Hasta luego y gracias por el pescado!
by annaguirre on Oct.09, 2009, under Ann Aguirre and Ilona Andrews
(That’s Spanish for So long and thanks for all the fish!) I pay homage to the awesome Douglas Adams. It tickles me to see my books next to his on the shelves and makes me sad that he won’t be writing more. I did hear that his widow has asked Eoin Colfer to write more Hitchhiker books, so I’ll be interested in those.
Anyhow, I’ve really enjoyed being a guest here at Borders and I thank Morgan for his hospitality. I have a couple of winners to announce.
LOU, you won; now you must choose between CHICKS IN CHAINMAIL (edited by Esther Friesner) & GHOST by John Ringo. Google those titles, and then email me your pick & mailing information. 
Tynga, you have won a preordered copy of HELL FIRE. It won’t arrive until the book actually starts shipping, mind you. (You need to get BLUE DIABLO before next April, as this is book two!) Email me your information. 
I’m at ann.aguirre at gmail.com.
So we have one final question for today, in addition to wrapping up contests and giving thanks.
Since I put a a quote from Douglas Adams in the subject line, I think it’s only fair we offer up our favorite lines from his books to say good-bye. Apart from that one, I also love, “Don’t panic.” What about you?
Alternately, if you don’t have a favorite D. Adams quote, then how do you feel about other authors continuing a writer’s work after he or she has passed on? Comment away, and thanks for chatting with me the last two weeks. You’ve been great.
October 9th, 2009 on 12:46 pm
You guys have a problem with your email ads. I printed the coupon presented this day you know 40% off any book? I clicked on your button, in the body of the coupon which says “Please note, only your coupon will print”. Whaqt I got was three pages printed with the coupon on the last page wasting 3 sheets of Inkjet paper and three sheets worth of colored ink. You have to do much better than that if you ever want me to believe you again.
October 9th, 2009 on 12:53 pm
Dear Sir,
While I am sorry for your trouble, I do not actually work for Borders in any capacity. I have read of your coupon-related plight and sympathize with the loss of time, paper and ink, but there, my power ends. Please accept my sincere regards instead.
–Ann Aguirre
October 9th, 2009 on 2:15 pm
I’ve never read any of what I think of as comedy-SF. So no quotes.
I’m very leery of other authors continuing a writer’s work. Anyone “replacing” an author would have to understand the characters inside and out and totally get the original author’s vision of the story.
I’m a character driven reader, and I’m strongly influenced by author voice. If I don’t like an author’s voice, I can’t get past that to just enjoy the story. A change in author would require a reevaluation as if it were a completely new work. (And it would probably be more strenuous than a new work because I’d already know what the characters and world are “supposed” to be like.) Then if I didn’t like the new voice/vision, I’d probably be very bitter.
Basically, I doubt it would work for me. Someone who isn’t as influenced by author voice or is a more plot driven reader might have better luck.
October 9th, 2009 on 2:24 pm
Congratulations to the winners!
I’m not really sure what to think of authors continuing the work of other authors who have died. On the one hand, if a series is incomplete, and the author who will complete it has both the original author’s notes and the approval of his family or whoever owns the rights to his work, it seems like it could be a good thing. Even if s/he couldn’t write exactly like the original author, the chance to finally find out what happened might be worth it. On the other hand, it wouldn’t be exactly the same, and the undertaking might be stealing an author away from his/her own work, which isn’t such a good thing in my book. Seems like, if the sequels were a success, the original author would get the credit, but if they failed, the second author might be known as the one who “ruined series X.” So it’s a little risky.