OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors write

[Allyn Gibson]

Re: OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors w

I'd like to do more Spider-Man. My Spidey novel Drowned in Thunder is my weakest-selling novel to date, which saddens me, because I'm really proud of it and enjoyed doing it. I wouldn't make any more money if it sold well -- it was for a flat fee with no royalties -- but I just wish more people would read it.

I have the feeling there are a decent number of copies of it floating around, though. When my local Borders went out of business, they had a metric ton of Drowned in Thunder on the shelves. The only thing I could figure (since I'm pretty sure they weren't there before the liquidation started) is that they were in Borders' warehouse and Borders shipped them to the stores to get rid of them.

Bookcloseouts.com still has over 100 copies in stock, too, for less than half cover price. (Since you said you're not getting royalties on it, that assuaged the qualms I had about linking to a remaindered book site.)

 

[LightningStorm]

Re: OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors w

David Mack: Resident Evil

THIS! Wow, yes, this would be amazing.

Hell, given how long it's been I wouldn't mind seeing SD Perry return to this series.

 

[BrotherBenny]

Re: OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors w

David Mack: Star Wars, Resident Evil, Terminator, Splinter Cell (He'd be great for a post-Double Agent novel, so long as it follows the original one for PS2/Xbox), 24, Iron Man.

I've actually tried to get on the radar of the editors for the Star Wars novels, to no avail.

Dave, since Jen Heddle moved over to LucasFilm to head up their SW publishing division, do you think you'd at least be able to get your foot in the door this time? At least long enough to throw a pitch at them before they slam the door?

 

[David Mack]

Re: OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors w

^ I don't think it would make much difference. The problem wasn't with the licensor; it's getting the acquiring editor(s) interested in working with me when there are already a large number of talented authors with previous Star Wars experience who are eager to take on new assignments.

 

[Greg Cox]

Re: OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors w

It's funny. For a long time, Superman and I kept having near misses. I was approached about doing a Lois & Clark novel, but the timing wasn't right, then I chased after Smallville for awhile, but never landed a book deal.

I wonder what you would've done with Lois & Clark. I read the C. J. Cherryh novel that was nominally a L&C book, but while it was a fairly good generic Superman story, it didn't work as a Lois & Clark story, because it wasn't about Lois & Clark's relationship and didn't have the characteristic flavor and style of the show.

The L&C book was going to be a kid's book, so probably nothing too complicated. I think I had a vague idea for a story where Lois got Superman's powers. (Yes, I know it's hardly a new idea . . . . )

I believe John Betancourt ended up writing the books eventually.

 

[Christopher]

Re: OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors w

I think I had a vague idea for a story where Lois got Superman's powers. (Yes, I know it's hardly a new idea . . . . )

They actually did that on the show eventually. And Smallville did it too.

 

[Greg Cox]

Re: OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors w

I think I had a vague idea for a story where Lois got Superman's powers. (Yes, I know it's hardly a new idea . . . . )

They actually did that on the show eventually. And Smallville did it too.

If you're doing stories emphasizing Clark and Lois and their relationship, it's probably inevitable. The wonder is that it took Smallville ten years or so to get around to it!

 

[Christopher]

Re: OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors w

If you're doing stories emphasizing Clark and Lois and their relationship, it's probably inevitable. The wonder is that it took Smallville ten years or so to get around to it!

Well, the main relationship spine there was Clark/Lana for most of its run, and they did it with her first (indeed, she eventually got superpowers permanently). I guess it's one of those stories almost every version does eventually, like "Panic in the Sky" (the classic '50s episode by Jackson Gillis that was remade in both the '88 Superboy series and in Lois and Clark as "All Shook Up").

 

[James Swallow]

Re: OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors w

I'd like to resurrect this thread by saying, I'd like the following authors to write for franchises-
<snip>
James Swallow: Splinter Cell, James Bond, The Matrix, Terminator, Metal Gear Solid.

Yeah, I'd pretty much be all over any of those, with the exception of Metal Gear Solid (I only ever played the second game, so I'm not that familiar with the universe). I'd swap that for Halo, which I know better...

I've enjoyed all the Splinter Cell games (I was even briefly involved in discussion about working on one of them a while back) and it'd be fun to write for Sam Fisher... But Bond? Wow. I could die a happy man if had the opportunity to write for 007; that's something that is certainly on my writer bucket list.

As for other franchises, being the huge Iron Man fanboy that I am, it's long been an ambition of mine to write something about that character. I actively looked into pitching for the Battlestar Galactica and 24 tie-in lines, and like my esteemed colleague Dave Mack, I've approached the editors on the Star Wars line, but haven't yet been able to connect on a project.

 

[WarsTrek1993]

Re: OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors w

Mr. Swallow, you would definitely be an excellent choice for the SC universe as well. (ie, one between Chaos Theory and Double Agent).

Iron Man by you would also be awesome!

As another addition:

Keith R.A. DeCandido: Batman, Gears Of War.

 

[JD]

Re: OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors w

David Mack: Star Wars, Resident Evil, Terminator, Splinter Cell (He'd be great for a post-Double Agent novel, so long as it follows the original one for PS2/Xbox), 24, Iron Man.

I've actually tried to get on the radar of the editors for the Star Wars novels, to no avail. I also really wanted to do novels for Splinter Cell (I was a big fan of the PS2 and PS3 versions of the game) and 24.

I would also have jumped at a chance to write tie-ins for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and the new feature-film version of Iron Man, as well as Battlestar Galactica, Leverage, Eureka, and Warehouse 13. But they all "went another way."

I would love to read a Leverage, Eureka, W13 novel by you. "Waiting For G'Doh....." was one of my favorite stories in No Limits, and I would love to see something more along those lines from you again.

 

[xortex]

Re: OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors w

Ooh, Jen Heddle is being very exclusionary. Well it is a new job with a new big fancy franchise. The less that goes in, the more that comes out. You're all liabilities now..

 

[Greg Cox]

Re: OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors w

Not to gloat or anything, but I suppose this is as good as time as any to mention that I'm going to be writing a Leverage novel soon.

Should be a lot of fun!

 

[David Mack]

Re: OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors w

^ And you also aced us all by scoring the one and only (to date) Warehouse 13 novel. I have to say, it really ticks me off that I can't seem to get any traction from tie-in editors at houses other than Simon & Schuster. On the other hand, maybe this is the universe's way of telling me stop writing tie-ins and go write more original novels, instead....

 

[sfroth]

Re: OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors w

maybe this is the universe's way of telling me stop writing tie-ins and go write more original novels, instead....

Then I'm expecting to see a sequel to The Calling in the not-too-distant future My wife (who has never read a Trek book) keeps asking me if that will ever happen.

 

[James Swallow]

Re: OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors w

Not to gloat or anything, but I suppose this is as good as time as any to mention that I'm going to be writing a Leverage novel soon.

Should be a lot of fun!

Nice one, Greg. Looking forward to it.

 

[BrotherBenny]

Re: OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors w

maybe this is the universe's way of telling me stop writing tie-ins and go write more original novels, instead....

Then I'm expecting to see a sequel to The Calling in the not-too-distant future My wife (who has never read a Trek book) keeps asking me if that will ever happen.

QFT.

 

[xortex]

Re: OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors w

^ And you also aced us all by scoring the one and only (to date) Warehouse 13 novel. I have to say, it really ticks me off that I can't seem to get any traction from tie-in editors at houses other than Simon & Schuster. On the other hand, maybe this is the universe's way of telling me stop writing tie-ins and go write more original novels, instead....

\

Just change your avatar to a Star Wars one.

 

[Greg Cox]

Re: OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors w

^ And you also aced us all by scoring the one and only (to date) Warehouse 13 novel. I have to say, it really ticks me off that I can't seem to get any traction from tie-in editors at houses other than Simon & Schuster. On the other hand, maybe this is the universe's way of telling me stop writing tie-ins and go write more original novels, instead....

Hey, at least you've written an original novel! I had an awkward moment during an interview the other day when the interviewer asked whether I preferred writing tie-ins or original novels. He seemed a bit startled when I confessed that I had never written any original novels . . . .

 

[j3067]

Re: OT: What other franchises would you like to see the Trek authors w

^ And you also aced us all by scoring the one and only (to date) Warehouse 13 novel. I have to say, it really ticks me off that I can't seem to get any traction from tie-in editors at houses other than Simon & Schuster. On the other hand, maybe this is the universe's way of telling me stop writing tie-ins and go write more original novels, instead....

Hey, at least you've written an original novel! I had an awkward moment during an interview the other day when the interviewer asked whether I preferred writing tie-ins or original novels. He seemed a bit startled when I confessed that I had never written any original novels . . . .

Thanks to this thread I became aware of The Calling, purchased it immediately, and now have it waiting on my Kindle.