Firefly: Before the Forge, a fan-novel by Kevin Bell

POSTED BY: two
UPDATED: Friday, March 30, 2012 00:32
VIEWED: 14831
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TWO

Tuesday, March 6, 2012 10:08 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by pizmobeach:
Do they have people sitting at computers searching out anything to do with Firefly 24-7-365? And can I be a little encouraged by that if they do?

Kevin Bell was seeking permission from FOX: “I’m still waiting to find a contact inside FOX Studios that thinks there is some merit to having a series of Firefly/Serenity novels published, but that hasn’t stopped me from continuing the work I started on the saga I am writing.” - Kevin Bell, 5 December 2010, Author's Note from Firefly: Before the Forge

When FOX finally took notice, their answer was NO!

I will speculate that there is only one official novel, Serenity by Keith R. R. DeCandido, because Joss, FOX, and Universal don't want to pay for another to be written. Nothing has changed in years, going by the example of author Steven Brust.

About Brust's novel, Serenity Verse wrote in 2008 http://serenityverse.com/firefly/download-my-own-kind-of-freedom-a-fir
ely-novel-by-steven-brust/
“Author Steven Brust wrote an entire Firefly novel, taking place between the series and the movie. The intent was publication, but since at this point no Firefly or Serenity novels are being given the go-ahead, Brust decided to release his book for free online as fan fiction. It’s a generous move – thanks Steven!”

The book can be downloaded at Brust’s website here: http://dreamcafe.com/firefly.html

The Joss Whedon script for "Serenity," where Wash lives, is
Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/two

GREENKA61

Wednesday, March 7, 2012 4:52 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by StillFlyin2:
Quote:
Originally posted by Moose:
I'll read them.

This story is going on 10yrs old.
We've gotten half a TV season, a movie, and a smattering of comic books.

I want more.
If Joss wants to continue telling the story of his 'Verse, I'll listen...but he isn't right now.

So, I'll take what I can get.

Agree!

Me too! And I appreciate the story not being divided up into a zillion little chapters. I like one long read!

ZEEK

Wednesday, March 7, 2012 3:29 PM

Can we get some sort of fanfic tag to put in titles like this? I keep seeing stuff like "Firefly webseries" oh wait it's just some fanfic oh oh a Firefly novel oh wait more fanfic. Something to indicate it's not official work would be nice.

STORYMARK

Wednesday, March 7, 2012 4:29 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Zeek:
Can we get some sort of fanfic tag to put in titles like this? I keep seeing stuff like "Firefly webseries" oh wait it's just some fanfic oh oh a Firefly novel oh wait more fanfic. Something to indicate it's not official work would be nice.

I just assume that if something legit was happening, it would be all over the movie/sci-fi sites. If I heard about it here first, I know its fan-fic or the like.

"Goram it kid, let's frak this thing and go home! Engage!"

TWO

Wednesday, March 7, 2012 5:30 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Zeek:
Can we get some sort of fanfic tag to put in titles like this? I keep seeing stuff like "Firefly webseries" oh wait it's just some fanfic oh oh a Firefly novel oh wait more fanfic. Something to indicate it's not official work would be nice.

I see your point of view and changed the title to "fan-novel". Originally I was thinking, Why bother tagging official Firefly novels when there aren't any?

Everything is fan produced and will be until Joss Whedon gets over his emotionally shattering experience with Firefly. Only time can heal Joss. (Canceling Buffy and Angel wasn't a big deal, that's why the comics keep coming every month. Can't stop the slayer's signal.)

But if we give Joss more money by purchasing a 2nd copy of his older Firefly comics, he might heal faster, you know, when he can afford a spiritual retreat on the beach in Malibu where he contemplates eternity and dictates a chapter for a Firefly graphic-novel when the mood hits. Beautiful Pacific ocean sunsets can inspire Joss' creativity on the weekends.

The Joss Whedon script for "Serenity," where Wash lives, is
Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/two

ZEEK

Wednesday, March 7, 2012 10:12 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
I just assume that if something legit was happening, it would be all over the movie/sci-fi sites. If I heard about it here first, I know its fan-fic or the like.

I haven't heard about the free comic day comic anywhere but here. I don't think Firefly stuff gets the same buzz at this point. Especially not a novel. I don't think that would get much media hype. I pretty much expect Firefly/Serenity news to break here unless it's a TV show or movie.

CENTURY22

Thursday, March 8, 2012 2:24 AM

Thanks Kevin. I wish I could write.

Why would I want to leave Serenity?

HARRIER45

Thursday, March 8, 2012 3:01 AM

I'm not sure who you are, Two, but I offer my heartfelt thanks for bringing all of these fine people to my website! Harriersandheroes.ca hasn't seen this much traffic in one day since . . . well, ever!

To put a few of the comments here in perspective:

Yes, I did make a long an grueling effort to contact Joss Whedon to gauge his interest in seeing my first novel, Old Habits, put to print. After many months of chasing false leads, I finally managed to get through to Creative Artists, the talent agency used by Joss. They advised that Joss was not available for direct contact, and that he no longer held the rights to Firefly or Serenity. Those rights had been sold to FOX and to Universal, respectively.

And so I began to chase down those two studios. After nearly a year (by which time Old Habits was complete, and Book Two, entitled Before the Forge was underway), I received a letter from Universal saying that they were no longer in possession of any licensing for the Firefly/Serenity product. They advised that all licensing was now being held by FOX alone, and that I should contact FOX for any possible interest in publishing my works.

So, off to FOX I went. I finally made contact with Ms Janie Friedman, head of Marketing and Publishing at FOX, but alas Ms Friedman informed me that her company was not interested in releasing any further licensing of the Firefly/Serenity franchise. She also advised that licensing on FOX merchandise was never sold to any individual, but only to a company or a corporation that could guarantee a 5-figure return on the initial $10,000.00 investment.

Ms Friedman suggested that I contact current license holders to determine if they would be interested in picking up on my novels. This led me to Dark Horse Comics, who insisted that their agreement with FOX forbid them from adding any new titles or authors to their license. It also led me to Titan Books, who have published companions to the television series and the motion picture, but alas I never received any response from this source.

This entire process has been detailed on my website, and in the Author's Notes of each one of my books, which is why I created Harriers&Heroes.ca in the first place.

So now I write for myself, and for all of the Browncoats out there who believe that the Firefly should remain lit, and that the signal is still being broadcast loud and clear.

To those of you who have visited my site -- either in the last few days, or any time before -- I say "Welcome! Stay a while and take a good look around!" There's more there than just Firefly, and there is much, much more that I am working on, sometimes a little bit at once. Feel free to post your opinions, suggestions or observations in the Forums on that site.

My Firefly books may never hit store shelves, but they are available for all of you to enjoy, free of charge. And what's better than free?

Firefly remains a labour of love for me. Perhaps some day The Man himself will stumble upon them, and maybe, just maybe, he'll find merit enough to want to get involved in seeing them brought out into the open.

Kevin Bell
harrier45@harriersandheroes.ca

TWO

Thursday, March 8, 2012 3:40 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Harrier45:
I finally managed to get through to Creative Artists, the talent agency used by Joss. They advised that Joss was not available for direct contact, and that he no longer held the rights to Firefly or Serenity. Those rights had been sold to FOX and to Universal, respectively.

Reinterpreted in the least sympathetic way -- Joss Whedon sold us out. If asked, he'd shrug and say, "That's Hollywood; it's always been about money. Two, are you some kind of crazy Browncoat idealist who has forgotten what made Hollywood great? It's greed! Always go for biggest, most expensive project you can swing. That's why I off-loaded Serenity comics onto my brother, because his dick isn't as big as mine. Please excuse me for the sexism, that's how we talk in Hollywood."

Quote:
Originally posted by Harrier45:
I finally made contact with Ms Janie Friedman, head of Marketing and Publishing at FOX, but alas Ms Friedman informed me that her company was not interested in releasing any further licensing of the Firefly/Serenity franchise. . . . Ms Friedman suggested that I contact current license holders to determine if they would be interested in picking up on my novels. This led me to Dark Horse Comics, who insisted that their agreement with FOX forbid them from adding any new titles or authors to their license.

This is a classic bureaucratic run-around - the exercise of power without the moderating influence of an ethical structure. Exactly what I'd expect from FOX.

The Joss Whedon script for "Serenity," where Wash lives, is
Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/two

BYTEMITE

Thursday, March 8, 2012 4:00 PM

Hmm. Okay, thanks for clarifying. I actually thought Joss did have IP rights to it because it wasn't for hire work, perhaps I was wrong, or don't understand the process well.

I'd actually love to see the myth arc explored in novel form. The comic books are fun, but novels are elegant and feel somehow more serious and legitimate to me.

In the mean time, nothing wrong with "what if" stories. I hope I didn't give the wrong impression in my previous posts. I mean no offense when I say fanfic, I like fanfic.

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