Eragon and the reaches of writer fame

[brightlotusmoon]

With the previews and ads for the "Eragon" movie all over the place, it stands to reason that Adam would be acting the way he has been with me: When we first heard that a movie version had been made, Adam looked at me and said, "I'm so sorry." I was confused, of course. He said he felt bad for me because a fifteen-year-old kid had written a best-selling fantasy novel that was now a movie, and here I was, twenty-seven years old and still working on my first science fiction novel. And I just couldn't help but laugh. "You must hate it," he says. "You should be angry. Look what happened to that kid, he's got a movie made out of his book." And I just laugh harder. I'm not angry. I'm not bitter. I'm not even remotely jealous. Yes... a teenager wrote a fantasy novel for young adults that became a giant whirlwind of a bestseller four years later. Four years after that, here's the movie version. But how does it affect me? It's not even my genre.
Adam says, "I just want that kind of success for you. I really want you to have that kind of success. It should motivate you even more."
Awwww.
Well, yes. Of course I want that kind of success; wouldn't any writer? It does motivate me. But not because I'm jealous or envious. I'm not writing a Young Adult book about magic dragons in a fantasy world.
I see my husband's point. I understand his frustration, and his desire to see his wife become successful and famous and popular as an author. But I just don't get jealous of other writers. If I did, Neil Gaiman would be on a hit list. Even if someone close to my age were to write a futuristic pagan science fiction novel about a group of psychics wielding the ancient cosmic powers of god-like abstract representations of elemental forces, it would be a different book.

After the umpteenth trailer for "Eragon" showed on the Sci-Fi Channel the other day, after Adam had again nudged me to feel frusrated over Christopher Paolini's massive success, I smiled, looked at Adam, and said, "Well, I guess this means you should take me to see the movie, then."
I should read the book, anyway. I hear it's very good.

Comments

[greenteadragon.livejournal.com]

I just finished reading "Eragon". It is definitely a good read, but it's also very obvious that it was written by a young person. The story is great, but it lacks character development. Still, I loved reading it.

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

And therein lies my basis. He was only a teenager. I'm not. And I am not writing a book like his. :)

[morningstar4.livejournal.com]

Heh...the only thing I really think about when something like Eragon is made into a movie is "Hey, that's really cool! It would be so neat if someday my own novel could be that popular." And then I think "If a 15/16 year old can do it, so can I!" It's inspiring, really. ;)

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

Exactly! It's enough to inspire, but it should never cause jealousy or annoyance.

not just ....

[shiefox.livejournal.com]

not just a movie but a video game for 3 difrent systems. bored game , action figuer, holowein costumes, tents, lunch boxes, and other such wonders of mass marketed counsumer heroin. all in shiny plastic vacume packs redy for the xmas spending frensy of a capitalst wonderland. it'$ enought to make one cry ...

Re: not just ....

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

Yes, but would you cry if all that shiny plastic toy heroin were based off of MY book?

[madwriter.livejournal.com]

Eragon is an ultimate marketing success story.

There may be a little rancor in my voice when I say that, but I was prepared to like it when I read it. I was hoping to like it; a kid making good with his first book is an inspirational story. And then I read the book, and realized that most every other YA fantasy I've ever read is much better. And then I read the afterword, in which it seems as if everyone else that Christopher Paolini knew had a hand in writing it too, including one of his teachers. I haven't read the sequel and I don't plan to see the movie.

I should also mention here that I do like Harry Potter, books and movies both, even though these are also examples of incredibly good marketing. :) (A far better example than Eragon, in fact.)

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

Yes, a wonderful point.

Also, JK Rowling was already an adult when she wrote the Potter books... Paolini was still in school, and yes, most adults probably did help him write it. But there is still a world of difference between a kid writing a Young Adult book and an adult writing a Young Adult book... do you know what I mean?

[madwriter.livejournal.com]

True enough. Obviously it has something going for it. :)

cry

[shiefox.livejournal.com]

hell id cover my self in honny and take a bath in fire ants to make that happen

Re: cry

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

You're so sweet.
Good husband.
*pat on the head*
That really won't be necessary, I promise.

[sidheblessed.livejournal.com]

I've said it before and I'll say it again - your Adam is a sweetie.