Friday, September 18, 2009

The Star Fairy is CANCELED

As many of you know I was working three months straight on a book in my time outside of work titled "The Star Fairy" by Chris Zuschlag. Well the finished illustrations were sent to him in August. In mid September I received an email about changes that he wanted, thinking that they were minor changes what he didn't think is even minor changes are DRASTIC in paintings. Some of the changes could have been asked for when I sent him the line drawings but I was told that they were great so I moved forward.

Now the author of the book actually wasn't a writer he was a landscaper and snowboard instructor. So honestly the book wasn't up to great par... it had some major flaws. Then because he didn't know much about publishing children's books he didn't actually know that illustrators have to be paid... >.<. Yeah... I know you're probably wondering why I even took the deal, huh? Well I wanted to be published before I was 25 (which is tomorrow so that won't happen) and I thought if I didn't take it I could lose my one shot. So I made an arrangement that he'd only have to reimburse me for my supplies along with some other demands. 

Anyways when I told him that I wouldn't make those changes, he told me then they won't go to print. When you've made a great deal like that with an artist (a $1000 dollar minimum job for $80.94)... do you really want to test them? No. First off he set a fast deadline for someone that actually has a day job to pay the bills. Then afterwards... he said they he had no deadline and you rather have it exactly how he'd like it. I'm sorry but I even dislike the book A LOT but it was a rushed job (there are some things I love which are the things he wanted changed) and time isn't endless for me when there isn't actual money coming in. So I wrote him a long letter of disapproval and advised him to find another generous illustrator because even if I redid the book I would not be doing the sequels that he's planned. So as of yesterday... the book is officially canceled.

4 comments:

Amy said...

I'm sorry, honey. People suck. The problem with people whose entire experience creating art was fingerpainting in 3rd grade is that they have no concept of how much work it takes.

SAMROMAGE said...

yeah :/ just means I'll have to work extra hard if I want to be published next year.

toira said...

awful awful awful. its ok. setbacks usually mean somethings greater coming. and knowing samromage that is so very true.happy birthday again.!

SAMROMAGE said...

Oooos thank you!

Yeah I hope so. The upside it that it wasn't written very well... and I have projects in the works that are better... the only downside is the ones I have aren't like a guarantee publishing. I have to do all the advertising and marketing to get sponsors in hopes to get it published.