The Reading Vent & Rant Thread

[issybird]

Originally Posted by John F

What was the wish? That someone puts something out?

The reference is to Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Milhone “alphabet” series, which ended with “Y” at the author’s death. Grafton explicitly rejected having a ghost writer finish the series and to their credit, her heirs are honoring her wish.

[JSWolf]

In the case of the Wheel of Time series, Robert Jordan's wife Harriet picked Brandon Sanderson to write the last book after her husband died. It was Robert's wish that the series be finished.

https://www.brandonsanderson.com/wheel-of-time-faq/

Question: Why did they pick you?

I wish with all I can give that I weren’t the one doing this book. I wish it were Robert Jordan himself, as I am a long time fan of the series and his works. I think his death is a tragedy for the fantasy community, one we will be feeling for many years to come.

However, he made it clear that he wanted this book written. After his death, his wife read through novels by several authors whom Tom Doherty (the C.E.O. of Tor) and others had suggested. She enjoyed my books, and choose me—partially because of my novels, and partially because she had read my eulogy of Mr. Jordan and knew that I was a big fan and follower of the series.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Maybe in the Faraway Tree or sequel... checks Calibre FTS. There are more Googles than I thought. Not read some of these yet.

Google Buns: Magic Faraway Tree & The Folk of the Faraway Tree

Google (a man): Circus Days Again

Google (as nonsense) Boys’ and Girls’ Circus Book

Witch Google: The Holiday Book

Alphabet (parent company of Google) will be suing the Blyton estate shortly.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by nabsltd

There really is no way to know for sure if this is true. I suspect it is, because the quality of the Alex Cross series has dropped dramatically in the later books, while other "Patterson" books that are almost completely written by somebody else haven't dropped off as much.

I agree, except co-authors are listed on the other Patterson books (including at least one Alex Cross book). Why bother doing that and then not do it other times?

I do have several examples of books in my library with a single author on the cover, even though they are collaborations. Some of the books state this explicitly in the acknowledgements, but some might merely give "thanks" to the collaborator.

Yep. I have a series of novels (Robotech) authored by Jack McKinney. Jack turned out to be Brian Daley and James Luceno.

And most of the old men's adventure novels (Deathlands, The Executioner, etc.) were written by house names. But at least the Executioner books acknowledged the true author with a thanks.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I agree, except co-authors are listed on the other Patterson books (including at least one Alex Cross book). Why bother doing that and then not do it other times?

Isn't his Alex Cross series is his premier series? Or at least the most popular. If so, by keeping other names off it even if a ghostwriter helps, he could be trying to maintain that status. I know with other authors I've had less than stellar experiences when they work with co-authors so by having one series "his" alone, at least in appearance, he could be trying to keep some people who want the "true" experience.

I tried to find any indication either way on these but didn't find anything.

[John F]

Originally Posted by issybird

The reference is to Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Milhone “alphabet” series, which ended with “Y” at the author’s death. Grafton explicitly rejected having a ghost writer finish the series and to their credit, her heirs are honoring her wish.

Thank you for the info. I have read the series, which is why I said I would buy whoever/whatever came out next in the series.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

Isn't his Alex Cross series is his premier series? Or at least the most popular. If so, by keeping other names off it even if a ghostwriter helps, he could be trying to maintain that status.

But what about these?

[Quoth]

Some alphabets don't even have X and Y, never mind Z. In the past in England the & was the last letter of the alphabet as taught to small children.

I've read Z is for Zachariah. Same author as the Rats of NIMH, but post-apocalypse SF.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

But what about these?

Maybe it's random or varies by market or year?

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Maybe it's random or varies by market or year?

Or maybe he just churns out the ones in his name only himself.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

But what about these?

What about them? You asked why he might want to do that, I proposed one reason why that could be the case. Just because there are exceptions doesn't mean it's always the case.

Again, it seems likely he does them himself but I couldn't find anything one way or the other.

I say these might be exceptions because Cross Down seems like it's a side story to the main Alex Cross books, or at least doesn't focus as much on Cross, so getting a co-author for that makes more sense. Same with the other, it sounds like it has a different framing from the normal books. From Wikipedia: "its premise is that it is a book written by Alex Cross."

[ownedbycats]

Note to authors: Overuse of "cried" as a dialogue tag (especially when combined with exclamation points!) can make your characters sound incredibly loud and whiny.

[Quoth]

Which is fine it they are meant to be loud, but whiny would be "You despise me," he said, then he cried.

Some people try too hard to avoid "said".
Dogs snarl, not sure how people do it while talking. Also I think that sobbing, smiling and laughing and crying are better as actions, not speech tags, i.e. then she laughed.

[maddz]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Dogs snarl, not sure how people do it while talking. Also I think that sobbing, smiling and laughing and crying are better as actions, not speech tags, i.e. then she laughed.

I think it means talking with clenched teeth - effectively going 'Grrr'.

[Quoth]

Talking with clenched teeth sounds like an inept ventriloquist. I just tried it.