I finished my novel.

[SirJohnFalstaff]

Lots of new faces here, that's good. Well, it's done. My Jack the Ripper novel is finished. Currently shopping for publisher, but I fear I might have to self published. Anyway, I'm really happy with the result.

The story alternates between London 1888, among a group of agents provocateurs, and 1914, between the assassination of the Archduke and the beginning of the war. One of the agent provocateur is now working the Montreal underworld, but his past is catching up with him.

Since several of you won't probably read it (it's in French), I managed to give a huge thank you to the fine people of Casebook and JTRforums for their help. So I will repeat it here: THANK YOU GUYS!

took me 3 years to write the thing, but without your help and advice, I might have given up.

Cheers!

[Ginger]

Congratulations!

[JeffHamm]

Fantastic! Hopefully your prediction of finding a publisher will prove to be wrong, but unfortunately, odds are in your favour of being correct (and that's not intended to reflect any presupposition about the book itself - just acknowledging how difficult it can be to get published). If you don't already have an agent, you might want to start there. Anyway, good luck with the next phase of your journey.

- Jeff

[Hercule Poirot]

It's in French, you say. Being a French-Canadian living most of the year in Mexico, I'll surely read it when it comes out. I went for selfpublishing with my JTR novel (My Ripper Hunting Days) and thinking back, I probably would have prefered finding a litterary agent something I'll be doing with my second novel I'm working on and the short stories I wrote since.

I wish you the best of luck.

[SirJohnFalstaff]

Fantastic! Hopefully your prediction of finding a publisher will prove to be wrong, but unfortunately, odds are in your favour of being correct (and that's not intended to reflect any presupposition about the book itself - just acknowledging how difficult it can be to get published). If you don't already have an agent, you might want to start there. Anyway, good luck with the next phase of your journey.

- Jeff

I'm already a published writer in English, but the publishing world in French is different. There are very few literary agents, most writers going through the union when needing advice and submitting directly to publishers. As for self publishing, e-books aren't selling as well in French as in English. Most people still prefer printed work. There was a little buzz at first, but electronic books sales are actually in decline. They are about 20% cheaper than hardcover, but more expensive than pocket books. And they only make one version of the e-books. Also, books don't have the 9% provincial tax, but e-books do, mostly because the law exempting tax pre date the e-books and it's not a priority right now.

I keep my hopes up for one local publisher that publishes this genre. Also, lots of them don't want to publish serie, and I plan on writing 3 books around the same universe: Montreal during WWI.

[SirJohnFalstaff]

It's in French, you say. Being a French-Canadian living most of the year in Mexico, I'll surely read it when it comes out. I went for selfpublishing with my JTR novel (My Ripper Hunting Days) and thinking back, I probably would have prefered finding a litterary agent something I'll be doing with my second novel I'm working on and the short stories I wrote since.

I wish you the best of luck.

Merci. If I get published, you get a complimentary copy.

[Hercule Poirot]

Merci. If I get published, you get a complimentary copy.

That's so kind. Thank you.

[Hercule Poirot]

I'm already a published writer in English, but the publishing world in French is different. There are very few literary agents, most writers going through the union when needing advice and submitting directly to publishers. As for self publishing, e-books aren't selling as well in French as in English. Most people still prefer printed work. There was a little buzz at first, but electronic books sales are actually in decline. They are about 20% cheaper than hardcover, but more expensive than pocket books. And they only make one version of the e-books. Also, books don't have the 9% provincial tax, but e-books do, mostly because the law exempting tax pre date the e-books and it's not a priority right now.

I keep my hopes up for one local publisher that publishes this genre. Also, lots of them don't want to publish serie, and I plan on writing 3 books around the same universe: Montreal during WWI.

If you're referring to French books in Canada, I agree. In the province of Quebec, I think it's even worst. The first book I wrote was on water gardens and even if I had a contract signed with a major publisher before I had finished writing it, it turned into a disappointing expereience. I had to handle all the promotion, contact book clubs organise my own signing events. They were supposed to translate it in English as stipulated by the contract which they never did and missed an unbelievable financial opportunity.

[JeffHamm]

I'm already a published writer in English, but the publishing world in French is different. There are very few literary agents, most writers going through the union when needing advice and submitting directly to publishers. As for self publishing, e-books aren't selling as well in French as in English. Most people still prefer printed work. There was a little buzz at first, but electronic books sales are actually in decline. They are about 20% cheaper than hardcover, but more expensive than pocket books. And they only make one version of the e-books. Also, books don't have the 9% provincial tax, but e-books do, mostly because the law exempting tax pre date the e-books and it's not a priority right now.

I keep my hopes up for one local publisher that publishes this genre. Also, lots of them don't want to publish serie, and I plan on writing 3 books around the same universe: Montreal during WWI.

Ah, well then, you are already familiar with the road ahead. Best of luck with this effort.

- Jeff

[Ginger]

If you're referring to French books in Canada, I agree. In the province of Quebec, I think it's even worst. The first book I wrote was on water gardens and even if I had a contract signed with a major publisher before I had finished writing it, it turned into a disappointing expereience. I had to handle all the promotion, contact book clubs organise my own signing events. They were supposed to translate it in English as stipulated by the contract which they never did and missed an unbelievable financial opportunity.

For Pete's sake! Any idea why?

[Hercule Poirot]

For Pete's sake! Any idea why?

They simply told me they forgot about it even if I had sent them emails reminding them of the clauses related to the translation.

It was an aggravating experience. First they had someone who knew absolutely nothing about landscaping, ponds and water gardens to edit and correct my mnuscript. It took me months to make them understand how bad the job was done and managed to have a professional editor do the editing. Then, once I accepted the edited version,, I was a bit worried with the delays only to find out they had lost the manuscript and didn't know how to explain it to me. Good thing I had copies of the edited manuscript. My next surprise was when they sent me five copies of the first printed version. The cover was upside-down. They hadn't noticed it!!!

One thing that became clear in my mind was that I would never work again with a French-Canadian publisher. The book industry is heavily subsidised in Quebec and they have this tendency to work within a sort of pre-agreed budget and project quota they use with the provincial government to get these subsidies, nothing more. As for the writers, if you're not a member of their so-called writer's guild, you deserve no respect particularly if you decide to work on an English novel project which was the case with my first novel, 'My Ripper Hunting Days'!!

[Ginger]

They simply told me they forgot about it even if I had sent them emails reminding them of the clauses related to the translation.

It was an aggravating experience. First they had someone who knew absolutely nothing about landscaping, ponds and water gardens to edit and correct my mnuscript. It took me months to make them understand how bad the job was done and managed to have a professional editor do the editing. Then, once I accepted the edited version,, I was a bit worried with the delays only to find out they had lost the manuscript and didn't know how to explain it to me. Good thing I had copies of the edited manuscript. My next surprise was when they sent me five copies of the first printed version. The cover was upside-down. They hadn't noticed it!!!

One thing that became clear in my mind was that I would never work again with a French-Canadian publisher. The book industry is heavily subsidised in Quebec and they have this tendency to work within a sort of pre-agreed budget and project quota they use with the provincial government to get these subsidies, nothing more. As for the writers, if you're not a member of their so-called writer's guild, you deserve no respect particularly if you decide to work on an English novel project which was the case with my first novel, 'My Ripper Hunting Days'!!

Aha! Now I see - government subsidies paired with a high tax rate. No point at all in putting forth an effort when a lackadaisical performance will get you just as much net profit in the end.

Imagine if Jack had worked to those standards.

MJK: Yes, Constable... I know how it sounds, but he told me he'd forgotten his knife, then gave me a poke with his finger, then ran away cackling maniacally.

[Hercule Poirot]

Aha! Now I see - government subsidies paired with a high tax rate. No point at all in putting forth an effort when a lackadaisical performance will get you just as much net profit in the end.

Imagine if Jack had worked to those standards.

MJK: Yes, Constable... I know how it sounds, but he told me he'd forgotten his knife, then gave me a poke with his finger, then ran away cackling maniacally.

Just to point out that I didn't make a profit with my water garden book.

[Ginger]

Just to point out that I didn't make a profit with my water garden book.

I was speaking of the government-subsidized publisher rather than the author. My apologies if I wasn't clear on that.

[Hercule Poirot]

I was speaking of the government-subsidized publisher rather than the author. My apologies if I wasn't clear on that.

No need to apologise.