Kevin's Watch

SRD has commented negatively on Carter's experience. That's my only frame of reference.

Runes did not enjoy the same marketing effort that the 2nd chrons did.

I hope that Martin's future books do better. I thought that A Storm of Swords would be his breakthrough. If he ever finishes A Feast for Crows, and he hasn't ticked off his readers for the four + year wait between books, I think that may be his breakthrough book. After all, it's been sitting high and pretty in Amazon for quite some time. Until recently, it had been around 500 in their sales ranking. Now it's around #1,000 - still not bad for a book that people have been waiting for more than four years for. I imagine once he finally turns in the manuscript, it will climb.

LOL. Why do people commit money to buy it years in advance of publication? If it would help them get it more quickly, I could almost see it, but doesn't Amazon ship on the publication day? Aren't you better served just going to the bookstore the day it comes out?

I wonder how those advance sales are tabulated by the various bestseller lists? As first week sales?

Thanks, I'll search the gradual interview for Lin Carter stuff.

People committed money because it was supposed to have been published (at the least) two years ago, then last year, then by December of this year. Even December of this year is out of the question, as he has yet to turn in a manuscript.

For books that I plan on reading immediately (Runes, A Feast for Crows), I go straight to the bookstore. For books that can wait a week or two, I always order through Amazon, as they are, mostly, cheaper than www.bn.com. (Barnes and Noble) Interesting note - Runes is cheaper on bn.com than on Amazon, but that's the exception.

I just checked the lists again this AM. Runes falls to NYT #26, falls off of USA Today's top 150, was at Amazon #410 and B& N #766. I still don't get how Runes could do well on NYT and not as well elsewhere.

I have the perfect plan to boost the sales.
Since SRD for some reason is too intelectual for the general fantasy reading public, but too fantasy for the intelectual crowd...we need to get his name out there to the rest of the world.

I say Oprah's book club

c'mon, all she does is mention a book, and the sales go through the roof!

Runes is basically from a womens POV.
We just tell Oprah that it's about a strong carreer minded woman, who had a traumatic childhood, but is struggling though single-motherhood of a special needs child, and at this pivotal point in her life, she must search for her lost lover, regain her missing child, and redeem love and courage of her own life....Christ (or should I say Christ on a crutch) she's have donaldson on her show, and give everyone who buys his book a new car!!!

He'll be the new Dr. Phil!!!!

I love that. Send that to Steve's agent. The only downside is that NOTHING is resolved in Runes, and it looks like it won't be finished for a decade, which will make it a harder sell for the big O.

Hey, the "big O" hasn't married Steadman yet. She's used to long term committments that may or may not culminate in fulfillment.

On the NY Times list, Runes has fallen to 26.

Drew

At the Manchester Q&A session the other night, SRD mentioned that he needed a ring moe than Tolkien and nothing else would have worked in that it symbolised lost relationships (I think that's what he said - I forget). Tolkien didn't need a ring as much, but such is life I suppose.

burgs66 wrote:On the NY Times list, Runes has fallen to 26.

<sigh>

Yes, Salvatore's book is selling better.

However, I believe that when The Last Dark (I think that's the name of the last book) is published, it will be a huge hit.

Is that because you think SRD will have re-built his fan base?

It is not a bad theory. Most of us agree that Runes will probably be a steady sell, and given that, the future novels may do better.

Arturia wrote:Drew

At the Manchester Q&A session the other night, SRD mentioned that he needed a ring moe than Tolkien and nothing else would have worked in that it symbolised lost relationships (I think that's what he said - I forget). Tolkien didn't need a ring as much, but such is life I suppose.

I'm fairly new here and I'm reading a lot of forums but I haven't heard about this Q&A business.
Where is the thread on that?
Thanks in advance!

I posted a report of the Q&A under General SRD Discussion, entitled something like "When SRD met the UK contingent".

Arturia wrote:Drew

At the Manchester Q&A session the other night, SRD mentioned that he needed a ring moe than Tolkien and nothing else would have worked in that it symbolised lost relationships (I think that's what he said - I forget). Tolkien didn't need a ring as much, but such is life I suppose.

You were there too? Nav, Gart and I were over on the left, a couple of rows back.

aiken wrote:Is that because you think SRD will have re-built his fan base?

It is not a bad theory. Most of us agree that Runes will probably be a steady sell, and given that, the future novels may do better.

Yes, I do. I think that we'll see a similar pattern to writers like George Martin, whose books started out selling fairly well, and then improved with each book. The Game of Thrones has been a very steady seller. I anticipate that Runes, in paperback, will be as well.

drew wrote:I have the perfect plan to boost the sales.
Since SRD for some reason is too intelectual for the general fantasy reading public, but too fantasy for the intelectual crowd...we need to get his name out there to the rest of the world.

I say Oprah's book club

c'mon, all she does is mention a book, and the sales go through the roof!

Runes is basically from a womens POV.
We just tell Oprah that it's about a strong carreer minded woman, who had a traumatic childhood, but is struggling though single-motherhood of a special needs child, and at this pivotal point in her life, she must search for her lost lover, regain her missing child, and redeem love and courage of her own life....Christ (or should I say Christ on a crutch) she's have donaldson on her show, and give everyone who buys his book a new car!!!

He'll be the new Dr. Phil!!!!

The only problem I see with this strategy is that the rape happened in the *first* book of the series.... Seriously, have you read any of Oprah's choices? Somebody always gets raped....

If he started a "Land Diet" and got some Jared wannabe to loose a bunch of weight, that might help too.....
A diet of dried meat and fruit; fairly healthy.
A diet of of Aliantha and ussusimiel; for the Vegans.
Razer Blades in the rolls; to help cut down the carbs...(get it?)
...plus all the liquor; Springwine, Methiglin, diamondrought!!!

...and when you're ready to exercize, just a sip of Horserite Tarn water, and you can run around like a maniac for hours.

...or if he could just bottle up some of the Blood of the Earth, now that would sell like crazy!!!!

Or at least publish a cookbook. I can see SRD with a big chef's hat on the cover... most excellent.

By the way, it seems that word of mouth is generating with regard to sales. Runes had dropped on Amazon, but has been on the rise recently. Nothing earth shattering, but the simple fact is that people who would have given their left foot to read this 21 years ago - and still would - don't even know it exists.

excellent. Excellent. I think that advertising on the person to person level is a good idea too. Keep spreading the word