Tales From The UniversE No 18 - This week's newsletter: The PAIN of rejection for my LA novel sent to publishers last month; Adventures in LovE - LAUNCHED!!!; Exclusive poem - Ladakh; MORE
An arcadia of imagination
Welcome (and find here nearly 7,000 stories by me dating back to 2002 for The Guardian and Observer)
1. Adventures in LovE - out now!!!
My tale of sun-baked romance, crime, dancing, and teenagers Nancy and Joey boosting 1,000 ecstasy tablets from Lancaster’s Mr Big and punting these out then trying to flee to a Balearic isle for the rest of their lives is now LIVE - 1st week FREE; 2nd part OUT Saturday
The first 10 people who take an annual subscription to my Substack for £50 (10% cheaper than monthly) will receive a free autographed copy of my first novel, Night Time Cool. Sign up here and how to receive the signed NTC will follow…
2. Rejection Notes - for Lifetimes of Fame
Late last month my wonderful agent, Jon Wood, of RCW Literary Agency (other clients include Nobel Prize winner, Kazuo Ishiguro, John Niven, Ian Rankin, Nick Hornby, and, erm, Boris Johnson) sent out my LA novel, Lifetimes of Fame, to around 10 commercial and independent publishers.
Lifetimes of Fame is the story of Flamingo Torres P. I. who is out to avenge the shooting in the head of his friend, Donny ‘Four Names’ Ferrelli, outside the former Beverly Hills home of deceased screen starlet Lana Turner.
Set in Venice Beach, Santa Monica, Malibu and Hollywood, throw in City of Angel’s No 2 crime boss, Delphie Leonardo, crooked LA chief of detectives, Lansky McEwan, and Chaney ‘Strawberry Sugar’ LeVal, who has a silver screen fixation, how can this possible not FLY???!!!
Here is an extract of Jon’s covering email for LOF:
As promised, I’m very pleased to enclose a wild, pacy and colourful crime novel from Guardian journalist, Jamie Jackson. Jamie adores Hunter S Thomson, Hollywood glamour and the colour-suffused hard-boiled fiction of authors such as Carl Hiaasen. And all come together manically and beautifully in this unique book – Lifetimes of Fame.
Set amongst the gorgeous people of the LA strip – a place that glories in the many film stars that have walked the streets there – the novel features eccentric private eye, Flamingo Torres.
Flamingo is both haunted by getting old and the near-fatal car crash in Santa Monica that ended a high-flying LASD woman officer’s career, putting her in a wheelchair for life. He is also now on the trail of the killer of his best friend, Donny Ferrelli, who saved him when a teenager from complete oblivion.
CUT TO:
Hi Jon,
Thanks so much for this – I can definitely see Jamie’s influences on this!
It’s a pass from me though. Someone somewhere will love it I’m sure, but not for me, sadly.
Finally, I’m sorry, but the writing didn’t chime with me. It’s in that style it either really will or it won’t, and for me, it was too staccato, like reading a script. I could never really lose myself in it, because I was so aware of the deliberate prose.
All the best,
Editor of Massive Mainstream Publisher
AND:
Dear Jon,
I'm so sorry; this is not for me. I do love a Carl Hiaasen but you are right that this is on speed compared to that, and I just couldn't get myself in sync with the voice or work out what was going on. It's my failing.
I'm sure there is a clear readership out there for this and you will know them better than most having had your time with the Pelecanos fans etc, but LIFETIMES OF FAME will need to be published by someone who gets it and sadly that isn't me. But thank you for letting me have a go!
all best,
Editor of Big Independent Crime Publisher
And - from earlier today:
Hi Jon,
Hope you’re having a good week.
We’ve now read this novel. While I appreciate the book is well written, I just don’t think this is the right fit for us.
Really hope you find a suitable home elsewhere and do get in touch if you have anything else to share.
Best wishes,
Editor of smaller Independent Publisher
Takeaways from the above (and copious other rejections)
Commissioning a book is a personal choice which is (severely fucking) frustrating if your book doesn’t appeal and no problem (at all - of course, you lovely EDITOR) if it does.
Convincing these people is merely part of the hustle of obtaining a mainstream deal as the list of those rejected countless times before being accepted and hitting Mach 7 sales and critical lovey-dovey acclaim is pretty darn long.
Also, to be able to pen fiction to the quality that has a top agent sign you on and have your novels sent out is an achievement that has taken 25 years so this provides a warm glow in the colder moments.
XXX
P. S. At the last count I have 6 more novels to send out - and I am yet to hear from the rest of the publishers re Lifetimes of Fame, so…
3. It is all art, baby
Sound of my son discussing something with his mum, Monday 3 July circa 3.39pm - these moments contain magic because like all moments they are unique.
4. Poem: Ladakh
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