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Post by pulphack on Apr 24, 2009 17:44:45 GMT
succinctly put, caroline, and precisely the issue. which is what i should have said instead of rambling on about the bloody Dumas, pere et fils (does this sound like an old french text book, or is that just me?).
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Post by funkdooby on Apr 24, 2009 18:18:06 GMT
succinctly put, caroline, and precisely the issue. which is what i should have said instead of rambling on about the bloody Dumas, pere et fils (does this sound like an old french text book, or is that just me?). It was the lack of clarity (plus the post from Willie Meikle which I don't think he thought would be seen by many people) I found worrying. The fact that he then amended something he had written only three days before, describing it as 'old news' and then saying Guy Smith would actually be doing a lot more than providing the idea - I found that very dubious indeed. I would be very interested if GNS properly co-wrote with other writers. But to me it seems that GWP are getting others to basically write a whole novel with minimal input from Guy, though carrying his name on the cover. It was that I was mostly objecting to.
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Post by justin on Apr 24, 2009 18:25:58 GMT
As someone who has met Neil I can vouch for his energy, ideas and vision.
I think we need to judge Neil and GWP on what is delivered. Neil has announced a lot of projects and over the last six months and many of us eagerly and impatiently await the delivery of something substantial. But I think we need to wait until he delivers a book and then pass comment.
Realistically Guy is not going to write new horror stuff. He writes for one of the biggest-selling mags in the country about a subject he absolutely loves. I imagine he's as happy as a pig in mud and unlikely to deliver another Sucking Pit.
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Post by funkdooby on Apr 24, 2009 19:29:53 GMT
As someone who has met Neil I can vouch for his energy, ideas and vision. I think we need to judge Neil and GWP on what is delivered. Neil has announced a lot of projects and over the last six months and many of us eagerly and impatiently await the delivery of something substantial. But I think we need to wait until he delivers a book and then pass comment. Realistically Guy is not going to write new horror stuff. He writes for one of the biggest-selling mags in the country about a subject he absolutely loves. I imagine he's as happy as a pig in mud and unlikely to deliver another Sucking Pit. I don't think you know very much about GNS if you really think he won't write more horror fiction. He is very much still an active writer - given the right outlet, I am certain he would have no problem delivering at least a couple of short novels per year, in addition to his Countryman's Weekly articles.
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Post by killercrab on Apr 29, 2009 3:51:50 GMT
I've always seen The Crabs as the one GNS franchise that could have a seperate life from their creator. Of course I'd love if Guy himself was responsible - but a fresh eye wouldn't hurt either. I really enjoyed NIGHT OF THE TRIFFIDS by Simon Clark - not as good as the Wyndham original - but you get my point.
A
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Post by funkdooby on Apr 29, 2009 5:32:22 GMT
I've always seen The Crabs as the one GNS franchise that could have a seperate life from their creator. Of course I'd love if Guy himself was responsible - but a fresh eye wouldn't hurt either. I really enjoyed NIGHT OF THE TRIFFIDS by Simon Clark - not as good as the Wyndham original - but you get my point. A But this 'co-writing' approach is also planned for other titles, some of which I believe weren't even originated by GNS. I have no objections to other writers continuing a tradition (there have been numerous outstanding Sherlock Holmes stories and novels written by assorted authors, for example). But this GWP venture isn't a labour of love - it's just a means of making as much money as possible, using Smith's name to shift product (IMHO).
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Post by justin on Apr 29, 2009 19:52:13 GMT
Why is there such a problem with it being a money-maker? I don't think NEL were a registered charity and much of the stuff we cherish now was hacked out to make a quick buck off the back of trends. Guy wasn't writing horror because that was his first love- as you know better than most it was because Laurence James told Guy NEL needed a book with a werewolf. If it had been a book about surgeons working in Africa that's what Guy would have written.
Quality will always out- if people buy the GWP publications (will any ever appear Neil?) and they're sub-standard, people will stop buying and they will fail. As simple as that.
Got to rise to the "I don't know much about Guy" comment. Guy himself seems to disagree as after Book and Magazine Collector requested an updated article on Guy, he rang me to request I write it. He's signed off the manuscript with minimal changes, so I take that as a sign from the man himself that I know my onions. And if you look at the board you'll find I post about more than just Guy Smith.
At the time you had posted your comment I was actually on the phone to Guy- he rang me to say thanks for the latest copy of The Paperback Fanatic.
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Post by funkdooby on Apr 29, 2009 20:13:05 GMT
Why is there such a problem with it being a money-maker? I don't think NEL were a registered charity and much of the stuff we cherish now was hacked out to make a quick buck off the back of trends. Guy wasn't writing horror because that was his first love- as you know better than most it was because Laurence James told Guy NEL needed a book with a werewolf. If it had been a book about surgeons working in Africa that's what Guy would have written. Quality will always out- if people buy the GWP publications (will any ever appear Neil?) and they're sub-standard, people will stop buying and they will fail. As simple as that. Got to rise to the "I don't know much about Guy" comment. Guy himself seems to disagree as after Book and Magazine Collector requested an updated article on Guy, he rang me to request I write it. He's signed off the manuscript with minimal changes, so I take that as a sign from the man himself that I know my onions. And if you look at the board you'll find I post about more than just Guy Smith. At the time you had posted your comment I was actually on the phone to Guy- he rang me to say thanks for the latest copy of The Paperback Fanatic. Publishing is a business, of course, but when making money is the primary aim over such things as honesty (potentially misleading buyers that a novel is co-written by a well known author when that isn't, in fact, the case), reputation (the reputation of GNS could be irreparably tarnished if things go the way I fear they might) and common sense then I worry. Obviously a lot of the original Smith material was written to order. But it was still mostly great fun - and most importantly, it was written by GNS himself. I agree re GWP. Unfortunately things keep getting delayed and put back. What I was hoping for when the Ghostwriter thing was first announced was new GNS novels. There have been no new GNS novels and there doesn't seem to be any firm plans for any either. My comment about you not knowing much about GNS was petty, and I apologise for it. It mostly related to the fact that for years Guy has wanted to continue his previously prolific novel writing career. In his regular articles in his fanzine, he has frequently made it clear that he would still be writing at least somewhere close to his previous pace, given an outlet. I have seen nothing to suggest he's done with fiction writing or has any plans to put his feet up.
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Post by shaun Jeffrey on Apr 30, 2009 12:10:11 GMT
Why is there such a problem with it being a money-maker? But to make money, you have to release books. Not been much sign of that so far!
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Post by funkdooby on Apr 30, 2009 16:54:08 GMT
Further to my assertion that GNS had and has no plans to stop writing horror fiction, his latest blog confirms this: guynsmith.wordpress.com/
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Post by andydecker on May 1, 2009 16:38:15 GMT
Good point. I checked the webpage, as publication of Deadbeat is marked as "by March", does anybody know if this is out?
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Post by funkdooby on May 1, 2009 16:42:34 GMT
Good point. I checked the webpage, as publication of Deadbeat is marked as "by March", does anybody know if this is out? Yep, Deadbeat is out and has been delivered to those who ordered it, but it was only a limited edition (of 100, I think).
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Post by lordgorse on Sept 5, 2009 13:22:10 GMT
You're scaring me with all this talk of doom for GWP--they're supposed to be publishing some of my stuff
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Post by Jaqhama on Mar 13, 2010 12:45:44 GMT
The truth is out there...
I wrote the 45K word novella to be titled either Crabs Carnage or Crustacean Carnage.
I wrote it as a tribute to Guy and his Crabs novels that I have enjoyed very much over the years.
Today I emailed Neil Jackson at Ghostwriter Publications and withdrew any and all stories I have submitted to him. This due to the fact that I never got any contibutor copies or monetary payment for my short story contained in Ghostwriter Publications anthology Creature Feature. And I am not alone in this. A number of contributors to Creature Feature seem to be saying the same thing, on various forums and blogs.
Having been in contact recently with Guy himself I also know that Guy has never had any intention of writing any more Crab novels for Ghostwriter Publications. I thought that Guy and I were going to turn my 45K Crab novella into a full length novel, as co-authors. Or at least Guy would edit or present it. Guy was appallled when I mentioned this as he knew nothing at all about my novella. Neil Jackson had led me to believe otherwise.
So...I will get around to extending the novella into a full length novel myself. Busy with a just completed SF novel right now. So won't be doing the Crab thing just yet.
I have wanted to post this info up here for some time, as you can imagine how I didn't enjoy people talking about Crabs Carnage/Crustacean Carnage when only I really knew what was going on. Neil Jackson orginally convinced me to say nothing to you guys, about my Crabs story. That's why I am only posting this info up now.
If anyone doubts the truth of any of my statements here; I have the emails from Neil and Guy to prove what I'm saying.
Cheers: Jaq.
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Post by funkdooby on Mar 14, 2010 17:42:34 GMT
So, a year on and the reservations many of us had regarding Ghostwriter pretty much seem to have been valid. Nothing significant is appearing, to my knowledge. The many promises made have apparently come to nothing.
It's just a matter of when the whole thing crumbles now, I think, rather than if.
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