MEETING QUERCUS

Nelli and I have been up to London to meet with the people from Quercus, my publishers. I must say I went there with not a little trepidation. I had misinterpreted an e-mail message that I thought said that American publishers interested in the Demi-Monde were looking for a new ending. DoublePlus Goran Time. The thought of having to conjure up a new ending - and having to sort out its implications regarding the work I've already done on DM2 - did not appeal.

In the end it seemed that all they seem to want is a little streamlining which I've got to admit came as a great relief.

The abiding impression I had of the guys at Quercus was one of enthusiasm. They really seem to like the book and Nick Johnston has a really impressive knowledge of the ins and outs of the Demi-Monde which is essential if the editing is to be in any way sympathetic! It was though a little daunting to sit there listening to their plans for the book and then suddenly to realise that it's my book they're talking about. The level of effort and investment the Quercus is putting behind the book has put a level of responsibility on me to make DM2 as good as DM1.

At the moment I'm struggling with the problem that I've got too many characters. The solution is to amalgamate them...to coalesce two characters into one but it's a tricky exercise. Then there's the complicating factor that the Real-World is much more important in DM2 and the Real-World and the Demi-Monde have to be meshed.

Yeah, at the moment I'm suffering from Too-Much-Novelty-Overload. I wonder if there's a pill to cure it?