Betsy, nope. Being insanely well-behaved and leaving that to Jenn, whom I trust implicitly. Must call her, BTW.
Notice Ruth's comment about the "enormous" advance? I'll believe it when I see it.
But since "FFoSM" is the option book from the first contract, Jenn's already reassured me that "Matty" is basically an autmatic option sale. A series means at least three books....
Woohooo, Deb! That's fantastic.
I do, however, have a quibble with her shortening the title to Serving Man. I thought she was referring to a cookbook for cannibals for one confused split second. Famous Flower is better.
Bev, she's 84 years old and she can shorten it any way she likes in emails to me. Truly. I also think of it as Famous Flower, but so long as the cover, promotional materials, etc have the proper title?
I reallyotrulyo don't mind.
As long as she's buying, with an "enormous advance?" Yup, I tend to agree with you.
For that, she could call it George.
Happy happy happy happy happy happy
Just talked to my agent. She now has a Word doc of "Matty Groves", since Ruth hasn't seen any of it yet.
But my happy-happy comes from the fact that, once a upon a time, an editor called Linda Marrow at Pocket Books offered on the first two (and never published) books I wrote, "The Goldsmith" and "The Apprentice"; my then-agent turned down a $5K per book offer without consulting me, and they never sold. Linda then called me up and said you know what? I'd love to see you write a Celtic thing. Result was "Fire Queen" (based on the Cycles of Oisin) - she was then outbid for it by Barbara Alpert at Bantam. "Fire Queen" is dedicated to Linda.
Linda is now Executive Publisher at Random House. Her exact title is something like "Vice-President, Editorial Director of Ballantine Books."
Jenn rang her up about "Still Life With Devils."
And Linda did a Ruth: "Deborah's writing again? SEND IT. I want an exclusive look first refusal! Send send send!"
So, even if the book totally doesn't fit their lines?
I am chuffed.
Wow. Does it...rub off? Cause I'm gonna have to touch you for luck or something.