Young fan-fic writer gets signed up by Random House. Hmmmm

[Coolhand]

Can’t work out if this is a good or bad thing…

According to this, a 23 year old woman from Chile has been signed up by Random House for a three book deal on the strength of a Harry Potter Fanfic she wrote.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6245333.stm

So many questions.
Sign of things to come? One off fluke? Kinda weird? Are the publishers more interested in the publicity angle than the quality of her work? Did they approach her or did she mention it in an unsolicited submission? Are publishers poking around fan-fic sites looking for new blood? I’ll sneak around and try to find answers.

Thoughts?

 

[John Jarrold]

Odds are, this was seen and loved online by a keen editor who then spoke to the author about doing something original. The publicity hook is obvious and I'd have used it like a shot. Anything that promotes interest should be used by a publisher.

Don't forget all the writers of fan-fic who will never, EVER be published...probably tens of thousands, for every one who is taken on by a publisher. So no, publishers aren't basing what they do first and foremost on something other than writing ability in the fiction market. Most people simply ain't good enough.

 

[that old guy]

This is weird. I'm not seeing a "Fransica Solar" listed at the Random House site.

Random House | Authors

Maybe she's going to write it in Spanish, and then it'll show once its translated?

Also, why would an author cover the bottom part of their face in what is supposed to be a publicity photo? What is showing could be a photo of about a good quarter of the women around here between the ages of 20 to 30.

And "in the fictional community of Puerto Fake"???? I'm pretty sure that's not even a Spanish word.

My BS detector is starting to tick...could be the over-reaction of an old man's cynicism, since I think the BBC usually pretty good about checking sources. But there's something about this that is decidedly off, even if it does ultimately check out.

 

[Coolhand]

Well, she does have a myspace site and a website for the book (both in spanish) linked off the BBC page, but hey, could be a scam for all I know. The BBC don't usually get suckered like that though. Usually...

 

[that old guy]

I agree. It seems like a bit too much work for some prankster to have done. And like both of us noted, the BBC isn't usually suckered this way. Probably its not at the Random House site since it looks like it is being published only in Spanish at the moment.

I guess I need to start believing more things I read on the 'net. Better send some money off to Nigeria so I can get my millions in bearer bonds.

The only thing I'm still curious about is the Puerto Fake business. What I remember from the Spanish I took 25 years ago "Fake" isn't a Spanish word. Doubtless I'm wrong about that too.

 

[Coolhand]

I guess I need to start believing more things I read on the 'net. Better send some money off to Nigeria so I can get my millions in bearer bonds.

Ooo! Well I'm a good close friend of that Nigerian general so send me the cash and I'll make certain it gets to him.

Yeah that "Puerto Fake" thing is interesting. Mind you, I've just written an English language novel in which half the places and characters have names written in old Latin, so that kind of thing does happen quite a bit.

 

[Simon Haynes]

This is weird. I'm not seeing a "Fransica Solar" listed at the Random House site.

The usual Spanish spelling is Francisca.

One quick Google later ...

According to this page there's a rather swish website for the book here

Fake certainly isn't a Spanish word, but Puerto Fake is what they're calling it on the site. And it's Random House Mondadori, so I'm guessing it's a Spanish language book.

If you want anything translated on those pages send me a pm. (Grew up in Spain, might as well use the hard-earned lingo skills.)

It's certainly a great success story. Good on her.

Cheers
Simon

 

[HoopyFrood]

Yes!! Someone else who was disappointed with fifth book!

Only she actually did something productive with her disappointment...I just grew more bitter

 

[Coolhand]

Whoa! They've updated her pic on the BBC interview. She's a babe!

Shallow? Moi?

It's quite funny the way she slags off JKR in her interview. They may have just taken her remarks out of context, but it's not the most tactful way to start your writing career...
I wonder if they'll ever meet.