Forthcoming book Youngest Ace, Russian

[Ruy Horta]

Sounds like a book that belongs on the ol' wish list.

Thanks for the extra info.

[edwest]

Originally Posted by Dénes Bernád

Ed, the problem with such an unsolicited intervention is that one would put himself in the centre of a controversy, which could lead to unpleasant issues or worse...

I don't understand. Here, in the past, much was made about books that contained significant errors. All I'm suggesting is that someone with credentials and verifiable facts, say "What you are about to be selling to the public is a fantasy." Presumably, the comments made here that this upcoming book was 90 - 99% fiction were based on more than wishful thinking. I am, of course, not saying that anyone do something they don't want to do or think they shouldn't do.


Ed

P.S.
After the fact, everyone can, of course, complain that the book is utter rubbish and didn't the publisher know enough not to publish it?

[Ruy Horta]

Sutton was (re)publishing Heaven Next Stop, by Bloemherz, under a similar vein of authenticity, with other words as a personal account of the war. Anyone who's read the book will know it is a (bad) novel with some "realistic" description of events thrown in.

You cannot tell me that publishers are as naive as not to know when they are publishing fiction or not!

[Dénes Bernád]

Originally Posted by edwest

I don't understand.

Ed, there is certainly some well defined interest from the part of the author AND the publisher to publish this particular book, no matter how accurate it is, to make a buck.

Now, if I would interfere in this business, with an unsolicited mail and negative publicity (beside this restricted circle of enthusiasts), I would probably find myself in the crossfire of these interests, which would probably lead to trouble. Believe me, I don't need it.

Let those people make a quick buck. It's not the first and last time something like this would occur. See, for example, the success of Enemy at the Gates, even when it's well known (?) that the snipers' duel at Stalingrad was fiction and the German 'master sniper instructor' Major König did not exist in reality. Nevertheless, it made a crowd pleasing story and some people got rich...

[Francis Howell]

Gentlemen - and Denes particularly,

Publishers can surely be naive ! Some years ago here in London we were at first (and for a very short time !) enthralled with a book from the sadly now-defunct William Kimber, called, I recall, 'Whirlwind Pilot'. It seemed initially to be absolutely kosher. But every pilot named had been killed during the war, and suddenly at the end the author mentioned a whole lot of spurious Typhoon squadrons. Then the photo of him standing in front of 'his' Whirlwind was worked out to be the C.O. of 137 Squadron's aircraft with a cut-out from this guy's personal photo album of himself stuck on the front.

When this was brought to Kimber's notice, not only were they horrified, but the Air Historical Branch of the MoD admitted that they had just been warned in time before one of their staff included a favourable review in one of the official RAF publications ! Kimber at once withdrew the book, and the author got no royalties - I think they would have sued him for the advance back if he hadn't been resident in Australia. He then admitted to not having been a pilot at all, but a ground 'erk' at the very end of the war - he had, he said, written it "as a novel based on his own experiences". But it has now become something of a collectors' item for some reason !!

Francis

[Sid Guttridge]

The publisher, Stackpole, withdrew Colin D. Heaton's book, finally advertised as Prince of Aces, after a storm of well-founded objections, such as those above.

Heaton now self-publishes much of his work, though for some reason there are still minor publishers prepared to risk their reputations on him. Perhaps they are unaware of the Stackpole/Prince of Aces debacle?

They may also be unaware that Rhodesian special forces organizations have declined to endorse another of his books, Four War Boer, because nobody has heard of his claimed protagonist.

Sid

[edwest2]

Sid,


Complaints to publishers are usually kept confidential. Accusations need to be well-founded. The publisher I work for has language in our work agreement that covers possible 'incidents.'

Some newer publishers may be unaware of certain things but that's on a case by case basis.


Best,
Ed

[BrianC]

Hi guys

I seem to remember 'Engines over London' in which the author implied he was a pilot with 85 Squadron in 1940.


Stay safe
Brian

[edwest2]

I bought a book titled Another Bowl of Kapusta: The True Life Story of a World War II Luftwaffe Fighter Pilot and P.O.W. in Russia, by Dianna M. Popp and Gottfried P. Dulias. ISBN 1-4184-8837-2



Thanks to the efforts of some here, I was informed that Gottfried P. Dulias could not be connected to JG 53 where it is claimed he flew a Bf 109G-14AS.


Imagine my surprise. By the way, kapusta is a type of cabbage soup.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Ed

Many years ago Herrn Dulias was a topic of his own (I think...) on TOCH.
I believe it was proven beyond any doubt he was an imposter.

Sad really that some individuals cannot accept their own life but have to invent a life (lives) lived by others.

Equally sad that some "authors" (fact collectors) cannot stick to what they actually know/have found but have to invent fiction in between.

Sid

You seems to know this Heaton fellow quite a bit. I have none of his books but I would be interested to know if you have anything on his fellow authoress (is that a correct word for a female writer? ). Since it is a bit unusual having female authors writing about "our" subject, perhaps she is the fiction writer?

Cheers
Stig