Question about publishing in multiple venues

Hi Everyone,

Here's the situation that I'm looking at, and I was wondering if more experienced writers could offer some feedback.

Through various conversations, emails and various other correspondences I have a small indie publisher interested in one of my pieces. It's still in the early stages, and nothing is signed yet, but my research indicates that everything was on the up and up. But our latest conversation has me a bit puzzled.

The publisher is known for putting out graphic novels, and English translation of mangas, etc, and was looking into expanding into novels as well. I knew this going in, so that part wasn't such a surprise. However, the publisher is now floating the idea of adapting my novel into a graphic novel or graphic novel series and trying to sell both at the same time. While I'm not against the idea, this is completely foreign territory for me, so I have a few questions.

1) Is this often done? Taking a story and trying to adapt it to two different medias (ie novel and graphic novel) at the same time?

2) Is it just me (and it may very well be), but isn't this kind of like putting the cart before the horse? Shouldn't we determine that the book would be successful as a novel before trying for an adaptation?

3) How much control would I probably have over the adaptation into a graphic novel? For example, is it common practice for the author to give final approval on the artist work?

Thanks everyone,

Laura

Thanks guys, I appreciate the feedback. I am planning on talking with the publisher about these issues, but like I said, this is completely foreign territory for me, so I wanted to get some sort of frame of reference.

My contact at the publisher is a good guy; he just seems a tad too enthusiastic about my work, if that makes any sense. He keeps insisting that I should shoot for Mars, when I keep thinking that maybe getting into orbit may be a bit more realistic.

Thanks again!

Laura