inecstasy_cover_r4Hi ya- I’d apologise, but why should I really, it’s my blog site and i think I’m allowed to do what I like! Anyways, I have been kinda busy- what with the north American rights to in ecstasy and now confirmation on some interesting news I’ve been keeping secret. So now the contract has been signed I’ll let you know the guff. The option has been bought on Destroying Avalon to turn it into a film. Now, I know, before we crack the Vueve Cliquot, that thousands of novels are optioned and very few made into films. But all I can do is hold my breath for a couple of years and wait and see!!
Back to North American in ecstasy– when the international rights were bought I was asked if I would be happy to ‘Americanise’ the language- and even the setting, as even though the setting on Perth’s west coast was potentially recognisable as California- we needed to tighten it up. So we did. But the edit got even tighter. I had to shorten the ending- not change the plot but make significant changes to the storyline, nothing significant to the story as such- but as a writer I had to let go of a lot of little phrases and things I quite liked. It was tough and a bit of to and fro but eventually we got there. I have their cover to show you, and it’s appearance in their catalogue. Let me know what you think!
Kate McCaffrey 
Congratulations Kate – that’s such exciting news!
I’ll keep my fingers crossed that Destroying Avalon hits the big screen one day soon – roll out the red carpet …
Hello Kate, nice to find your blog. I thought US publishers were less and less inclined to Americanise Australian books, and I have to say, I’m kind of disappointed yours feels the need to. But nevertheless, it’s exciting to have a US edition, so congratulations. When is it released? i’d like to keep my listserves informed.
Cheers,
Judith in Sydney
HI Kate,
That’s fantastic news about the US in-X – I can see how they could tweak it to be CA (but like Judith am always a bit sad when the americanizing happens) I read it last year and really enjoyed it (well as much as you can enjoy the downward spiral of a normal teenage girl … but yes, read it with knuckles in mouth to the dear end.
Best for 2009,
cheers,
simmone
Hi Judith and Simmone,
Yes- it is both exciting to get international rights but also sad to have your work altered in any way. I guess the first encounter of this kind is always with the orignal editor- who recommends which things should stay- and horrifyingly which ones should go (particularly those corny jokes). I learnt how difficult that can be with my Aus editor and dealing with an overseas editor is much the same. They have their own concerns, things they think will work well with their audience. And as a new writer I felt compelled to listen (though I did challenge some points- that they were willing to rethink)- because they do know their audience better than I do. In fact, I’ve never been to America nor Canada. So there is an element of wanting to hang onto the original work and also wanting to make it accessible to kids in other countries. I suppose cynically that boils down to artistic integrity vs commercialism/profitable sales. But at the end of the day I think if my work is made available to a wider audience than that has to be a good thing.
And Judith the North American version is set for a February 1st release.
Cheers
Kate
Hi Kate! Currently in my year 12 English class doing a book review on In Ecstasy and by the way you are an incredible writer. I felt pretty angry actually to read that you had to alter your book to be published in America- but would also like to get my hands on it and see the changes! Great stufff,
Morgan
omg. I just read Destroying Avalon for school and its such a good book!! it would be so cool to see all the characters as people (you cause you only get to imagine what they look like in the book). And it would be good for teenage kids that don’t like reading, they can watch the movie and I would have an impact on people and make them realise how bad cyberbullying can really be. Anyway, I hope it gets made into a movie!!!
🙂
Eloise