Peter V. Brett Says Some Stuff

Peter V. Brett wrote an interesting blog post about several things. The point that came through clearest for me was the fact that even as a New York Times Bestseller, he's still a huge fan who loves nothing more than a new book showing up on his doorstep.

'...every time I get a package, there is a little thrill. Has another of my international children come home in the form of some translation of a Demon Cycle book? It is the new Joe Abercrombie book? A manuscript version of the NEXT BIG THING writer? There is no wrong answer.'

Brett also talks about Shawn Speakman's forthcoming anthology and his need to get get more exercise to keep his life insurance premiums down. While discussing the latter, he mentioned listening to a podcast,

'...with The Functional Nerds interviewing Justin Landon (@jdiddyesquire) and Paul Weimer (@PrinceJvstin). I’ve run into Justin at a couple of conventions this year, and am convinced he is brilliant, as well as a great guy. His review site, Staffer’s Musings, has some of the best written reviews out there. Landon has read literally EVERYTHING, and remembers it all, plus he has something of a journalism background, and it really shows in his writing and general professionalism.'

Well, that's nice, isn't it? And before anyone calls me out, yes, I am a blatant self promoter. 

Oh, and only six months or so to go until The Daylight War hits shelves. I'm stoked. How about you?

A Response to a Response

Pauline Ross, an independent reviewer and active forum participant on Westeros, wrote an essay responding (in part) to my thoughts on the blogger/publisher relationship. Those who read me frequently know I've had some strong thoughts on the subject in recent days. Interestingly, Ross begins with the blogger/reader relationship, discussing the publishing houses only tangentially while lobbing a few gentle grenades at bloggers,

...I certainly don't question their integrity; undoubtedly they write their honest opinion of every book they review. But (and it's a significant but) if they don't enjoy a book, or don't finish it, they generally don't review it. When they give ratings, they tend to use a skewed scale such that even a relatively poor review merits 6 or 7 out of 10. They tend to chase big name or hot books. They tend not to review self-published works. 

Obviously, Ross is painting with a broad brush, something she recognizes and accepts. It's a dangerous activity to engage though. For example, this blogger finishes everything he starts, he reviews everything he finishes, he doesn't use a ratings scale at all. And while he certainly enjoys a big name or hot release, he also reads smaller presses and even the occasional self-published work. She goes on to say, 

Now there are many review blogs out there which stay focused on the original objective of reviewing books the blogger likes to read, and are not much concerned beyond that. But for many established bloggers, and nowadays for many startup bloggers too, the reviews become subsumed into the greater enterprise of maintaining and growing the blog. With a little advertising, paid-for content or tie-in marketing, it can even pay for itself and enable the blogger to give up the day job.  

First off, I'm not aware of any book bloggers who've been able to make a full time living out of it. There are few enough authors who've accomplished that feat. As for me, I have no interest in selling ads, and paid for content, by and large, is anathma to credibility. I know some of the larger blogs like The Book Smugglers sell advertising, and that's a choice although one I'm not likely to make for myself. 

She goes on to compare the idea of generating readership as tantamount to "selling out",

Then the emphasis switches to aggressively selling the blog by linking to it from as many places as possible, guest blogging on other blogs, actively touting for author interviews and the like, or even deliberately provoking controversy to get a buzz going. 

I don't see quite how selling a blog and desiring a readership should be problematic as it relates to credibility. Whether I'm in a publisher's pocket or not, I want people to read me, that's the point is it not? To generate new readers I guest post , I do interviews, and I absolutely provoke discussion. If no one is reading me, why am I spending time writing?

Switching topics slightly, one of the impetuses behind Ross' post stemmed from my view of the relationship between bloggers and publishers. In my original post, I commented on the increasing concern publishers have about how to interact with the blogging community. My suggestion read,

Either way, the answer isn't creating some cockamamie bureaucracy to hold bloggers accountable, or codify some quid pro quo that will only serve to taint blogger integrity. The answer is increasing the publishers access to the community and the community's access to them. It doesn't mean spending more money, just spending it smarter. Rather than casting out wasted review copies that never get read, invest in getting to know reviewers and what they like. Give them exclusive coverage. Be pro-active. Don't expect free books to be a tool by which they can be controlled. In short, treat them like journalists.

Ross misinterpreted me when she replied,

I'm not sure that journalism is quite the analogy he wants here; journalists are paid directly by their industry, do what they're told and write to precise order.

Journalism is exactly the analogy I wanted. Because Ross is absolutely right. Journalists are paid by their industry. My industry is blogging and I write my own checks. I am independent, beholden to no entity other than my own interests and code of ethics (which again, is entirely open to my readers to evaluate). I reiterate, I am not a publicity arm. I recognize publishers will use me as such, but what's important is how I use myself. I won't run an interview, giveaway (sans my bookshelf dump giveaways), or guest post from an author I can't recommend. Nor do I link to anywhere that sells books. I'm not a book seller, and I never want to be.

Even in the face of that, Ross would suggest that receipt of review copies somehow impugns my credibility,

Publishers are prepared to dish out free books (and interviews and other stuff), and they don't want reviewers to be seen to be in their pockets, so keeping a certain distance is part of the game. Reviewers, on the other hand, want the free stuff, sure, they want the big-name authors, they want to be the first with the hot new book, because that's what their readers want, but they also value their independence, and don't want to be poodles for the industry.

I admit, I receive review copies from publishers (large and small and "indie"). I don't apologize for it. Nor do I believe it impacts the fairness of my reviews or commentary. I also admit that if I stopped receiving them it would absolutely change what this blog covers. I wouldn't read small presses, independents, short story collections, and a host of other things because I wouldn't even know they exist. That's just the truth. I am exposed to so much material as a result of my relationship with publishing, and thus I have the opportunity to make others aware of it. 

Does that compromise me? I don't think so. But, that's my readers' decision to make, not mine. If you trust me, read me, value my opinion, and consider it when deciding what to read. If you don't... don't. I'm fine with that. Ultimately, it's my readers who will determine the value of this blog. I can't help but wonder if Ross isn't selling them all a little short.

KJ Parker Interviewed by Pornokitsch

Anyone who reads this blog knows I'm a monster fan of KJ Parker. Orbit is releasing a new Parker novel this month titled, Sharps, which I've read and will be reviewing soon. Given the nature of Parker's public profile, or lack there of, few interviews are granted by the publisher and/or author and the only one of any real substance I've seen thus far was the one done by Tom Holt for Subterranean Press. Until now.

Jared Shurin of Pornokitsch was given an opportunity to interview Parker via e-mail. He posted the replies today and they're fantastic. Not surprising given the quality of Shurin's questions. I strongly suggest everyone check it out.

PK: Magic appears infrequently in your work, and is invariably accompanied by someone trying to explain it away as something un-magical. Why take this approach to the supernatural? Given how much you accomplish without magic/natural philosophy/weirdness, what leads you to include it when you do? 

KJP: I like to have magic in short fiction, and to keep it sidelined in novels. This started off when reviewers complimented me on writing magic-free fantasy (I’ll show them, I thought) but I rather like the distinction, since short-story stories are necessarily quite different from larger-scale narratives. Magic in fantasy literature is a bit like chilli sauce; a little, sparingly used, is great. A whole magic-flavoured novel can be inedible; all you can taste is the chili, not the meat and vegetables.

Click here and head to Pornokitsch the interview in its entirety.

And stay tuned to this blog for more KJ Parker love soon.

Interviewed by Another Blogger - What?

Mieneke from A Fantastical Librarian invited me to answer some questions about me, my interest in genre fiction, and blogging. I was all too happy to reply, because let's be honest, who doesn't like talking about themselves?

She asked a lot of questions, but the one I found most fascinating was, "How do you think blogs and reviewers fit in the book business?" I've written about the topic at some length before, but I think my answer sheds some more light on where I stand.

With the decline of the bookstore the vast majority of people moving forward will buy their books on-line. Decline in bookstores, means a decline in conversation between two people who love books. Ask anyone out there, what's the best way to sell books? Their answer is always, "Word of mouth." Well what happens when people stop running into each other in the stacks? When book store employees aren't there to recommend stuff? When book clubs stop meeting in person? The answer is blogs. Blogs are the new conversation. 

Did we ever imagine even ten years ago that on-line dating would be acceptable? That it would become one of the primary ways by which the modern single thirty something meets other modern single thirty somethings? No way! That shit was fringe! In that same way, I think publishers are slow to recognize the importance of blogs now and in the future. I don't think blogs today are a major reason in to whether or not a book is a success. But, that's changing. Moving forward their importance is only going to grow. Amazon and Goodreads will always be the Match.com of book conversation. But, if the publishers want the blogging equivalent of eHarmony, a network of people who target specific readers, they're going to need to start interacting with and treating blogs like major outlets. Because like it or not, we're the word of mouth in a digital age.

What do you think?

Read the interview in it's entirety at A Fantastical Librarian! 

Cover Conumdrum: Staffer's Musings and The Qwillery Talk Covers

Sally (The Qwillery) and I were on Twitter the other day - hard to believe I know - when we struck up a conversation on the relative crappiness of U.S. covers to their U.K. counterparts. Admitting there could be some selection bias afoot, we endeavored to discover whether or not the art direction across the pond is truly superior. Over the course a few posts we'll be discussing various groups of covers arbitrarily selected using some nonsense criteria. For this first installment we're looking at some of the more hyped 2011 Science Fiction and Fantasy releases that had covers worth discussing. You will not see A Dance with Dragons (AKA: Most Boring Covers on Earth) here.

THE NIGHT CIRCUS by ERIN MORGENSTERN
UK	US
Justin: This is tough one. The title embellishment on the U.S. cover is beautiful. It’s unfortunate that the tents in the palm look like Shiva the Destroyer was hired as a candy striper at a local hospital with rollers in her hair. In contrast, the UK imagery is much stronger with the red scarf really popping off the page. It much more clearly identifies the themes of the novel. If I were Doubleday I’d have dumped the hand all together and gone with the stark night snowfall. Winner: UK	Sally: I like the UK cover a bit more. While the colors and styles are very similar, I don't really like the hand in the US cover. The tattoo reminds me too much of hair! The hand holding the circus is really not germain to the the story. "The Night Circus" on the US cover shimmers and changes color, which is kind of cool. Both covers convey the circus and the dominant colors of the book, but I think the UK covers captures the theme of the book much better. Winner: UK

                        

THE WISE MAN'S FEAR by PATRICK ROTHFUSS
UK	US
Justin: The U.S. cover says: 1) This book is the next installment in the Highland television series. That’s Duncan MacLeod back there in his trench coat. 2) This will be made into a movie starring Tom Hanks where he finds ancient relics to uncover a conspiracy. The U.K. cover says: 1) This book has ninjas with glowing swords who are also gingers. 2) There is lightning coming out of the trees. Ya, lightning. Buy me. Winner: Nobody.	Sally: I prefer the US cover. The style of the UK cover makes me think this is a YA novel - vines, cartoony character, glowing sword. While the US cover is somewhat formulaic, it still appeals to me much more than the UK cover. The US cover says moody and dangerous to me. Perhaps a real winner would have been the UK cover in the style of the US cover. Winner: US, but barely.

                        

REAMDE by NEAL STEPHENSON
UK	US
Justin: My choices… Black with what looks like an Apple icon of a document. Or, a city skyline with choppy seas that gives meIndependence Day meets thePoseidon Adventure vibrations. I want to like the U.K. version, I really do, but it’s so generic. It also strikes me as a publisher trying to look like anything but a science fiction novel. Ultimately, the stark black with the document icon works for me with Reamde which looks a lot like Read Me. Winner: U.S.	Sally: Neither of these covers tells me much about this book. There is more to see on the UK cover of course, but even those images really don't give you much to go on. It's hard to tell what that mess of images is beneath Readmeon the UK Cover. The US cover is simply stark and boring. Neither of these covers spark any interest in this book for me. I don't like either of them. No Winner.

                        

THE POSTMORTAL/THE END SPECIALIST by DREW MAGARY
UK	US
Justin: I can’t decide if the skeleton puked on the cover or whether it’s a cleverly constructed ruse to distract me from the fact that stabbing something with a scythe is really freaking hard. Either way, I guess if the goal is to be eye catching I have to give Penguin a thumbs up. I suspect the point though is to make this look as little like a science fiction novel as possible. As for the U.K version, under a different title, I guess it’s cool. It’s also exceedingly boring. Winner: U.S.	Sally: I'm having a really hard time with the color of the US cover. I know it's green but what color is that exactly? The Grim Reaper being stabbed in the back by his scythe is ok. The yellow face screams cartoon to me. While there are moments of levity in The Postmortal, I don't think this cover really does the book justice. The UK cover is better in my opinion. It reminds me of the plague that swept Europe in the Dark Ages. I think that makes sense in the context of this book. Winner: UK

                        

READY PLAYER ONE by ERNEST CLINE
UK	US
Justin: Here’s the thing… I thought the U.S. cover was pretty weak until I looked closer and saw the little man inside the O reaching for the key. That’s pretty sweet. He looks like thePitfall guy from Intellivision (look it up people under 30). Throw in the cool C’s that look like Pacman and my nostalgia is adequately piqued. On the other hand, the U.K. cover has pixels. Lots of pixels. But it all feels like 80’s video game generic. I don’t get nostalgic, just sad about how crappy video games were back then. Winner: U.S.	Sally: The UK cover looks pixelated, it also looks like a needlepoint to me. Pixelation makes sense in the context of the book, but it's just a really boring cover. I like the eye catching colors of the US cover. The "O" also has a couple of little embellishments (a little man and a key) that I like a lot. In addition the C looks like Pacman. I think the US cover clearly conveys more about the book. Winner: U.S.

                        

THE MAGICIAN KING by LEV GROSSMAN
UK	US
Justin: Is it just me or does the U.S. cover look like some homemade crap you’d find in the Kindle book listings. That thing screams self-published or at best small press (read: my fax machine). In contrast the UK cover is full of color and energy. It plays a bit on the cover of the preceding volume’s U.S. cover (The Magician), but really ups the volume. Sure it looks like a tree that fashions itself a new Doc Brown from Back to the Future, but I’m not going to be overly critical. Winner: UK and it’s not close.	Sally: The US cover is so frighteningly generic I don't know where to start in my criticism. It also strikes me as more of a science fiction cover. You're in a cave and on another planet. Or you're in the middle of a solar eclipse. It doesn't work for me at all. I prefer the UK cover. I like the clock on the tree and the keys. The UK cover says 'fantasy" to me in lovely autumnal colors. Winner: UK