It’s always great to be back in the city that supposedly never sleeps, although by the end of every day I’m so exhausted I never seem to have any problem falling asleep. It’s kind of amazing to visit the city in regular intervals and see what changes and what stays the same.
New: tall shiny buildings that weren’t there before!
Old: Katz’s, now under the shadow of a tall shiny building!
So far on this trip it’s also been interesting to meet with editors on both the children’s and adult side. On the adult side: people are feeling a little beaten down, they’re not going to lie. But on the children’s side they’re riding high and feeling like they made it through the worst of the recession in really good shape. Maybe more importantly, they feel like the lower price points and more varied product on the children’s side is a more sustainable model for the future.
It’s also fun to play the “[blank] is the new vampire” game, although several people I’ve talked to feel like vampire is still the new vampire.
Wordy Birdie says
In the last month I've heard that blank = zombies, steampunk, angels, strong MG contemporary girls, apocalypse, and yes, vampires.
I'm going back to my strong MG gal, in the hopes that when she shortly finishes cooking there'll be a place for her at the table.
SFixe says
Hi Nathan, can you let us in on some of the suggestions that were mentioned in your 'blank' is the new vampire game?
Curious to know what people in the industry think is the next big wave in novels.
Kristi Faith says
GRRR on vampires. (Sorry-not that you don't write well, it's just not my thing.) GRRRR on apocalypse. Glad to hear children's books are doing well. That's encouraging.
Wordy Birdie says
By the way, one of my clients just got a REALLY big deal for her first book: a vampire novel (+ books 2 & 3), after a little bidding war.
Jo says
I recently blogged about writing a manuscript and then finding out that it fit into a sub-genre (in this case YA Dystopia) that was either already way over or the next big thing. It's hard enough to write without having to worry if you're ahead of the game or hopelessly behind the times!
So, I'm assuming you're in NYC wearing your 'writer hat' rather than your 'super agent tights'? Must be fun!
Anonymous says
In these times we need all the blood-sucking, hanging-onto-life mythic heroes we can muster!
"Rage, rage against the dying of the light." -Dylan Thomas
Whitney says
I knew the industry wasn't hurting as much as everyone keeps dreading. Especially when my boss opened a new store two months ago and is going to Hawaii for a week (when she opened her first bookstore two years ago).
Hm. Glad my Apocalypse book is at the halfway mark. Not so happy it's adult.
P. Grier says
One of the rules in my class is… "No one dies." Tongue in cheek though it might be, I really do get tired of all the vampire and zombie stories that the kids want to write. (Of course, those creatures are allowed, because no one dies, they are all undead. The rule came about from so many kids wanting to write about people being blown to bits with parts scattered about.)
On the other hand, another of my rules in the class is, "Go beyond the obvious." So when I get vampire stories, they have to have some unusual twist to them that can only come from the mind of a middle schooler.
Here is to the notion that "good writing" is the new vampire.
Reesha says
Just as long as they don't start making vampire children's books. Just please…..don't go there.
Reesha says
P. Grier, I love that comment! Good writing is the new vampire.
Ok, I'm totally going to work into my conversations "That's the new vampire." as much as I can today. You're right, Nathan. This is a fun game.
T. Anne says
Have fun in the big apple.
Ink says
Well, you know, vampires are eternal. Garlic anyone?
And on the recession front, my local library says membership is on a huge upswing even as friendly local bookstores are closing. I wonder how much that will reverse if the economy picks up?
Robin Miura says
At the risk of irritating some colleagues, I'll go out on a limb and say that those of us who work with the adult side will not begin to feel better until we begin to embrace the coming lower price points and more varied product (both in format and content).
Love your comment, P. Grier. Here's hoping that good writing is indeed the new vampire.
Robin Miura says
argh… I used "begin to" twice in the same sentence. See, even editors need editors.
CKHB says
Mmmm, Katz's…
Anita Saxena says
Have fun in NYC!
Ash. Elizabeth says
Have fun in NYC and don't call the cops on yourself. (if you look at my new blog post you can hear an audio of a woman calling 911 to report that she was drunk driving. its pretty funny)
Bane of Anubis says
Pumpkins are the new vampires… believe you me.
Margaret Yang says
"Good writing is the new vampire." P. Grier wins the interwebs for the day!
Annette Lyon says
From what I see, anything post-apocalyptic is the new vampires, whether it's zombies or Pretties or The Maze Runner or whatever.
I just wish that whatever *I* write would be the new vampires. π
onefinemess says
I'm going to go with were-cephalopod is the new vampire.
Just because I hope to get that book published some day :p.
Amber says
Cheers, Annette! I agree with your nomination. I wonder what Nathan thinks? Probably that Jacob Wonderbar will be the new vampire. *winkwink*
Have a blast in NYC! I only live a few hours from the place, and a pox on me, I've still never been. It's on my to-do list. π Don't work so hard you forget to enjoy the magic of the Big Apple. π
AM says
Nathan,
Does this trend indicate that more children are reading? If so, wouldn't that be good news for adult book sales in the end?
Is there any consensus among the people-in-the-know regarding what the long-term trends might be?
I hope you have a great trip.
J.J. Bennett says
I have a teen who loves vampires but she's ready for something new. The students at my Middle School want and need adventures of all kinds. We just need to give them more…(Hopefully mine will be the "it" thing… but I'd take something new any day)
~Jamie says
Nathan! How dare you tell us you played Blank is the new Vampire with publishing types and didn't tell us how they filled in the blank! π
elancross says
Thank you, Robin Miura, for saying, "See, even editors need editors."
This helps to break down my image of all-knowing Editor sitting on High Throne laughing at poor pea-brained Writer, and Writer's sub-par manuscript. Thank you.
J.J. Bennett says
~Jamie
I love it! At the workshop the buzz was mermaids… It might have changed from then however. Who knows?
JenniferWalkup says
Yay for children's books doing well! And yum on Katz's.:)
Matilda McCloud says
onefinemess–
I hope cephalopods become the new vampire. Actually one cephalopod species–the vampire squid–is more much interesting than those tedious blood-sucking undeads…
Rick Daley says
Ink…I'll take a few cloves of garlic, roasted if available.
Great news that Children's publishing is performing well, that's the pool I'm sticking my toe in right now.
Nathan, grab a slice of pizza for me.
WORD VERIFICATION: burlaxdo. A tuxedo made of burlap.
Rhonda says
Is anyone mentioning physicists as the next vampires? That would be my vote. I see characters like Daniel Faraday from Lost being the next cool weirdos. (Which is basically what vampires are right? Cool weirdos?)
J.J. Bennett says
Rick Daley,
That can't be comfortable in anyway…
Anonymous says
Vampires, schmapires.
What I want to know is what is the next South Asian literary fiction?
Vacuum Queen says
Well, if my personal purchases are any indication of the market…I haven't stopped buying books for my kids, and yet I have checked out more from the library for myself lately.
I've been buying from indies, big bad chains, and book orders as well for the kids. For myself, the occasional indie purchase, more likely a Target purchase or Costco, and then mainly the library. Just seems like we put the kids in front of us.
Even for Christmas, my husband and I agreed to skip our gifts and just buy for the kids. So it works for purchases in general as well.
Makes me want to keep on keeping on with my MG WIP.
Steve Fuller says
I'm writing a book about a vampire who bites a zombie.
Zompires are the future.
abc says
Rhonda, I vote for Physicists, too. Love Daniel Faraday!
Robin Miura says
No problem, Elan. Glad to be of assistance. π
Kate says
Very cool article in Texas Monthly (yes, Texas Monthly) on 'The Zombification of Cormac McCarthy'…
Anonymous says
New York City is one of my favorite places in the entire world. I absolutely love it!! If you're near Broadway, this is a really fun place to eat: Ellen's Stardust Diner. The wait staff sing and dance, even jump up and dance on the narrow dividers between tables, and they are extremely talented! Many waiters who worked there in the past have gone on to make it in Hollywood and on Broadway, and the diner has lots of posters of their shows hanging on the walls. Itβs a real treat eating there β a very happy, energetic, upbeat atmosphere. Have fun in New York City!
Marilyn Peake says
New York City is one of my favorite places in the entire world. I absolutely love it!! If you're near Broadway, this is a really fun place to eat: Ellen's Stardust Diner. The wait staff sing and dance, even jump up and dance on the narrow dividers between tables, and they are extremely talented! Many waiters who worked there in the past have gone on to make it in Hollywood and on Broadway, and the diner has lots of posters of their shows hanging on the walls. Itβs a real treat eating there β a very happy, energetic, upbeat atmosphere. Have fun in New York City!
Marilyn Peake says
I guess I'm rushing too much to post correctly. π First, I somehow posted as "Anonymous", even though I typed in my name and website link. Then I managed to enter my name and website link OK, but forgot to make Ellen's Stardust Diner a hyperlink. Oh well, I'm on my way out to vote and see WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE for the second time. Have fun in New York City!
Linda Godfrey says
As far as monster cephalopods go, Cthulhu has never been cooler. You can even buy plush Cthulhus in little Hawaiian shirts.
I think vampires, like pizza delivery guys, will always be with us. It's the next rip-snorting good story that will begin the next trend. I'm partial to werewolves, myself.
Susan Quinn says
Hooray for optimism in the children's market! Children being the original optimists, it only seems fitting. And the fact that parents value books for their children, even in a recession – heartwarming.
My prediction: Until someone comes up with a creature that is both devastatingly sexy and deadly dangerous, vampires will be the IT creature for a long time to come.
Although I would vote for physicists. Big Bang Theory, anyone? Their brains are sexy but they're only a danger to themselves.
π
ryan field says
Hope you got tickets to at least one Yankees WS game. It's gonna be fun.
Thermocline says
"More varied product on the children's side" gives me hope.
Contemporary MG stories may not be the next vampire, but maybe I'll find an agent who is looking to rep a little black leech.
Lisa Schroeder says
With the hot new series Vampire Diaries and the Twilight movies going strong for the next 3-5 years, no way are vampires going to just lie down and die. π
Genella deGrey says
I miss Manhattan! It has been about 5 years since I've visited. This California girl thinks Katz makes the BEST Knish – however, I like catsup on mine.
π
G.
Becca says
It's weird that people are talking about what the new vampire will be as though vampires are something new. People have been writing about vampires for years and will be writing about them for years to come. Maybe the new vampire will be young women from the 1700's and Jane Austen will be all the rage. Really, there's no way for us to know.
Scott says
Nathan, you should check out The Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Harlem. I find it very inspirational, and have no spiritual interest in any kind of organized religion whatsoever. Just a thought. Has to be more exciting than discussing the dulling of adult fiction.
Heh, adullt fiction.
Malanie Wolfe says
Does this mean more adults are reading YA and Children books? I think every one of my friends have read Twilight and Harry Potter but none of them have read The Lost Symbol. Maybe we want more fantasy?