Publishing, in This Week
As alluded to yesterday, in what has to be the greatest tragedy since that time Lauren Conrad went out with that one boring guy who didn’t pay attention to her and then the next day Whitney was like, “Whaaaaaat?” and Lauren was like, “I know!”….. Lauren Conrad sold a three book YA series, and chose another agent to query first. The tears! Justin Bobby, if you go and sign up a pirate series without me I may spontaneously combust. You’ve been warned.
Meanwhile, agent (and former book publicist) Colleen Lindsay over at Fine Print has been blogging up a storm with a series of fantastic posts on book publicity. She has posted on the different publicity/marketing departments, how to work with your publicist and a publicity timeline, the economics behind galleys, and some additional Q&As. Must read, people. Pop quiz on Monday.
The truly indispensable Cynthia Leitich Smith is celebrating the 10th Anniversary of www.cynthialeitichsmith.com with a 10th Anniversary giveaway! Free stuff! Dogpile!!
In other giveaway news, don’t forget that this is your last day to stop by Anne & May and enter to win a signed copy of their new book THE MIRACLE GIRLS. Also don’t miss the yodeling chihuahua (no seriously).
Booker Prize shortlist! Adding intrigue, earlier in the year John Sutherland had said that if Salman Rushdie’s ENCHANTRESS OF FLORENCE didn’t win “I’ll curry my proof copy and eat it.” ENCHANTRESS didn’t make the shortlist, so I have to say, I’m really forward to the YouTube video where Sutherland eats a book.
In honor of the anniversary of 9/11 this week, one of my very first blog readers, Will Entrekin, re-posted his essay on 9/11, and all sales of his short story collection this week will benefit the United Way.
JK Rowling won the lawsuit to block publication of THE HARRY POTTER LEXICON. Publisher Lunch has a great rundown of what it all means. The ruling was somewhat complex, as the judge ruled that the Lexicon used too much of Rowling’s own material, but he did not rule out the possibility of a derivative work entirely.
And finally, you knew this was coming…….. MONKEYS!!!
Have a great weekend!
Hey, my MONKEYS!!! link didn’t work. I’m feeling strangely… discombobulated.
Sorry Bryan, blogger discombobulated it. Fixed now.
Whew! I need my monkeys.
(I’m working on my short game today.)
Looking forward to Colleen’s blog. Thanks.
With enough curry, I would expect even the driest tome would be edible. Digestible remains an open question.
What would it take for you to eat a book Nathan?
1. When I heard she signed a 3 book deal I thought it was to READ 3 books.
Don’t feel too bad, she did send you a query letter, but since it was written in crayon you rejected it.
2. Nothing like a flack to whack the hacks ahead of the pack.
3. Congrats to the site on hitting 10 years old, which happens to be Lauren Conrad’s reading level.
4. Not only does the chihuahua yodel, it will also sings the greatest hits of N*Sync on request, but no one does.
5. Poor Salman, he also got a fatwa from the Enchantresses of Florence for not winning.
6. Good for him, I don’t do 9/11 jokes.
7. The lawyers also magically turned the author of the lexicon into a broke person.
8. GIBBONS!
Whoa, a mention ahead of Rowling?
I’m not worthy!
Seriously, thanks for that. Also: totally awesome Swivet links concerning marketing/publicity.
I really appreciate the links to swivet. Thank you! I’ve bookmarked that blog now, too.
I’m new to your blog and enjoying it immensely!
–Michelle http://theinnocentflower.blogspot.com/
Publishers Lunch can I believe be obtained without charge and has useful daily information on the industry.
The full use of the site requires payment; the daily e-mail does not.
http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/lunch/
Thanks, M. Clement — I wasn’t sure whether I could see it because I’m a subscriber or because everyone can.
I’ve been absorbing your blogawisdom for a couple of weeks and I think I’ve been skeptical that you’re actually a real person. Seemed a bit too perfect, especially for someone in the literary world. But the whole monkey thing kind of freaked me out in its weirdness and, as a result, I’m feeling much more in tune with you now. You’re weird, which means you can’t be perfect. Good. My world has righted itself. Praise be to monkey weirdness.
Monkeys make the world a happier place. However, it would have been awesome if the monkey was a space monkey. Great blogs from Colleen and loved Will’s.
So, now that she’s an author, does that mean we can’t bash her on your blog?
Love the monkeys.
anon-
You just blew my mind. I suppose that is true.
The world is an interesting place indeed.
Thanks for the mention about book publicity at Colleen’s blog. I wouldn’t have known and it sounds interesting.
Aww Nathan, that’s a bummer for sure. I’ll be sure to ship your care package (straight out of Toronto) full of bourbon, rice, monkey candy sticks, and certificates for 5 bestseller books to be sent your way. Should I ship to your office?
Wow. I write YA, and Lauren Conrad will publish a book in that genre before I do. As much as I adore LC, I just can’t picture her sitting down to write anything.
I’m sorry, Nathan, that you won’t get to be her agent and possible new BFF any time soon. Better luck with the homeboy in the combat boots!
Nathan,
I just want to say–I love you! You’ve made me laugh more times than I can count. I can’t query you since you don’t rep my genre but I love reading you everyday. Your monkey obsession is hysterical, and if I ever start watching “The Hills’ know that it would be because of you.
It could just be my computer, but I think the Book Prize shortlist link doesn’t work.
Have a GREAT weekend!
Uh…make that Booker
Thanks, Michelle. Should be fixed now.
Erik-
I think you have the wrong blog. Were you by chance looking for angermanagementanonymous.blogspot.com? Close, I know.
btw, I meant Erik@2:03 with that, not Erik@11:38, who is very awesome.
Today’s blog was worth it just for the monkey bread receipe!
Too bad none of the groceries store in Houston are open to get ingredients. LOL
Hmmmmm….
That’s ‘recipe’. I blame it on storm fatigue.
Suzan-
Take care this weekend!
Nathan, I just found your blog while looking for info on how to write a synopsis for a literary agent. YOU are hilarious. Anyone who can make the world of agenting/publishing/begging for recognition funny is a man after my own heart. I particularily liked your posting on VH1 Behind the Music, but I have to disagree with you on the best one ever. I’m going to go way out on a thin, brittle limb here, I’m sure. But… my favorite Behind the Music is actually a SNL parody of Behind the Music with Fat Albert and the Gang. Crying real tears with laughter! I am still in the process of trying to locate it on YouTube, but it has got to be almost ten years old (ancient) If I find it, I’ll link it to you because the love of Behind the Music is too serious to ignore.
hey, I linked to monkeys in my blog too, who’d have thought other people were so weird.
I should clarify, it was an older post. But still. And mine were baby girl monkeys. Which my four year old makes me google on images all the time. We’ve also googled yellow teeth to show her what happens if you smoke.
Hey Nathan, your friend’s monkey-worship post was brilliant. Never knew there could be so many monkey interpretations. Made me laugh 🙂
Have a great w/e…
Thanks for the links! Swivet’s most helpful. (Not THE most helpful, of course, that would be you–cut to me bowing and scraping and generally sucking up!) And the MONKEYS! That monkey bread recipe looks fab! Have a great weekend!
As the Mom of a 12 year old in love with “the Hills” and LC, I am ill thinking that her books will be on a birthday or Christmas wish list in the future.
My husband will revolt if I buy them. He can barely endure an episode of TH. He an “Exiled” fan.
All I have to say is LC’s book will sell. The tween set will love it.
Read your blog, read the monkey blog.. Phenomenal! I will have to check out the other notables you posted as well!
I only have one thing to say…. monkeys!
New to your site here…lots of interesting reading. I shall return.
The day monkeys in all of their incarnations stop being unconditionally thrilling to you is the day you stop living. I’m sure I’m borrowing that from someone. Someone crazy.
*points to self, stupidly*
Thanks for yet another cool post, sir.
monkeys! i dont beleive it
Aww, monkeys are epic win in my opinion. And so cute!
Until they throw poop at you. :-
Good Stuff my friend
I came across this today – it’s a contest for a text novel. I don’t think this is spam – am I spamming? Just remember the post a while back on text message novels.
Textnovel.com (www.textnovel.com) is running a contest through December 31, 2008 for the best online serial novel. The prize is $1,000 and there is a possible publishing contract for the winner. This is the first U.S. cell phone novel website – a website that allows authors and readers to write, share and read work online or with their cellphone. The concept has been a huge hit in Japan and China and is based on publishing the novel in serial form (such as a new chapter every few days) with readers subscribing to updates by text message or email. Contest details are at http://www.textnovel.com/contestrules.php. There is no entry fee.
See http://www.textnovelblog.com for the Textnovel blog and more information on this exciting new publishing technology!
Just stopping by to let you know that the Author2Author girls nominated this blog for the I LOVE YOUR BLOG award. Check here: http://author2author.blogspot.com/2008/09/i-love-your-blog-special-saturday.html
Wait… did I miss something?
Did Lauren Conrad write 3 books?
🙂
Glad I randomly found your site!
While my blog is utterly anti-establishment, I’m curious as to what you think is “the next big thing” in literary art. Your thoughts? http://whenuglywasin.blogspot.com/
Hey, don’t do it –
David Foster Wallace, novelist, now suicide – 46 years old – c’mon. I personally can’t understand it – I mean:
“Wallace’s first novel, “The Broom of the System,” gained national attention in 1987 for its ambition and offbeat humor. The New York Times said the 24-year-old author “attempts to give us a portrait, through a combination of Joycean word games, literary parody and zany picaresque adventure, of a contemporary America run amok.”
MacArthur Foundation Grant – tenure in a chair endowed by Roy E. Disney – of the Disney family – I think they call that “easy street.”
I don’t mean to be flip. I’m just in shock. When something like this happens, it throws into sharp relief – calls into question – what does it mean to be a “successful” writer? I mean, don’t use the word “shatter” in a query letter – but this is shattering to the people in his life. What the hell, why not live another day?
Baffled, shocked and astounded,
Wanda B.
Nathan,
Great Blog!
Thanks for all of the information for writers.
Jorge Olson
http://www.JorgeOlson.com
Cool!!! Many thanks! Nice blog!
Visit my blogs!
I’ve tried eating books before. Very chewy with an odd aftertaste. I suppose boiling them in curry spices might make them edible. Or chewable at least.
Thanks! Invaluable info and entertainment for writers…and bored internet teens…I am both.
Mila
Hi Nathan!
First congrats for your blog! About writing, I have something you might be interested in (and also your readers), it’s the first world-wide story and it started few days ago :
http://first-e-story.blogspot.com/
Bye
Your blog…such a great little find!
hello friend,actually i was just perusing my blog when i stumble on the blog note and i decided to click on it.Amazingly,i find your blog interesting and the comment are wonderful.Good to know that you love writing.i will visit your blog frequently and do some reading there as a library heheheh!!!!!!!!.I hope to have comment on my blog page too,since i just created it and i will appreciate if you render me that assistance.hope to read from you on my blog also