Note: If you liked this piece, please read the comments by Jeremy Duns below. He was one of the blurbers for the novel and confronted Rowan about the issue. He was kind enough to post some links towards his investigation. I'm not going to modify the piece, because I think it's good, but I though you should know somebody actually showed up and gave somewhat of an answer to my questions.
Note #02 02/08012 - Turns out I was right: http://litreactor.com/news/quentin-rowan-bouncing-back-from-plagiarism-scandal-with-memoir
Note #02 02/08012 - Turns out I was right: http://litreactor.com/news/quentin-rowan-bouncing-back-from-plagiarism-scandal-with-memoir
B.
It's hardly news anymore that Q.R Markham's latest novel ASSASSINS OF SECRETS is just a quilt of plagiarized passages. From Ian Fleming and John Gardner's Bond novels primarily, but also from Robert Ludlum, John Le Carré and others. If you don't believe it yet, please proceed to Edward Champion's analysis of the first pages of the novel. That should be enough to convince you.
It's infuriating enough for crime writers that Markham got through the editors barriers and got a book deal for this, while obviously more creative talents than him were shunned, not because ASSASSINS OF SECRETS was better, but because it would sell more. Of course it would sell more, if Markham used the words of writers that have already sold millions. But Mulholland Books and Little Brown did the good thing and pulled the plug on the project. End of the story, no?
But I'm worried.
There is an aura of dishonesty around Q.R Markham. First of all, it's a pen name. His real name is Quentin Rowan. Harmless enough, I know. But follow my drift. Rowan, a bookstore owner from Brooklyn, has said in interview that he wrote literary novels before, but "nothing wound up happening with anything he'd done" and (this is my favorite quote of his): “There was a bunch of books by people who were technically my peers that felt showy and one-note. Maybe I had to dumb it down.”
Wait a minute. That strategy sounds awfully familiar.
While Rowan doesn't copycat James Frey (ironically enough), you can't deny the parallels in the approach. I don't think Frey ever planned to be debunked about A MILLION LITTLE PIECES, but I think he admirably weathered the storm and in the midst of all the controversy, gave a positive push to original and honest writers. Showing crazy bravado, Frey self-published THE FINAL TESTAMENT OF THE HOLY BIBLE last year and proved you don't really need the suit-and-tie executives of a publishing company to succeed. All you need is good writing and a business plan. I think his boldness was part responsible for the eBook boom we're experiencing right now.
Ironically enough, Frey went on to create his own company that promotes crap writing, but it's another story. Another battle in its own.
Rowan is what David Foster Wallace referred to as a crank turner. While James Frey's shock tactics were deplorable, they were his. And the work was his too. A MILLION LITTLE PIECE was a lie, but it was a damn good story. Rowan is using shock and dishonesty, but he has nothing to back it up, yet. He takes the same approach than Frey, ups the ante and watches the internet tear him apart and waits patiently for the lull, so he can get back in.
You heard me.
I think it's just a well planned stunt move. Q.R Markham's novel wasn't his first offense. I think he's just a persona. A filthy little plagiarist made to turn media attention towards him. Sales are rising! In the same interview I quoted earlier. Rowan betrayed himself when he justified the use of his pseudonym by saying it's “in case there was something down the road that I wanted to put my real name on.”
Here we go.
Expect Quentin Rowan to dust off his literary novels and (self) publish them in the next few month, hoping to surf the wave of controversy he has started. He's not a better writer he was six months or a year ago, but now that he has attention, he hopes some suit-and-tie marketer will help him launch his career.
I see through your bullshit, Quentin Rowan and I'm not happy.
It doesn't matter if your literary novels do sell afterwards, because of your scheme. You're a cheater and you're no better than any writer.
What you're doing is merely cutting in the waiting line.
Wait a minute. That strategy sounds awfully familiar.
While Rowan doesn't copycat James Frey (ironically enough), you can't deny the parallels in the approach. I don't think Frey ever planned to be debunked about A MILLION LITTLE PIECES, but I think he admirably weathered the storm and in the midst of all the controversy, gave a positive push to original and honest writers. Showing crazy bravado, Frey self-published THE FINAL TESTAMENT OF THE HOLY BIBLE last year and proved you don't really need the suit-and-tie executives of a publishing company to succeed. All you need is good writing and a business plan. I think his boldness was part responsible for the eBook boom we're experiencing right now.
Ironically enough, Frey went on to create his own company that promotes crap writing, but it's another story. Another battle in its own.
Rowan is what David Foster Wallace referred to as a crank turner. While James Frey's shock tactics were deplorable, they were his. And the work was his too. A MILLION LITTLE PIECE was a lie, but it was a damn good story. Rowan is using shock and dishonesty, but he has nothing to back it up, yet. He takes the same approach than Frey, ups the ante and watches the internet tear him apart and waits patiently for the lull, so he can get back in.
You heard me.
I think it's just a well planned stunt move. Q.R Markham's novel wasn't his first offense. I think he's just a persona. A filthy little plagiarist made to turn media attention towards him. Sales are rising! In the same interview I quoted earlier. Rowan betrayed himself when he justified the use of his pseudonym by saying it's “in case there was something down the road that I wanted to put my real name on.”
Here we go.
Expect Quentin Rowan to dust off his literary novels and (self) publish them in the next few month, hoping to surf the wave of controversy he has started. He's not a better writer he was six months or a year ago, but now that he has attention, he hopes some suit-and-tie marketer will help him launch his career.
I see through your bullshit, Quentin Rowan and I'm not happy.
It doesn't matter if your literary novels do sell afterwards, because of your scheme. You're a cheater and you're no better than any writer.
What you're doing is merely cutting in the waiting line.