The Cuckoo’s Calling, which Publishers Weekly described as “[combining] a complex and compelling sleuth and an equally well-formed and unlikely assistant with a baffling crime…A stellar debut,” has the name Robert Galbraith on the cover, but is actually the work of veteran author J.K. Rowling. She published it with Mulholland Books under that pseudonym with the supposition that readers believe it was a pseudonym “for a retired British military investigator.” Now that it is being reprinted, the publisher has let the cat out of the bag.
Rowling says she enjoyed writing as Robert Galbraith and receiving criticism untainted by her past success. Of course, the book has sold out with this news. Perhaps some critics will tell us they suspected something like this all along.
Isn’t it a little unfair for an experienced author to accept that sort of praise which might be heaped upon a neophyte, only to use it to advantage after the truth is out?
Reminds me of an interview with the president of a cruise line a few years back where the cruise line’s motto was, “Meeting expectations by keeping them low.”
Well, an experienced author may receive undue criticism from people with odd expectations. For example, I’m not sure any of current criticism of Pixar is worthwhile. They are saying a movie is good, but not great, so it’s a big disappointment? Come on.
Of course, this may be half a ploy for selling her books. You see that this book has sold well on its merits; now it is selling on her name.
I find it interesting that the title only sold about 400 copies before the secret came out. Shows you how hard it is to break into the business.
Oh, I thought it had sold better than that. Maybe I interpreted the critical praise into sales.