I found an interesting read from Boing Boing. I have always wondered about publish business; not so much as to get into that wild jungle but rather from a perspective of curios bystander. It’s not a secret that I dream to be a writer without lifting a single pen nor typing a single keystroke–impossibility is my middle name and my life seems to describe it to the T.

But except for the math involved, this is a very interesting read; math just adds more confusion. Fun, indeed.

This in no way should imply anything to do with reality. I just don’t want to have to do out the numbers for four P&Ls to show two positive and two negative. Savvy?

This post is about Book #1.

Book #1 is a mass market romance novel called Crichton is an Idiot by a brand new author named Aeryn Sun. She doesn’t know anyone, and no one’s heard of her. You, her loving and caring editor, call in every single favor you’ve got, but no one has time. You do not take this as a bad sign that no one really likes the book at all, but you take everyone at their word. (This is your mistake. Although, of course, you’ve already bought the book — there’s not much you can do at this point.) Your closest friend, an author who sometimes hits the Waldenbooks Top 20 Romance List, gives Aeryn a pity blurb.

“Crichton is an Idiot is a romp through a crazy alternate reality!” –nationally bestselling author Buffy Summers

At the meetings, people shake their heads and sigh, but you are an obnoxious editor who loves your book. You bother people enough until your publisher gives you a full page 4/c (four color — aka full color) ad in Romantic Times BookClub Magazine, and puts four other small books in the ad, so the price gets split. You bug more people, and you get 4/c bound galleys and a mailing to a couple of independent bookstores and a bookmark for the author to hand out.

read more from here.

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