Novelist Paulo Coelho writes in the New Statesman about his decade-long adventures in connecting with fans and readers electronically. His starting point was significantly different from that of many of his peers: “in my case, I was never very keen on the notion of the reclusive author working in solitude, and have always tried to interact with my readers. So I’ve spent a lot of time on my website, knowing that it is one of the rare public platforms, besides the traditional book signing, open to me.” That genuine desire for constructive engagement with his audience, and a creative willingness […]
Authors
Rushdie Threat Buys a Week
We scoffed, but UK publisher John Blake is postponing publication of ON HER MAJESTY’S SERVICE until August 11 so that Salman Rushdie can read the book. Founder John Blake tells the Bookseller, “We are hoping when he reads it, and sees that it’s fair, he will withdraw his objections. When he reads the whole thing, I’m sure he’ll feel it’s a great book . . . he’ll probably have a chuckle.” We’ll take that bet.Bookseller
Rushdie Takes the Bait; Threatens to Sue
File it under smart people who do dumb things. Instead of ignoring, or laughing off, the book ON HER MAJESTY’S SERVICE by Ron Evans, who guarded Rushdie when he was in hiding, the knighted author is threatening to sue–which doesn’t really invalidate the book’s assertions. Rushdie tells the Guardian, “He is portraying me as mean, nasty, tight-fisted, arrogant and extremely unpleasant. In my humble opinion I am none of those things.” He gives them paragraphs of quotes and denials, culminating in this: “This is not a free speech issue, this is libel – there is a difference between those two […]
Lace Reader on NPR
Follow the link below to hear LACE READER author Brunonia Barry on NPR’s Morning Edition. Part of the story focuses on her successful adventure in self-publishing. “Barry’s husband, Gary Ward, encouraged her to self-publish; she says if it had not been for him, the book might still be sitting in a drawer. Barry and Ward have their own software publishing business, which served as a base for the venture. “We thought, ‘We can do this, we’re already publishers,’ Barry remembers. ‘It’s kind of a laugh now, because you run into so many things you never anticipated.'” Manager of the Spirit […]
More Stephenie Meyer
USA Today insists, “Stephenie Meyer is the most famous writer you’ve never heard of. But not for long. Meyer’s growing popularity is like a flashing billboard on our pop culture landscape.” But Meyer says “I think that after 30 years of being the most normal person in the whole world, it’s really hard to become ungrounded. When I’m not out on tour or doing photo shoots, I tend to just forget about it all.” BREAKING DAWN goes on sale just after midnight on Friday, with a first printing of 3.2 million copies. (Her first, and bestselling, book, TWILIGHT, has 3.3 […]
Ann Patchett on Touring
The most important things Ann Patchett learned about the art of book touring were conveyed at a Southeast Booksellers Association conference in the 90s by Allan Gurganus and Clyde Edgerton, she writes in an Atlantic essay. Edgerton advised, “You’ve got to drink plenty of water” or you get dehydrated. Gurganus noted, “The only thing worse than going on book tour, is not going on book tour.” Patchett says: “The reason I have so assiduously followed Clyde’s advice (I drink it by the bucketful whenever I’m out on the road) and chanted Allan’s words like a mantra in my head (It […]