Decision Point #1 - Time to market

So the past few days have seen a pretty heated debate over self-publishing verses traditional publishing. I want to try and offer some perspective to this that I started in my last post.

NEITHER DECISION IS RIGHT OR WRONG IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU WANT!

It appears that there are two camps pretty deeply entrenched with a fair amount of mud slinging on either side. But what it comes down to is either path is a viable alternative you just have to decide which is best for you. I'm going to take a "aspect" a day and comment on things to consider. Today's topic is time to market.

Traditional publishing is slow...really slow...really really really slow. If you don't have patience and a lot of it then you'll just frustrate yourself by going this route. Some things to consider.

If you go traditional you really need an agent - trying to break into this without one makes little to no sense - finding an agent can take months or years. It took me over 6 months to get Michael's first agent and ultimately that relationship resulted in nothing. It is not unusual to have to go through literally hundreds of rejections before getting one. J. A. Konrath reports he had 500 rejections, Michael had 102. Your mileage may vary, but speaking in general terms this is going to be a long process with many many queries.

Once you find an agent, they may suggest a number of re-writes to your project to make it more marketable. Whether you do these or not is of course up to you but if you have a very reputable agent (which why would you sign with anyone but) then they know the industry better than you do. They don't get paid unless you do so if they are offering suggestions it is probably in your best interest to listen.

Now you have the book re-written, its time for submission. This can be a very long process. Again Michael's first agent "shopped it around" for 8 months and got no where. Now, on the other hand Michael's second agent got a deal in 2 weeks...but this was a MUCH different situation that most of those choosing this route won't be in. Michael had already built a following by self-publishing and his sales were going through the roof. His agent basically set the parameters as in - respond with interest in xx days or I'm moving on. This is a common practice but they can't really "play that card" with someone new with no track record so you'll probably be in the submit...wait...submit....wait process that can easily take another year.

Now you get the offer - yeah! But the book is realistically 12 - 18 months from bookstore shelves. Seriously? Yes seriously. The issue is that publishers plan out their release schedules and the day you sign they already have the next several quarters "scheduled" and there is no room for your book. "Okay you say, they'll put me in the next open spot." Well probably not. There is much that has to be considered.

a) They will want to edit - this may mean a few simple grammar fixes or restructuring of the book - Again this doesn't happen overnight - it may take months. But until they have a manuscript that is "ready" it's not going on any schedule.

b) They need to get ARC copies to reviewers. Book List, Publisher's Weekly, Library Journal all want advanced reading copies 4 - 5 months before publication date so there is a delay of at least that amount of time.

c) There are many departments that must get involved: Marketing, Cover Design, Sales. The good news is you now have a "team" working for you. The bad news is this team does not work "exclusively for you". As a new author you may not have the most "mind share" of these departments and so it may take quite some time for them to do what they have to.

So...All told it probably will take years from the time you say "yes I want to go traditional" before your book gets on the shelf.

Self-publishing on the other hand has a very short time frame. It's not zero as some might think but it is smaller. Some things you'll want to do if you self-publish.

1 - Even though you think your book is "fully edited" - think again. People are VERY unforgiving on ANY errors in a self-pub book. There are typos in traditional press books all the time but people just shrug and go - oops someone made a mistake. When one is found in a self-pub book there are those that are willing to shout at the top of their lungs "See, this is self-published trash - no editing - I'm applaud". Bottom line if you are self-publishing edit, edit, edit again and then once you think you are done edit it more. Ideally, you'll have someone other than you doing this. It can be a fellow writer friend, a freelancer you hire, even a loved one. But you need to take at least 5 - 10 passes over the work...edit it to the point where you can't stand to look at it again and then you'll be ready. I would anticipate 3 - 6 months for this.

2 - Cover design - should not be overlooked. It is probably one of the most important aspects to self published books. Your trick is to make your book "not" look self-published. A cover that stands up against the best of what NY puts out. Some that I recommend as examples:

Anything by Michael ;-) (Crown Conspiracy, Avempartha, Nyphron Rising, Emerald Storm, Wintertide, Quarter Share, Half Share, and many more.

Dance of Cloaks by David Dalglish - it follows a trend similar to other books in this genre and to be honest when I first saw it I didn't think it was self-published - this is exactly what you want to strive for.

Fifth Avenue by Christopher Smith - simple but striking - notice in particular the use of color (red) and the bold font of the title. - Very well done.

Disintegration by Scott Nicholson - again, can't tell from a NY published house

Kill & Cure by Stephen Davison - really invokes the mood of the story he is trying to tell

Favortite by Karen McQuestion - striking.

Each of these books are, not surprising, selling extremely well. And in particular - please notice the use of "title font" - which to be honest sounds like a "silly thing" but to me the typography of the cover is the first thing that tells me "self published" - I don't want to out anyone but look at some of the best seller's lists and if you see some "amateur" type placement/treatment - you'll know it is a self-published novel - your goal is to ensure that you don't come off this way so you'll have to spend time on this (either yourself or by hiring someone) - again allow for about a month - but can be done in parallel with editing if you are using other resources.

I'll also include in the "cover design" writing of the back of the book blurb - you might think - "Hey Robin, this won't be on the bookstore shelf so what do I care about the back of the book" - well it is going to be seen over and over as your description so you better hone it - probably more important than anything else in your book - except the first sentence/paragraph - Again don't just "throw something together" write it -- sleep on it rewrite it try other versions, post on boards and ask for opinions. From the day you "start" your blurb until the day you are done should be about 3 weeks - All told you should easily put 10 - 30 hours into the task.

Formatting and layout - this is the fastest - I can do a kindle conversion from word in 1 - 3 hours. Michael can layout a book in about 4 hours.

Posting - Kindle posts take a few days to go live. Print books will require some proofing. About 2 days after posting you can "order your proof" it will take 2 - 5 days to reach you depending on if you pay for rush shipping. Then you may need to "tweek it" once you see the proof. So another few days there. Then once you push "go live" it can take 2 - 5 days to actually show up on Amazon.

So all told self-publishing should be about a 3 - 6 month process to get it on the shelf.

Can you do it faster - sure...do I recommend it...no. If you self-publish you have to be like Hertz and "try harder" you have to give no ammunition for people to point and say - inferior quality the standards have to be at the same high level as that produced by New York.

So, in conclusion...be aware that if you chose traditional you'll have to be patient, if you get "antsy" and pester people (your agent, your editor, the marketing staff) you'll accomplish nothing but piss them off and resulting in not wanting to work hard for you. If you can't live with that...then self publishing will be more full filling to you in the long run.

Next up....Control - see ya tomorrow.

The debate has shifted...but still rages on

I've been involved in "indie publishing" now for about 3 years. By indie I mean bringing books to the market without the backing of the traditional industry leaders that rely heavily on a system based on retail store sales.

When I started publishing I always heard, "If you aren't published through a traditional publisher it must be because your books are no good."

What I see now is, "If you are published through a traditional publisher you're a fool because they treat author's poorly, give them only crumbs, and steal as much of the money as possible."

I love J.A. Konrath's blog, A newbie's guide to publishing if you are not reading it - bookmark it now. There was a little "debate" spurred there recently about whether you should self-publish or not based on a contrary opinion posted here by Jude Harden.

As someone with one foot in each door, Michael's about to be picked up by one of the big-six after years of indie published, I want to present a case for both sides. It really is not a matter of right or wrong its a matter of what your goals are.

Self Publishing Pros....
1 - Total control
2 - 100% of profits
3 - Increased time to market
4 - Modest to no start-up costs

Self Publishing Cons....
1 - Perception: There will always be those that say you are there because you "couldn't make it"
2 - Smaller market
3 - Divided time
4 - Must work harder to produce same quality

Traditional Pros
1 - Larger Team with diverse skills
2 - Much larger market penetration
3 - Bookstore presence
4 - Opportunity to "break-out"

Traditional Cons
1 - Lack of control
2 - Long time to market
3 - Smaller piece of the pie

I don't want to enumerate each of these points just now - but will over the course of the next few days...Stay tuned.

The State of e-book (2010)

There is NOTHING going on in publishing right now that is more exciting than ebooks. Period. What is most amazing to me, is that it still is so much in its infancy. Here are some recent numbers from Publisher's Weekly's article based on numbers from the 3rd Quarter Report from Bowker PubTrack.

• 20% of readers reported in October that they are likely to buy an e-reader compared to just 10% in the 2009
• just over 10% of readers in September and October said they read e-books on a daily or weekly basis compared to only about 3% a year ago.
• e-books accounted for 4.2% of sales in Q3 (up from 3.2% from Q2, and 1.7% from Q3 2009)

4.2% -- Seriously? As someone through publishes through the "indie" venues (ebook and POD) my sales are are highly skewed toward e-books and reflect almost 180 degrees from those numbers. Looking at December MTD sales for Michael's books shows

• 2,829 Crown Conspiracy (187 Print, 2,642 ebook: 6.6%/93.4%)
• 1,740 Avempartha (96 Print, 1644 ebook: 5.5%/94.5%)
• 1,700 Nyphron Rising (73 Print, 1627 ebook: 4.3%/95.7%)
• 1,527 Emerald Storm (94 Print, 1,433 ebook: 6.2% / 93.8%)
• 1,527 Wintertide (147 Print, 1,380 ebook: 9.6% / 90.4%)

Michael should break 10,000 book sales in December mostly ebooks priced at $4.95 and the latest one at $6.95. Looking at ONLY ebook sales his December income (not gross) from ebooks could be as high as $34,000 - in a single month. (It depends on how many of those sales turn out to be from overseas purchases which are at a 35% royalty rather than the 70% royalty).

Amanda Hocking is tearing up the self-published e-book space selling more than 50,000 copies in December alone and her total sales now top 100,000 books!

In a rare move, Amazon (who is notoriously tight lipped about the number of kindle ebook readers it has sold) reported that in the first 73 days of the holiday seasons it sold "Millions" (that's plural) of kindles which surpassed ALL kindle sales for 2009.

I think 2010 will go down as the real starting point for ebooks. The fact that kindle now has multiple competitors (nook, Sony eReader, iPad, etc.) shows that finally the tipping point has been reached but at only 4.2% there is so much opportunity for growth.

If you don't have ebook versions of your books on Kindle and B&N you should be running...not walking to get these out right away. To ignore doing so is leaving huge untapped revenue that could produce enough income to make writing full time more than just a dream for many new authors.

Festivities

The first weekend in December I headed to Vegas with my great friends Liz and Erin to have a girls' weekend and celebrate some birthdays. I just discovered these pictures on my camera of the gorgeous Bellagio - one of our favorite places.







For Christmas, my parents were nice enough to come visit us here in San Francisco. Here we are enjoying dinner at our little apartment. Dad worked so long he's still in uniform.



On Sunday we went on a wine tasting tour of Sonoma with my family and Karen's in laws. Matt and I had never been to wine country before, and I enjoyed the trip. It was great to spend time with family and the scenery was beautiful even though it was raining. Also, unlike in Temecula, none of the people at the wineries yelled at me for preferring white wines.

Today we headed up to Santa Rosa to check out the Schulz museum before returning to the real world. Matt is thrilled, as always.



Matt and I were spoiled for Christmas as always. This year Matt received lots of kitchen items including a canner and a dehydrator (apparently one must be prepared for the apocalypse). I received several books, many treats, a cute sweater and necklace, and of course running-related items. Karen got me a very cute running jacket to replace last year's Christmas present that I mysteriously lost, as well as a couple running books. Matt got me a very cute running charm bracelet and some sleeves.

As today was the first day of my marathon training, I have decided to actually keep track of my training this time around. We'll see how long it lasts, but for now I am doing so here.

Angry City

I've been very angry lately for ridiculous reasons. In an effort to help myself understand how stupid they are, I'm going to put them down in writing here:

• Dear dog walkers/runners. You and your dog do not have a right to the entire path, whether or not your dog is on a leash. Either way, when your crazy dog causes a tear in my ACL, I will sue you (for, if nothing else, being a bitch).
• It's called a sideWALK. Not a sidesmoke, a sidehangout, or a sidestandinthemiddle. Please get out of my way.
• If I wanted to get high, I would probably go out and buy some weed myself. I don't want to inhale yours because you must smoke out in public.
• Smokers are jokers.
• If you are in your car and you can't see the intersection, don't honk. This is San Francisco. I would wager that 90% of the time a car isn't moving when the light is green, there is probably a pedestrian in the crosswalk. And they would prefer to be alive.
  
• My neighborhood is not your personal raceway. There is no need to go 50mph up a hill in a very people-dense part of the city.
• If there is an empty row on BART, it is considered a social norm to sit there - not with me. I don't want to smell your perfume.
• If you have a dog in the city, you have an extra special obligation to pick up that dog's poop. Who the heck is going to remove it when you leave it in the middle of the damn sidewalk. Also, would it kill you to walk your dog far enough way so that it doesn't have to pee on the concrete hill and I have to watch it flow all the way down. And know that I will be stepping in it tomorrow.
• Dear employers. Making a backhanded comment in the company meeting about how you are looking for leaders, not people who sit around and wait for things to do, is not a good way to boost employee morale or productivity. Especially when 60% of the people in the company are leaders with initiative - who you would rather sit down, shut up, and blindly do what you say.
• Dear managers. As a manger, part of your job should be to understand who needs to be micro-managed and who doesn't. I am well past the point of needing every step of a process explained to me. This isn't rocket science - I do these things in my sleep.

Okay I'm done for now. I have no idea what my problem is, but I am hoping my weekend with family and my big trip to Hawaii for my birthday will make everything better! I realize that in reality I have nothing to complain about! Here's to a great new year for everyone!

The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag - Alan Bradley

This book is the follow-up to The Sweetness in the Bottom of the Pie which I read and mostly enjoyed earlier this year, and like the first book, it was a quick and easy read for me.

My biggest complaint about the first book was that I didn't find the main character, Flavia de Luce, very believable as an 11 year old. I found her much more believable in this book (despite her precocious chemistry knowledge, especially with respect to poisons). In fact, I found all of the characters to be better drawn in this book - the older sisters, Ophelia (Feely) and Daphne (Daffy) are much more rounded rather than being purely evil; and most of the secondary characters seem realistic rather than just caricatures.

But unfortunately, the story doesn't hold up as well this time around. There are two mysteries to be solved that (of course) are linked together - a young boy died 6 years ago; then a visiting puppeteer dies in the middle of a performance in the "present" time (the book is set in 1950). While it was fun getting to know the characters, Flavia solves the mysteries mainly by collecting gossip from different villagers, without any excitement or true deduction. A bit like an 11-year-old Miss Marple.

There is a third book in the series due out next year - A Red Herring Without Mustard (the author seems to be into quirky titles!). As before, I will probably read it, but will either check it out of the library or wait for it to come out in paperback.

Kiss Me! (I'm a Prince!) - Heather McLeod, illustrated by Brooke Kerrigan

Everyone knows the story of the Frog Prince - a prince is turned into a frog and needs to be kissed to turn back into a prince and they all lived happily ever after. Well, this picture book speculates on what would have happened if the girl, named Ella, preferred a talking frog over a prince.

It is a real twist on the old fairy tale, as even the frog-prince decides that he enjoys not being a prince too as he now has time to play. The only problem is that since frogs don't have hands, he can't play baseball!

This book is by local Thunder Bay author, Heather McLeod, and I managed to snag a copy at the book launch before they sold out to give to my nephew and niece for Christmas. I suspect that my cousin who is raising her daughter while trying to avoid the "Disney Princess Hype" would also appreciate this story.

The pictures are fairly simple but they compliment the story well. I love how the frog pops up in every picture, even if he isn't directly involved in the story. And the expressions on Ella's face as she imagines what her life would be like as a princess are priceless.

So all in all, a great book in my adult opinion, but I guess the real test will come when the gift is opened on Christmas day...

Happy Holidays to You!

Thank you so much to everyone who participated in our 12 Days of Bookmas Giveaway. It was fun for us and hopefully fun for you.

Now to announce the final winner in this contest. Yesterday’s question, posted by Kim, was: What books will her son Nicky be getting for Christmas?

And the answer is The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne and Stuart Little by E. B. White.

Congratulations to LisaRealWriter. Please email your contact information to blog@bookends-inc.com and we’ll get your prize out immediately.

As I'm sure many of you have figured out by now, one of the reasons for doing the Bookmas Giveaway was to help promote our clients in a new and fun way. So I'm curious . . . did it work? Did any of you discover a new author along the way? And to continue in the spirit of the holiday, we will randomly choose one more winner from the comments to receive advanced review copies of Curiosity Thrilled the Cat by Sofie Kelly and A Crafty Killing by Lorraine Bartlett.

With that, I'm ending the year for BookEnds. Today we’re celebrating what’s been a phenomenal year. We couldn’t be more proud of our books and our authors, and we’ll be toasting all of you and your past and future successes at today’s holiday luncheon.

This will be the last blog post for 2010 (unless I suddenly find inspiration over the long holiday break). BookEnds will be closed until January 3, when we return refreshed, rejuvenated, and hungry for big sales and exciting new books.

My plan is to snack on these little treats while catching up on submissions and reading all sorts of published books.

Enjoy!

Sugared Cranberries

2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups water
2 cups fresh cranberries
3/4 cup superfine sugar

Combine granulated sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat, stirring mixture until sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer; remove from heat. (Do not boil or the cranberries may pop when added.) Stir in cranberries and mix gently. Pour mixture into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Drain cranberries in a colander over a bowl, reserving steeping liquid, if desired. Place superfine sugar in a paper or ziplock bag. Add the cranberries, and gently shake to coat with sugar. Spread sugared cranberries in a single layer on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature until dry (about 1 hour).

Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to a week.

Note: The reserved steeping liquid is a fabulous addition to almost any holiday drink. Consider adding it to warm apple cider, vodka for a cranberry martini, or orange juice for a morning pick-me-up.


Jessica

The Twelfth Day of Bookmas

Thanks so much to everyone who’s participated in the 12 Days of Bookmas contest. Jessica and I have had a blast and I think our clients have enjoyed the ride as well! Today is the last chance to play! For the rules, hop back over to the November 30 post and give a quick read.

And of course, before we start today’s contest, we need to announce yesterday’s winner.

Yesterday’s question was: What is the title and who is the author of a book that Jessica represented that sat on an editor's desk for two years before an offer came in.

And the answer is Pills for Pets by Debra Eldredge, DVM.

Congratulations to Beverly, aka Bookwoman. Please email your contact information to blog@bookends-inc.com and we’ll get your prize out immediately.

I thought it only appropriate to make today’s puzzle holiday-themed . . .

Most of you who follow the blog already know that my 5-year-old son, Nicky, is autistic. Well, Nicky LOVES books. He spends a lot of time inside his own head and has difficulty paying attention in class, but his teacher tells me that there’s one part of the school day when he’s able to sit quietly and really listen: Storytime. He’s already reading quite a bit on his own. He loves decoding words and sounding out letters. It’s most definitely one of his strengths.

But one of his many challenges is recall. He has trouble remembering what happened at school that day, what family members we visited with over the weekend or what gifts he received for his birthday. He’s so caught up in the adventures going on inside that little head of his that he’s less invested in the outside world around him. So to work on his memory, I decided to use some “book therapy.” :) For Christmas I’ve bought him several chapter books that I can read to him piece-by-piece, and then review with him every night what we read the day before. Hopefully his love of books will encourage him to flex his memory muscles a little more.

I bought him a boxed set of the first four books in a series that Jessica recommended after she’d read them to her son.

And I bought him a special “read-aloud” edition of one of my favorite classic children’s books.

What books will Nicky be getting for Christmas this year??


Check with these authors for clues:

Lorna Barrett
Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor
Sally MacKenzie
Paige Shelton
Amy Patricia Meade
Wendy Watson
Ellery Adams
Angie Fox
Gina Robinson
Erin Kellison
R.R. Smythe
Bill Crider
Elizabeth Lynn Casey
Bella Andre
Elizabeth Amber
Krista Davis
Heather Webber
Avery Aames
Kim Lenox
Joyce and Jim Lavene
C. C. Hunter
Cricket McCrae
Wendy Lyn Watson
Erika Chase
Elizabeth Joy Arnold


Kim

The Eleventh Day of Bookmas

Welcome to day eleven of our Bookmas Giveaway contest. For those who missed the rules, hop back over to the November 30 post and give a quick read.

And of course, before we start today’s contest, we need to announce yesterday’s winner.

Yesterday’s question was: What are the four books that stand out for Kim in her collection of autographed books?

And the answers are 1. Eye Contact by Stephen Collins; 2. Election by Tom Perrotta; 3. Before I Say Good-Bye by Mary Higgins Clark; and 4. Angels Flight by Michael Connelly.

BW was yesterday's winner, but this note from her made me decide there are two winners:

Kim,
I never would of gotten the fourth title without Jennifer's input and I feel I would be stealing her answer if I did and that's not right. If there is more than one book as a prize please send one to Jennifer. She deserves it.

BW

So, congratulations to BW and to Jennifer. Please email your contact information to blog@bookends-inc.com and we’ll get your prizes out immediately.

Now on to our contest . . .

I realized belatedly that many of my questions had to do with my early days in publishing, but few were connected to my life as an agent. So I’ll remedy that today.

When asked how long I’ll dedicate to selling a book, I always tell the story of the little book that could. The book that spent two years sitting on one editor’s desk, when suddenly the call with an offer came. I’ll be honest, I really felt I had run the course with this book and had sort of forgotten about it. I know the author did, too. Needless to say we were wonderfully surprised when that call came.

What is the title of the book and who is the author?

The winner will receive three books.

For clues, check out these authors . . .


Lorna Barrett
Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor
Sally MacKenzie
Paige Shelton
Amy Patricia Meade
Ellery Adams
Angie Fox
Gina Robinson
Erin Kellison
Bill Crider
Elizabeth Lynn Casey
Bella Andre
Elizabeth Amber
Krista Davis
Heather Webber
Avery Aames
Kim Lenox
Joyce and Jim Lavene
C. C. Hunter
Cricket McCrae
Wendy Lyn Watson
Erika Chase
Elizabeth Joy Arnold


Jessica

A sorry day...

Let me start by saying I'm a fan of Amazon. No, let me restate that...I'm a HUGE fan of Amazon. I think they have done more for independent publishing than any other company and I can't thank them enough for the opportunity they have afforded me and the authors I represent.

But...I'm VERY disappointed in the recent developments involving removal of books. Apparently, they are concerned about "objectionable material" and therefore have stopped selling a number of print and ebooks. While I support any company to decide what they will and will not sell, I think this is a bad decision on Amazon's part. They carry far too many titles to be able to properly "police objectionable content" and therefore the removal will, by its very nature, be unfair and discriminatory. Some author's will have their books removed, while others will still be available even though they both contain similar "objectionable material."

This will be a nightmare, as certain authors cry out WHY ME while you let xyz stay? Mistakes will be made and some books will be removed even though they contain no objectionable information. And how exactly does Amazon define objectionable material in the first place?

As they have done with many aspects before, Amazon might put the responsibility into the "readers" hands. It seems likely they will add a link that can be used if someone deems a book objectionable. If this is the case, couldn't jealous authors flag the books of their biggest competition? Are they going to hire hundreds or thousands of readers and train them on what is acceptable and what is not? I don't see anyway they can manage this.

I think they should let "the market decide". If people find something objectionable, they shouldn't buy it. If they bought it and THEN found out it was objectionable, allow them to return it.

Regardless of the practicality of saying which material can be sold and which cannot, there is an even darker side to this development...Amazon has removed these "objectionable" titles from people's Kindles. This is nothing less than theft. Amazon is setting a terrible precedent of sneaking into people's virtual bookshelves in the middle of the night and snatching away something that's been bought and paid for. They're not even refunding the money the people paid for these items. In what world is this not the same as stealing? Amazon has money it their pocket, but the reader no longer has what they paid for. I can't see how this won't go to court and Amazon will absolutely lose and pay thousands in court costs and then have to refund the money of all the books removed.

I beg Amazon...please return the books for people who paid for them. Or, at the very least, return the money you took. As for determining what books will be sold and which ones will not? Well unless you want to hire a few thousand readers to read each book submitted I suggest you let anything be posted and then let those who are buying decide whether the book is good or bad, but don't remove them from the shelves.

That's my 2 cents worth.

The Tenth Day of Bookmas

We’re coming down the home stretch now on the contest, and since you guys have been making it all look so easy, Jessica OK’d me to make this one a four-part answer. I’m hoping to stump you a little on this one! For those who missed the rules, hop back over to the November 30 post and give a quick read.

And of course, before we start today’s contest, we need to announce yesterday’s winner.

Yesterday’s question was: If Jessica had to give up working in publishing, what one job would she want to consider doing?

And the answer is a recipe developer with a secondary dream of cookbook author. I know a number of you said cookbook author, but the truth is what I'd like to do is develop recipes. I don't want to be a chef or baker because I don't want to have to cook for others day in and day out or work in a restaurant kitchen. In fact, I've spent enough of my life in restaurants to know that's more than I want. I want to work in my own kitchen creating recipes (not testing) and maybe authoring cookbooks or, even better, doing the work for restaurants who will make them to serve to customers.

Congratulations to Ebyss. Please email your contact information to blog@bookends-inc.com and we’ll get your prize out immediately.


Here’s today’s hint (from Kim) . . .

When I first started working in the book publishing industry I was starstruck and awed by all of the amazing authors I would see in the office or at signings. I had this grand idea that I would start a collection of signed books that could be passed down through my family for generations. As the years went by, my interest in building this big book collection waned. Don’t get me wrong, I still have a huge collection of books. And I certainly treasure the ones that are signed to me by my clients or authors that I worked with when I was an editor. But I’m no longer interested in building a collection for the collection’s sake.

Still, there are a few books in the mini-collection I started that stand out for me:

The first was a book written by an actor I’d watched in a short-run TV series in the 80s. It’s the first signing/reading I ever went to. I was in NYC for my Putnam Berkley internship and I saw that this actor would be signing his book at the local Barnes & Noble. It was one of my first big-city excursions. Now I look at that book and totally crack up.

Another is a first-edition hardcover with a note to me from the author. I was the assistant to his editor at the time, and he remains one of my all-time favorite writers.

Then there’s the book that was a gift from my mother. When she knew I was eager to build this collection she bought a signed copy of this book by an author I’d grown up reading from an NYC bookstore.

And finally there’s the only signed book I actually purchased from a book dealer. All of the other books in my collection had been gifts or I’d had signed in person. This book — by one of my favorites — felt more like an “investment” in my collection.

Can you guess the titles and authors of these four books?

Check with these authors for clues:

Lorna Barrett
Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor
Sally MacKenzie
Paige Shelton
Amy Patricia Meade
Wendy Watson
Ellery Adams
Angie Fox
Gina Robinson
Erin Kellison
R.R. Smythe
Bill Crider
Elizabeth Lynn Casey
Bella Andre
Elizabeth Amber
Krista Davis
Heather Webber
Avery Aames
Kim Lenox
Joyce and Jim Lavene
C. C. Hunter
Cricket McCrae
Wendy Lyn Watson
Erika Chase
Elizabeth Joy Arnold


Kim

The Ninth Day of Bookmas

Welcome to day nine of our Bookmas Giveaway contest. For those who missed the rules, hop back over to the November 30 post and give a quick read.

And of course, before we start today’s contest, we need to announce Friday’s winner.

Friday’s questions were: What was the title and author of the classic Kim quickly learned to hate? And what was the subject of the literature class she took twice?

And the answers are Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, and the class was on Shakespeare.

Congratulations to WriterGirl. Please email your contact information to blog@bookends-inc.com and we’ll get your prize out immediately.

Now on to our contest . . .

I feel really lucky that I’m working a job I don’t just love, but have a real passion for. When I think back to the girl who smuggled novels behind textbooks in class or spent Saturday mornings with a book instead of cartoons, I think that girl should work in publishing. Lucky for her she does. In fact, I’m that person who says that if I win the lottery I would still work, because what else could I possibly do that I love more?

When I really think about it, though, if I had to give up publishing, there is one job I would like to consider doing, although I don’t know that I’d truly have the patience for it. What is that job?

The winner will receive three novels that have nothing to do with that job.

For clues, check out these authors . . .


Lorna Barrett
Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor
Sally MacKenzie
Paige Shelton
Amy Patricia Meade
Ellery Adams
Angie Fox
Gina Robinson
Erin Kellison
Bill Crider
Elizabeth Lynn Casey
Bella Andre
Elizabeth Amber
Krista Davis
Heather Webber
Avery Aames
Kim Lenox
Joyce and Jim Lavene
C. C. Hunter
Cricket McCrae
Wendy Lyn Watson
Erika Chase
Elizabeth Joy Arnold


Jessica

X-mas Presents from Amazon

There are two developments that Amazon has implemented lately that are a HUGE boon for authors.

1 - They now provide free Nielson BookScan data. This is the defacto standard on how many printed books are sold through various channels. I've coveted access to this data for years. Anyone who spends any time marketing knows that tracking figures is essential for knowing what promotions are working and what are not. Access to this data costs large publishers thousands of dollars to get access - Amazon worked some deal with Nielson to give it free to anyone in the Author Centeral program. If you are a author and have not signed up for Author Centeral (You should have regardless of this development) - run don't walk as you'll want to review this important information.

NOTE: Bookscan data should be used to compare against itself - it is notoriously inaccurate as it does not receive data from many venues. Still if you are doing some marketing this month and you want to see how your sales are being affected - it can help to see the differences.

2 - The ability to "gift kindle books" - Another great feature for those in e-books, people who have enjoyed a title can send it to a friend, even if they don't have a kindle (they can read it on the computer, ipad, etc. While some people might attempt this feature to "game" the rankings system - I highly suggest you don't go this approach. For those interested in how it works.

1. You buy a kindle book (and are charged immediately
2. The person you send it to gets and email with the "gift" in it - they can either redeem it to get the ebook you suggested or "cash it in" for a gift card (for instance if they already have that particular book)
3. Your account is credited with the sale when they accept the gift (not when you pay). If they opt for the gift card - you won't register any sale.

There are many people who have "issues" with Amazon - I personally know people who will "never buy from them". I don't understand where this comes from. For an author, especially an indie author, there is no bigger friend to you than Amazon.

Twenty boy Summer - Sarah Ockler

I am against book banning on principle. This probably goes back to my last year of high school when my English teacher announced that The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood had been removed from the curriculum because some parents did not think it appropriate for 18-year-olds to be reading. So I did what any curious reader would do - tracked down a copy as soon as possible, read it, and loved it. I suspect that this was Mr. Shortall's intended effect.

So when I heard over at The Broke and the Bookish about the effort to ban Twenty Boy Summer from a school board down in Missouri, I decided that it would be this week's act of subversion to track down a copy and read it. I don't think that any book should be banned - I believe, as my grandmother told me, that children (and anyone) should be allowed to read as widely as possible, and that it is only through exposure to a wide variety of authors, and genres, and qualities of books that you learn to determine for yourself what is good writing and what is not. I do think that in the case of young children that parents should play a role, and be aware of what their children are reading, and possibly to guide their choices, but every book should be made available to every person.

Ahem... stepping off my soapbox now...

On to this book. It is not a book that I would have picked up on my own. It is in the rapidly-expanding "young adult" genre - basically chick-lit for the high school set. I thought that it dealt very well with the topic of grief. At the beginning of the book, the narrator Anna falls in love with Matt, the older brother of her best friend Frankie, however Matt dies a month later leaving behind his family to mourn him publicly and Anna to mourn him in secret. The book did a good job portraying the different ways that everyone handles their grief. Anna tries to keep everything bottled up inside; Frankie enters a deep depression and then comes out of it as the Rebel Child; Matt's mother tries to cover up the emptiness in her life by re-decorating the house every week or so; and Matt's father tries to compensate by spoiling and indulging Frankie.

There is a very insightful quote about mourning towards the beginning of the book. Anna, the 16-year-old narrator reflects, "When someone you love dies, people ask you how you're doing, but they don't really want to know. They seek affirmation that you're okay, that you appreciate their concern, that life goes on and so can they. Secretly they wonder when the statute of limitations on asking expires (it's three months, by the way. Written or unwritten, that's about all the time it takes for people to forget the one thing that you never will.)"

This aspect of the book is handled very well, with the characters moving through their grief and coming out on the other end with some sort of resolution.

As to why there was an attempt to ban the book, I suspect that it has to do with the plot line of Anna's (successful) attempt to lose her virginity. And possibly the title, which has to do with Anna and Frankie's project to meet twenty boys on their 3-week vacation in California. And possibly all of the lying to the parents, sneaking out at night, underage drinking, and partying that all goes undiscovered and without repercussion.

This book deals with all the angst and anxiety and uncertainty and self-discovery that goes along with being a teen girl. But when held up to my personal "gold standard" of books dealing with transitioning through adolescence towards adulthood (A House Like a Lotus, by Madeline L'Engle), it falls short. I think because the girls in this book don't really learn anything or grow up at all through their experiences.

So do I think that this book should be banned? Obviously not. Would I recommend it as a "must read" book to anyone? Possibly if I knew a young person dealing with a loss (don't I sound old here!) since that is the issue that this book handles well. Do I think that it is a book that every girl should read? No - and I don't think that it is going to be a classic that will endure through the years and be read fifty years from now. It was a good read, but not a great book. That is what my grandmother's encouragement to read widely had taught me.

Forget Gutenberg - the real publishing revolution is now

People, including me, have been saying for years there is a major shake-up in the publishing industry. But that's not to say that ebooks mean the death of print, nor that traditional publishing is a dinosaur which will soon face extinction. What it does mean is there has never been a better time to be an author.

In the not too distant past, self-publishing or (small press publishing) was seen as the last resort for the desperate. Only those that could not "make it" in the traditional print world resorted to this avenue. Many critics stated with impunity that self-published author's work wasn't worth the paper (or ebook) it was produced on. After all, if they were any good they would have been picked up a big traditional publisher. Right?

Wrong?

There are many fantastic writers who have never been published. It wasn't that their writing was no good. The reasons that prevented them from publication are many: bad timing, not finding the right advocate, giving up too soon, not "spinning" the pitch effectively. I could go on and on, but it comes down to this: too many great stories and too few slots available.

Now comes the revolution. Just as Gutenberg changed publishing in 1440, technology has provided authors with even greater advances:

• Amazon and other on-line retailers: offer infinite shelf-space without co-op fees giving authors large and small the same opportunity to connect with a horde of readers.
• POD (print on demand): eliminates a significant amount of the financial risk which has plagued print publishing. No longer does a publisher (or author) have to shell out thousands of dollars to produce and warehouse pallets of books.
• eBook Readers (Kindle, iPad, nook): electronic books have existed since information first started being transmitted electronically, but when read on a computer screen only a few early adopters dipped their toes in that water. The Kindle had changed all that. Now before you say, “But wait, you’ve been telling me for years that ebooks are the real deal and they still only account for 8.25% of book sales. Why should I believe you that now is the time they will really take off?” That can be answered in one word: Competition. Companies like Sony, Apple, and Amazon KNOW there is a market. This is the wave of the future, but it took these industry heavy weights to provide a mechanism that the reading population would embrace.
  
  So what does this all mean? It means that you, as an author, have more options than ever before. The barriers between you and the reader are breaking down. The financial risk of “doing it yourself” has decreased to zero for e-books and less than $70 for print books (paying for ISBN fee, and Createspace setup costs).
  
  More and more authors are abandoning traditional printing in lieu of doing it themselves: The most notable examples are New York Times Best Selling Author Seth Godin and self-publishing advocate J. A. Konrath. Now, before you say, “But they have established fan bases after years of traditional publishing. What chance do I, a nobody, have given I have no readership?”
  
  My answer is simple. People, just like you, are doing it…time and time again. Need some examples?
  
  Michael J. Sullivan (my husband) produced his first book in October 2007 through a small press and is now publishing through my own small press (so essentially self-published). From Mar 2010 – Sep 2010 he averaged 1,000 books a month) in October he sold 2,400, November 7,500 and if sales stay on track for December he could top 10,000 copies sold.
  
  Amanda Hocking started self-publishing in the spring of 2010 (March and April). In June she sold 4,258 copies across 3 books. In August she sold 4,873 copies making over $9,000 (six-digit income at those rates). In November she topped 20,000 books, but wait…in December she sold 10,000 copies (across 7 titles) in the first WEEK of December. Yes that’s over 1,400 books a day.
  
  David Daglish has several fantasy books and writes full time. He sold 2,366 books in November.
  
  But you don’t have to have multiple books. Victorine Lieske’s, Not What She Seems was released in April 2010 in Kindle and July 2010 in print and she sold 2,670 books in November.
  
  These are not isolated cases here are just a few of the authors I know of that sold more than 1,000 books in November 2010. Here are some others: David McAffee, end_of_the_skype_highlightingNathan Lowell, Ellen Fisher, Valmore Daniels, Terri Reid, Richard Jackson, Karen Cantwell, Margaret Lake, HP Mallory, KA Thompson, Beth Orsoff, Lexi Revellian, Tina Folsom, Bella Andre, B. V. Larson, Ty Johnson, Vicki Tyley, Marilyn Lee, Felicity Heaton, LJ Sellers, Jeremy Bishop, Robert Wilson, Susan Bishoff, Edward C. Patterson,Christopher Smith, Susan Bischoff, and Imogen Rose.
  
  So, if you’re an author looking to “break into the biz” there’s never been a better time to take the plunge. Whether you decide to follow the traditional publishing route or attempt to “go it on your own” the barriers are down and your only limited by your own determination.

Hark the Herald Angels 12K

Today I completed the same race a 2nd time for the 1st time - in other words, I am apparently starting running traditions. Does that make me a runner? (I'm still trying to avoid the moniker.)

I loved this race last year for so many reasons, not the least of which was that it was pouring rain. It is put on by a company called Enviro Sports and is very low key. This particular race involves everyone meeting at the ferry docks in Tiburon and taking the 10am ferry over to Angel Island. There is no particular race start time; it just happens whenever everyone gets off the ferry, goes to the restroom, and puts all their extra gear in a plastic bag to leave at the picnic area. The founder of Enviro Sports makes all the announcements by standing on tables and yelling really loudly, and supposedly the winners receive rubber chickens. The trail is marked with orange tape, and there are no aid stations. At the end, they do provide a nice assortment of water, gatorade, and snacks. And of course, there is a t-shirt - which happens to be the same as last year's.

The trail heads up hill through pretty forest, but unfortunately the gorgeous views from the open parts of the fire road haven't happened either year owing to fog. The racers tend to be friendly and everyone seems to have a good time, although I feel like that held true more so in the pouring rain. How can you not smile when you are covered in mud and sprinting down a mountain? (Although I don't think my mom was smiling while waiting for me...)

I managed to cut about 6 minutes off last year's time - does that mean I'll be able to knock 12 minutes off Kaiser in February? (If only.) However, the ~500 foot elevation gain seemed tough to me, so I have a long way to go before Big Sur!

I should point out that although I enjoy the low-key nature of this affair, I do still like my half marathons to be loud and full of bands and cheering spectators! Sometimes running has to be a party.

The Eighth Day of Bookmas

Welcome to the eighth day of our Bookmas Giveaway contest. For those who missed the rules, hop back over to the November 30 post and give a quick read.

And of course, before we start today’s contest, we need to announce yesterday’s winner.

Yesterday’s question was: While Jessica was at Berkley, they began publishing a series based on a TV show, and that series actually outlasted both the TV show and Jessica's time at Berkley by many years. Can you name the series?

And the answer is Quantum Leap.

Congratulations to Shannon. Please email your contact information to blog@bookends-inc.com and we’ll get your prize out immediately.

Here’s today’s hint . . .

In four years’ time — between my senior year of high school and junior year of college — I had to write three different papers for three different classes on the same freaking classic. On paper (so to speak), this book seems like it should be one of my favorites. But I hated it. I thought it was “ehhh—okay” the first time I read it. But by the third time I read it, I absolutely loathed that book and still kinda do to this day. And no . . . I wasn’t one of those students who was good at “winging it.” I couldn’t write a whole paper without rereading. So yeah . . . It got pretty tired.

Then in my junior year at Penn State I discovered a lit class I loved so much that I actually decided to audit it (take it again without receiving any credit) the following semester. So yes . . . I read a lot of the same material twice in one year and didn’t mind that one bit. Did everybody in the class think I was a total geek? Um, yeah.

So I need two answers from you on this one . . .

What was the title and author of the classic I quickly learned to hate? And what was the subject of the literature class I took twice?

The first person to guess correctly will win three books!

Check with these authors for clues:

Lorna Barrett
Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor
Sally MacKenzie
Paige Shelton
Amy Patricia Meade
Wendy Watson
Ellery Adams
Angie Fox
Gina Robinson
Erin Kellison
R.R. Smythe
Bill Crider
Elizabeth Lynn Casey
Bella Andre
Elizabeth Amber
Krista Davis
Heather Webber
Avery Aames
Kim Lenox
Joyce and Jim Lavene
C. C. Hunter
Cricket McCrae
Wendy Lyn Watson
Erika Chase
Elizabeth Joy Arnold


Kim

Essex County - Jeff Lemire

This is a book that has been generating a lot of buzz recently. I have read very positive reviews over at John's (Volume 1, Volume 2, and Volume 3) and Wanda's (Volume 1, Volume 2, and Volume 3) blogs; and now it is one of the finalists in the CBC Canada Reads competition.

I picked this book up on Wednesday evening, planning to read a few pages before going to bed, and by the time I turned the lights out, I was half-way finished this 510-page book! It was easy work to finish it up the next night. This is my second experience with a graphic novel (Persepolis being the first - though strictly speaking, it should be considered a graphic memoir), and a very enjoyable experience it was too.

There are 3 volumes - Tales from the Farm, Ghost Stories, and The Country Nurse - all collected in one volume with some "extras" (promotional material, early drafts etc). Tales from the Farm deals with a boy being raised by his uncle after his mother (who was a single mother) dies. He befriends the cashier at the local gas station, an ex-Leafs player, and fellow comic book lover. Ghost Stories is the tale of two brothers who play hockey together in Toronto in the early '50s, become estranged from each other, are re-united after tragedy strikes, and then become estranged again. And then The Country Nurse is the story of a home-care nurse, interwoven with the story of her grandmother, which ties the plot of all three volumes together.

I enjoyed the artwork for the most part, though sometimes I found the chunky black-and-white style a bit confusing (there is one picture that I had to turn back to 3 or 4 times to figure out what was being depicted). But it is the stories that are so poignant. My favourite of the volumes is probably Ghost Stories, and I found myself in tears a few times while reading it. And as far as the pictures go, I loved how the crow kept appearing throughout all of the stories. After all, what bird is more ubiquitous in Canada than the crow.

And that is, I think, what I liked most about this book - its Canadian-ness. I can't picture these stories being set anywhere other than rural southern Ontario. Farms, hockey, inter-generational histories, and yes, crows. Though I haven't read all of the other contenders for Canada Reads, I'm pretty sure that I am going to be rooting for this book.

The Seventh Day of Bookmas

Welcome to day seven of our Bookmas Giveaway contest. For those who missed the rules, hop back over to the November 30 post and give a quick read.

And of course, before we start today’s contest, we need to announce yesterday’s winner.

Yesterday’s question was: Who were the two "boy book" editors Kim worked for as an editorial assistant at Berkley?

And the answer is John Talbot (who became an agent) and Gary Goldstein (who is still an editor).

Congratulations to Amanda K. Please email your contact information to blog@bookends-inc.com and we’ll get your prize out immediately.

Now on to our contest . . .

When I was an editorial assistant I helped my boss with a number of licensed books, books that were based on television shows or movies. My boss’s job was to hire writers for the projects, obviously edit, and work on the books and obtain all permissions and approvals from the licensee with regard to the books. That meant approval over who was writing the book, approval over the storyline, and approval over the final manuscript (among other things, like covers, advertising, etc.). My job was to spend a lot of time at the fax machine waiting for approvals to come through and sending material that needed approval.

During my five years at Berkley Publishing we published a series of licensed books that were so successful the show actually ended the year I started working at Berkley, but the books went strong for the entire five years I was there and, in fact, continued to be published long after I had started BookEnds. What was this series?

The winner will receive three novels.

For clues, check out these authors . . .

Lorna Barrett
Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor
Sally MacKenzie
Paige Shelton
Amy Patricia Meade
Ellery Adams
Angie Fox
Gina Robinson
Erin Kellison
Bill Crider
Elizabeth Lynn Casey
Bella Andre
Elizabeth Amber
Krista Davis
Heather Webber
Avery Aames
Kim Lenox
Joyce and Jim Lavene
C. C. Hunter
Cricket McCrae
Anita Howard
Wendy Lyn Watson
Erika Chase
Elizabeth Joy Arnold


Jessica

The Sixth Day of Bookmas

Well, today’s the sixth day of Bookmas, and that puts us right in the middle of our 12-day contest! For those who missed the rules, hop back over to the November 30 post and give a quick read.

And of course, before we start today’s contest, we need to announce yesterday’s winner.

Yesterday’s question was: Can you name the series that was developed as a result of Jessica's romance with New York City?

And the answer is the Gaslight Mystery series by Victoria Thompson.

Congratulations to Cindy. Please email your contact information to blog@bookends-inc.com and we’ll get your prize out immediately.

Now for today’s question . . .

You learned in my last post that I spent my college internship at Berkley Publishing. Well, about a year later I was working at Dorchester Publishing, when a Berkley editor called to tell me an editorial assistant position had opened up there. After interviewing with the two senior editors I’d be working with and writing a few reader reports, they offered me the job! I would be working with Berkley’s two “boy book” editors. I learned a lot from those guys and they always kept things fun and interesting.

Soon after, one of them would leave editing to become an agent, and he became a great source of advice all over again when I decided to “go to the dark side” myself. The other is now an editor at a different house, and he and I’ve had more opportunities to work together in an agent/editor capacity. They both have taught me a lot about publishing, and I’ll always be grateful to them for giving me my first job at a big publishing house.

Who are they?

The winner will receive three novels.

These authors will be posting clues . . .

Lorna Barrett
Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor
Sally MacKenzie
Paige Shelton
Amy Patricia Meade
Wendy Watson
Ellery Adams
Angie Fox
Gina Robinson
Erin Kellison
R.R. Smythe
Bill Crider
Elizabeth Lynn Casey
Bella Andre
Elizabeth Amber
Krista Davis
Heather Webber
Avery Aames
Kim Lenox
Joyce and Jim Lavene
C. C. Hunter
Cricket McCrae
Anita Howard
Wendy Lyn Watson
Erika Chase
Elizabeth Joy Arnold


Kim

The In-Between World of Vikram Lall - M. G. Vassanji

I love the title of this book. Vikram Lall is a boy of Indian heritage, growing up in Kenya in the era of the Mau Mau Uprising just prior to independence, and in the years following; and the title perfectly describes how he is caught in between the worlds of the black Africans and the white Europeans. Though he is born in Africa, he is considered not quite African, and while he and his family initially had British citizenship (Kenya was originally a British colony), they gave it up at the time of independence to become Kenyan citizens. There is a passage towards the end of the book that describes Vikram Lall's view of his homeland as he rides the train:

"He let me ride in his cabin, and as I watched the red earth pass beneath us, and the dense forest up ahead, and the green hills to my right where monkeys frolicked in the tree branches, and the odd gang of half-dressed children who had stopped on the paths to watch us, as the driver hummed "onward Christian Soldiers" while adjusting his controls, and the engine went clackety-clack on the rails, I told myself how desperately I loved this country that somehow could not quiet accept me. Was there really something prohibitively negative in me, and in those like me, with our alien forbidding skins off which the soul of Africa simply slipped away?"

The book is well structured with three longer sections and then a short section at the end. The first section deals with Vikram growing up in a smaller town as the Mau Mau uprising stirs around them. Vikram and his sister Deepa are friends with two British children, Bill and Annie, and an African boy, Njoroge, the grandson of a servant of the Lalls. This section does not end well, as the Mau Mau rebels murder Bill, Annie, and their parents.

The second section takes place 10+ years later in Nairobi where the Lalls moved shortly after the first section ends. Njoroge is re-united with his Indian "family" and he and Deepa fall in love. This section also does not end well, as the prejudice towards inter-racial marriage drives them apart, and they both marry other people.

The third section takes place in the decades following, as Vikram is gradually drawn into the powerful circles as government, slowly realizing that he is there as an Indian scapegoat on which to place the blame for all of the corruption taking place around him. This section (surprise, surprise) does not end well, as Njoroge is assassinated, Deepa's husband dies, Vikram and his wife separate, and Vikram is forced out of his country to Canada with his name at the top of his country's List of Shame.

The fourth and final section takes place with Vikram returns to Kenya in an attempt to clear his name and regain the ability to visit his home country. This section ends ambiguously, and I'm not going to reveal any more!

It sounds like a depressing book, but really it isn't. There are definitely some heavier issues brought up - corruption, race relations, post-colonial history in Africa - but what really shone through for me were the characters and the love that they have for one another. The different sections of the book are drawn together as Vikram tells his life story to a friend in Canada, with some input from Deepa and Njoroge's son Joseph.

The narrative ends somewhere in the mid- to late-90s, however many issues are still relevant today. There is still corruption in Kenya and much of Africa. There is still inter-tribal conflict in Kenyan politics that flares up every couple of years (most recently following the general elections on Dec. 26, 2007). Inter-racial marriage in Africa is still very uncommon.

I think that I liked this book at least as much as The Book of Secrets, and definitely more than The Gunny Sack. I suspect that this story will stay with me longer than either of the other two.

The Fifth Day of Bookmas

Welcome to day five of our Bookmas Giveaway contest. For those who missed the rules, hop back over to the November 30 post and give a quick read.

And of course, before we start today’s contest, we need to announce yesterday’s winner.

Yesterday’s question was: Can you name the two authors Kim calls "Joe Schmo" and "Jane Doe," whom she said were her favorites when she interviewed for an internship?

And the answer is Dean Koontz and Nora Roberts.

Congratulations to Kaycee Kacer. Please email your contact information to blog@bookends-inc.com and we’ll get your prize out immediately.

Now on to our contest . . .

On the Third Day of Bookmas I hinted at today’s question, something that really came into my head by accident.

As an editor I loved creating ideas for new books or series. In fact, as an agent I do the same today. The difference is that as an editor I could get pre-approval from my boss, which meant if I found the right author I knew I could buy the book. As an agent it’s more of a risk. I am often asking the author to write a proposal in the hopes that we can sell it to an editor. However, we’ve come up with some great ideas at BookEnds and we’re proud of the authors who have been able to execute them with a great deal of success.

The thing about an idea created by someone else is that it’s not your idea; the truth, though, is that it is your book. No matter how great an idea, the success or failure depends entirely on the author’s ability to make it so. I can have the most amazing, marketable idea in the world, but if the author can’t execute it brilliantly, it’s not going to be that great. And of course, the success of a book depends entirely on the author’s brilliance to create the characters and stories that will grab the readers.

Many years ago I read Caleb Carr’s The Alienist and fell in love. I was a young editor in a terrific new romance, a romance with New York City, and I couldn’t get enough of anything to do with that city, especially the city’s history. I read The Alienist, all of Edith Wharton’s novels, The Mole People by Jennifer Toth, and Low Life by Luc Sante, to name a few.

During that period of time I developed an idea for a series of books based on this romance of mine. Can you name the series that is still being published today and its author? Keep in mind, other than coming up with the idea, I take no credit for its success. That’s entirely in the hands of brilliant writing.

The winner will receive three novels.

For clues, check out these authors . . .


Lorna Barrett
Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor
Sally MacKenzie
Paige Shelton
Amy Patricia Meade
Ellery Adams
Angie Fox
Gina Robinson
Erin Kellison
Bill Crider
Elizabeth Lynn Casey
Bella Andre
Elizabeth Amber
Krista Davis
Heather Webber
Avery Aames
Kim Lenox
Joyce and Jim Lavene
C. C. Hunter
Cricket McCrae
Anita Howard
Wendy Lyn Watson
Erika Chase
Elizabeth Joy Arnold



Jessica

The Fourth Day of Bookmas

It’s the fourth day of our Bookmas Giveaway contest. My turn again!! For those who missed the rules, hop back over to the November 30 post and give a quick read.

And of course, before we start today’s contest, we need to announce Friday’s winner.

Friday’s question was: Who was Jessica's very first boss in publishing?

And the answer is Melinda Metz, the author of the Roswell High series of books and a staff writer for the television program.

Congratulations to Paula Matter. Please email your contact information to blog@bookends-inc.com and we’ll get your prize out immediately.

Today’s contest is . . .

Way back in the dark ages when I was in college (before cell phones, Google, and corporate websites), it wasn’t easy to find a publishing internship. I sifted through 1,000-page books to find companies that might be open to hiring a summer intern. I wrote to about 15 companies. I received only one positive response. Most of the other houses didn’t even have an internship program at that time. But Putnam Berkley was interested. They requested I travel from Penn State to New York City for an interview.

When I walked into the Human Resources office, I started to get really excited. The walls were adorned with blown-up covers of my two absolutely favorite authors. When I sat down with the HR director (right after my typing test — yes . . . on an honest-to-goodness typewriter), she asked me about my reading preferences. Bursting with enthusiasm, I spit out, “Well, I’m just so thrilled, because my two favorite authors are “Joe Schmo” and “Jane Doe” and I see that you publish them both!” The HR woman looked back at me grimly and just said, “Joe Schmo actually moved to another house last week.”

Oops.

Well, “Jane Doe” is still there, and with the same editor. So I was one for two, anyway.

Can you guess who “Joe Schmo” and “Jane Doe” are?

The winner will receive three novels.

For clues, check out these authors . . .


Lorna Barrett
Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor
Sally MacKenzie
Paige Shelton
Amy Patricia Meade
Ellery Adams
Angie Fox
Gina Robinson
Erin Kellison
Bill Crider
Elizabeth Lynn Casey
Bella Andre
Elizabeth Amber
Krista Davis
Heather Webber
Avery Aames
Kim Lenox
Joyce and Jim Lavene
C. C. Hunter
Cricket McCrae
Anita Howard
Wendy Lyn Watson
Erika Chase
Elizabeth Joy Arnold



Kim

The Fourth Day of Bookmas . . . Kind of

I have to say, I'm a little disappointed in myself. I really thought Kim and I had something good here, something that would keep you all guessing for at least an hour. Well, just when you think you have it all figured out, we're going to throw a wrench into your plans. For those of you who are EST early birds and logged on at exactly 8 a.m. to beat the rush, you're going to be sadly disappointed because today's contest isn't going to launch until noon EST. Which means you can go back to bed for another three hours or hit refresh for three hours. Whichever suits.

Hopefully today's Bookmas question will keep you all guessing for a little longer. We're still having fun though. Well, at least I am.

Jessica

Oh, the agony

My mama is spinning in her grave like a chicken on a spit, and Martha Stewart is clutching her chest, moaning, “This could be the Big One!”

Before I launch into this story, I should preface it with this: there is no “right” color of Christmas lights. I know that, in my head at least.

However, in the South, if Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy, and that’s how it was at our house when I was growing up. My mother, may she rest in peace, had dozens upon dozens of “rules” that she applied to life. I had no idea just how many rules she had (and that she had inculcated in me) until I got married to a perfectly nice perfect stranger to my family’s ways and traditions.

Some examples? Sheets aren’t on a bed properly unless you have neat little hospital corners. A present isn’t properly wrapped unless you can’t detect a smidge of tape (that one alone nearly sent me to therapy.) Don’t use the same utensil in the jelly jar that you just used in the peanut butter jar. Don’t get crumbs in the jelly. Never wear plaids and stripes at the same time.

There are also strict rules about which way the toilet paper goes on the roll, and how you fold a napkin, as well as a whole canon on the proper way to handle thank you notes. But if you think those were a lot of rules to learn, Christmas outstripped them all. Yep, you could fill an entire set of encyclopedias just on Mama’s Rules About Christmas.

The one absolute immutable law, though, dealt with lights. Christmas lights were to be dainty and small and, well, white. Preferably NOT blinking, but she could take the blinking as long as they were white.

The way she taught this law was simple. From the earliest age I can remember, if I ever admired multi-colored lights as we were driving by someone’s Griswoldville, she’d tutt her tongue and hiss, “Looks just like a jook-joint.”

For those of you not from my neck of the woods, a jook-joint is slang for beer joint, and the worst sort, the kind that the bartender might have to break up three fights in one evening alone.

Fast forward to now. The Kiddo and The Husband had long planned to string Christmas lights along our front fence. It never occurred to me to tell them to get white lights. I just sort of, er, assumed that they knew that. I mean, The Husband has been married to me for how many years? Yes, 20. And never a colored light has been lit on our hill.

But what do we have on our fence? Rainbow hues of lights. Brilliant, garish lights – that, gasp, blink. Yes, my Mama is spinning in her grave. But she was a mama, too, so here’s hoping she can understand that I had nothing to do with it.