So I'm scrolling through Cluelass's Bloodstained Bookshelf, looking at upcoming releases for late 2006 and early 2007. And one release in particular - James Patterson's newest project, in fact - makes my eyes widen bigtime.
Why?
The other guy's byline.
See, it wasn't all that long ago that Michael Ledwidge was being hailed as the Next Big Thing. His first novel, THE NARROWBACK, got a ton of attention upon its release in 1998 by Atlantic Monthly Press. When his agent, Richard Pine, sold Ledwidge's next two novels to Pocket/S&S (as well as the paperback rights to THE NARROWBACK) the publisher hailed the author as "the young pretender to the noir mystery throne currently held by Michael Connelly, Dennis Lehane, and George Pelecanos."
So what happened? The usual, I suppose. The books didn't sell, didn't find its audience, there could be any number of reasons. The second book in that two book deal - which began with 2002's THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD - still hasn't seen the light of day so far.
I'd love to know how Patterson hooked up with Ledwidge, but perhaps there may have been a clue as to Ledwidge's future on the front cover of that particular book. Just look at who supplied the blurb....
AH! a incestuous business this.
Posted by: Steve Clackson | July 11, 2006 at 05:08 PM
Considering what he did for Andrew Gross's career, I think this is very generous of Mr. Patterson.
One could only hope and pray to be asked to co-write one of Patterson's books. It's about the best exposure an author could ask for.
Posted by: Rob Gregory Browne | July 11, 2006 at 05:40 PM
What did he do for Andrew Gross's career? I mean, I know he co-wrote the books with him, but it's not as if now wherever Andrew Gross people know exactly who he is. Does Gross even have his own books? I think the best exposure an author could ask for would be to write his or her own book and have it do well. Of course, I also think James Patterson is evil incarnate, so I might be slightly biased.
Posted by: tod goldberg | July 12, 2006 at 12:28 AM
Because of his association with Patterson, Gross landed a three-book deal with Willam Morrow. His solo debut.
I'm not saying it couldn't have happened without Patterson, but I'm sure it didn't hurt, and now Gross's name is known to Patterson's three hundred trillion readers, and I don't see how that can be a bad thing.
Posted by: Rob Gregory Browne | July 12, 2006 at 12:44 AM
Ah, I did not know that. Well, good for him. Though I do wonder how much traction he'll get from Patterson fans, who probably don't know or care who the co-writers are. They just like all those nursery rhyme titles he has and the way there's no, you know, narration in the books.
Posted by: tod goldberg | July 13, 2006 at 03:21 PM
They're Both Jaspers, Baby! Which is to say, Mike also went to Manhattan College, admittedly a few years post-Patterson, and, through some alumni hook-up, managed to get a hold of Big Jim's digits, and, according to both parties, got up the necessary nerve to cold call our (very) modern-day Jim Michener when, much to the surprise of all involved, the Big P. answered his own phone, agreed to read the young Irishman's ms, and then passed it on to Richard Pine... and the rest is short-lived, kick ass, yet soon to be forgotten literary history (present O.C. cyber-company excluded). As to whether JP actually READ the truly brilliant NARROWBACK, well...don't forget he blurbed the equally life-affirming NIGHT DOGS, too. Small. Weird. World.
Posted by: Tom Cushman | July 14, 2006 at 09:00 PM
Don't know how much traction he'll get from Patterson's fans, but at least his name is out there -- which is more than you can say for most debut writers.
Take it where you can get it, is what I say.
Posted by: Rob Gregory Browne | July 17, 2006 at 01:26 PM