New book in french to be published : the author need some help !

Hi,

I'm Marie-Sophie GERMAIN, a french scientific journalist and writer specialized in exotic pets, reptiles and amphibians.

My editor (De Vecchi / Albin Michel, one of the biggest in France about animals) had ordered to me (YESTERDAY) to write a book about C. Pyrrhogaster and C. Orientalis... for the 15 of January...! 120 pages ! It's a book in the style of the Barron's book of F. Inviglio.
Well I'm used to work hard and urgently, but as you can imagine, that's a big big challenge, since I have to compile so much informations about these 2 species + write the book + send a photograph for pictures + order some drawings to illustrators... IN ONE MONTH ONLY...

<font color="ff0000">Paragraph edited by John due to the sensitive nature of its content.</font> <font color="0000ff">(In reference to French newt enthusiasts/writers)</font> I know I can't really expect help from them, I've tried but there is absolutely no way to be helped. THEY DON'T WANT TO HELP ME, even just provinding me some old pictures of their newts...

So, I wondered if some newt maniac from there could help me... I have the 4 or 5 books available in english about newts and salamanders, and a lot of scientifical papers. But I will need
- a lot of PICTURES of newts and tanks (as for example, the different variety of C. pyrrhogaster, different color patterns in C. orientalis, larvae, etc...) These pictures must absolutely be in a very high quality.
- some MAPS and SCHEMAS I can reproduce for illustrate the book.
I will also need an expert to answer to a lot of QUESTIONS about newt keeping.

Maybe somebody can help me provinding me a lot of "newts stuffs". Your name(s) and the enormous value of your contribution will be of course mentionned in the book and the pictures will be paid.

Thank you very much for your attention and maybe for your help.

Marie-Sophie GERMAIN
msgermain@hotmail.com

(PS : no need to discuss about "why write only about C. pyrrhogaster and orientalis", it's a command of my editor and I can't change anything... No time to talk about others newts for now !)

PS : I forget to tell something very important (but you can see that in my profile) : I keep two Cynops pyrrhogaster and orientalis since 16 years ! I know newts very well, that's why this book had been ordered to me ! All what I want is have all the updated right informations, and the right to publish some existing pictures of newts. I only have two newts... that's not so much for illustrate a book !

Marie-Sophie,

I've edited your post due to your comments about the French. You are French and entitled to your opinion, but some concerns have been raised by users of Caudata.org and I do not feel that this forum is the right medium for you to share your perception of French people. There are quite a few French people on the forum and I can say from personal dealings with several that they are fine, honourable and helpful individuals to whom such stereotypes are insulting and undeserved.

Regarding your book, I honestly don't believe this can be done adequately by your deadline and I must confess to having qualms about supporting such a hasty endeavour. Whilst I don't wish to hamper your mammoth task, I really don't think the subject can be dealt with accurately and concisely in such a small period of time. Frank Indiviglio's book certainly took a lot longer than a month to write and he writes it as someone who really has wide-ranging experience and accurate knowledge of his subjects.

Anyone who wishes to aid you is free to do so I'm sure but I do hope they get adequately paid for their contributions - other writers have used this web site as a method to acquire material (photographic and experience) as a cheap or free alternative to traditional channels for authors.

I have some really nice pictures I would allow you to use, of both setups/tanks and animals. However I agree with John that the deadline is much too soon to produce a quality publication. You should talk to your editor and explain that if quality is an issue you will need more time.

(Message edited by newtsrfun on December 12, 2005)

Hi everybody,

Thank you for your messages. First I would like of course to apologize about what I said about French people. This forum is obviously not the right place for that, so please accept my excuses.
I was just very disappointed and angry when breeders from France said no to even show me some pictures. I had to asked to people in France because in normal conditions, he conditions, a professional photographer has to make the pictures, because in french edition, only pictures of professionnal photographers must be published, according to the syndical rules. So, originally, that must have been done in France.
I totally understand that you can't make pictures of newts in any life situation (and especially about the reproductive cycle) in one month and that's traumatizing for the animals. But then, why these breeders didn't say "no" politely, and help me to find some existing good pictures instead of insulting me ? They still insult me every day, and it's really a shame because as a professionnal, I wanted to collaborate with breeders. They were very agressive and hostile, that's what made me react very strongly. I think if they were hostile, it's because they think I'm not able to write this book because of the short time delay, thinking I'm a damned amateur.

Please find here some more informations about the writing conditions of this book :


- About the delay :

If I have to write this Cynops book in one month,it's because I have a contract with my editor. They asked me to do that and If I say no, I'm fired and somebody else will write this book instead of me. I have no choice about the delay. Some people think that if I said yes that's beacause this job is well paid : that's absolutely not the case. If I write books about zoology, etholoy and paleontology, it's more by passion than for the money. I'm very poor, and I shloud do a better paid job but I chosed to practice my passion instead : writing for inform passionated people about animals.

Secundo, if I say no for this book, somebody else will write it : as a scientifical journalist keeping newts since 16 years (the same), I consider that I'm qualified enough for this job ! Far more than the other authors of the same editor who don't know about newts. That's why the editor asked to ME !

Something else, for write this book, I spend 20 hours every day. In one month it could be done, especially because I'm used to do that. That's the way it works here, editors of books and magazine always inform you about your job at the last minute, and very often for a very big amount of work. Every month since 13 years, I make researches and write dozain of pages in a very short time (4-5 days generally). Actually, every month, I write in one week one half of a scientific magazine for kids, I write the only one monthly colum about exotic pets in the french press, and I realize big investigations and reportages for a great french scientific magazine. If you want to work in press or edition, you have to be available 7 days a week and 24/24 hours. Don't believe that chiefs inform you about the subject of your books or papers a long time before, that's not true (I don't know how it works in others countries but that's the way it is here in France).

So, you can trust me if I say I'm very very serious about my work as a writer and as a journalist, and you can totally believe that BY ME, such a book can be done in one month. It will be a great quality book, because that's what I'm used to do, that's what I'm known for, that's what I fight for, that's what I LIVE FOR.
I have newts, I love newts, and write a book about newts is something I was waiting since many years. So write a very good quality book about newts is an HONOUR for me and that's something I'll do more than the best I can, even if it means that I'll have to sleep only 3 or 4 hours every night.

So, please don't be suspiscious about the book quality. You have there the most motivated writer you can imagine for make a Cynops book.

Marie-Sophie

Hi everybody !

I just wanted to say that my book is finished now. Well, I worked more than 20 hours every day, I lost 5 kilos and now, for the first time, I have white hair !!
I think I really made a good work and I would like to thank a lot the persons who helped mem this book is dedicated to them.

The name is "Le Triton Japonais et le Triton Chinois", for the Editions De Vecchi and it will be published in France the third week of March. But it is already possible to pre-order on Amazon.fr

Well, I hope you'll like this book that I made with all my heart. As a newt-lover since more than 16 years, that was my dream.

Marie-Sophie, did you give the link to this website (www.caudata.org) anywhere in your book? I hope so, as you have used this forum and site to gather some information and make contacts.

Of course I did !

congratulations! i'm glad and suprised that you finished in that time. When will it be out in the shops?

Hi ! Thanks a lot !
The book will be in the shops in France the third week of March, so very soon ! (and already on www.amazon.fr).