And here it is. I had to leave my Mum, with whom I spend Friday night and Saturdays, to get it from the post office, because they close well before I can get there after work. So I took the tram, picked up my parcel from Voyager(the spec fic arm of HarperCollins) and took it to the cafe next door to open over a pot of tea. Unusual, because it has been years since HC sent me anything. I think the last one was the HHGG novel written by Eoin Colfer.
Still, I'm not going to say no to a brand new spec fic book by an Aussie writer. I admit I have never read any of her work, mainly because I'm just not a fan of fat fantasy trilogies, which comprises a large chunk of her work. But this one seems to be a standalone. According to her foreword, it's her twentieth novel but was her first work, as a film script which was never produced. There must be an interesting story there. Perhaps I can get an interview and ask.
The author is a lot more popular than I am, a huge bestseller whose work has been translated into several languages.
Mine has been translated into Chinese and Korean, but that's it unless you count an article in a language I have forgotten, but which I have a copy of somewhere on my computer. I vaguely recall the translator writing to ask my permission. "Sure!" I said. "Can I have a copy?" I can't read it, but nice to know.
Oh, and American. Before you say, "But that doesn't count!" I would like to point out that there are quite a few differences in language usage and I actually met my "translator" at an Allen and Unwin party. She thought our metric measurements were "quaint!"
Anyway, I've made a start and I don't think this one will take me too long to get through. Very easy reading!
I remember the Voyager open call a few years ago. My CPs and I and about 5000 other people sent their ms's in. Most were culled in the first few months. My ms lasted about 9 months and one of my CPs lasted a year! In fact, we never even got official rejections, just kinda figured it out when they announce the winners after about a year and a half. LOL! Like Trump's official decrees, Voyager wasn't very organized. I hope you really enjoy the book!
ReplyDeleteVoyager is huge now. I remember they were a big part of our Natcon one year, celebrating their anniversary. We got Robin Hobb and Neil Gaiman - two big names I'm sure we couldn't have had without the tenth anniversary event. The con was moved from its usual small venue to the Hilton to allow for the many attendees. No way could that little con committee have raised the money for that venue alone!
ReplyDeleteThey were the only publishers ever to send me a printed rejection slip for my novel. I guess I was one up on you at that. ;-)