Chat to John Jarrold in person

[SJAB]

Actually, it is word count that is worrying me at the moment. I am at the last stage of a massive edit on my last effort. Clearing the crap reduced the word count, and though the restructuring/re-writing of the beginning has added quite a large amount back in, I am tottering just under the 100,000 mark. Though I do know a couple of new scenes toward the end of the story do need expanding, the "slight" word count is a little worrying, I doubt it will be much over 100,000 words.

Add to the fact I then have to re-jiggle my synopsis and start submitting it again, my problems are just beginning. lol

[John Jarrold]

70,000 would be much more of a problem, Sue!

[Scarfy]

Well, the 100,000 might not be bad because an agent / editor may request some scenes being expanded or some more clarification in certain places. You may then end up adding a few thousand words more on that basis.

Of course, it could go the other way though, with stuff needing to be chopped out.

[John Jarrold]

It just occurred to me that I put together this list of major fantasy debuts published in the UK in 2006:

GOLLANCZ

THE BLADE ITSELF - JOE ABERCROMBIE. Dark and witty with a background reminiscent of the recent fantasy bestsellers from Steven Erikson. Featuring cowardly officers, cynical but fascinating torturers and a magi who may be a fake.

THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA – SCOTT LYNCH. Set in an analogue of Italy around the fifteenth century, with a protagonist who might be called a mixture of the Artful Dodger and Oliver Twist, times 100. Wonderful background and characters, and deeply funny.

THR STORMCALLER - TOM LLOYD. Young outcast 'white-eye' is called to replace the charismatic Lord Bahl, as prophecies wind around him. Very dark. Good sense of place.



TOR UK/MACMILLAN

SCAR NIGHT - ALAN CAMPBELL. Real tour-de-force, compared to Mervyn Peake and China Mieville, but more central to the commercial fantasy genre, featuring swords and witches, for instance. But the city and land in which it's set is all-important, and wonderfully conjured. Campbell has designed the GRAND THEFT AUTO computer games.



ORBIT

THE DEVIL YOU KNOW - MIKE CAREY. First UK author to join Orbit's burgeoning 'supernatural thriller' stable (which includes Laurell K Hamilton and Kelley Armstrong). Sleazy, down-at-heel and witty. Carey wrote the graphic novels HELLBLAZER and LUCIFER, and has written for Marvel and DC over a number of years.

WINTERBIRTH - BRIAN RUCKLEY. Fantasy series being compared by the publisher with Robert Jordan and David Gemmell. Human clans, ancient races, gritty realism and wars that range across continents.


HARPERCOLLINS VOYAGER

TEMERAIRE - NAOMI NOVIK. Horatio Hornblower meets Anne McCaffrey's dragons in a fantastical Napoleonic War. Good characters, interesting plot-lines, already selling very well both sides of the Atlantic, and first in a series.


I doubt any of them were less than 130,000 words long (except maybe the Mike Carey, in the supernatural thriller sub-genre - but I'd guess that even that is around 120,000).

[Scarfy]

How long are SWEET SCENT OF BLOOD and RED WOLF CONSPIRACY?

[John Jarrold]

104,000 and 143,000 respectively.

[Scarfy]

Wow, really? They both seem a lot longer than that. Especially Red Wolf...

[John Jarrold]

Two more of my clients: Stephen Hunt's fantasy debut, THE COURT OF THE AIR, was 177,000 words, and Philip Palmer's SF debut, DEBATABLE SPACE, was 115,000.

[pheonix358]

Hi John,
I was wanting to know how long it takes for you to look at a new book. I've sent a reminder email and haven't had a reply to that either. What time frame should we expect. I sent the first six chapters 9/8/08.

Terry

[pheonix358]

Thanks for that message Peter, seems I can't reply otherwise so I am just letting you know I appreciate the response.

Terry

[Boneman]

Aaarggh! Phoenix, I've been logging on every day waiting for the response to your query, and now someone has replied invisibly!! Waddee say?

[pheonix358]

To all the private messages senders, thanks for the kind words. I have not had a response as yet to my original message. Have patience what other choice is there.

[John Jarrold]

Originally Posted by pheonix358

Hi John,
I was wanting to know how long it takes for you to look at a new book. I've sent a reminder email and haven't had a reply to that either. What time frame should we expect. I sent the first six chapters 9/8/08.

Terry

Hi Terry

Apologies for the silence - to your e-mail and here! Just snowed under. Your material will be read and replied to in the next 24 hours. Phew...

[pheonix358]

Thank you John, my main concern is not with the time taken but this niggling feeling that the original message may have been blocked by your ISP's spam filter. I'm always wondering if you received it or not. Thanks again. Terry

[John Jarrold]

It certainly does happen!