Foul
Saturday I got a package from TOR. I was excited because I knew advanced reading copies of MORTAL COILS were being sent--so I ripped open the envelope with great anticipation...
...only to found a “foul."
A foul is the leftover copy-edited-to-death manuscript—complete with markups and dog-eared pages. They come back to haunt authors when their publisher stub their toes on it one to many times and decide it’s time to get rid of the things.
As you can see in the picture, this particular foul is GHOSTS OF CORAL (ONYX)—boomeranging back to me a year and half after I turned it in.
I wonder if any authors keep these things? By the time you get them you have copies of the real books, plus you usually have archived electronic copies.
My first impulse was to throw it away, but then I remembered that there are two chapters cut from this book (for pacing reasons). I wouldn’t want to destroy those without first pinging Microsoft Licensing (Microsoft holds the copyright, after all)...so today I’m going to drop the thing on their desks. Maybe they’ll release the extra content one day....
...only to found a “foul."
A foul is the leftover copy-edited-to-death manuscript—complete with markups and dog-eared pages. They come back to haunt authors when their publisher stub their toes on it one to many times and decide it’s time to get rid of the things.
As you can see in the picture, this particular foul is GHOSTS OF CORAL (ONYX)—boomeranging back to me a year and half after I turned it in.
I wonder if any authors keep these things? By the time you get them you have copies of the real books, plus you usually have archived electronic copies.
My first impulse was to throw it away, but then I remembered that there are two chapters cut from this book (for pacing reasons). I wouldn’t want to destroy those without first pinging Microsoft Licensing (Microsoft holds the copyright, after all)...so today I’m going to drop the thing on their desks. Maybe they’ll release the extra content one day....
posted by Eric Nylund at 5:44 AM
19 Comments:
This is exciting because it opens the door to extra content in books that we only see with movies and video games. You could publish the extra content online, possibly even reading the two chapters yourself. What are your rights as the author? Can you auction off that manuscript for charity? Just some ideas.
Yeah, my first instinct was to think 'Ooh, that'd be cool to have.' Even without the additional chapters I'm a sucker for original documents (must be the librarian in me).
Of course, auctioning it off for charity would be better than, say, giving it away to a ravishing young second commenter on your blog. Halo fans are insanely generous with their money...
I would love to read those chapters. You can post them, we'll never tell. :)
Mo – all great ideas, but Microsoft Licensing has to make the call as MS holds the copyright. Also, I’m not so sure you want _me_ reading those chapters. :/
Dan – whoa! That’s a lot of money for that painting. Nice job, Frankie! Great cause, too.
Fourty9er—lol – if I’ve learned one thing it’s: people online _always_ tell :)
You should let me read it Eric, I always need new content to work with.:)
As long as the chapters don't reveal crucial information about something we don't know yet (like the fate of Gray Team), I don't see why they can't be published online.
Best wishes, UNSC Trooper.
Dear Mr. Nylund,
I know you must hear fan mail alot but I thank you for reading this anyway. I must say I am most impressed with your work in the Halo book series. Personally my favorite is most likely Fall of Reach because of how it shows the orirgin of all the Spartans and the way it seems to disect the thoughts and emotions of some of the characters (at least for me it did). I again thank you for writing these amazing books and cannot wait until you continue on from Onyx (that is if you do). A book that leaves you with so many questions... So many ideas on what exactly is the fate of the Spartans and Dr. Halsey inside the core of Onyx... Anyway, once again, great work on the books and I look foward to more of your productions. Oh, and should you wish to reply to anything I have to say, please email me at gnlgrievous@yahoo.com. Thank you again for taking the time to read this message.
-Caelan Savary
P. S. Do you have any writing tips or military tips that you would be willing to share with a young writer and/ or young man looking foward to joining the military?
Laird – you know I’d love to, man.
Unsc trooper – There wasn’t anything crucial in those chapters. Like I said, mainly they’re not there because the slowed the story down (although, I think the stuff therein was pretty cool). Understand, it’s not my call as I’m not the copyright holder in this case, but those MS Licensing people are pretty savvy; I’m sure they’ll use the extra material _somewhere_.
Caelan – thanks for all the kind words. For writing tips see the section on blog containing writing tips:
http://www.ericnylund.net/writer.html
For advice on a career in the military? I’ve never served, so I’m not qualified to answer that question. I’d talk to someone in the military--preferably someone who has been in active service lately in Iraq. Good luck!
"people online _always_ tell"
fortunately thats not my user name.
Actually I am interested in why its Ghost of Coral
Did you origionally want it to be that and they changed it?
I gotta finish my copie maybe that will explane alot.
Caelan: I went National Guard because the benifits were excelent, free college!
Hey Eric. Do you know if we will ever see closure for Halo Ghosts of Onyx be it in the form of a Book, peter Jacksons halo game or whatever? Yes or no will do, lol. It was a great story read and listened to it several times along with the rest of the Halo books. Complete nut on that universe. To the point where I started to point out in the Halo Wars E3 video demo that a Mac canon cannot fire more than one shot at a time unless it’s got the new power cores fitted to the Pillar of autumn etc and the UNSC Sprit of Fire doesn’t have them. lol
Looking forward to your next book been ages since I got a new book.
caelan,
I'm currently active duty Air Force, been in for five years now and have been three times deployed to a combat zone. What specific questions do you have about the military?
Also, to Eric: I'd love to see this alter-manuscript just for S's & G's. Hopefully, someday it will be released.
And I've got my fingers crossed, hoping you'll be that next HALO novelist. Take care.
-EmF
First off, I would really like to read those chapters, whether it be soon or not soon. Really I just have an appetite for anything that has the scent of Nylund on it.
Second of all, I just read that you never served in the military... but in the dedication of The Fall of Reach it says:
"For Syne Mitchell. She watched my six, patched me up, and provided transportation to my DZ everyday--no soldier could ever ask for better support in the field...or a better wife."
So, obviously, I'm a little confused, lol. Was that all just metaphorical? :P
Angel - I think that was just a kind of a military-style metaphor to fit into the military feeling of the Halo novels.
Hi Eric,
I know this is off subject but I have been wanting to ask this for a long time. Before Gears Of War came out, they released an art book with concept art and story stuff in it. I noticed that your name was on it and I was a little excited to see what this Gears Of War was all about. I don't mean this as an insult because you are one of my favorite all time authors but the Gears story really disappointed me. How much were you involved with Gears and why was the story so lame? I know that wasn't your fault and I don't hold it against you in any way. I was just wondering what your involvement in that was. I'm looking forward to Mortal Coils. Thanks for your time.
I'd personally love to see them, in whatever form they end up in. Why not just scan and send 'em along to me, Eric?
;)
I have never been in the military. References in the dedication were indeed metaphorical.
Robokoff -- Coral was the original planet the story took place on--then we recalled that Coral had another part to play in the HALO timeline, so we changed locations (and the title).
Fourty9er--
My primary role on Gears of War was story consultant. The actual line-level writing is being done by game writer Susan O’Connor, with additional contributions from the Epic leads.
I thought that Gears had a really good story. The problem was that they never felt like actually telling us what it was in-game.
I always thought the title changed from Coral to Onyx because you liked the name better... interesting.
I thought so, but I've learned not to assume even the most probable things; it never hurts to ask.
I've always had this respect for you as a writer in how you were able to use your military experience in your work -- so imagine my surprise when I found out that you didn't even need the military experience to pull off the authentic miltary feeling of the novels!
Now I feel a greater measure of hope in what I write -- I had always said "It'll be near impossible for me to sound like I know what I'm talking about, I mean, Nylund had been in the military, so he knew what he was talking about -- I wish I had the same knowledge of the military."
Thanks for answering our questions, Mr. Nylund!
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