comment
2 | Khoi Vinh said on September 27, 2005 4:07 PM

Actually, I think I'm pretty upset about this because, having heard from you what the subject of the book is (can you say now?), I was really looking forward to buying a copy for myself. I think you should finish it and self-publish it, unless of course your contract forbids it, because I'm positive there's a paying audience for it.

Post a reply to this comment

Post a comment

Remember Me?

Comments Preview:

Comments:

(Textile text-formatting is enabled - HTML will be stripped out):


ISSN 1499-7894
Recent Posts
SEARCH
Contact Archives Web Love Writing Photos FAQs Home