What to do?

Diana Hignutt · Oct 4, 2005

Sometimes life throws you a curve ball. I was happy when I got my rights back from PublishAmerica for my first novel. I was delighted when Behler Publications offered me a contract for the novel revised as Moonspell, Book 1 of the Moonsword Trilogy. They had just published Empress of Clouds, the second book in my trilogy. I had promoted Empress on national tv, on radio, I got it reviewed in Publishers Weekly and other places, it had a good awards presence (BOYA Award Finalist, IPPY Award Semi-Finalist, Spectrum Award Nominee), I did all of the booksignings Behler arranged and twice as many that I arranged and paid for myself. Yesterday, I received notice that Behler was returning my rights to Moonspell. Yeah, I was crushed. I will not publically debate Behler's decision, though I do rescind my endorsement of this company.

I'm about a third of the way done the final book in my trilogy. Now what do I do? It seems unlikely that I could successfully sell the rights to a property that was first poorly published, that the second book in the series belongs to someone else for another three and a half years or so...

Should I just put the whole thing aside for a while and work on something else, not tied to this mess?

Any suggestions would be welcome...

My thanks,

diana

brinkett · Oct 4, 2005

Diana Hignutt said:
Yesterday, I received notice that Behler was returning my rights to Moonspell. Yeah, I was crushed. I will not publically debate Behler's decision, though I do rescind my endorsement of this company.

Diana, I'm sorry to hear about this--it must be very disappointing. I hope some of the sages will step in and advise you. Did they rescind your rights because of the disagreement you were having with them over how to present yourself? I remember the thread from last month.

Jamesaritchie · Oct 4, 2005

Books

I'm a little confused. Why did they publish the second book in the trilogy, but not the first. That's odd, something I've never seen happen. Am I reading this wrong, on was the public offered the first book only through PA, and the second book from Behler Publications? That's really odd. It seems that would automatically shoot sales in the foot.

Is the second book really a standalone, instead of the second book in a true trilogy? That would make much more sense, and it would also mean the other two books, if written the same way, might well find a home with another publisher.

But I don't know. That's a tough situation, and not something that's ever happened to me. Behler might return rights to the second book, once it goes out of print. My contracts always state that when a publisher lets a book go out of print, I get the rights back upon request, unless the publisher agrees to run a new printing within a certain amount of time. Is there anything like this in your contract?

emeraldcite · Oct 4, 2005

If you have the rights for the first two, couldn't you sell the series to another publisher? (i'm making the assumption that they were never released in hardcover...).

For the experts: in this case, wouldn't it be possible to "rewrite" the first two and try to sell it as a package deal touting the strong pod/independent sales of the first two novels?

If you had decent numbers, I can't see why you wouldn't be able to sell the series again due to the limited runs of the first two...

but that's my two pennies...

you have my sympathy. I hope it works out to your benefit....

Diana Hignutt · Oct 4, 2005

Brinkett,

No, the reason they gave me had nothing to do with that. I'd rather not go into why they gave me the boot, other than to say they felt it was a good business decision based upon my sales. I don't want this to turn into a public debate about why they ditched me, but I disagree with their postion.

James,

Yes, all my books stand alone. Behler offered to publish Empress long before I had reaquired my rights to my first novel from PA. After I got those rights back, they offered me a contract for that book, now titled Moonspell. Right after that, they added Book 2 of the Moonsword Trilogy to the cover of Empress on the second printing. After that, nobody wanted a book 2 when book 1 wasn't available, no matter how hard I tried to tell them it stood alone. I know Behler's PR guy had the same trouble I did with it.

I'll get my rights back to Empress after the contract expires in five years from the date of signing.

I'm having a tougher time making the last book in the trilogy stand alone, honestly.

thanks,

diana

Christine N. · Oct 4, 2005

Well, honey, you know I'm all for you. I adored Empress. Maybe you can work on the third one, get it down anyway, then put it aside until you get Empress back, and try and sell them as a package deal. In the meantime, write something else wonderful and standalone and get it out there, so that you have something to build on.

Or... send Moonspell out to small pubs, explain your situation, perhaps someone will take it

. Then once MS is out, people will want Empress. You know that one book sells another (Uncle Jim says so!).

Lots of hugs for you!

Aconite · Oct 4, 2005

Can you consider Behler for the third book? If they've got Book 2, and you're having trouble making Book 3 stand alone, it would seem like a better possibility than trying to sell Books 1 and 3 elsewhere. I can certainly understand if the answer to that is no. I'm just trying to think of anything you could do.

My sympathies, Diana. What a rotten situation.

victoriastrauss · Oct 4, 2005

Oh, Diana, I am so sorry to hear this. What a depressing thing to have to deal with.

I know exactly how painful it is to set aside an unfinished book, especially where it's the third of a series--but right now that might be the best thing to do. Take some time to think about new projects, and how you might make a fresh start. You won't necessarily be putting aside the trilogy forever--you may be able to come back to it later on, depending on what happens. But I don't think it makes sense to continue to work on a book you may not be able to sell.

Sympathies.

- Victoria

MarkPettus · Oct 4, 2005

POD book 1, grab a box of book 2, put book 3 on the back burner and hit the road. Sell books out of the trunk of your car. Go to every book festival, library opening, sf con, whatever... that you can find. Flea markets, festivals, county fairs, make sure everyone within 500 miles gets a chance to buy an autographed copy. Drive your numbers up through sheer force of will. Wear out the keys on your fax machine by sending out press releases. Call every radio station on the dial and ask to be interviewed. You'll feel like you're shopping for an agent again, and the rejections will come fast and furious, but this is how the rest of the world sells things, and it will work for books as well.

When your numbers are up enough, take book 1 and book 3 to another publisher.

Euan H. · Oct 4, 2005

Diana Hignutt said:
It seems unlikely that I could successfully sell the rights to a property that was first poorly published, that the second book in the series belongs to someone else for another three and a half years or so...

Ouch. That's rough. You've got my sympathy.

Should I just put the whole thing aside for a while and work on something else, not tied to this mess?

My advice, for what it's worth (as an unpublished hack), would be to finish the third book--at least up to the end of the first draft, and if you can, get the whole thing done. Then set it aside and work on something else. You'll be able to return to the trilogy when you get all your rights back. Sooner or later, you would have had to begin something new anyway, so don't look on this as losing your trilogy, look on it as an opportunity to try another one of those ideas that's been buizzing round your head.

fallenangelwriter · Oct 4, 2005

Maybe you should see if Behler will give back the rights to your second book...

as a non-pro, i don't know if that's likely, but it can't hurt to ask, right?

Jamesaritchie · Oct 4, 2005

Book

At this point, I think Victoria is right. Much as it hurts, I think this is the time to set aside the trilogy for a while, find a new project and a new publisher.

It sure sound like Behler made some stupid moves with book 2, and I'd still try to have the rights reassigned to me the moment the book goes out of print, but I think I'd also start looking for a new project and a better publisher.

I don't think continuing to work on book three is the best move right now, and I wouldn't turn into a salesman and spend all my time trying to sell book one.

I would keep my eyes open for any chance to make a deal with book 1, but I do think it's probably time to forget about the trilogy for a time. Take the lessons learned and move on.

Canada James · Oct 4, 2005

Diana Hignutt said:
Should I just put the whole thing aside for a while and work on something else, not tied to this mess?

I think you know the answer to this. Probably like the rest of the world, you just need to hear it from other people before it becomes real.

Leave Moonsword behind you. There are other books in you that want out, and it's time you allowed them the freedom to live. Sit down and write. Always write.

My brief experience so far in the publishing world is that publishers care less about what you have out there and more about what you're working on now.

cj

Garpy · Oct 5, 2005

New project, new publisher. And bear in mind, when you start querying with your new ms, that you have been published already....so if that doesn't get you off the slushpile, it'll put you right on the top of it.

Don't procrastinate, just crack on with a new project.....at 2000 words per day, you'll have a brand new book in 3-4 months!

zornhau · Oct 5, 2005

Much sympathy. Now move on and up!

Your real assets are the skills you picked up writing the 3 novels, rather than the novels themselves.

Time spent heroically touting the existing trilogy would be better spent writing something even better.

Writers write. Let the publishers and agents do the selling - that's what they live or die by.

blacbird · Oct 5, 2005

zornhau said:
Writers write. Let the publishers and agents do the selling - that's what they live or die by.

Maybe that USED to be what happened, but not so much anymore. Publishers and agents increasingly expect the writer to do the selling, too. All they really want is to collect the money.

bird

Jamesaritchie · Oct 5, 2005

blacbird said:
Maybe that USED to be what happened, but not so much anymore. Publishers and agents increasingly expect the writer to do the selling, too. All they really want is to collect the money.

bird

If that's all they want, you need a new agent or a new publisher. Publishers are actually moving away from having the writer sell as much as they did a few years ago, and your agent's job is to sell.

Jamesaritchie · Oct 5, 2005

Canada James said:
My brief experience so far in the publishing world is that publishers care less about what you have out there and more about what you're working on now.

How well what you already have out there is selling can make all the difference in the world. A writer is much better off with nothing already out there than with a pubished book that isn't selling well.

victoriastrauss · Oct 5, 2005

Jamesaritchie said:
How well what you already have out there is selling can make all the difference in the world. A writer is much better off with nothing already out there than with a pubished book that isn't selling well.

Amen.

- Victoria

Cathy C · Oct 5, 2005

FWIW, I agree with Victoria. I'd also mention that your situation isn't unusual, even though it's hard. I know one multi-pubbed romance writer (with over 100 books to her credit) who had this same thing happen early in her career. She was just recently bouncing around like a teenager when she learned that someone finally wanted to publish the last book of a trilogy that she started fifteen years before. They picked up the reprint rights on the first and second too.

It's never too late!

Diana Hignutt · Oct 6, 2005

A new beginning

My sincerest thanks to all who responded. I really appreciate the support and the valuable input.

I'm beginning a whole new project and I'm already very excited about it.

Diana

Canada James · Oct 16, 2005

Jamesaritchie said:
How well what you already have out there is selling can make all the difference in the world. A writer is much better off with nothing already out there than with a pubished book that isn't selling well.

But a writer is only really screwed if s/he has nothing new to sell.

Amen to that!

C. James

unthoughtknown · Oct 16, 2005

Diana Hignutt said:
My sincerest thanks to all who responded. I really appreciate the support and the valuable input.

I'm beginning a whole new project and I'm already very excited about it.

Diana

Just wanted to wish you well with your new project!

Diana Hignutt · Oct 18, 2005

jsando said:
Just wanted to wish you well with your new project!

Thank you, Jsando! I'm getting more and more excited about it. It's not a fantasy novel like my other books, so I'm having to do a fair amount of research (which is a new and fun for me).

My only problem now is that after I posted a little note on one of my websites about the mess with the trilogy, I've been getting email after email from disappointed fans. Well, six, so far. I just tell them I'll do my best to get the trilogy published eventually, but it could be a few years done the road. In the meantime, I'm hoping they'll enjoy my next book.

Diana

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