Cancelled Series
Now I can't really remember if I talked about this last year or not, but I'm going to be talking about it a little differently today. I recently saw that a favorite author of mine is re-releasing one of her earlier books and all of sudden I was just overcome with a great and powerful sadness.
I might as well say it...because I know I've talked about this cancelled series a lot and tried to help save that one too. I failed in that sense. It was last week that the reminder came about--for I do remember hearing about it--that Gena Showalter was republishing her first YA novel, Oh My Goth. I never read that one to be honest. Not sure why, after reading what it was about. I guess I wasn't into alternate universes at that time.
So this book never landed on my radar. I don't know how its sales and whatnot went. It's a standalone. But here we are in 2018...12 years later and Gena is republishing it. And I *thought* it was with new content or something. That something was changing and hence it's NEWNESS.
But here's where my broken heart took me...that Gena was so happy with this book and it was likely her first YA book, so I get that it has a special place in her heart. But to happily GO BACK to it, re-read it, immerse herself back into that world and decide to revamp it? Tweak it (Again, I am only like 99% positive that tweaking was done. Maybe even just small nuisances of making it 2018 and not 2006 so needing to change time related things.)?
It hurt though...knowing that Gena has more love for this book than she did her Intertwined series. I guess I always thought authors love all their books. All of them are their babies and while you're not supposed to have favorites really, I'd think you'd still love them all and "want the best for them". That if you had the opportunity to write one again or go back and "re-vamp" it, you would. She did with this book, but she has truly decided to leave the unfinished Intertwined series in the dust and seriously my heart breaks every time I see those books on my shelf, because yes, they are still on my shelf. I didn't move them to the closet like I do when I need to make room for NEW books. Those books have remained on my shelf ever since I read them when the second book came out.
I had high hopes that Gena would self-publish a final Intertwined book. And she did plan to at one point. I remember getting the news when my Goodreads question was answered with positivity! I was elated Like legit tears of joy! So much excitement and happiness...I was going to re-read the first books--which I haven't re-read a book in ages! So this was BIG!
Then practically one year after she said YES, she said NO! I don't understand what happened somewhere in that year of her saying she would until the moment where it came back that NO she would not be concluding the Intertwined series. She did write a brief synopsis of how the final book would go, but I found it lacking. Like severely lacking! I could have been content with that if all points had been address and resolved, but she left out something HUGE and I was taken aback that she couldn't remember it. Again, absolute sadness overcame me yet again! I mean, to forget this HUGE, HUGE thing?! It was unthinkable.
It made me believe that maybe authors truly don't love all their work. I mean, this was a pretty big deal. I still haven't worked up the courage to ask Gena why she left that part out and more importantly what the outcome of THAT situation would've been. I mean, I know authors who write a LOT of books, don't always remember everything about them, but I would've hoped that something LIKE THIS would've held some memory for her. I mean, it's mentioned in the description of ALL three of the books. How can something like that go unmentioned in her brief summary of book 4?
Which I legit just went back to refresh my memory of what was supposed to have happened in the series but it looks like it was removed from the website. I also saw that they apparently gave the ebooks new covers just last year. Somehow missed that. I'll admit, a teeny tiny part of me is trying to muster up hope. I know I really, really, really shouldn't because it's only led to heartbreak these long, long, nearly 7 years. I've been teased before that book 4 was coming, Goodreads stringing me along like they are wont to do. Then having word of virtual mouth that it was coming and then a year later being old no way, no how.
But that description of book 4 is gone. Like legit the website cannot find it. And there's no search box either so I can't trying searching for it. Why was it removed? What does this mean? Do I allow myself to hope? I really don't know!
It's funny that I just wrote you this long ranting post and now when I go back for fact checking everything is gone! And there's suddenly new ebook covers. If a book 4 of this series was only ever available as an ebook I would take it in a heartbeat. No questions asked.
So now I am left here to stew and worry and wonder and possibly hope. I mean why was that page removed? The link is still on Goodreads where the fourth book placeholder is. You'd think someone would remove it by now, or at the very least, Gena should've kept that description of the fourth book up. What a way to make myself agonize over things! Lol!
So sorry for giving you such a long post! I totally didn't mean to do that! But I started gabbing like I am wont to do and then the fact checking search led me on another tangent because WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!
I love that you took the time to post this topic! Hopefully I can offer another pov too. Although, I also get frustrated with unfinished series, especially when I find it to be a favorite!
ReplyDeleteSo anyway, as for Gena. 90% of the time, the publisher is the one who cancels the series. They don’t worry as much about readership, but mostly all about the numbers. Depending on the way the contract was written, the publisher may own the rights as well. That leaves the Author without the option to complete it. I’m encountering this problem myself as I can’t move forward with a project because it stalled.
This is what indie authors have an advantage over. They can do all the things traditional authors can’t. BUT, there are the same issues with unfinished series here, just for different reasons. Time and pay. With the system and the way indie authors get paid, we get less money at times unless you hit the special spot that brings readers in. With all the controversy and Amazon cutting royalties from their KU program authors, it’s more challenging than ever for an author to survive.
As for republishing books, it’s a way for authors to breathe new life into an old book or series. This is something most traditional authors do often. Whether it’s to resurrect a book or series, it may also be when a publisher contract is up and there is a swap to a new publisher or self-publishing.
Anyway, I think I rambled a bit, but hope it shed some light on the other side of the process. I understand the aggravation as an avid reader myself, it’s the same as tv shows and movie sequels. I like even a short novella to tie up a series at least and wish tv and movies did a short film , TV movie or special episode to finish a story.
Anyway, thanks for indulging me!
Sometimes series are indeed cancelled by the publisher. Some Australian authors I know: Rhiannon Hart, Felicity Pulman and Foz Meadows. Rhiannon self published her last novel, as did Felicity. Felcity Pulman, by the way, found another publisher and the whole series was republished in ebook. So far, Foz Meadows hasn’t. Self publishing is taking a huge chance, I suppose, though not as much as in the old days when you were likely to end up with a room full of unsold books.
ReplyDeleteIsobelle Carmody is a hugely prolific Australian writer. That’s the problem. Series are unfinished because she starts a new one. And there is one “trilogy” with its first book published in 1997, its second in 2002, its third ... never. Not cancelled, just not published. We don’t know why. She’s written it, or a large chunk of it. There is an entire generation of fans who have grown up and got the key to the door since the first book was published. I’m thinking it’s the publishers. I can onl6 hope she gets the rights back and takes the whole trilogy to small press, as she did with some of her others.