Grow Up
I was amused the other day to read that JK Rowling is writing her first adult fiction novel. Did you hear that, all you post-pubescent Potter fans? Her FIRST adult fiction novel. Well, doesn’t that just pee all over your fiery protestations that the Harry Potter books are not children’s books? Straight from the horse’s mouth: they’re children’s books. The fact that you like reading them does not elevate them to adult fiction; rather it metaphorically lowers you into those half-size colourful chairs they leave scattered around the children’s section of your local library. Yes, indeed, you’ve been reading children’s books for all these years. Haaaaaaaaaaaaa.
Okay, to be fair, she is probably defining her new offering as an adult book to make sure it isn’t bought for children. I imagine there will be some swearing, death, and fornication in it. Which means the Potter series could be classed as being of universal appeal, rather than just for children. However, as an adult myself, I am not particularly attracted to anything on paper or celluloid that doesn’t contain plenty of the abovementioned swearing, death and fornication. A cloak of invisibility doesn’t do it for me.
Or I like the material to be laugh-out-loud funny. Speaking of which, Rowling’s new book is entitled “The Casual Vacancy”, and is, according to her publisher, “blackly comic”. I’m not sure we can or should read anything into that. I can’t recall too many belly laughs in the Potter films. We’ll see.
Well, I won’t, as I will not be buying it. Not only do I not want to be proven wrong on my assumption it may not be very funny, I also don’t fancy shelling out the euro equivalent of $35 for it in hard cover. Or $20 as an e-book.
On that score, I have changed my mind. I would now, on principal, rather pay more to hold a solid book in my hands, even if that fells a few more Amazonian trees. I resent the idea of paying $20 for a poxy download. There has been a heap of news over the past few months about this – all the price-fixing and dodgy agreements and outrageous behaviour of the big publishers (in cahoots with the rotten Apple). Unless these a-holes want to sell me their electronic words for, say, $5, then they can bloody well build me a real book. I want to see some effort for my hard-earned shekels.
Come on, Potter fans, defend your Queen. There’s a space at the foot of the page for comments. Or would you rather put a spell on me? Oooooo.
About the Author: I have two novels published hardback and paperback by Hodder & Stoughton - The Short Cut and Man On A Murder Cycle. I live on the Murcian coast of Spain with my beautiful wife and daughter. For the past five years I have been working in corporate intelligence for some of the largest companies in the world.
RT Cunningham | Jun 4, 2012 | Reply
Hi Mark. I rarely comment, if I ever have, on this particular blog. This time I just have to speak up.
//sarcasm starts
How dare you insist that authors get paid less than they demand? Don’t you know how much imagination is required to produce something that someone wants to read? Think of the children!
//sarcasm ends
I actually agree with everything you wrote and that’s why I don’t buy e-books of fiction. I wait for the cheaper paperback editions and only when I anticipate traveling by plane.
Mark | Jun 4, 2012 | Reply
Hi RT, I’m pretty sure you have commented before, and thanks for this. The pay issue is obviously not confined to novelists. You see it with actors, footballers, etc. The top few earn a mint while the rest can barely earn a crust. It’s all out of whack.
I am very glad for ebooks, but only of the self-published variety, where the authors take home 70% for their work. The recent news stories show just how scared the publishers really are by this development, and it serves them right. One of their problems has been the advance against royalties, used to lure writers into a contract. Then the book does not earn out and the writer is dropped and a potentially promising career cut short. Careers can take some time to build, and the self-publishing route allows for that momentum to continue without the chance of some corporate beancounter pulling the plug prematurely.
And snidey comments about her adult fans aside, I have the utmost respect for JKR. She’s a legend for what she’s achieved. As and when “The Casual Vacancy” becomes a film, I may even illegally download it. Har.
Cheers for now,
Mark
RT Cunningham | Jun 5, 2012 | Reply
I knew all that.
But I haven’t bought any self-published fiction e-books yet (only the instructional kind).
George Angus | Jun 5, 2012 | Reply
Vintage Pepper, right here. Spot on, buddy. And it flat pisses me off how much publishers are asking for a product that has virtually no production or distribution costs. A hardback book, I figure I’m paying for the paper, binding, transportation and distribution costs. E-book? Where are those costs? If I were to set up a Twitter hashtag on this, I’d make it #readerrape
Cheers
George
Mark | Jun 8, 2012 | Reply
Indeed, George. The world has moved on but the publishers are hoping we haven’t noticed. Money for (nearly) nothing. Cheers, bud.
Mark