The sun rises. The living move in the waking world. Sadness remains, as well as selfish fury at a universe that would take Terry Pratchett before he could give us another Tiffany Aching book…*
Sigh. I’m short-tempered this week, partly because of that. I’ve put several people on ‘ignore’ in various social media forums, because I can’t figure out if they are trolls or just clueless – and I don’t care enough to engage to find out.
There was a #pitmad this weekend, and already I’m seeing giddy authors talk about this or that new, unknown (and in some cases, old and notorious) publisher or agent liking the author pitches. I expect heartbreak in a few months.
I saw the lineup for the Tucson Festival of Books this weekend. Yep, more non-book exhibitors than publishers (though self-pub and commercial authors had a good presence.) What’s more troubling was the presence of at least two known vanity publishers. I’m deeply skeptical of this book festival now (sad, too, because I’ve loved going there in the past.) I’ve seen these same publishers at two recent festivals, so it’s not like they’re sneaking in. I’m beginning to get the feeling this shindig is not vetted as well as I thought it was…
Lastly, in the wake of several vast Twitter campaigns by some marketing social groups I know, this article from Anne R. Allen was refreshing in its bluntness.
If you have a published book and you are trying to sell it to people, please read this:
http://annerallen.blogspot.com/2015/03/how-not-to-sell-books-top-10-social.html
It contains wisdom.
It will keep people like me from having to ‘ignore’ bad marketers.
* So, I learned there will be a last Tiffany Aching novel, and a couple more posthumous books from Sir Terry. I’m glad, but still weepy. Because those will be the last.
Thanks a bunch for the shout-out. We need to spread the word. There is a difference between marketing and annoying people. 🙂
I agree about Terry Pratchett. A terrible loss for us all.
And those vanity publishers are everywhere. They’re at every book festival now, even the biggies. Because Author Solutions owns all the major vanity presses and Author Solutions is owned by Random Penguin. And the festivals don’t want to anger the Great Penguin.