Dear Daniel,
My name is Douglas Mcgowan. I’m sure you have better things to do than recall three hour telephone calls dating back three years, but we had one, about my desire to make screenplays of “Lizard Music” and “Young Adult Novel,” about what a “vile… evil… repugnant” place Hollywood is, etc. (Your words, though I agree wholeheartedly.) I’d still like to do those films, by the way. If there is news on the rights reverting back to you, I’d like to know. Anyway, today I’d like to ask you about your experience with Xlibris. Of course, the whole thing sounds too good to be true, and certainly very similar to the vanity press tradition, but then there you are with two of your OOP books! So please, tell us (or just me) the details of your involvement there — did they bring you in to buy a bit of legitimacy, or did you go through the regular channels? Is it a class operation; is it legit? How are sales?
If you please, what has been your impression of Xlibris?
Best wishes,
Douglas Mcgowan
I doubt it was three hours. How long could it take for me to tell you you can't buy film rights? (By the way, you still can't). I approached Xlibris. I think they are smart and decent. It's early early days for this kind of publishing, but I find it interesting, and wanted to have a couple of experiments going involving books of my own.
