| That darn novel of mine | |
| Posted by: showtunetrivia 10:22 pm EST 02/01/21 | |
| In reply to: re: REDHEAD - PlayWiz 08:50 pm EST 02/01/21 | |
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| Anything by Jack Vance is good, and SPACE OPERA certainly lives up to that; he was one of the greats of our field, and I was thrilled I got to meet him several times, just wish my dad (who was a huge Vance fan) could have known that. Vance’s story adds opera details to a science fictional setting; my book drops a meddling time traveler into 1934 New York. The average sf reader can still have fun with SPACE OPERA even if not appreciating all the opera references. I’d like to think the average sf reader could follow my time traveler’s adventures—I have, in fact, asked a couple of fellow writers who know zilch about musicals for their views—but a reader without an interest in musicals simply isn’t going to buy this book. And that’s why I haven’t been able to sell it. I have literally been told “there’s too much theatre” in it. (Well, when you devote an entire chapter to saving Jerome Kern’s piano, I can see their point...) Anyway, I’d love to have been able to use SPACE OPERA to plead my case with the sf publishers (or even John Ford’s hilarious STAR TREK novel, HOW MUCH FOR JUST THE PLANET?, which is essentially a P.G.Wodehouse screwy musical comedy libretto, but with Kirk, Spock, Klingons, and yes, it does use Gilbert and Sullivan lyrics), but the basic properties are too different. And when you’re a Science Fiction Writers of America GrandMaster with multiple Hugo Awards like Vance, you also get more leeway than someone like me. I mean, there IS a Hugo Award in this house, but not with my name on it. :) The aggravating thing is, I’ve had people tell me, “I never read science fiction, but I’d read this,” and I know damn well—after decades in the science fiction community—there are a ton of “fen” (the sf name for its fans) who are big fans of musicals. I’ve done panels on musicals (not just ones with sf or fantasy themes) at conventions; I’ve done a panel on late 19th century musicals at a steampunk con. There’s a whole community of fen who write and perform “filk songs,” (most often these are parody lyrics with a science fiction bent)—and they know and use show tunes. The cosplayers don’t just dress as Wookiees, superheroes, and Doctor Who—I’ve seen Phantoms, Sweeneys, and Hadestown characters. So I think there’s a market there, but the sf houses wouldn’t take the chance. So, after eight years of rejections, it’s time to strike out on my own. Like Porgy, I’m on my way. Laura |
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