translator and editor by day, columnist deserters and novelist night
In 1994, the house in which we are moving, PJ, 7 monsters and I was in a street cable of Le Mans. A previous notredomicile, we had no television: antenna recevaitmal, and we only watched videos. Nouvellemaison in a small room on the ground floor immediately becomes the "small-salon-de-television". We install a small sofa, two armchairs, a carpet, a coffee table. And a TV. There are placardsderrière for storing cartridges. And we receive channels câble.Jimmy, Série Club, Teva, and later, 13 th Street.
Between 1994 and 1997, I collaborate with other livresde Eighth Art Large sériesaméricaines (2 volumes) and Lesgrandes British series (1) headed by the most employees Solid home: Alain Carrazé, Baudou Jacques, Jean-Jacques Schleret, Christopher Petit. Aprèsces three anthologies is provided a fourth, devoted to sériesfrançaises, but in 1997, the Eighth editions Arts never vraimentgagné lot of money by publishing these books declare bankruptcy. A autreéditeur, Les Belles Lettres, hosts the last book Eighth Art, New series 1996-1997, that jeco-sign with Alain Carrazé, which I wrote more than half. Three sériesm'ont particularly marked. Angela, 15years ( My So-Called Life ) unechronique sensitive life of a group of teenagers of the 90s; Star Trek: The Next Generation, àlaquelle Christophe Petit definitely converted me and I regardéeintégralement Thanks to him, and finally a series that began its carrièreaux U.S. in fall 1994 and France during the summer of 1996. Enmilieu broadcast week with two episodes per evening, she took all by surprise by winning lemonde unexpected success with the public françaisqui ordinarily watch much television during the holiday months. Sibien only to the success of the 1 st season, France 2, which was released in the mouth-hole decides to engage immediately in the 2 e programmantle the season Sunday night, between September and December of that year. Scheduled dansce niche, she regularly beat the sacrosanct film TF1.
This series is ER (ER ), which will continue ladiffusion United States until 2009. Emergencies touched me in many ways: as spectateuret reader, as a physician and as a writer. It demonstrates qu'onpeut make good fiction from reality. The two major articlesque I write during those years, one for The new series 1996-1997, one for Generation Series, magazine headed by Christophe Petit, sontprobablement the two longest and most detailed written about lasers in French at 20 th century. In 2001, for a livreintitulé mirrors life storyTell American series, I will put Emergencies in the context of other medical dramas of the past and the time Maisen 1996-1997, devote long articles to analytical series téléviséesest work of pure volunteerism. Apart from a handful of fans of longuedate, nobody takes them seriously Telefiction nor in the media, nimême on French television. We can safely say that the succèsimprévisible of Emergency F2 aattiré suddenly media attention on gender. For comparison, X-Files began his carrièredeux years ago on M6. But it was only after the occurrence of ER screens that autresséries - including that of Chris Carter, who is also the official listing article in The New séries1996 -1997 - have acquired a certain reputation among journalists. Emergencies will certainly have a great influencesur the book I am writing this time. A novel jerédige since 1993, intermittently, between two urgent tasks detraduction or editorial support, the evening or late at night as lesarticles devoted to the series.
Arelation / Sachs disease
The main character in my book, a campaign named médecinde Bruno Sachs is one of six players Papers of Marcoeur, big novel PaulOtchakovsky-Laurens refused, after publication of The Vacation . When I began writing what is called The relationship yet, not yet Sachs disease, I just quittermon surgery. And I feel the guilt at the thought of having "abandoned" the patients I have cared for ten years, maisaussi year I started following my father and in memory delui . The chronology of the narrative is "rigged" on meshoraires consultations and my schedule generalist. And its aim is basically very simple: to tell the daily life of French country unmédecin the late 20 th century and show qu'unmédecin is a person like everyone else.
What Lamaladie Sachs should the series is not apparent when I write (if not because I appreciate a lot of characters of TV series to end, by combining writers, friends and musicians who have accompagnépendant his writing). In hindsight, I realize well aware that among its 113courts chapters, some are "one-shot (thumbnail dontles characters will not come back later in the book), others desépisodes" Forward "featuring characters recurring dontl'histoire runs throughout the book. Lamaladie Sachs is not a book as a breathless episode of ER , and many readers m'ontconfié have struggled to "get inside" before reaching lacinquantième page. Some told me "When you read cinqpremiers or four chapters we wonder Maisest is it like that throughout the book? And then regardelle table of contents, we see that the names of some characters there figureplusieurs times and say: Ah , ilsvont return, those. "
I consider myself lucky: leslecteurs who have not tired before the fiftieth page were trèsnombreux. And I want to say how absolutely ignorant cetteconstruction by slow implementation would be received. Thereby laying the lespersonnages One after another, I made a bet - with a certaineinconscience - that readers "march" provided quechaque chapter has an interest in itself, it tells a coherent story (orand substantial fragment of a story longer) and that personnagessoient interesting enough to make people want to read more. J'espéraisaussi the narration assigned patients to maintain the Bruno mystèreautour "their doctor".
Several years later, in rereading it, too, that this j'aicompris slow introduction of the characters in front deslecteurs transposed in some way, the slowness with which j'avaismoi also received patients and gradually learned to know the links lesunissaient to each other, frozen conflicts, love betrayed, auvitriol resentments and family secrets. When I moved, I saw little depatients, and then, gradually, they filled my waiting room nonseulement their bodies but also their stories and their voices. Maisau beginning when they were rare, I've often said, "Maisest does it will always be like that?" And even if I do FSAP have voluntarily, but intuitively, I am pleased that by reading lescinquante first pages of the book, some readers will be asked mêmequestion!
A title for another
The four years I spent writing relationship oùj'accumule are also the ones writing the series - and where I collect also watching deserters. The years 1994-2000 are those of Emergencies, of Friends, of NYPD Blue, Murder One, Homicide and biend'autres. Thanks to cable, I'm full of stories. In early 1997, monroman is finished. I send it to Paul who told me OL after reading: "This is the novel that I expect from you since The Vacation." This program for publication next month From January . One spring day in 1997 at Virgin Champs-Elysees, a surl'ordinateur booksellers, I hit the track with a smile on my book, The Relationship , telling myself that one day the screen the display. And pof! It actually displays a novel Mechanism made. With the name of another author. I head to the range and go out ume, a novel published by Mercure de France by a woman named C. Salty.Il was published last year. Obviously I am very worried. I croyaisque my title was original. I call Paul. He told me that c'estembêtant course, all that POL and Mercury (which belongs to the group Gallimard) have the same broadcaster. The disambiguation may be confusing. Must jetrouve otherwise. I am very annoyed, because I wanted my title to sapolysémie. The word "relationship" refers of course to relationsfamiliales, therapeutic and loving mentioned in the novel, but its mode of narration tell, tell it, and j'aichoisi to tell the doctor by his patients and his entourage ... pointde to give all personneages surnames of writers (Leblanc, Destouches Boulle Deshoulieres ...). In rereading the novel, I came across unpassage in which Bruno Sachs vituperates against doctors who donnentleur name to the disease they described. "How can we be proud dedon his name to a damn?" A light bulb above head dema. I compose a new page, with the name of the author, lenouveau under the symbol POL and I faxed to the publisher. Five minutesplus later the phone rings and I hear Paul's voice tell me "Wow!" The novel is therefore Sachs disease and it will be justice: it is the observation (in the medical sense, which means the document in which a médecindécrit symptoms and signs of examining a patient) sespatients by a doctor, and is the description of his suffering to himself. For once the term is not usurped. What hurts Bruno Sachs is the désespoirde feel powerless, inadequate face of human suffering.
A page in a weekly
While the book goes to print in late 1997, I received a call from Francois Viot, editor of Cable TV Satellite Hebdo a magazinedestiné cable subscribers, still a minority in France at the time. Convinced that the series will become very important in television, he decided to create the first page devoted to the series in a hebdomadairetélé. He suggested the direction of Alain Carrazé which, taken by autresprojets, suggested he call me. Write a page on the series chaquesemaine, further volunteer work almost as critical and I did Art pourHuitième Generation Series for five years, it is obviously a godsend, and I saisisl'occasion without hesitation. Begun in January 1998, my collaboration with HSCT last seven years, until January2005, and will cease only for economic reasons and labor (one autrejournaliste, older than me in the media group, will be resettled in maplace the disappearance of another magazine of the same group).
The year 1998 is therefore doubly important pourmon work as a writer. First, because I publish my second novel. Ensuiteparce I become critical of television series in a newspaper.
In practice, the second event is the first plusimportant: the prospect of becoming a freelance dansun regular magazine is a relief for the freelance translator I am. Except incident, a fraction of my income "falls" each month, I can count on. This is pasnégligeable. PJ works in a local administration (one desservices City Hall) but outside of my shift at the hospital (I auraideux few years later) my own income are more random. However, we expect a third child by counting the top five first marriages and Denos born twins born in 1993, it will then let us know ... eight! And no, it is no accident. I can not remember exactementcomment we came to decide to have another child at our age (I am 42 years old in 1997, PJ 41) and it did not happen on a whim: we went to visit the gynecologist who has seven other world ( Le Mans is a small town) and has since become our friend, luidemander if it was "reasonable" and he assured us that nousdisant pregnancy after forty years, for a healthy woman, Can is not per se "unreasonable." And in retrospect, of course, I tell myself that maybe it was still reckless. Folie.Toujours or is it only in January 1998, a few weeks before the birth of cetenfant, the prospect of putting a little butter in the spinach rassurebeaucoup me.
At the same time, my experience as a translator ETDE science writer started fifteen years earlier Prescribing then What ChoisirSanté bearing fruit. I just signed four contracts for larédaction popular books for medical Reader's Digest French. Suffice to say that this début1998, my horizon is full: I of books to write, a rubriquerégulière to ensure a modest but solid hospital activity, and vieconjugale and family rich with a gaggle of children all full of energy. We're pretty broke, because all our earnings are swallowed up in the lesremboursements home and spending stewardship, and our ex respective seem to spend their time with us "rot lavie" (I quote here the words of PJ by adopting fully), are perfectly happy maisnous and January 1998 we have only seulespoir extremely banal: that the unborn child will be good.
When I receive the first copy of Sachs disease, I have sentimentspartagés. I am happy to have finally written a second novel, but aprèsavoir laminated my copy, I based a sigh and say AMPJ: "Phew ... It's big, it's depressing, nobody is going Lirec. , "PJ answered:" Taratata! It concerns all lemonde. "Despite all the confidence I in it, I think she DITC to please me. And I'm back at work.
Travel in Hollywood
In a sense, the seven years I spent at Cable TV Satellite Hebdo pasdissociables are those who have followed the success of Sachs disease , but I will speak separately because macollaboration earned me the weekly experiences extrêmementgratifiantes not directly related to my work as a novelist.
It is of course difficult to trace trèsprécisément collaboration as long, but compared to my contribution to the journal Prescrire , we can say that cefut day and night. François Viot was not a great leader, c'étaitun editor open, humorous, flexible, curious about everything - etd'abord of the expanding universe of the series. I explained to him very quickly quej'étais a bookworm, not an investigative journalist, and that would not jene many interviews and articles, I preferred to hear me a critical activity - namely: watch series, lesdécrire, comment, indicating their importance, highlighting leursqualités. Since my first meeting with Art and Eighth Generation Series deserters had seen many classical and contemporary, sometimes even almost unprecedented in France (such as Star Trek ) j'enregardais and even more since our arrival in the new house . Gradually, I began to receive tapes sent by chains m'annoncerla dissemination of particular novelty. My page included a "spotlight on" a series that I thought important, a half-dozen devout shorter series on the current (or an episode marking the uned'elles) and echoes reports of new products, cancellations, projects and events.
Soon enough, the page has been read and after a couple of UNAN, my editorial work has expanded to other tasks. J'aifait of occasional interviews with actors visiting Paris (BillyCampbell, who then played in Once andAgain , the beautiful series of Zwick and Herskowitz, Adrian Pasdar, j'aipu that question the significant but transient Profit then, later, David Chase, creator and master of œuvrede Sopranos ). But I surtouteu the chance to, thanks to Alain Carrazé and Télécâble , striking two trips to Hollywood, on the plateau deplusieurs important series. NYPD Blue, then broadcast exclusively on Canal Jimmy, was beginning to talk about elleparmi the "intellectual elites" in Paris. Thus, AlainFinkielkraut had cracked about him, in the pages of World I believe, an article titled (from memory) "The best television series of the world." Alain, who was the advisor to purchase During the age of the cable channel (on which he animaaussi from 1992 to 2001 a fortnightly amazing, Destination Series), had established a press trip on letournage of NYPD Blue . He took unepoignée journalists to meet and interview many of acteursprincipaux - including Dennis Franz, interprets the main character, Andy Sipowicz - and visit some of the producers and the trays. It was my premièreincursion a TV studio and I'm still very impressionné.Dans huge hangar, we had reconstructed, piece by piece, the 15th Precinct commissariatdu. The lobby with reception desks and the staircase (which went nowhere), the first floor landing with another boutde the stairs (from nowhere) and windows overlooking piècesd'en the face; sallede're the detective, whose walls could êtredéplacées order to install the cameras where the decided leréalisateur; the dressing room closets in which Andy, Bobby Simone ouMedavoy held many secret meetings "off the record ...
Dennis Franz, who had become at that time, 50 anspassé one of the most popular stars of American television thanks to His role of cop cursed seeking his redemption, had played in plusieursfilms Brian De Palma. It was a solid actor, and I can testify quec'était - and that's probably always be - a lovely type. Far from seprendre for a star, he showed us a générositéimpressionnante, responding our questions well beyond the time granted by us avaitété production (and even though his PR venaitrégulièrement remind him that he had other obligations), without hiding parson was developed character of Andy's role his life and he jouissaitpleinement success he was worth.
Like all his comrades in the series, moreover, Franz spent five days a week to turn twelve to fifteen hours a day, etconsacrait his weekends to various charities and varied in apparaissantbénévolement shows or events associationsd'aide for Children or the fight against AIDS. All those présentsau time of the interview - which took place on a sunny desstudios Fox - can testify that that day we met nonseulement a very great actor, whose jovial character, humor and contrasted wildly lagénérosité with the character qu'ilinterprétait dark, but also a kind amazing.
During the three days we spent àHollywood I had with Alan and another journalist an opportunity to visit anadditional plateau, which left me quite unforgettable memories. The "set" was located across the aisle on which trouvaitcelui of NYPD Blue . Alain had envied'aller visit and, shamelessly, he went to those who setrouvaient to entry. One of them was actor Adam Arkin (son of AlanArkin, excellent independent film actor we saw in particular jouerle role of the grandfather in Little MissSunshine .) Adam Arkin has spent most of his career in theater and latélévision U.S. for regular or recurring roles in high quality sériesde: NorthernExposure The West Wing, Life, and recently Sons of Anarchy . But this year (early 1998 if I remember correctly), he played one role principauxd'une medical series that began the same day and at the same time that Emergencies. It was Chicago Hope , the second set duscénariste-producer David E. Kelley ( AllyMcBeal, The Practice, Boston Legal ... ).
Arkin came out of the tray. I do not remember Dece Alain told him, or what he said and he could not resterlongtemps with us, however the net I remember that he too was a typecharmant, delighted to see French journalists to come shake his hand etlui say how much they loved what he did. But the more I got forteimpression by entering the set of Chicago Hope . For behind the wooden doors made of any uncontreplaqué, we found ourselves in a corridor hôpitalplus lifelike, silent and deserted (we do not turn this time) but impressive authenticity, since the floor tiles arranged endamier to the operating room. One of the technicians of the series offered Denous around. When I asked him if the hardware and operating lesappareillages who were there were working, he replied that yes, of course, and, opening the drawers of metal furniture, qu'ilscontenaient showed me everything that had to contain a "surgical ; 'true. "All equipment is leased to a company providing spécialiséedans studios" he explained. "It cheaper queda do make ... and it contributes to the authenticity of the show ... "
Critique series
page that m has entrusted François Viot will uneimportance great later in my journey as a writer. For if my j'aiartificiellement separate collaboration HSCT my literary success, lesdeux are intimately related: I started my page a few series that monthbefore Sachs disease remportele Livre Inter and I do know a large readership. However, this publicest also those who, at the time, watching the series without admitting it - because qu'en1998, it "does not say." It was probably difficult to s'ensouvenir, given the pervasiveness of the series today in first night partied on strings and on the covers of magazines - even parfoisen one of the dailies, but in 1998, recognizing that Looking series, cen'est not serious, is to show intellectual laziness is uneinsulte these arts "seriously" that are literature, theater, cinema. It's not even as respectable as read comic dessinéesqui, they, are real Zauteurs (Hergé, mostly ...). In short, for beaucoupde people (many teachers, in particular) is vulgar .
Not everyone, fortunately .
Not everyone, fortunately .
In 1994, Gerard Danou initiative, he mêmemédecin and literary critic, I attended a symposium Cerisy entitled "The suffering body: Medicine and Literature. " I airetrouvé Anne Roche, a professor of comparative literature at Aix-en-Provence, that I have known for some years. Having both worked (without lesavoir) to Dear Notebook, a book dePhilippe Lejeune devoted to the practice of diary, we devenusamis. Anne called me several times to talk to her étudiantslorsqu'elle made them look Lavaca. (1) Anne is not "only" teacher, she estaussi writer, critic, anthologist and watcher of the series. I was sonlecteur before it is mine, years ago, thanks to tasty The cause of geese, a livreréjouissant she co-authored with Genevieve Mouillaud. Obviously his name to Gerard j'aisuggéré Danou for the conference and in return, Anne, who came to estdéjà Cerisy, we suggested several other quality players. In 1994, I heard about the seminars Cerisy la Salle through the "Acts" which are published regularly, and I know it's unhaut intellectual meeting place in all areas of lalittérature, arts and humanities, but I never eul'occasion to go there. Anne explains that the days are spent auxexposés, evening activities for relaxation: defilms screenings, readings, discussions, etc.. Both of us decided to proposerchaque evening, our co-speakers, an introduction to series television in leurprojetant episodes of works that we think are important. There will of course Emergencies and Quantum Leap - which triggered outcries beautiful, too. But this first experience will lead us to co-direct together, eight years later, a new Cerisy sériestélévisées symposium on the first of its kind in France.
When the year 1998 begins, I am, aussiparadoxal as it may seem more engaged in the criticism that television Inthe literary production itself. When Sachs disease arrives in bookstores, I have four books to be written (and two to supervise) Selection for . I was given one or two other important translations, and PJ moiattendons and eighth child. Obviously, my business calendar etfamilial can never be more full than that!
As can be wrong!
(To be continued ...)
(1) What I know and except oblivion earlier oùj'écris this, Anne is still the only university that has dirigéplusieurs French master's theses devoted to one or other of my novels, and he should know that in France, most often, students must lesenseignants find them and accepting their supervision; livreset many authors are rejected without appeal. The choice of subjects should usually seplier tastes and priorities of managers - and their whims. In North America, however (and I have seen in nombreusesuniversités) we joyfully welcome students undertaking dedéfricher land unexplored. We find it rewarding ...
