Fuzzleton
asked
Jonathan French:
Hi Jonathan - The Grey Bastards was a beautiful book that really made me feel alive and engaged, I was over the moon. I'm very sorry you didn't get the opportunity and encouragement to finish the franchise on your terms. I respect you needed to step away. I'm grateful for what we got. If you had known the third book would be the last, what would you have changed about it?
Jonathan French
I'm so gratified to hear you connected with the Bastards so intensely! Thank you for reaching out to share that with me. Never gets old knowing those mongrels of mine made an impact.
And thank you for your question. It's a good one, but tricky to tackle. And my answer may seem like a cop out, but here goes: I wouldn't change anything.
First, most writers are more critical of their work than any reader ever could be, so believe me when I say, I got issues with Free Bastards as an ending. But acceptance is a huge part of grief. And I grieved hard for the Bastards and what I saw (for a while) as the disappointing end of my career. Once, I may have decried everything wrong with Free Bastards as an ending, but these days it would just be tearing open closed wounds.
Second, me doing that is, I think, an injustice to the fans. Because let's face it, most people reading a third book in a series are fans. I remember when I read that Umberto Eco ended up resenting The Name of the Rose, and that made me really sad becasue I think that book is incredible. So, I don't want to cast a pall over Free Bastards for those that love it. And I understand you weren't asking me to bash the book. It's a very good question, but I wouldn't change anything and here's the final reason:
Because I still can finish the franchise on my terms. Book 4 (and all the plans for it) are still in my head. I could write it and self publish it, which would be an interesting full circle for the series since it began as a self pub book. I have definitely toyed with the idea and my agent has also encouraged it. I'm not ready yet, though. Still healing some from the experience and the personal fallout. Plus, there are other projects in the way now. But perhaps one day.
Until then,
Live in the Saddle
And thank you for your question. It's a good one, but tricky to tackle. And my answer may seem like a cop out, but here goes: I wouldn't change anything.
First, most writers are more critical of their work than any reader ever could be, so believe me when I say, I got issues with Free Bastards as an ending. But acceptance is a huge part of grief. And I grieved hard for the Bastards and what I saw (for a while) as the disappointing end of my career. Once, I may have decried everything wrong with Free Bastards as an ending, but these days it would just be tearing open closed wounds.
Second, me doing that is, I think, an injustice to the fans. Because let's face it, most people reading a third book in a series are fans. I remember when I read that Umberto Eco ended up resenting The Name of the Rose, and that made me really sad becasue I think that book is incredible. So, I don't want to cast a pall over Free Bastards for those that love it. And I understand you weren't asking me to bash the book. It's a very good question, but I wouldn't change anything and here's the final reason:
Because I still can finish the franchise on my terms. Book 4 (and all the plans for it) are still in my head. I could write it and self publish it, which would be an interesting full circle for the series since it began as a self pub book. I have definitely toyed with the idea and my agent has also encouraged it. I'm not ready yet, though. Still healing some from the experience and the personal fallout. Plus, there are other projects in the way now. But perhaps one day.
Until then,
Live in the Saddle
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