The publishing this week.
More big news from Amazon this week as the Kindle is going global. Except, sadly, to Canada. The Kindle’s lack of presence in Canada presents me with a severe challenge, as I don’t know whether to make a joke about “aboat,” hockey, Quebecois separatists, eh?, or Celine Dion. Oh Canada, must you have so many objects of hilarity?
In his ongoing effort to give you all of the information you need to know about everything that is important, Eric at Pimp My Novel has a great post on all you need to know about comp titles. Also co-op.
The FTC made headlines for the first time in…. basically ever, as they announced a crackdown on the great scourge sweeping the nation: blogs blogging about stuff they got for free. This has opened up a can of worms so big it could swallow Idaho, and Ron Hogan in particular has written a great series of posts about what it means and what the ruling leaves unanswered. Since this doesn’t affect journalists and talking heads on TV, who will still be free to say whatever they want no matter who is giving them free stuff, one has to wonder why the FTC decided to single out bloggers.
Also, in the wake of the ruling, Mark Cuban wants to know if he can still blog about omelets.
@PublishersLunch passed along news that Egmont UK will soon be publishing e-books for the Nintendo DS. Very very cool!
The blockbuster that is the Google Book Deal has announced a new target date of November 9th.
Meanwhile, this week’s End of Publishing As We Know It article is brought to you by the New York Times, which reports that very-good-but-not-extraordinary sales of some recent big books have the industry wringing hands. Agent Miriam Goderich is not impressed.
Meanwhile, The Rejectionist has a guest blogger with some words on the industry that have most definitely not been minced. Said poster worries about what e-books will do to the business, does not care too much for a certain fake memoirist, and perhaps most importantly, wonders why the industry is busy overpaying a handful of authors instead of building a sustainable business.
And finally, in important agent advice news, Kristin Nelson reminds us that even when they end up looking really smart, agents are not seers.
Have a great weekend!
Mireyah Wolfe says
Geez, we're mean to Canada. *sad face*
Nathan Bransford says
mireyah-
I kid because I love.
MeganRebekah says
Yet another reason I can share with my brother-in-law as to why the US is more awesome than Canada.
They might have Tim Horton's but we have the Kindle
Jean Oram says
Hey, we want the Kindle up here! It's a good thing. Think of how many more readers can get their hands on the electronic versions of your client's work if we get Kindles. 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving to you other Canadians!
Jean
P.S. I've got a funny post for you (When agent rejections feel like break ups): https://jeanoram.com/blog/2009/10/08/when-break-ups-are-like-literary-agent-rejections/
T. Anne says
The FTC needed to shake things up somewhere I suppose, however this blogger who reviews books is not rattled. I don't mine putting a disclaimer on the bottom of the post (in barely there font) that the book was given to me for my assessment. Fair enough?
The Anonymous Internet Coward says
America = Canada's Beard
Heidi the Hick says
Oh, up here we just keep coming up with more funny. We can't help it. We're all aboot funny.
But seriously.
I was in a Chapters store two days ago, a Wednesday afternoon, and although it wasn't full – I wouldn't expect it to be – it looked at least healthy. People were buying books.
(Didn't see any kindles though…)
I can't help but read articles about Big Publishing Woes and not feel too bad. The numbers look good to me. I mean, I'd be happy with that. Haven't sales numbers in most industries gone down? I'm just happy there are new books coming out, and by new authors.
But hey, it's Thanksgiving this weekend so I'm in a gratitude kind of mood today.
Nathan Bransford says
t. anne-
I think the idea is fine in principle, I just don't understand why they wouldn't also apply it to journalists.
The Anonymous Internet Coward says
Argh. Accidentally published early while trying to log in…
I'm not surprised we were left out. Amazon's
Whispernet relies on a telcom relationship to make it work, and Canada has to be a forerunner for having the worst telcom market control in the world.
"The average Canadian cellphone user is paying among the highest bills in the developed world, according to a new international study."
Src: CBC
Scott says
The Rejectionist article was funny, as were the comments:
Also, dear publishing industry, why must you live in the most expensive city in North America? Is Random House still on Park Ave with all those lovely investment banks? Could some money not be saved on rent if you all agreed to resituate operations on the mainland — or even takeover a small midwestern town and there make your glorious paradise?
Heh, not a bad question, really.
marilynpeake says
Thanks for the links. Have a great weekend!
Patrice says
Hey Nathan,
I read your interview over at GLA (posted yesterday) and I must thank you for your gift of "productive procrastination." Now that I have a happy term for it, it doesn't sound so much like I'm just avoiding the submission process.
Tchann says
Regarding the 'talking heads' on television and radio, there is a law already on the books (and has been since 1934) requiring stations to inform viewers/listeners that what they're listening to is paid for.
When I worked in radio a few years back, I was required to sign a contract indicating I understood the law and would abide by it, as well.
The following link has a good explanation of the law and how it's applied: https://www.enewsbuilder.net/texasbroadcasters/e_article000702850.cfm?x=b11,0,w
Nathan Bransford says
Thanks, Tchann. I think it's a rule that is very selectively enforced, however, if ever.
Ink says
Hey, that's why all the funniest American comedians are Canadian.
Even Malcolm Gladwell said so. I heard him. So it must be true.
And we may not have the Kindle but we have these other really cool things. They're called books. Made of paper, believe it or not. I have a whole bunch of them and they smell nice. Well, except for that one old box of erotica that someone dropped off at the store.
The Anonymous Internet Coward says
Yeah, but some of those books are really heavy and difficult to carry around.
Ink says
Exercise is healthy!
JEM says
Hi Ink:
We have these things called trees. They're big and tall and help up breathe and cry when books get pulped.
Ink says
Hee hee… and all those millions of acres of tree farms will be flattened to make parking lots once paper books go the way of the dodo…
Ah! I love the smell of asphalt in the morning!
(Okay, I sort of cribbed that from Apocalypse Now)
Mira says
Oh great. Eric linked last week's Friday thread. I didn't know that.
Sheesh. Don't people understand that the things I post here are private? I really would appreciate it people would stop reading my posts.
Thanks in advance.
Well, that aside, I did post an apology for getting so personal at the tag end of last week's thread, and I'm still sorry, not for the principle of what I was saying, but for how I handled it. So, there it is.
And it's a new week, with lots of new white space for me to type things in that I will undoubtedly need to apologize for next week. I can hardly wait.
On to the topic, these are very cool links, Nathan. I'm looking forward to reading them. Thanks for all the fun weekend reading.
The Anonymous Internet Coward says
eWaste has some fairly severe ecological repercussions.
Karla says
Seriously, eh, we do not say "aboat".
Keith Schroeder says
If the naysayers are right about Kindle and book sales, Canada is the only place on the planet real paper novels will be sold.
Ink says
I personally say "ow" every time I say "about". Despite the lies promulgated in Canadian Bacon! That was the worst documentary ever.
On a serious note, plastic production and disposal is a serious ecological problem too. (Though, for what it's worth, I think it's quite possible that Kindles are ecologically superior in the end tally. But the whole damned if you do and damned if you don't is sort of sad)
Patrice says
Nathan,
Could you check your link for all you need to know about comp titles? It's taking me to the Kindle is going global.
Thanks.
Patrice says
Nevermind. I opened a new window and I linked fine. Have a great weekend!
JEM says
eWaste is why I still have my original Game Boy. Although if the world went crazy Day After Tomorrow style, I guess I couldn't burn my ebook reader to keep warm. So mass market paperbacks, here I come!
Karla says
Kindle, schmindle. I love my Sony.
Ink, I just asked the three other Canadians present to say about. Definitely boat free. 😉
JEM says
Karla –
I'm looking at ereaders for Christmas, would you recommend the Sony?
Ink says
I'm boat free and boot free… it's all about the ow.
Actually, as it happens, whenever I've travelled out of the country people have always, and invariably, mistaken my Southern Ontario accent for Californian. Though whether my accent was a Sacramento Kings fan I don't know.
Enid Wilson says
I wonder if your government can policy the regulation though, how can they verify bloggers who get stuff for free?
Bargain with the Devil
Jan Markley says
Stick to making fun of what's really Canadian eh, maple syrup and the Sasquatch! I nominated the Sasquatch as the superhero for writers.
Check out my funny blog post at:
https://janmarkley.blogspot.com/2009/10/sasquatch-superhero-for-writers_08.html
Cheers, Jan
Marilyn Peake says
Mira,
I’d say you have a distinctive voice. I keep meaning to mention this – Did you know that Rachelle Gardner wrote an entire blog about a statement you had made on Nathan’s blog? Check out her blog for September 29, 2009>. You’ll love it!
T. Anne says
Nathan, I understood it to mean journalist were already being paid by the newspaper and hence the reader would understand they were receiving some compensation for their musings. That, and it might have been pick on bloggers week.
Marilyn Peake says
Mira,
Oooops, let me try that again. It wasn’t for September 29. It was Rachelle Gardner’s blog for September 28, 2009. Enjoy!
Karla says
JEM –
I've had my Sony 505 for about four months. Yes, I do love it, and I would recommend it. All of the features are good except for the price (eek!) and the odd pdf file that comes up kind of screwy, but I still give it two thumbs up.
And, I have bought WAY more books since going digital. I love being able to buy a new book at 2 a.m.
Phyllis says
A can of worms that can swallow Idaho?
Is it Canadian?
Terry says
You can't forget Poutine, Jan. Do you know it's made it's way down to New England? Great stuff.
The Dystel post was good and the idea of Hollywood thinking.
I don't understand why journalists were left out of the FTC ruling either. Weird.
annerallen says
Great recap of the week's publishing news as usual, Nathan. Over at my blog, https://annerallen.blogspot.com,
the I Heart Nathan Bransford Club is trying to decide what to call blog followers. Jan Markley also mentioned in her funny blogpost that "followers" sounds way to Evita-ish. What about calling your blog peeps "Bleeps"?
Raethe says
So, I'm Canadian, and I'm confused. What's the "aboat" thing? Is this another version of the "aboot" myth?
Tish Cohen says
I'm Canadian and am *about* to blow this about thing WIDE open. My father tells me we can attribute the tightness of the way we say house, about, and out on the French. Which makes us sophisticated rather than backwoods, no? (It's what I tell myself.)
As for Celine Dion, again, we're sorry.
D. G. Hudson says
Nathan, it's not nice to diss your neighbors across the border.
There are some very nice benefits to being north of the 49th parallel, but that's our secret.
Next time, think about Neil Young, Wayne Gretzsky, Diana Krall, & Dr. David Suzuki. Quite a different set if you pick the best, not the most humourous.
I mean – c'mon.
Other Lisa says
Hey, Canada, you may not have the Kindle, but you have universal healthcare…
Ink says
Other Lisa,
And boy do I like it… I get to keep my house! Super duper.
Ink says
Tish,
The Dion apology cracked me up.
Anonymous says
Where is the Hills recap and how the evil Kristin has glommed onto Justin Bobby?
Smooth talker Spencer rented a house without his wife's knowledge and kicked a 4 yr. old neighbor cutie out on his keds and basically said "see you never!"
You've got to love that show because you just can't make this stuff up.
Or can you …
Holly Bodger says
We can't afford the Kindle up here in Canada. We're spending all our money buying up US real estate…
And we gave Celine to you years ago, so there! 🙂
GhostFolk.com says
Anonymous Internet Coward said… America = Canada's Beard.
Hey, you're the home of the beaver.
One of the reasons, btw, I love Canada.
GhostFolk.com says
annerallen said…
I Heart Nathan Bransford Club is trying to decide what to call blog followers.
How abowt: Brans Flakes ?
Nathan Yells ?
Mira says
Marilyn, that was really cool of you to link that. Thanks. But then, you're very cool in general. 🙂
I did see that post – I felt flattered (and relieved) that Rachelle thought it was funny. But then, Rachelle is also a very cool person. I admired what she said in that post alot. 🙂
I'm not giving up my advocate's voice. Not at all. I just want to advocate in a way that isn't hurtful and targeting. I feel very sorry about that part of it.