This week in publishing…
Mushrooms!! Actually no mushrooms in this week in publishing. Sigh.
Via Publishers Lunch, fellow San Franciscans Chronicle Books are embarking on a venture with self-publisher Blurb to parlay their slush pile into a “mutual referral” plan whereby Chronicle will recommend the people they reject to Blurb and if/when those Blurb books become successes Blurb will repay the favor with a heads up to Chronicle. Symbiosis! Not just for whales and barnacles anymore.
Slate literary editor Meghan O’Rourke re-read A WRINKLE IN TIME and wrote about the experience, which may be of note to those of you who are doing the same. Of course, I also would be remiss if I didn’t point you to Slate’s video history of the laugh track, which has nothing to do with publishing but which is quite awesome. My love of Slate has recently moved from borderline unhealthy to kind of creepy to outright obsession. I just can’t help it, Slate, you’re just so amazing! Who else is going to give me a visual history of prefab houses??? I know you were only kidding about the restraining order!
The New York Times reported recently on the enduring legacy of Ayn Rand (who happens to be one of the many groundbreaking authors Curtis Brown Ltd. has represented over the years. You go, Curtis Brown!)
And finally, via GalleyCat, Hillel Italie reported that IF I DID IT publisher Beaufort Books went back to press for another 50,000 copies, bringing the total to 200,000 in print, and it is currently #2 on Amazon’s list of bestsellers. That sound you hear is me banging my head against the wall.
Have a great weekend!
UPDATE: Chronicle Books says that the information in the Newsweek article is incorrect — Chronicle does not receive a fee for recommending Blurb. It’s really is just a mutual referral plan if either Chronicle or Blurb thinks a project would be right for the other. So there you go.
original bran fan says
Although the article about Blurb and Chronicle seemed very positive, something just doesn’t smell right about this.
Nope, it stinks.
Jaye Wells says
Glad to see Ayn getting some props.
Scott says
OJ’s latest arrest couldn’t have come at a better time for his “book.”
Coincidence?
Of course, setting yourself up to possibly spend decades in prison isn’t a very smart way drum up publicity for a book OJ won’t even make money off of. At least not directly.
So I’m guessing it’s not a tactic you encourage your clients to use.
Luc2 says
I’m a bit surprised that you didn’t cover the death of Robert Jordan.
I’m a bit prejudiced, because Jordan brought me back to reading fantasy and inspired me to write. Maybe not the greatest writer ever, but a great storyteller, and a big reason for the revival of epic fantasy in the 90’s.
Nathan Bransford says
luc2-
Truthfully I haven’t read Robert Jordan, and thought his passing was covered in better detail and thought than I’d be able to do here.
The Anti-Wife says
I will never purchase or read O.J.’s book. As sleazy as he is, the Goldman’s by profiting in any way from their daughter’s death are his equal in slime. JMHO
Luc2 says
Fair enough, Nathan. I guess you have to make a selection of the week’s news, but I just felt compelled to mention this.
Tom Burchfield says
O.J’s book? I feel the urge to bathe just thinking about it.
Marti says
I’m fond of Ayn Rand, nice to know who’s in charge of her legacy.
Regarding OJ’s book, I wouldn’t read it, but I believe in freedom of the press and don’t have a problem with it being printed. In an ideal world it wouldn’t have sold a single copy.
Best wishes to Nathan and his loyal readers for a fabulous weekend!
Church Lady says
I think OJ is addicted to attention and publicity. It’s not about the money.
I am wondering which talk shows will feature OJ. You just know it’s coming…
sex scenes at starbucks says
Every time I come here I learn something new.
P.G says
I can just see it now,
OJ’s next book will be called,
“If I did steal it”.
OR if they finally get his buttocks in jail.
“I didn’t steal but, if I did this is how.”
I wont be buying any of his books.
Redzilla says
I’m curious about how many people who buy OJ’s book will actually read it. The very concept certainly makes the “horror” genre look tepid in comparison.
Margaret says
Man, p.g. beat me to it…
I think OJ’s sequel book is called:
“If you steal my stuff.”
(You may substitute a 4 letter s word for stuff if you’d like; in fact I think it flows better with the 2nd word, but my momma didn’t raise me to swear on blogs.)
Southern Writer says
Didn’t they change the title to I Did It? Why does everyone keep putting the If in there? Am I missing something that’s obvious to the rest of the world? He soooooooo did it.
otherkatie says
Have you guys seen the cover? The “I Did It” is in a huge font, and the “If” is almost undetectable.
sunjunkie says
Hi Nathan ~
I don’t post often, but I’m a daily lurker. I just wondered… doesn’t the Chronicle/Blurb thing seem a bit sketchy to you? It did to me. Even more so after I read this:
https://accrispin.blogspot.com/2007/09/victoria-strauss-and-you-thought.html
You mentioned this new venture without really commenting on it. What are your thoughts?
Nathan Bransford says
sunjunkie-
I tend not to get too worked up about things like this, and it seems pretty benign to me. Everything I’ve heard about Blurb so far is positive, and let’s be honest, given the extremely difficult landscape of the illustrated book and cookbook, Blurb is probably a better avenue (if not the only avenue) for most of those books anyway. And no one is forcing anyone to sign up for anything.
Maybe someone who is upset about it can chime in.
sunjunkie says
Seems sensible enough.
Thanks for all the time and effort you put into your posts and replies. Have a great week!
Joseph Ternes says
The information in the Newsweek article was incorrect. Chronicle Books will not receive a referral fee for recommending Blurb.com to aspiring authors or artists.
Just as from time to time our editors refer authors or artists to other trade houses, Blurb.com presents another option if they consider it an appropriate choice. This option will not be part of our response to every author submissions. There are many self-publishing options in the marketplace, though far fewer for illustrated book authors and artists. As an independent illustrated book publisher in San Francisco, Chronicle Books felt an affinity for the locally based Blurb.com and the quality of the product it is offering the public.
Chronicle Books