Today was a big day in Oprahland. It was the day that reclusive author Cormac McCarthy confided in Oprah during his first ever television interview.A man who is barely seen in public, was asked during the interview if he "cared that millions of people were now reading his words" and replied "in all honesty I have to say I really don't," was now confiding in Oprah.It gets better.The Chicago Reader is running a story by Julie Rickert claiming that one of the books heavily promoted by Oprah in her post-Frey world, The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, "appears to contain at...
How Far Will The LongPen Reach?
In a few hours Margret Atwood and company will unleash LongPen on the BEA. From London to Walla Walla authors will be signing books for BEA attendees from the comfort of their own home (or publishers office).It is billed as "the world's first real time, pen and ink long-distance autographing device" which produces "legally valid" signatures.LongPen is the next generation of the Autopen, a technology first invented in 1803 (it was called a polygraph) and was used extensively by Thomas Jefferson.These days it is a required technology for many politicians, celebrities and sports stars who simply cannot personally keep up...
Simon & Schuster on a Slippery Slope with New Long Tail Approach
In a move that will surely rattle the already shaky publishing world Simon & Schuster has added a bit of text to their standard author contract that will "allow Simon & Schuster to consider a book in print, and under its exclusive control, so long as it's available in any form, including through its own in-house database -- even if no copies are available to be ordered by traditional bookstores."A much longer author noose is the last thing the industry needs.With the advent and broader acceptance of print on demand technology S&S would like to retain their authors rights forever....
A Full Service Bookshop
While the traditional bookstore model continues its death spiral I trust there is a core group of booksellers out there who are actively searching for the right combination to ensure both the survival and the success of "the bookshop."Simply trying to maintain the status quo is a failing proposition (feel free to substitute newspaper book review sections for traditional book store model, they are interchangeable).The independent bookstore has put up one of the better fights to date of any independent business in our corporate culture but it cannot ultimately win the battle without significant revision. We might have lost half...
Counterpoint Comes Home
Publishers Weekly reports that the Counterpoint imprint has been purchased by a small group the includes its founder Jack Shoemaker. The imprint had been owned by Perseus who has been busy trying to incorporate their newest bankrupt prize Publishers Group West into their mix. It will now live with Winton, Shoemaker & Co. a newly formed group that includes two of Shoemaker's cornerstone authors Gary Snyder and Wendell Berry.Originally called North Point Press then Counterpoint and finally Shoemaker and Hoard the press has always published with a social conscience and with integrity. Two attributes that tend to get compromised when...