Focus on Marianne de Pierres

[Alisa Krasnostein]

It is with great pleasure that I welcome Marianne de Pierres to the ASif! Discussion forums this fortnight.

Marianne de Pierres is the author of the award-nominated Parrish Plessis series: Nylon Angel, Code Noir and Crash Deluxe. Her short fiction has appeared in various anthologies and magazines. Dark Space the first book in her new space opera series has just been released. She also currently working on a film project for Sydney-based, Enchanter Productions, called Stalking Daylight.

Welcome Marianne, thank you so much for joining us.

Congratulations on the recent launch of your new book Dark Space. I must admit to being so excited to read it, space opera totally being my thing, that I am saving it to read as a reward. How does it feel to have written something so different to the Parrish Plessis series? Was it a major/difficult decision to embark on such a departure?

[MDP]

Hi Alisa,

thank you for the invitation to chat here. You've had some great discussions on this forum in the past so I'm looking forward to it.

In answer to your question - no, not really. Parrish was a very intense character to write and I wanted to try other things, explore third person stories and multiple characters.

From a purely commerical point of view though there is always a risk involved doing this. Not everyone who has read and liked Parrish will enjoy the change. The Sentients of Orion series isn't about heroines - the contrary really. The characters are very ambiguous and often make bad choices.

I am very fortunate to have an incredbly supportive publishing company in Orbit. They were behind me a hundred percent of the way as far as the change of direction.

[Alisa Krasnostein]

RoR also recently launched the first book in their new ABC Books series The Lost Shimmaron (first book is Seacastle by Tansy Rayner Roberts). Can you tell us a bit about the conception and execution of the idea - that each member of your writing group will write one book in the series? How will each of the books fit in with one another - having read the first one, I'm hoping all the loose ends will be tied up?

[Paul Haines]

Hi Marianne,

Can one safely assume that you are now classed as a FULLTIME writer these days?

Paul

[Cat Sparks]

Hi Marianne,

So tell me -- was it a lifelong ambition of yours to write space opera or is that just where you accidentally find yourself at the moment? I recall Connie Willis speaking at a Swancon a few years back explaining that she didn't end up writing the sorts of books she expected herself to write. I thought that was an odd thing to say at the time, but I'm experiencing a bout of it myself these days. I would *love* to be writing space opera, but all that (mostly) seems to come out of my keyboard is fantasy. What about you? Are you writing what you intended to write?

[MDP]

RoR also recently launched the first book in their new ABC Books series The Lost Shimmaron (first book is Seacastle by Tansy Rayner Roberts). Can you tell us a bit about the conception and execution of the idea - that each member of your writing group will write one book in the series? How will each of the books fit in with one another - having read the first one, I'm hoping all the loose ends will be tied up?

As Tansy may have told you, it came from a conversation one night after a long day surviving Margo's critiques. We were at Varuna and the fireside was the only place to be.

Rowena suggested the concept of a shared world series and we spent a long, pleasurable grape-laden evening working out the premise. In the cold hard light of day the idea still grabbed us and Maxine and Tansy and Rowena went away and wrote their novels for proposal samples. When Curtis Brown agent, Tara Wynne, came on board to represent us, we knew we stood a real chance of seeing it into fruition.

Each book is stand alone, set in the same town, but at a different time in the town's history. There is an overall story arc which will reach a reasonable conclusion in Richard's final novel. There are also connecting characters or descendants of characters. I think this will provide a satisfying continuity for readers, while still offering individual stories that end.

[MDP]

Hi Marianne,

Can one safely assume that you are now classed as a FULLTIME writer these days?

Paul

Hi Paul,

indeed - as much as you can be with three teenage sons.

I don't have to support my family alone though - if I did...

[MDP]

Hi Marianne,

So tell me -- was it a lifelong ambition of yours to write space opera or is that just where you accidentally find yourself at the moment? I recall Connie Willis speaking at a Swancon a few years back explaining that she didn't end up writing the sorts of books she expected herself to write. I thought that was an odd thing to say at the time, but I'm experiencing a bout of it myself these days. I would *love* to be writing space opera, but all that (mostly) seems to come out of my keyboard is fantasy. What about you? Are you writing what you intended to write?

Hi Gorgeous,

Yes, I am writing what I intended to write. The problem is... I 'intended' to write a great many things and I have a long way to go to fulfill that list - for instance, I have a VERY dark YA fantasy in the works, and a chick lit novel, and a....

What I would really like to do next, though, is to write some stand alone novels set in one universe. Series are very taxing when you're an insanely convoluted plotter like I am.

[Cat Sparks]

Which authors/artists would you say have been your greatest influences or inspirations?

[bluetyson]

To add to Cat's question, who is your favorite Australian author?

[bluetyson]

Hi Marianne,

days. I would *love* to be writing space opera, but all that (mostly) seems to come out of my keyboard is fantasy. What about you? Are you writing what you intended to write?

There's one for the horror writer types:

"You've seen Misery and Saw, haven't you author-person? Well, that's you if I don't get no spaceships."

[MDP]

To add to Cat's question, who is your favorite Australian author?

Hi BT,
nice to hear from you again.

That is something I can't answer sensibly:). I am a fan of a great many writers in Oz and I want to see them all succeed.

To be honest I am a little biased towards the work of my crititque group (ROR) but there are many, MANY other fine writers. I'm delighted to see Kim Westwood being published by Voyager and I'm hoping Trent Jamieson will be next.

I've been involved in two pitching workshops recently and the quality of manuscripts has been outstanding. I couldn't possibly pick a single writer -published or yet to be published.

[MDP]

Which authors/artists would you say have been your greatest influences or inspirations?

Hi Cat,

sorry for the delay. Bigpond has become 'little puddle' and I'm having major problems getting pages to load.

I find I'm constantly being influenced by writers. I'm a unashamed fan girl when I read something I like. But chronologically speaking it went something like this: Zane Grey, D.H Lawrence, James Michener (The Drifters), Simone de Beauvoir, Carlos Castenada, A.C. Clarke, William Gibson, Octavia Butler, Stephen Baxter's short fiction, Ian MacDonald.

There are many others - but you get the idea - an eclectic mix.

[Sheepie]

Hi Marianne,

I loved the pace and fun of the Parrish series combined with the no-hanging-back on violence/horror aspect.

I noticed you quietly put yourself out there while marketing that, and you're trying a few new things marketingwise with Dark Space but nothing too in-yer-face. I like that, it give the impression that you are focussing on writing rather than success. (So much nicer than the heavy-handed marketing of ho-hum stuff that goes on so often).

Given that if the $$ don't stack up, future books won't make it onto the shelves and publishers won't care how well you write, how do you think your marketing is going? Is the trailer thingy helping? Have you worked out a strategy with your publisher? How hard is it for you to get up there and say, "look at me, I've got a great book"?

PS. Do you think your editor looks like Jean Reno too?
PPS. Sheepie=Bren

[MDP]

Hi Marianne,

I loved the pace and fun of the Parrish series combined with the no-hanging-back on violence/horror aspect.

I noticed you quietly put yourself out there while marketing that, and you're trying a few new things marketingwise with Dark Space but nothing too in-yer-face. I like that, it give the impression that you are focussing on writing rather than success. (So much nicer than the heavy-handed marketing of ho-hum stuff that goes on so often).

Given that if the $$ don't stack up, future books won't make it onto the shelves and publishers won't care how well you write, how do you think your marketing is going? Is the trailer thingy helping? Have you worked out a strategy with your publisher? How hard is it for you to get up there and say, "look at me, I've got a great book"?

PS. Do you think your editor looks like Jean Reno too?
PPS. Sheepie=Bren

Hi Bren,

my own marketing strategy is pretty simple. I take opportunities if I see them, and I spend time making connections for other people where I can.
While I see no point in being so modest that you can't self promote a little, I have my own limits on how much I will put myself forward. They are personal measures. In the end its about the quality of the story.

My publishers have done the best thing they could for me always - which is to give me great covers. With 'Dark Space' however, I have had the good fortune to inherit an excellent publicist in Nicola Pitt at Hachette. She is truly interested in her job and the books she works with, and she has been active and efficient (and delightful!).

This time also, Orbit have done some wonderful extras in the UK, like a full page advertisement for 'Dark Space' in the glossy entertainment magazine SFX. That is a real vote of support and I was thrilled to see it in there amongst ads for Final fantasy games and Charmed DVDs and World of Warcraft.

I'm not sure if the trailer is helping. It's a bit hard to quantify such a thing. Time will tell.

How is my marketing going? Well, again, I'm probably the last person to know but I think I see little hopeful signs here and there that my books are worming their way into popular consciousness and even education. As an aside, Parrish has been used in two PHD's and was presented at a conference recently as an example of Carribean influences in Australian literature.

I actually find it impossible and against my nature to get up and say 'Hey I've got a great book!' (unless of course I'm joking around). Anyone who was at the 'Dark Space' book launch in Melbourne will know how nervous I was.

But, I can easily get up and say 'Hey I've got a book.' One of my biggest frustrations at the moment is that I'm not getting overseas or even to enough places in Australia, to meet readers.

As for Darren Nash looking like Jean Reno - perhaps - though smoother and much more sophisticated I'm sure! Actually Darren makes me think of Jon Courtenay Grimwood's Arabesque series for some reason.

Did I cover everything?