Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading? - Page 257

kennyc · 02-16-2010, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilmarr

The problem with books carrying the James Patterson byline is that they're an unknown quantity. You can't rely on the author name because a title might have been conveyor-belt produced by any one of the several ghosts in the Patterson factory. Neil

Ah, didn't know that was a factory name. No wonder there are so many.

neilmarr · 02-16-2010, 06:57 AM

Doesn't mean they're bad, though, Kenny. Patterson employs the top ghosters in the business.

Let's face it, he follows in illustrious footsteps: Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo (among many others) put their names to works produced in their 'factories', too. But they picked the best to represent them.

From what I've read, Patterson supplies a brief synopsis and his ghosters follow it -- like Michelangelo might provide a template. I don't know if Patterson actually checks the result before it goes out to his publishers' editors to knock into shape.

Neil

kennyc · 02-16-2010, 07:09 AM

Yes Neil, but I just don't even like the idea. I believe writing (and art for that matter) is an individual task. That doesn't mean factories can't produce good wiglets, but for me art should be something created by an individual, not by a committee or not to fit a particular pattern....

neilmarr · 02-16-2010, 07:41 AM

Don't get me wrong, Kenny, I don't agree with this approach either. I even have a beef with pen names. If a creator is to take sole credit, s/he must also take sole responsibility.

Having said that, I've ghosted celeb and non-fic books myself, so I'm a bloody hypocrite ... unless you agree that fiction is a different animal. Even there, though, I've edited hundreds of novels; some of them so heavily adjusted at my desk, that they could almost be considered co-written or ghost-written.

But the system's tried and tested and it won't go away as long as people with good ideas, specialist knowledge and wonderful stories, but little writing ability, need pro scribes to put down words on paper.

Consider, for instance, the biggest selling book of all time -- The Bible -- how many ghost writers do you think contributed to that?

As someone said a little while ago: "Don't be so naive as to Mr Kipling really makes his own exceedingly good cakes."

Cheers. Neil

WT Sharpe · 02-16-2010, 07:41 AM

Just finished February's Book Club selection.

neilmarr · 02-16-2010, 09:42 AM

Sorry to go off topic for a moment, chaps: Tom, I sent a lengthy reply to your interesting PM, but I'm not sure that it went out (my 'sent' box appears to be empty). If you don't get it please do drop me a line at ntmarrATbewrite.net (use the @ sign, of course). Cheers. Neil

Apologies again for butting in .... N

desertgrandma · 02-16-2010, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Thanks all for the advice. I d/l'ed samples of three of the books I listed and started reading _The Stand_ sample. I am sure I will buy it and continue on.

Ok... off to read.. er... really watch the Olympics.

BOb

I started re-reading "The Stand" yesterday. For the 4th time.

It has been a couple of years since the last reading, and I am so pleased that I'm getting that same "Oh my God what an awesome book!!!" feeling.

Kings character development and ability to draw you in was unsurpassed when he was at his peak.

kennyc · 02-16-2010, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilmarr

Sorry to go off topic for a moment, chaps: Tom, I sent a lengthy reply to your interesting PM, but I'm not sure that it went out (my 'sent' box appears to be empty). If you don't get it please do drop me a line at ntmarrATbewrite.net (use the @ sign, of course). Cheers. Neil

Apologies again for butting in .... N

It always does that on this forum.....

Bugs me too.... Other forums leave the message in your sent folder/box.

neilmarr · 02-16-2010, 10:18 AM

Maybe we should pay for recorded delivery, Kenny. Neil

Sparrow · 02-16-2010, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Just finished February's Book Club selection.

I'm only half way through.

Blinking fantastic so far though!

poohbear_nc · 02-16-2010, 10:46 AM

I went on an Agatha Christie binge this weekend: Five Little Pigs, The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding, The Labours of Hercules.
I always keep 4 or 5 on my reader for when the madness strikes.

pdurrant · 02-16-2010, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next: Tailchaser's Song by Tad Williams, which I've heard of but never got around to reading.

High fantasy for cats. Weird but good, even thought the inclusion of cat-language words was a bit irritating at times. A nice resolution to the romance sub-plot.

Oh - and the Fictionwise blurb is taken from the text in the book, which is from the 2000 edition. It's just coming up to its 25th anniversary of publication, not its 15th.

Now for this month's Analog SF.

pdurrant · 02-16-2010, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Now for this month's Analog SF.

And that was fun. Some nice novelettes in this issue. Nothing completely outstanding for me in this issue, unlike the last one.

And now this month's Asimov's .

WT Sharpe · 02-16-2010, 06:42 PM

February Book Club selection MAJOR SPOILER!

Spoiler:

kennyc · 02-16-2010, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

February Book Club selection MAJOR SPOILER!

Spoiler:

Dang you! Now I'm not going to bother reading it.

02-16-2010, 06:42 PM	#3854
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,072 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	February Book Club selection MAJOR SPOILER! Spoiler: The North wins!

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02-16-2010, 06:57 AM	#3842
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Doesn't mean they're bad, though, Kenny. Patterson employs the top ghosters in the business. Let's face it, he follows in illustrious footsteps: Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo (among many others) put their names to works produced in their 'factories', too. But they picked the best to represent them. From what I've read, Patterson supplies a brief synopsis and his ghosters follow it -- like Michelangelo might provide a template. I don't know if Patterson actually checks the result before it goes out to his publishers' editors to knock into shape. Neil

02-16-2010, 07:09 AM	#3843
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,907 Karma: 119230421 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Yes Neil, but I just don't even like the idea. I believe writing (and art for that matter) is an individual task. That doesn't mean factories can't produce good wiglets, but for me art should be something created by an individual, not by a committee or not to fit a particular pattern....

02-16-2010, 07:41 AM	#3844
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Don't get me wrong, Kenny, I don't agree with this approach either. I even have a beef with pen names. If a creator is to take sole credit, s/he must also take sole responsibility. Having said that, I've ghosted celeb and non-fic books myself, so I'm a bloody hypocrite ... unless you agree that fiction is a different animal. Even there, though, I've edited hundreds of novels; some of them so heavily adjusted at my desk, that they could almost be considered co-written or ghost-written. But the system's tried and tested and it won't go away as long as people with good ideas, specialist knowledge and wonderful stories, but little writing ability, need pro scribes to put down words on paper. Consider, for instance, the biggest selling book of all time -- The Bible -- how many ghost writers do you think contributed to that? As someone said a little while ago: "Don't be so naive as to Mr Kipling really makes his own exceedingly good cakes." Cheers. Neil

02-16-2010, 07:41 AM	#3845
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,072 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	Just finished February's Book Club selection.

02-16-2010, 09:42 AM	#3846
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Sorry to go off topic for a moment, chaps: Tom, I sent a lengthy reply to your interesting PM, but I'm not sure that it went out (my 'sent' box appears to be empty). If you don't get it please do drop me a line at ntmarrATbewrite.net (use the @ sign, of course). Cheers. Neil Apologies again for butting in .... N

02-16-2010, 10:18 AM	#3849
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Maybe we should pay for recorded delivery, Kenny. Neil

02-16-2010, 10:46 AM	#3851
poohbear_nc Bah! Humbug! Posts: 63,543 Karma: 135239851 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Durham, NC Device: Every Kindle Ever Made & To Be Made!	I went on an Agatha Christie binge this weekend: Five Little Pigs, The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding, The Labours of Hercules. I always keep 4 or 5 on my reader for when the madness strikes.

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