(Reprinted from Sharing with Writers, an e-newsletter edited by Carolyn Howard-Johnson)
After my last rant on publishers running amuck I find this information on how libraries might be hurting readers and writers alike!
Time reports that the director of the library system in Fairfax County, VA., is presiding over the destruction of books including classics like For Whom the Bell Tolls and To Kill a Mockingbird. Time magazine (January 15, 2007) reports that they will destroy any book not checked in the last two years.
The director is quoted as saying "We're being very ruthless. A book is not forever."
I beg to differ. Putting aside exigencies like mold and fire, a book is forever. The piece in my last newsletter about the palimpsest from which our scientists are struggling to retrieve the remains of some of Archimedes's work puts the lie to that remark about as well as anything.
But more than that, what has happened to our idea of libraries? Aren't they repositories of a culture. A place where people can go to find To Kill a Mockingbird when the spirit moves them or when someone (Praise be!) chooses to talk to our young people again about tolerance. Or when . . . .well, you get the idea.
What about the concept of free press and free speech? What about the idea that ideas of all kinds should be available to our populace not just the popular ones. Who gets to judge what is popular anyway. We measure that with the number of times a book has been checked our or its political slant? I don't think we can trust that popular necessarily equates with quality or needed.
I'm really, really ticked off at this one. Of course all libraries can't keep every book that ever decked its stacks. Economics are a consideration. But I believe that we hire good librarians (and good directors) to make decent choices for the good of the community and it seems to me that this particular director got it wrong somewhere along the way.
I also believe that we get the kind of government (and libraries) we deserve. It looks as if we are all doomed.
Best,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
HoJoNews@aol.com
http://carolynhoward-johnson.com
http://authorscoalitionandredenginepess.com and a blog focused on book fairs at
http://redenginepress.com/chjohnson and another blog that is just about writing and reading at www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Publishing Stupidity Running Amuck
Big publishers are discovering that fun promotion works. I cite two recent experiences that prove it. My friend, June Casagrande, pitched having bumper stickers that say Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies made to her publisher (Penguin), and guess what! They did it.
Then, Time magazine ran an article (October 16, 2006) on how St. Martin's has taken to (my words) doing something more than running ads in the New York Times! The inspiration? Their author K'wan who wrote hip hop or street-lit like Gangsta.
So, "instead of signings at Barnes & Noble, St. Martins' is planning giveaway and readings in barber shops and beauty salons" . . . .ads on urban radio and an official Hood Rat mix tape CD.
Sorry, but if big publishers had spent less time ignoring (or dissing) independent authors and small presses, they'd have gotten the idea long ago. Two years ago the Authors' Coalition published a CD for our booth at the LA Times Festival of Books and, I guess you could say we got it because we're promotion-smart, too. We plan to do it again, so there!
Last year at the same fair, Joyce Faulkner , author of The Complete Writer tested magnet signs for her rental SUV. We may offer those soon on the Authors' Coalition site even though results were hard to measure. We did get some action from the press as we were carrying our bookshelves and signs in from the loading dock. They knew they'd seen something a little unusual and possibly even smart. So the street-smart author Time cites, Rentless Aaron, wasn't the first to plaster his car with signs. Maybe something just got into the air and spread.
Time says, "In an industry the considers ales of 20,000 a success, gritty steet-lit authors are routinely doubling that number." Where St. Martin's may have it over some of us is their budget and perhaps the genre itself.
OK, but it still seems big publishers have been monumentally slow learners in the face of the example of entrepreneurial authors I've seen at work. So, does anyone expect anyone to give us any credit? I, for one, don't. Time certainly didn't.
They mentioned Amazon which quashed the need for brick, mortar and shelves.
And they mentioned Vickie Stringer who just got tired of being at the mercy of others and self-published. As if that is news! She also founded her own publishing company and her own literary agency. Way to go, Miss Independent but many authors I know have been doing that since I got into the publishing business about seven years ago.
So, am I suggesting there's only one way to do things? Nope. I'm just saying that if we all got busy learning from one another, supporting one another, we just might all do better, big publishers included.
CHJ
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Then, Time magazine ran an article (October 16, 2006) on how St. Martin's has taken to (my words) doing something more than running ads in the New York Times! The inspiration? Their author K'wan who wrote hip hop or street-lit like Gangsta.
So, "instead of signings at Barnes & Noble, St. Martins' is planning giveaway and readings in barber shops and beauty salons" . . . .ads on urban radio and an official Hood Rat mix tape CD.
Sorry, but if big publishers had spent less time ignoring (or dissing) independent authors and small presses, they'd have gotten the idea long ago. Two years ago the Authors' Coalition published a CD for our booth at the LA Times Festival of Books and, I guess you could say we got it because we're promotion-smart, too. We plan to do it again, so there!
Last year at the same fair, Joyce Faulkner , author of The Complete Writer tested magnet signs for her rental SUV. We may offer those soon on the Authors' Coalition site even though results were hard to measure. We did get some action from the press as we were carrying our bookshelves and signs in from the loading dock. They knew they'd seen something a little unusual and possibly even smart. So the street-smart author Time cites, Rentless Aaron, wasn't the first to plaster his car with signs. Maybe something just got into the air and spread.
Time says, "In an industry the considers ales of 20,000 a success, gritty steet-lit authors are routinely doubling that number." Where St. Martin's may have it over some of us is their budget and perhaps the genre itself.
OK, but it still seems big publishers have been monumentally slow learners in the face of the example of entrepreneurial authors I've seen at work. So, does anyone expect anyone to give us any credit? I, for one, don't. Time certainly didn't.
They mentioned Amazon which quashed the need for brick, mortar and shelves.
And they mentioned Vickie Stringer who just got tired of being at the mercy of others and self-published. As if that is news! She also founded her own publishing company and her own literary agency. Way to go, Miss Independent but many authors I know have been doing that since I got into the publishing business about seven years ago.
So, am I suggesting there's only one way to do things? Nope. I'm just saying that if we all got busy learning from one another, supporting one another, we just might all do better, big publishers included.
CHJ
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
I'm Taking on the Nobel Comittee--Again!
I'm Taking On the Nobel Prize Committee for the Fifth Year!
Praised or maligned, the Nobel Prize for Literature is always news. It selects the best from the world and therefore misses much of value. I write a column called “Back to Literature” for MyShelf.com and my editor and I attempt to close the gap each year with my annual “Noble Prize for Literature.”
Over the last years the Nobel committee has recognized authors for their literary expertise but there has also been a trend toward awarding the prize for, as Los Angeles Times Staff Writer Tim Rutten says, “an author’s particular relevance to the moral moment in which the world finds itself.”
My prize, therefore, concentrates on books that address these same issues. For my Noble Prize (as opposed to the NOBEL prize), I consider books written in English (which narrows the field of prospects considerably) because writers who write in English have been rather neglected over the years and because that is the language in which I, well . . . .ahem, read well enough. My lists have included well-known authors who explore discrimination in their writing like Toni Morrison and Ralph Ellison but I try to concentrate on authors who have not been posted to bestseller lists or won major awards. Some past winners are Randall Sylvis and Leora Krygier.
The winners for 2006 just announced in January's issue of Myshelf.com are:
Bruce Bauman for And the Word Was (Other Press, 2005). Nominated by Susan Henderson.Carolyn Davidson for Redemption (HON Books--Harlequin). Nominated by Suzie Housley.Robert Eggleton for his e-book, Rarity from the Hollow (Fatcat Press). Nominated by Evelyn Somers.Dr. Bob Rich for his biography, Anikó.Helen Losse for her chapbook, Gathering the Broken Pieces #5 in the Poets on Peace series (Foothill Publishing).Nikki Arana for The Winds of Sonoma, (Revell).http://www.compulsivereader.com/html/images/quarkindex.htm%20">Magdalena Ball for her book of poetry, Quark Soup (Picaro Press, Warners Bay, Australia).Marcus Harris for his small book of poetry, Songs in Search of a Voice (Urban Echoes Entertainment, LLG).Two Rivers Review's Poetry Chapbook Series. Published three volumes at a time, Ron Mohring's #5 volume along with Michael McFee's and Lynne Knight's poetry.Anh Vu Sawyer and Pam Proctor for Song of Saigon (Warner Books).Eve La Salle Caram for Rena, A Late Journey (Plain View Press, Austin, TX).Nadia Brown for her book of poetry Unscrambled Eggs (Publish America).Hugh Rosen for Silent Battlefields (iUniverse).Karen Degroot Carter for One Sister's Song (Pearl Street Publishing).
I'd like to extend a great big hug of thanks to Editor Brenda Weeaks at MyShelf.com. She is an unparalleled webmaster to say nothing of banner maker.
You'll want to go to my "Back to Literature" page. http://myshelf.com/backtoliterature/column.htm. There you'll find book covers and my comments on the writers and their books as well as the Tips box that always run with my column--on for readers and one for writers. And, of course, anyone who wants more information on these authors or the award, please leave a comment with your e-mail address and I'll get back to you.
Also, as the author of The Frugal Book Promoter,I have to remind you--winner of the Noble, past winner or hopeful--to leave comments on blogs. When you do be careful to relate to the blog in some way, mention your book's title and leave your URL!
Best,
Carolyn
Your Noble Prize Judge and MyShelf Column Writer (-:
Praised or maligned, the Nobel Prize for Literature is always news. It selects the best from the world and therefore misses much of value. I write a column called “Back to Literature” for MyShelf.com and my editor and I attempt to close the gap each year with my annual “Noble Prize for Literature.”
Over the last years the Nobel committee has recognized authors for their literary expertise but there has also been a trend toward awarding the prize for, as Los Angeles Times Staff Writer Tim Rutten says, “an author’s particular relevance to the moral moment in which the world finds itself.”
My prize, therefore, concentrates on books that address these same issues. For my Noble Prize (as opposed to the NOBEL prize), I consider books written in English (which narrows the field of prospects considerably) because writers who write in English have been rather neglected over the years and because that is the language in which I, well . . . .ahem, read well enough. My lists have included well-known authors who explore discrimination in their writing like Toni Morrison and Ralph Ellison but I try to concentrate on authors who have not been posted to bestseller lists or won major awards. Some past winners are Randall Sylvis and Leora Krygier.
The winners for 2006 just announced in January's issue of Myshelf.com are:
Bruce Bauman for And the Word Was (Other Press, 2005). Nominated by Susan Henderson.Carolyn Davidson for Redemption (HON Books--Harlequin). Nominated by Suzie Housley.Robert Eggleton for his e-book, Rarity from the Hollow (Fatcat Press). Nominated by Evelyn Somers.Dr. Bob Rich for his biography, Anikó.Helen Losse for her chapbook, Gathering the Broken Pieces #5 in the Poets on Peace series (Foothill Publishing).Nikki Arana for The Winds of Sonoma, (Revell).http://www.compulsivereader.com/html/images/quarkindex.htm%20">Magdalena Ball for her book of poetry, Quark Soup (Picaro Press, Warners Bay, Australia).Marcus Harris for his small book of poetry, Songs in Search of a Voice (Urban Echoes Entertainment, LLG).Two Rivers Review's Poetry Chapbook Series. Published three volumes at a time, Ron Mohring's #5 volume along with Michael McFee's and Lynne Knight's poetry.Anh Vu Sawyer and Pam Proctor for Song of Saigon (Warner Books).Eve La Salle Caram for Rena, A Late Journey (Plain View Press, Austin, TX).Nadia Brown for her book of poetry Unscrambled Eggs (Publish America).Hugh Rosen for Silent Battlefields (iUniverse).Karen Degroot Carter for One Sister's Song (Pearl Street Publishing).
I'd like to extend a great big hug of thanks to Editor Brenda Weeaks at MyShelf.com. She is an unparalleled webmaster to say nothing of banner maker.
You'll want to go to my "Back to Literature" page. http://myshelf.com/backtoliterature/column.htm. There you'll find book covers and my comments on the writers and their books as well as the Tips box that always run with my column--on for readers and one for writers. And, of course, anyone who wants more information on these authors or the award, please leave a comment with your e-mail address and I'll get back to you.
Also, as the author of The Frugal Book Promoter,I have to remind you--winner of the Noble, past winner or hopeful--to leave comments on blogs. When you do be careful to relate to the blog in some way, mention your book's title and leave your URL!
Best,
Carolyn
Your Noble Prize Judge and MyShelf Column Writer (-:
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Friends, New Blogs and Nervous Breakdowns
Friends. This blog would not exist if it weren't for friends. I originally signed onto blogspot because I thought I needed to do it to tour virtually. That was at the suggestion of Janet Elaine Smith (http://www.janetelainesmith.com/), who promotes almost as well as she writes. She suggested that, as hard as a chapbook is to promote, a Virtual Book Tour would be the best way to let people know about my Tracings, a chapbook of poetry. I--with my ever-lacking bank of knowledge of anything tekkie -- thought I needed an account to do that.
That was in 2005.
Then along came Allyn Evans (http://www.allynevans.com/). Yes, two years later. She is my unofficial coach and shrink (degree in psychology and author of Grab the Queen Power: Live Your Best Life). She was trying to save me from a nervous breakdown. The urge to stab myself with a sharp pencil was coming from an effort to learn FrontPage so I could promote my next book, The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success to be published soon with Red Engine Press (http://www.redenginepress.com/). I had this dream that I could actually control my own website and had a plan for one called http://howtodoitfrugally.com/. Well that FRUGAL site is still a mess and getting cleaned up more slowly that a determined two-year-old with mush on her face. Allyn suggested that I could use a blog as a substitute website -- not an altogether crazy idea. She also said, "Try blogspot. It's easy." So here I am.
Well, Allyn, it may not be easy, but it's easier than FrontPage. Just in case there are any wanna bes out there who aren't already blogging, you will (I know!!) find it easier than I did.
So, I hope you will sign up to get regular notices of my blogposts. I plan to be generous about using material from friends and other authors. I hope to make it easier for readers to find good, new material and writers to write it.
Now, I just have to figure out how to help you signup for notification easily. Anyone out there want to lead me through that particular maze?
Best to you all,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
That was in 2005.
Then along came Allyn Evans (http://www.allynevans.com/). Yes, two years later. She is my unofficial coach and shrink (degree in psychology and author of Grab the Queen Power: Live Your Best Life). She was trying to save me from a nervous breakdown. The urge to stab myself with a sharp pencil was coming from an effort to learn FrontPage so I could promote my next book, The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success to be published soon with Red Engine Press (http://www.redenginepress.com/). I had this dream that I could actually control my own website and had a plan for one called http://howtodoitfrugally.com/. Well that FRUGAL site is still a mess and getting cleaned up more slowly that a determined two-year-old with mush on her face. Allyn suggested that I could use a blog as a substitute website -- not an altogether crazy idea. She also said, "Try blogspot. It's easy." So here I am.
Well, Allyn, it may not be easy, but it's easier than FrontPage. Just in case there are any wanna bes out there who aren't already blogging, you will (I know!!) find it easier than I did.
So, I hope you will sign up to get regular notices of my blogposts. I plan to be generous about using material from friends and other authors. I hope to make it easier for readers to find good, new material and writers to write it.
Now, I just have to figure out how to help you signup for notification easily. Anyone out there want to lead me through that particular maze?
Best to you all,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
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