I thought it might be fun to share with you some information on the selection of some of my book titles. Many people continue to be surprised at book signings when I mention that I often didn’t get to choose the names of my books. I know I’m not alone in this, as many of my writing colleagues have told me that the same thing happens to them. We write a book and hand it in to our publishers, and the first thing we often hear is “Nice book, bad title. We’re going to change it.” This happened to me for the first time with my very first hardcover, which I submitted under the name “Recipe For Murder.” This was a pastiche based on the conceit that the famous NY fictional detective Nero Wolfe was actually the son of Sherlock Holmes. My publisher, Donald I. Fine, decided to call the book “Son of Holmes.” I wasn’t too thrilled with that, since Sherlock himself never appears in the book, and I thought that readers and critics would feel somewhat cheated in the expectations. Nevertheless, that is what the book has been called ever since, and it’s still in print twenty-five years later, so it must not have been a terrible idea.
When I started the Dismas Hardy series, I handed in a manuscript entitled “A Temporary Weakness,” which Donald I. Fine changed to “Dead Irish.” So by the time I got to the second book, I didn’t even bother suggesting a title, knowing that Mr. Fine would come up with one himself, and sure enough, he did – The Vig. Ironically enough, this is one of my favorite titles, noir-ish and still unique.
I thought it might be fun to list the books in the series where publishers changed the titles to something other than what I submitted. So here goes, with my title first, and the eventual real title following: Imperfect Knowledge/Hard Evidence; One For the Money/The 13th Juror; In God We Trust/A Certain Justice; Retribution/The First Law; The Appeal/Betrayal. I also wrote The Hearing and The Oath under different titles, but those original titles are lost in the mists of time and memory.
All the best,
John
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Can’t possibly put into words my enjoymnent reading about Dismas, Abe and the gang. I’ve now fininshed all the library has to offer and am heartbroken. They’ve all become like old family friends. Questions I’ve had about people like Elaine Wager and Treya have been answered in other books. I will indeed miss you.
As a former TV and radio talk show host, I interviewed hundreds of authors including Elmore Leonard, Robin Cook, and Brad Meltzer. It was not until reading your books, however, that I gained insight into men, sexual attraction and love. I have wrestled with these issues for years. My husband and I were married two years ago, but prior to that we had been separated for three years. He came home one day when we were living together and told me he had fallen in love with someone else. I moved out of our house and in my 60′s began a new life. I was heartbroken, but eventually I also found another partner. Three years later both his relationship and mine ended.. He contacted me. I had a tough decision to make.
I didn’t move back into our home for six months and when I did it was clear it had been another woman’s house. I stayed with him because I truly loved him, but I knew I would have to watch him go through the transition of losing someone he had loved. It had been easier for me as my new partner had not been someone with whom I was in love. I read and re-read Dismis, Frannie, Jane and Celine. I was reading a man’s thoughts on those complicated relationships. My husband and I were married in 2009, nine years after we had met. Today our home is truly our home. Most importantly, I can put to rest all those conflicitng thoughts about how it is possible to love more than one person and how a man can feel overwhelming lust for someone without it having any lasting impact on the relationship with the person you love. Thanks John.
You saved my retirement. I am 81 years old, fairly active, miss the office finding too much free time until I read my first book written by you. It only happened a few months ago when I read one of your books and I am completely hooked. I feel I have known Hardy and Glitsky all my life. If you are not the best someone out there will have to show me why.
You saved my retirement. I am 81 fairly active but miss the office with too much free time. Reading your books (finding you only 4 months ago) have brought me much joy, although I am an avid reader there is no one like you.
I especially enjoy books in which the authors repeat their characters from book to book. You and John Sanford are are the best at it, allowing different characters to “star” as your list of books evolves. I just finished ” Damage” and enjoyed it thoroughly. I have one question: On page 251 (?) at the bottom you have the sentence “And then the doorbell rang.” the sentence is completely out of context; no one answers the door or even mentions it. Is it there to see whether we are paying attention? Or is merely an error in the composition of the pages.
I am 79 years old, and reading is one of my favorite pursuits, and your books have provided me with a lot of entertainment over the years.
Michael Mayville