My young friend told me that he's writing a book and that he already has a publisher who is going to publish the book after his having submitted only one chapter. I asked, "You mean a publisher will accept it without having a complete manuscript?" I asked if the publisher were a vanity press. He didn't know what a vanity press is. I explained to him about vanity presses and I told him to be very careful about any contract he might sign.
I asked him what the book was about and he stated, "It's kinda an autobiography except in novel form." I replied, "Oh, a roman a clef." When he told me he didn't know what "roman a clef" meant, I answered, "I don't think you should publish a book until you know what a roman a clef is."
1 comment:
roman a clef--my education continues! Who was it who said that knowing you has been a liberal education?
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