A friend of mine asked if I knew of any other TV writer/producers who wrote tie-ins based on series they’ve worked on (as I do with DIAGNOSIS MURDER and MONK). I know of one: Ian Kennedy Martin, who wrote original novels based on the terrific UK cop show THE SWEENEY, a series he also created. I think Joe Straczynski may have written some original BABYLON 5 novels (based on the series he created). And, if I recall, one of the STAR TREK VOYAGER producers wrote a novelization of one of her episodes, but I don’t think she wrote an original tie-in. I can’t think of any others… can you?
Chris Boucher (and various other Dr Who production-related people) have written Dr Who tie-in novels: Chris, for example, wrote “Corpse Marker” which led directly from the aired episode “Robots of Death.”
J Michael never wrote any of his own tie-in novels. He provided outlines for three trilogies that wrapped up major storylines left over from the series.
However, Peter David, who wrote a couple of episodes of Bab 5, also wrote one of the trilogies.
One of the creators of Red Dwarf wrote at least one novel tie-in to the series.
Several of the Buffy writers have written comic book tie-ins to Buffy the Vampire slayer, including Joss Whedon himself.
Jane Epsenson (also a Buffy writer) has written a few shorter works for the tie-in short story collections Tales of the Slayers.
Neverwhere, the TV series written by Neil Gaiman, was also novelised by Gaiman.
In the movie world, Charles Edward Pogue wrote the (much better) novel of the screenplay (which is also wrote) for Dragonheart.
D.C. Fontana, who wrote for Star Trek, also wrote a few tie-in novels for the show.
Jeri Taylor of VOYAGER wrote at least two original novels based on the show. Some of it was incorporated into Capt. Janeway’s backstory, at least during her tenure, which is highly unusual for a tie-in to an existing series. Normally, the novels are ignored while a show is in production.
That may not be the case with MONK. They’re already talking about using my first tie-in as the basis for another episode that Bill & I would write.
Breen Frazier, who (co-)wrote four episodes of Alias, also wrote one of the prequel novels.
I actually read one of the Alias novels. It was everything tie-ins are reputed to be. Dreadful stuff.
The Alias tie-ins are targeted at jr. high girls. Or at least the first twelve were. I found out when I gave one of them four stars in stead of five. (I review them on what they are.)
4 out of 5? What on Earth does that scale measure?
Five means they’re you’re friends and family David. Or fellow Publishamerica authors.
@David: Thanks for the warning, I never actually dared to read one of those books, I only know of their existence…
I’m generous with my stars. I review at Amazon. Mock me all you want, but I enjoy it.
If a book entertains me and I enjoy it, I tend to give it four or five stars. I had a feeling I wasn’t the target audience, so I was a little more generous then I normally would have been.
Beside, anything I could read in a couple hours couldn’t be all bad.
Aw, come on, Mark, I wasn’t mocking you. But if you give an Alias novel 4 stars, you should expect a little gentle ribbing.
I don’t expect great art.
And, as I said, I know I’m generous. Now make the same mistakes continually in your novels, and see how ungenerous I can be.