I recently sent the following email to Jeffrey Archer, the best-selling English author and former politician whose political career ended with his conviction and subsequent imprisonment (2001–03) for perjury and perverting the course of justice.
Dear Jeffrey Archer,
I have just spent a most enjoyable few moments browsing your website – the aptly named http://www.jeffreyarcher.co.uk
I had no idea that you had written such a large quantity of books (twenty four by my count), including both fiction and non-fiction. I congratulate you on your prolific output!
I am actually in the process of writing a novel myself and I would be extremely grateful if you were able to give me some feedback.
Here is a brief synopsis of what I have come up with so far:
John Davidson runs a successful landscape gardening business. Unfortunately he is killed by an irresponsible drunk driver. In his will, he leaves the landscape gardening business to his daughter, Jane. To his son, David, he leaves a mysterious sealed envelope. When David opens the envelope, things are never the same again…
I haven’t yet worked out what is in the envelope, or what happens to David as a result of opening it, but I intend to make it quite dramatic. Do you think the novel has potential?
Yours sincerely,
Daniel Drummond Harvey
I received the following reply:
Many thanks for your email.
Jeffrey appreciates you taking the time to write. I’m afraid it’s difficult for him to give you any feedback on your idea, as whatever is in the envelope is the crux of the tale. Nevertheless, he wishes you the best of luck with your story.
Kind regards,
Alison Prince
Personal Assistant to Jeffrey Archer
I replied as follows:
Dear Alison Prince and Jeffrey Archer,
Many thanks for your email and your helpful feedback regarding the contents of the envelope being the crux of the tale.
Based on your feedback, I have elaborated my idea and include a summary below. Please could you let me know what you think?
John Davidson runs a successful landscape gardening business. Unfortunately he is killed by an irresponsible drunk driver. In his will, he leaves the landscape gardening business to his daughter, Jane. To his son, David, he leaves a mysterious sealed envelope. When David opens the envelope, he finds a cheque for £10,000. This amount is based on a recent valuation of the landscape gardening business, as John Davidson was keen to ensure that his children benefited equally from his will.
Under Jane’s directorship the landscape gardening business flourishes, and by the end of the following financial year its value has reached £18,000. David knows that no standard investment vehicle will give him an equivalent return of 80% on his £10,000, so he places his £10,000 on a horse, “Legs Eleven” running in the 3.30 at Chepstow, at odds of 5 to 4 on. Will David’s horse come in, to bring his inheritance in line with that of his sister? Or will he lose everything and be forced to spend the rest of his life working as one of Jane’s “hired hands”?
Relationships are tested to the limit in this extraordinary tale of sibling rivalry.
Yours sincerely,
Daniel Drummond Harvey
I have received no further response from Jeffrey Archer or Alison Prince. This makes me rather suspicious. I shall be keeping a close eye on the future novels of Jeffrey Archer – and, indeed, of Alison Prince – to ensure they haven’t “borrowed” my idea.
Daniel Drummond Harvey 