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I love the crayons video! They should have just showed that episode every day.

I think that self publishing is appropriate for different people depending on where they are in their career, but that both are extremely difficult and take a lot of skill. I'm interested to see where Amanda Hocking goes with St. Martin's behind her. She's already proven that she's an excellent self-promoter, something most authors forget about. So, now that St. Martin's will be backing her I wonder if her advertising power will just be magnified, or if she will bring a unique WAY of advertising to the industry. It's such an interesting time for the industry!
-Brit
http://pagesandstardust.blogspot.com/

This of all weeks has been fascinating.

One of the things I took away from Eisler's talk with J.A. Konrath (I'll admit to skimming some of those 13,000 words) was that one of the main things making it possible for Eisler to make that move was being a big enough established brand in the first place -- and for that, he has NY publishers and their marketing muscle to thank.

From what I recall of Amanda Hocking, book publishers weren't buying. But when she proved that there was a market for her stuff through e-publishing, traditional publishing houses came bearing auction paddles.

Obviously both authors are helping to remove the self-publishing stigma, and it's clearly having repercussions all over.

Agent April Eberhardt gave a talk in Portland about this a while back, and noted that self-publishing has some huge advantages, such as ease, low cost, time-to-market, controlling rights (and backlist), and ability to experiment with format and marketing approaches.

One big drawback remains the stigma, which remains because of all the dreck that's been self-published. But I could easily see the better content crowding out the other stuff, slowly removing the stigma along the way.

What that also means is that the self-publishing landscape will begin to resemble the traditional publishing landscape, where much of the "shelf space" -- in the form of promoted content -- gets taken up by people like Hocking and Eisler.

Also this week, agent Ted Weinstein put a traditional vs. self-publishing spreadsheet online. (http://www.twliterary.com/selfpub.html). If I were an author of a book with a niche audience, I would do a lot of number crunching on that spreadsheet before deciding to query agents.

I completely agree that they're both right - self-publishing and traditional. It's nice to see a successful author choose self-publishing, thereby proving that it's not just something people do because they can't get published any other way. Hooray!

And that crayon video. Awesome! I wonder if they're still made that way today, or if it's even more automated. Regardless, Mr. Rogers has the most soothing voice, doesn't he?

Maybe if we all pool our money we can buy Barnes & Noble. It is quite simply the best store ever. I hate seeing it passed over like the designated purse-holder at the prom.

The Sesame Street crayon video is better.

Mr. Rogers is a good guy, but he always puts me to sleep. The Sesame Street video covers the exact same stuff (it's even the same factory) but they make it exciting instead of dead boring.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ_MEFVx5jM

Thanks to John for the link to the e-book publishing Bingo - loved the set-up. Yes, as they said: someone had to do it -- we're all tired of the same arguments.

I'm glad to see Google is being kept accountable.

The introvert posting by Shrinking Violet productions is excellent! I agree with her points -- especially that we don't need help -- introverts are not socially inept -- we just like more intimate settings, or being alone to recharge our batteries.

Congrats to Bryan, the eloquent one, for being selected as Comment of the Week. Well-deserved.

Finally, Mr. Rogers, mild-mannered but oh so informative. He suited the times.

Have a great weekend, all. Thanks for posting on a Saturday, Nathan.

It seems that uncertainty in the publishing sphere has become the norm, technology both the platform and the challenge, wider market competition the opportunity and the threat, social media the bridge, and forecasting the future an open field.

The good news about traditional and self-publishing is that you don't have to choose just one. Publishing a book is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor, and with the advent of self-publishing, motivated writers have more options.

The perceived backlash against traditional publishers is an expression of frustration at the gatekeepers (and the price you pay to get their stamp of approval). With the advent of self-publishing, we have proof that the gatekeepers are often wrong. But, they are quite often right as well, and they can provide services that allow an author to spend more time doing what she loves: writing. And that's good for everyone.

D.L. Orton
www.dlorton.com

A couple of years ago, I thought self-pub vs. traditional publishing was a non-issue.

You could find so much garbage out in the self-publishing world. Finding the gems took much more time, effort, and patience. Clearly, traditional publishing was the way to go.

But we've seen a turn in the market and my perception is changing. A few big success stories don't make self-pubbing the ultimate solution, but it's definitely something to think about.

It's incredible that both Eisler and Hocking can be "right," because they're doing what they believe will benefit them most. There's a lesson in there.

Awesome this week in books, Nathan! Wow, thank you!

So is Google putting out an e-reader? Am I already supposed to know this? If it's not on This Week in Books, I don't know it. I also don't understand how they can scan all the books in the world, while lots of books aren't available as e-books. I'm confused!

The e-publishing bingo card is funny.

I want to reiterate my offer to buy Barnes and Noble. I will turn that place around. I forgot how much I was offering, but I currently have $41.89 in liquid cash. If that's not enough, I can borrow the money from Barnes and Noble and pay them back once I buy them. If they don't mind.

Terrific article about introverts! Yay!

So, are we going to get a list of author pet peeves about agents soon? Only fair. Mr. Bransford.

Lovely comment by Bryan. Elegant.

I also thought the publishing insider had some really interesting points. I am a convert, and do not believe Publishing should leave New York, since they probably own the buildings anyway.

I love that crayon video! And I miss Mr. Rogers.

Also, love your week in books, Nathan. Thank you!

After giving this some thought this week, both Eisler and Hocking's decisions make sense to me.
Eisler has the name and the readership. He alao has the money and connections to produce his books faster and exactly the way he wants them, So why not, see waht happens. he wont have any trouble going back to traditional if he wants to.
Hocking, judgeing by her blog, is an extremly prolific writer. She's probably tired of the chore's involved in editing, marketing, promoting. It's distracting when you'd rather be writing the next book. It sucks.
I think what self published writers need is a new breed of agent/marketeer/publisist. Individual's who know the book industry,the internet, marketing and advertising and love the sale. And not big company's who want paid up front and just send out a few reviews and blogs and never hear from again. No-commission based sales agents that move books whether it be e-books or whatever.

Kevin Lynn Helmick

Jane Dystel's blog was rather shocking, a list of every single unprofessional thing authors can do when working with agents and editors. While I read it, I scratched my head and thought, "Why not just dump the client?" Seriously, why waste time on someone with an absent work ethic?

It will be very interesting to see if Hocking's success translates into print. Many have argued that the reason she was so successful was because she priced her eBooks very low, and the same population who would purchase a 99-cent eBook would never buy a more expensive print novel. I hope this doesn't come back to bite St. Martin's in a tender spot.

Loved the Shrinking Violet article. Anneli Rufus wrote an amazing book, Party of One, which contains many of the same points.

I miss Fred.

I can't believe you posted that video; that was my favorite episode of Mr. Rogers and the one I always think of when I think of that show. Thanks for that bit of nostalgia.

After reading the publishing insider's comment about staying in NY, I have to say the reasons given are no different than all the reasons other corporate employees in other industries have given for not relocating or for offshoring.

Most folk are pushed kicking and screaming into new models, giving every reason in the world to justify how things are. Yet in my experience -- having been in an industry that's seen jobs many people claimed couldn't be done offshore or in low-cost hubs around the country be moved to just those locations -- people adjust.

The first couple of years ARE dicey ones. Some people refuse to be uprooted. They quit or figure out how to work remotely. And here's a secret: Sometimes companies are HOPING the higher-paid workers elect to sever their employment so the company is free to hire lower-wage workers. Who usually turn out to be pretty darn competent themselves. It's a little arrogant to think otherwise.

NO ONE is indispensible. No matter how much you or they believe they are. In two years, few people will even remember those workers who've quit or been laid off. In two years, people will barely remember why they thought elevator decisions or power lunches were so important. In two years, approval chains will be such that the people approving color proofs are the people who created them, not a committee of approvers 5 levels deep.

Because when a company decides to move or downsize or make other radical changes, processes must change as well. Some people will lose some of their power as decision-making is driven further down into the ranks, and others will gain power. But "how it's done today" is not an excuse for why the same results can't be reached differently -- and in some cases even more efficiently -- tomorrow.

This self-publish or traditional debate will rage for a long time. Hopefully until I'm in a position where it's applicable to me. :)

Loved the crayons video -- even if that jazz music in the background was really annoying. :)

Any thoughts about what St Martin's Press was thinking? I think they were so mad at Eisler for making them look washed up they over bid on Hocking just to say see, "we're still here!" Before all this publishing commotion we used to worry about well written queries and books. I've read Hocking's "Switched series and it was less than mediocre. Unless she got touched by the writing fairy, I can't believe that St. Martin's Press can perform magic without writing the book for her. I think they HAD to make this point or else they would lose too much integrity among their own authors.

I'm not weighing in on the quality of Hocking's books. Evidently, they sold @ .99. But I hope St. Martin's intends to keep them at that price. Otherwise this is yet another example of publisherfail.

Blogspot said my comment was too long, so I'm going to divide it into different parts...

PART # 1

Thank you so much for another great "This Week in Books". I’m so darn excited about the new world of publishing that includes traditional publishing as well as reputable indie and self-publishing, I feel like throwing a party, or at least some confetti.

I started looking into some of the things that Amanda Hocking said she did, and I’ve discovered a whole new world that augments rather than takes away from the traditional publishing world, and that is an entirely different animal than the self-publishing and indie world of even a couple of years ago.

The other day it hit me that the new world of indie and self-publishing on Amazon Kindle, for example, feels something like the movie Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. I love that movie, but I had to have some parts of it explained to me because I haven’t played enough video games to intuitively realize exactly what Scott Pilgrim’s world is, that he’s literally living in a video game world. In their description, Amazon.com says, "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a finger-blistering time capsule of right now, yet in a hundred years it will still be so crammed with charm, wit, brio, and exuberance it will still be irresistible." ... and "Many events make almost no sense, but it doesn't matter--sheer narrative ferocity and glee of invention sweep the viewer along." When I talked to people who play a lot of video games, however, all the events in the movie seemed to make perfect sense to them.

So, how does this relate to the new world of indie and self-publishing, Amanda Hocking and Barry Eisler? In looking at Amanda Hocking’s website, I saw that she recently had a couple of book covers designed by Phatpuppy Art. I went over to that site, spent hours and hours looking at the incredible art, until the visuals occupied space in my mind for days, and I finally commissioned a book cover because I just had to have one for myself. Then I went over to Amazon, where Amanda Hocking had said she took part in discussions and met book bloggers who spread the word about her books. I discovered that there are at least hundreds, possibly thousands, of discussion groups in which people are discussing all kinds of books: traditional, indie, and self-published. I felt lost. I couldn’t even figure out how the groups were organized. People are constantly starting new discussion threads, many threads having over 1,000 comments, some having 3,000+ comments. I almost gave up ... Then, like someone learning video games for the first time, the landscape kind of came into focus for me. I started to grasp the organized chaos of constantly evolving discussion threads, I met a few book bloggers and reviewers, and discovered some fantastic books.

PART # 2

When I read a recent discussion between Barry Eisler and Joe Konrath, something Barry Eisler said about passing up a $500,000 deal to self-publish suggested to me that self-publishing is becoming more reputable in large part because the younger generation’s leading the way without earlier preconceptions and prejudices about it. Here’s what he said:
------------

Barry: Here’s something that happened about a year ago. Anecdotal, but still telling, I think. My wife and daughter and I were sitting around the dinner table, talking about what kind of contract I would do next, and with what publisher. And my then eleven-year-old daughter said, "Daddy, why don’t you just self-publish?"

And I thought, wow, no one would have said something like that even a year ago. I mean, it used to be that self-publishing was what you did if you couldn’t get a traditional deal. And if you were really, really lucky, maybe the self-published route would lead to a real contract with a real publisher.

But I realized from that one innocent comment from my daughter that the new generation was looking at self-publishing differently. And that the question--"Should I self-publish?"--was going to be asked by more and more authors going forward. And that, over time, more and more of them were going to be answering the question, "Yes."

This is exactly what’s happening now. I’m not the first example, though I might be a noteworthy one because of the numbers I’m walking away from. But there will be others, more and more of them.
------------

The new world of indie and self-publishing seems visual, contextual, experiential, interactive. Part of the reader’s experience is online interaction revolving around specific books; and typos can be fixed, books can be reedited and republished, even book covers for any specific book can be changed and uploaded in minutes. Readers can influence an author to make such changes in their books. Books are malleable and much more of an interactive experience today.

I'd like to address the idea that Amanda Hocking's book is mediocre.

Absolutely not.

I'll admit I'm not done with it yet.

But it is NOT mediocre.

So far, I think could have used abit of editing. She tends to rush occasionally.

But, Amanda Hocking has IT. I don't know what IT is, but as someone who reads YA romance, I can tell you that she has IT. She has the exact same thing that Stephanie Meyers or Suzanne Collins has.

Whatever it takes to make a successful commercial writer, she has it. As a reader, I recognize it.

People who say it is mediocre must not like the genre.

Amanda Hocking would have eventually been found even if she hadn't promoted. Even if her book wasn't 99 cents.

She has IT.

Some people have a talent to write literary fiction. Some can write picture books. Some write poetry. Most of those will not sell big. They may win awards, though. It's just a different talent.

Amanda Hocking can write YA commercial fiction. And that is the reason she sold big.

@Marilyn

Dang! PhatPuppy Art is incredible -- I'd probably be swayed to buy an eBook just based on one of their covers alone. I have a manuscript I'm not too wild about languishing on my hard drive. Sort of makes me wonder if I should dust it off, purchase one of these covers and run with it under pen name. Thanks for the information!

I wish they had a crayon factory in my town v. a dog food factory... I love the smell of a crayons. Dog food on the other hand, not so much.

Melissa,

I know exactly what you mean! I fell in love with the artwork at Phatpuppy Art. It's so beautiful, I had the artwork dancing around in my head after looking at one picture after another for hours. It's very special.

Ok, that was an awesomely fun video--and I love Mr. Rogers. Thanks, Nathan!

Crayons....love it. Every bit as good as potatoe chips.

Great links, as always, Nathan. Jane's blog about proper manners in author/agent relations surprised me a little because rude is just plain rude and not acceptable in any professional arrangement.

The attitudes she described are WHY some authors SHOULD go self-publish, do it their way--right or wrong.

Seeking traditional publishing helps authors profect their talent, learn the craft, and learn manners for success (even jumping through those blazing hoops).

If an person is hungry, if they need a job to survive, they wouldn't be rude to those with the power to hire them. Query letters are a type of resume and should include respect and cooperation.

Respect is a two-way street between agent and author, but one thing a lot of authors forget is the same two-way street between agent and publisher/editor. If authors look beyond their own little world or magical words and consider what agents must endure with publishers and editors....the road would be a lot less bumpy for all traveling down it.

Thanks again for another wonderfully linky blog.

Lucy

"Amanda Hocking would have eventually been found even if she hadn't promoted. Even if her book wasn't 99 cents."

I tend to agree with this. And I know she has been around for a while and writing for a long time, so this isn't exactly an overnight success story. She's worked hard.

I just hope she knows what she's doing with this St. Martin's contract. I know it's what all writers dream about. But she's already proven herself, and she's done it on her own terms without having to answer to anyone. Now she'll have to deal with what the publishers want. And I can tell you from experience they always want something. When they offer a contract that large, they are buying you and your work. And when they want something they aren't shy about asking for it.

I hope all works out well for her, and she loves working with a publisher instead of being in control of all her own work. But after working with publishers for many years and getting screwed over (often with a smile) I would have continued self-publishing my work after building such a large readership.

Unfortunately, her decision to go with St. Martin's Press, suggests innocence. But I have a feeling she's going to be very surprised when they start telling her she can do this and can't do that.

Great article on Borders' closing. I loved that detail at the end: than when they did a study on the economic implications of losing a local indie to a big chain, Borders got the shaft. Very interesting.

BTW, I only saw one comment of the week listed, unless I missed something...

Phoenix said: "I have to say the reasons given are no different than all the reasons other corporate employees in other industries have given for not relocating or for offshoring."

-->Which was more or less precisely my point. And yet all sorts of businesses continue to maintain offices in New York and Boston (which has a higher cost of living, thank you), and London, and Tokyo, and, and, and...

Big publishing remains clumped in NYC because there's no reason--at the corporate level--not to.

Smaller publishers are typically located in less expensive parts of the country. When they get large, often a NYC publisher buys them out and consolidates all the work to the existing infrastructure in NY. Funny how that happens.

I would be thrilled to see a smaller publisher grow and not sell out, and instead become a large publisher wherever they happen to be. That's how big publishing will move out of New York.

I think and Sasha Silver and Brit/or the new character will be there.

I so wish I could go, it's on my birthday! But I live too far away...

I wish I could go! It sounds so fun!But I live on the other side of the country :(

@Greenwriter ikr, i wish i was there(also happy birthday a few days early). Man i so want to know what the surprises are

I Love book # 13 title INITIATION ! Can't wait to see the cover.

I'd like to see the Giants take the series, and they've made a great start. Too bad you're away from all the baseball action, Nathan. Duty calls, I guess.

Thanks for the links.

Not sure if you know this, but ova here in Jerzee, we're not getting the World Series because our cable company is fighting with IDK!!!!
In fact, we didn't even get the NLCS. Is this for real-I can't believe it. I was really looking forward to it. When was the last time the Giants won the pennant! The Giants won the pennant! The Giants won the pennant! :) I'm a huge sports fan and this has been very disappointing. We've missed football games too! On the other hand, I've written more...
I'm pulling for the Giants, but I'm also happy to see another forgotten team, the Rangers, in the Series as well.
Go Crazy Cat Lady--I mentioned that I agreed with her!!

I'm at our local B&N, and they now have Nooks laid out on parallel white tables at the front of the store so you can play with them. It's sort of Apple Store-ish. I'm liking it.

Wilson is funny, but Rome is unwatchable. Unless Jim Everett is throwing him on the floor.

Is it possible to have too much awesome on your feet? I think not.

You are soooo lucky to have Bochy and Flannery there to coach the Giants. San Diego still misses them.
GO GIANTS!!!

From Canada, I've never been a huge baseball fan. But then, I never knew certified ninjas played baseball. I think I may have to reevaluate this...

By the way, your NaNoWriMo Boot Camp was great. Thanks!

As a Baltimore fan (with little hope of making it back to the playoffs, much less the World Series in my life-time), I cheered when the Rangers knocked the Yankees out of contention. So special place in my heart for the Rangers.

But I'm a big fan of Aubrey Huff (from his days in the AL East) and am slightly fascinated by Lincecum who I secretly imagine to be the grown-up version of Mitch from Dazed and Confused.

I'd actually be happy with either team winning.

Thanks for the update on queries. I'd just double-checked the 'reply to' address on mine.

I guess that's what happens when you get a reputation for super-fast replies.

Giants in 5.

that interview was hilarious. and omg HIS SOCKS I WANT HIS SOCKS.

wow. maybe baseball isn't so bad after all.

NO! B&N has gone to the darkside of backlighting their screens on nook.

Noooooooooooooo!

I wanted a nook, and was going to try and get one for Christmas, but now...

:-(

I can't read backlit screens without serious visual issues.

(Gotta cheer for the local boys - GO RANGERS!)

josin-

I don't believe they're discontinuing the e-ink Nooks, they're just adding the Nook Color.

Go Giants!
And in publishing terms, I will buy a great many books that recap this bizarre little season for my beloved team. I may even write one myself.

Ahahahahaha. If you've seen any short blond men going WOOOOOO and collapsing on your lawn/stoop, it was probably my boss.

Go Rangers! LA loves you!

Brian Wilson reminds me of zach galifianakis -- his comment after they won the NLCS was spot on ZG.

Oh, but I was too busy cheering the 9 point first quarter by that trio down in South Beach... First time I've rooted for Boston in years.

Were they giving writing classes at the White House? Cause that Franzen guy could stand to attend a few.

Wow, it would have been great to be a fly on the wall in that meeting between Obama and Franzen. Bet the discussion was fascinating!

I like Natalie’s idea of NaNoReaMo. I already jumped ship, swimming away from NaNoWriMo as quickly as I could late last night, for the island of my science fiction novel . All my excitement over NaNoWriMo and outlining a new novel for it helped tremendously, though. It motivated me to visualize a better plot and some exciting new ideas, and to begin creating a solid outline for revisions to my science fiction novel. In lieu of NaNoWriMo, I’m going to try to buckle down and work very hard on the science fiction novel, in addition to getting ready for the holidays, celebrating Thanksgiving, and reading as many books as possible. Good luck to everyone who participates in NaNoWriMo!

ENOUGH about Franzen. I tried to read his first book a couple of years ago, and it bored me to tears. He's nothing special. Talk about Nick Hornby writing the lyrics for Ben Folds! THAT is news! :)

Libraries have been trying to negotiate lending rights for e-books for quite a while, with some attempts being more successful than others. Right now, most of our e-books have to be accessed through a computer and can't be downloaded. I'm hoping these features on Kindles and Nooks will help us come up with a new way to provide access to books!

I like that lending feature, but I have a feeling prices may start to rise because of it. Too soon to tell, though.

YouTube seems to have pulled the plug on your Brian Wilson video, citing an ESPN copyright issue. Darn it. I wanted to see it.

I was actually in San Francisco when the Giants won...whatever the Giants won. (It's not that I'm not a Giants fan as such, but I don't really follow sports of any kind at all. Except for the Oregon Ducks, which my mom keeps me updated on religiously.) Our hotel was right on Columbus Street, and when I finally fell asleep at 1:00 am, there were still cars honking, people shouting, and general pandemonium right outside our window. It was awesome. Go Giants!

Nathan - Had to laugh when I saw this post. Apparently I was hanging out not far from you (about 3 blocks from the stadium) on Thursday while my husband interviewed. All I could think when we got off BART was, "Man, this Superman shirt was definitely the wrong wardrobe choice."

Hope we'll be moving into your neighborhood soon! :)

Liberal hippies in San Francisco? Who'd ever have guessed?

Bravo to Crazy Cat Lady! 'Don't delete' is my slogan too. I never throw anything away. You should see my house!

Thanks for posting that you are still behind in reading queries. I won't panic yet.

Although I care nothing about baseball, I can certainly feel the excitement going on around you. I worked downtown Salt Lake during the 2002 Olympics. Being totally not a winter sports fan, it was really strange being surrounded by the Olympic fans. What an exciting time that was.

Thanks for your blog. I read it constantly and always look forward to the next one.

A question from an occasional visitor and an ignorant foreigner: what is the World Series? Sports stuff?

Aha, Charlie Chan form rejection. Love it.

I Am The Very Model of A Wrimo Individual.

OtherLisa,

That is beyond awesome!! I will share that with other Wrimo individuals. :)

Great tips and links.

I'm glad for the Giants, but I'm sad the Reds didn't make it this year. They were so close! Next time.

No time, school demands, but really wonderful links, Nathan, I did get a chance to look at them - and a really wonderful page critique this week. I was very impressed.

Hope your week in N.Y. is not just work, but fun too. Should be lovely in the fall.

And I'm very proud of our oddball baseball team! Yay, Giants! :)

I hope you mention the Giants again today. Since now it is practically over. I have friends dying their beards black left and right all over facebook. Certified Ninja wannabees.

Hey babe, Giants season tickets! Yes! I've lived in the Bay Area for 20 years and I have never loved a team like I love this one - freaks, geeks, rejects and rookies - my kinda team!
Last night (Sunday) was brilliant! More pitchers should work with horses.

Great. You had to throw in the environmental benefits of e-books. Now I'll have to get used to reading them.

Nathan, you don't have a cat do you?

That ereader with color has piqued my interest. I am solid with my physical book love but my interest has been piqued nonetheless.

Dude, you can train bunnies? Sorry, I was going to say something about your post, but now my life has changed. I love that guy's "YES!" reaction after that black bunny made it over that tall obstacle! Go bunny go!

Even though people waste trees and paper in a million other ways.

But since you brought it up, I've gotta re think it.

Nathan,

There was an article on Yahoo this morning that I think might have gotten a rise out of you. I wish I had kept the link, but I was a tad too disgusted at the time to think of it.

The article included the top ten reasons people should not buy ereaders. One of the reasons being that ebooks are severely overpriced considering how much cheaper they are to produce as opposed to paperbacks. Another reason was because you can download classics for free without an ereader, and classics are better than most of the stuff coming out today anyway.

Let's just say the article did not convince me to not go out and buy that kindle I've been wanting.

Hatred breeds violence.
Hhmmnn...
Where's that hardcopy of my synopsis? Don't want to wreck my computer!

I think both Comment of the Week links currently go to Fiona...

I like seeing all these positive links about e-books. Back in the day, I was against e-readers and e-books because I couldn't conceive of giving up paper. I don't know what it is exactly, but ever since I've gotten my e-reader, I've been reading more than ever.

I wonder if the people buying ereaders also drive gas-guzzling SUVs--a bigger threat to the environment than books. Books can be recycled, passed on to friends, sold in church or library book sales, sent to other countries where people need books etc etc. So, sorry, I'm not convinced--and yes, I'm a tree hugger.

Although you blogged about so many important things, it's the bunny-jumping that I'm responding to. Bunnies are a whole lot smarter than most people think and are skilled at more than simple jumping. My mini-lop, Madison, could jump straight into the air about three feet from a dead halt, turn 180 degrees midair, and take off like a cheetah. And yes, Project Runway was great last night. You may now resume your regular program.

I blame MG author Dee Garretson for the bunnies...

Thanks, Kristan. Fixed now.

I never really liked rabbits untill now. That was cute!

I still haven't got round to even purcasing an ipod/touch/pad - but I just might consider it now.

Holy WOW, Nathan! There are, like, a bajillion links here! How do you have time to read all this stuff, on top of your job, your life, and reading for fun?

I'll probably look at the links about e-readers, but I kind of feel done with the conversation. They're happening; my books will probably one day be available on them; I'll avoid them for as long as humanly possible, because it's just not my chosen format; all of this is fine.

I'm very interested in the articles about Wylie, and in Shatzkin's post. I'll check in later with my opinions on Tao Lin once I've read the articles.

Thanks for this post!

Not sure why the Franzen stuff has novelists trying to eat their own. Why bust on the guy for doing something no novelist has done in a decade. The author in general is becoming slighted, the hate's not just reserved for commercial writers. Be glad for the guy, when a book is in the news, it brings people to the bookstore...

I'm sure I had something intelligent to say but I must sum it up in one word:

BUNNIES~!

>>FYI

New Thriller Sells More E-Books Than Hardcovers
By Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg, August 26, 2010

Weeks after Amazon.com said that it is now selling more electronic books than hardcovers, a leading book publisher said one of its prominent new titles is generating greater e-book unit sales than hardcover unit sales during its first week on sale.

Laura Lippman’s thriller, “I’d Know You Anywhere,” went on sale Aug. 17, and in its first five days sold 4,739 e-books and 4,000 physical hardcovers, said News Corp.’s HarperCollins Publishers.

“This is the first book of ours of any consequence that has sold more e-books than hardcovers in the first week,” said Frank Albanese, a senior vice president at HarperCollins. “What we’re seeing now is that if a book gets a good review, it gets a faster lift on the digital side than it does on the physical side because people who have e-readers can buy and read it immediately.”

Ms. Lippman, who has written more than a dozen books, is well-known in mystery circles and has authored four novels that have hit the national best-seller lists.

In recent weeks, a number of leading publishers have indicated that e-books today account for about 8% of total revenue, up from 3% to 5% in the same period a year ago. Some expect that e-books will account for as much as 20-25% by the end of 2012.

Ms. Lippman’s novel was published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. News Corp. also owns The Wall Street Journal.
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/08/26/new-thriller-sells-more-e-books-than-hardcovers/

I had no clue that such a thing as a rabbit leash existed. Thank you, Nathan, for expanding my bank of knowledge today.
Now I'm wondering how much bunny poop is on the floor of that place, as rabbits generally leave little pellets behind when they bounce.....

dave-

I linked to that in the post.

I'm so glad finally someone did a comprehensive environmental impact review of ebooks vs. paper! I'd seen speculation before, so this is nice to have (even if I was a bit scared to read it at first because I didn't want to see how much either process probably wrecks the environment...) Post over, I'm happy since I'll probably get an e-reader as soon as I can afford one.

(And to address Anonymous, gas-guzzlers disgust me and I don't plan to every purchase or drive one. And print won't go extinct for a long time, so all the things you described will still be doable, and I'm fairly sure e-books will eventually be loanable. We library-types are arguing constantly for that, anyway...)

Just kidding, I read the rest of the post. I loved the royalty breakdowns and am also intrigued by the Literati. (Oooh, comes with 150 e-books?)

I've nothing against e-readers or e-books (though don't use them, yet). But I have the wishful hope that children's books will always be books.

Watching my young baby learn to turn the pages of the hard cardboard, seeing his delight when we pull out oversized books (sometimes bigger than him!) with colorful illustrations that he can touch and lift-the-flap books he can manipulate. Pure joy to watch and he learns so much from the tactile experience as well as from looking at the pictures and helping 'read' the words.

I hope all generations can experience that. Pictures on a screen, while neat, just don't seem the same in this case.

Sorry, I missed the link.
I was juggling plumbers, landscapers and tree removal people. It's all their fault. Blame it on them.
;)

Those Danes know how to live.

It's wonderful that you'll be doing Page Critique Fridays! And lots of great links to check out. I’ve been following many of those stories online – interesting stuff. Have a great weekend!

So does anyone know if the Literati is e-Ink, or...?

Not that I still don't have me some major iPad lust, but I'm liking the idea of a single-purpose, really light and portable eReader, and the backlighting, like on my iPhone, yeah, not easy on my eyes.

I do not dig Tao Lin at all. He is one of those authors who tries to appear to be exploring big themes by writing about nothing (and writing poorly).

If you ask me, a vast emptiness is not primarily vast; it is primarily empty.

This dude is a virtuoso of self-promotion, but he hasn't got the goods to back it up. I'd bet the people who bought shares of his book won't get their money back

lisa-

Pretty sure it's LED. There are also some rumors that Apple could announce a smaller iPad in September.

Good thing I'm not ready to buy yet!

Great piece on e-books.

First time I've ever seen a rabbit on a leash.

My daughter wants a Kindle, I'm too technology challenged to want one or an ereader. Somehow I don't think they would be good for reading in the bathtub.

candy-

Put the Kindle in a plastic bag.

And holy cow, Amazon needs to do some serious bathtub outreach. That is one persistent misconception.

Batteries in the bathtub, man, let me tell ya, that don't work. I'm about to give up.

jeff-

Wait - how does that not work if the Kindle (and battery) stays completely dry in a bag?

nanosleepmo - ha, ha, ha. You're funny.

So, the discussion this week has tuckered me out (a discussion you handled so beautifully, imho, Nathan.) And here I see you have out-done the out-doing of the out-diding of yourself on links this week. Uh oh.

I can see I'll need to prepare to comment on the links. Some finger push-ups. Nutritious meals and plenty of sleep. Manicure and pedicure. Deep muscle massage. Weekend trip to a full appointment spa. It will be a rigorous training routine, but anything for the team.

Before I go though, I have something extremely important to say: I want a bunny!!!! OMG, so cute, cute, cute, cute, cute.

Btw, Nathan, this was the week you were on the panel, right? I was so distracted by the topic on Wed., I forgot to ask! I hope it went really well, and I hope you blog about it, if you want.

Back to comment on the links - have a fun weekend, everyone!

At one of the trade shows, Amazon had an aquarium, and they were dropping Kindles in waterproof cases into the water.

I think the possibility of losing or breaking a device that still costs a lot more than a book and can access your credit card information is problematic, but the beach/bathtub issue is not a huge issue for dedicated e-readers, though the poor performance of the iPad's backlit LCD in sunlight is a serious drawback.

Nathan, I'm sorry, that was a Friday about three sheets to the wind joke about writer suicide. I'm old, and I have a bad sense of humor. E-book? You can't even kill yourself with it. I guess that's one for those guys they have locked in a room figuring the safety angle of e-books. And an example of a writer thinking everyone can see the interior of his mind and therefore not making writer-sense, and other such things. Love ya! Read ya next week!

Jeff-

Ha. I knew I was missing something!

I like what Jeff Fischer said about him being old and not having a sense of humor. Like aging and a dwindling sense of humor go hand in hand. Hey! We're all getting older everyday! That's not true, is it?

Your post made me smile Jeff Fischer.

The debate over e-books seems to have run out of steam. They came, we saw, they may conquer. So? Like TV their accessibility and convenience is irrefutable; why keep hammering on the subject? When TV became popular, especially with good news reports (once upon a time) newspapers were supposed to die and somehow they survived. Our times are achanging, that's all. Something's got to go now and then or we'd still be buttoning our shoes.

Surely debating the production of ink is beyond time and energy. What's next? What's new? What's going on with cross readers and cross genre books? Let's get back to enjoying our stories and not be doomsday naysayers about the efforts of getting them written and read. If one wants to post and let it be downloaded, go ahead.

I'll hang onto paper copies awhile, awhile.

What I want to know, is this:

If I buy four e-readers (a personal one for every member of my family and one for the family "library.")

If I buy an e-book, can I download it on all of my family e-readers or do I have to buy it four times?

(I know, we could trade e-readers, but I like the idea of having my own and my kid wouldn't take as good of care of hers and my husband's would smell like his peanut butter sandwiches...)

anon-

It depends on which e-reader you go with, but Amazon allows you to share across (I think) six devices with one account. I share one with my wife and we have no problem reading each other's books - she reads on her iPhone and I read on either my iPhone or iPad (and used to read on my Kindle).

I think with Apple it's five but I'm not positive, and B&N has a lend-me feature where you can lend one of your books so someone else with a nook.

Wow, that's sooo cool.
I am thinking how my daughter and I often want to read the same book at the same time and one of us has to wait.
And for being out of town, how cool.
I have been pretty possessive about books leaving my library (and getting lost or mistreated).
My husband wouldn't have to wait for me to come back from Argentina (as an example) to read the book I took with me. Cool.
I am starting to think Christmas.
The Kindle 3 sounds like it's about to sell itself.
Thanks for answering.
(The e-reader people should pay you a commission, Nathan.)

Nathan,
Can you tell me how you can write or take notes on a Kindle 3 too?

anon-

There was note-taking on the old Kindle, so I assume that's been carried through.

I agree that you shoud get a commission Nathan. For the environment, anybody with a heart will make the switch. But, one thing. We readers, that like paper books, are the ones that read instead of, say, going shopping and wasting bags which is worse for the environment. We readers are filling are minds, not wasting away in front of the television, which could ultimately be worse for the environment.

There have always been books; the health of the environment has been compromised in far worse damaging ways. So we readers have to adapt. Hmmm. Well, okay. If it's for the environment.

WEll, if I wasn't always so busy with Nanowrimo, I'd love to take part in Nanoreadmo. Well, I read 6 books this month, so I guess I'm golden.

So, I meditated in an ashram in India. I hiked the mountains of Tibet. I walked on hot coals in the place where you walk on hot coals. All in perparation to respond to Nathan's awesome assortment of links.

I am ready.

(I am also lying. I did none of those things, but I did take an extra long nap on Sunday, which I figure is in the same ballpark.)

First up, Page Critique Friday. Cool. I noticed that people are getting into it on the Forums. Maybe it feels safer or more intimate. And your critique was terrific, as it always is, Nathan.

So, e-books. Yay! I have had the Kindle app for about 3 weeks, and in that time, I've bought twelve books. I'll probably have bought eighteen by tonight, which means two things:
a. I will have saved the enviroment, and
b. I'm going to be broke by the end of August.

I love e-books.

I KNEW Wylie wasn't ready to put Random House under such a strain, at least not yet. I figured he was just holding out for more money. But....I think the key phrase here is....not yet. He's a sharp cookie. I liked Ginna's article alot.

I also like the article about digital devices. That was interesting that looking at funny cat videos wouldn't really rest your mind. But did we really rest our minds that before digital devices anyway? I think we just looked at real cats.

I have no clue what Mike S.'s royalty graph means. What's a trade? What's a wholesale? Why all the complicated jargon? I can't figure it out, so I'm still going on the assumption that if I make 70% royalties on e-books, I make more money that way.

You know, in the article defending literary fiction, it seems like she is giving some authors a hard time for 'selling out.' Why is the idea that authors want to make money too ignored and/or discounted as not important?

Woo hoo! Finally. I'm so glad some women are challenging the male bias in publishing. Yes! I have no actual statistics that it's happening, but OF COURSE IT'S HAPPENING.

Saying all fiction is women's fiction, however....well....maybe there's a way to get more men to read. I wonder if e-books will work better for men.

I don't know. This Barnes and Noble thing seems all distracted by the power struggle, but I sort of feel like the main point is that the bookstore is in trouble.

I can't get the link for Tao Lin to work, but that would be a great discussion.

I definitely think that agents should take on 10 clients each November. Soon, we'll all be represented. I see absolutely no downside to that scenario. I also like the idea of NaNoReadMo.

Good comments of the week - that was a really interesting discussion on Thursday. I found the article by Lisa to be rather touching, actually.

Okay, I'm done. Once again, I have foiled you, Nathan, in your attempt to out-link me. Ha! I am triumphant! I am the Victor! I am the friday-long-post King! I am also going to take a nap.

Hope everyone is having a happy Monday! Thanks for the great links, Nathan.

"environmental benefits of e-books vs. paper books was published by Slate's The Green Lantern. The winner? E-books on every count, provided you read more than 18 books on an iPad and 23 books on a Kindle."

Wow- this is great info, but it makes me sad. I like my paper books. I don't think I can ever give them up.

I don't think it's either paper or ebook... I like to think it's simply more books with more options. I love my paperbacks. I love hardcovers. I also am coming to love my ebooks.

Side note: reading on an iPad is a wonderful experience. Very cool! I hear tell there are rumors of a 7-inch version of the iPad due to come out perhaps by year's end?

And, finally, after a bit of snooping around online, I'm going to predict an upswing in the popularity of tablet devices like the Cruz. I'm already thinking it would make a great gift for my mom. She can read ebooks on it. She can also check her email & FB, and browse the internet, in color, and the price point is right in line with a dedicated ereader. Granted there's a backlit screen, which means glare and eye-irradiation, like any computer screen, and that is a downside, but I think multifunctionality may eventually win out.

My four-year-old goes bonkers over bunnies. She will love this video. Thanks!

Ooooh! Another line item for my resume!!!

Oh. And damn. Missed the top 10 author money list yet another. Well, maybe next year.

@Mark Terry - you've got some fantastic ideas, maybe you should find a way to facilitate this venture. ;)

Your quote from the Shatzkin article (the "rather ludicrous glorification of the smell of the paper, ink, and glue") struck me as even more ludicrous given something that occurred to me earlier this week.

I was driving up the east coast from Florida to D.C. and passed at least three paper mills -- I know this because I could smell them through the car's closed windows. It is a scent reminiscent of burning tires, nail polish remover and rotten eggs. This scent plagues entire communities that are downwind of such plants, not to mention the sickening effects of living near the particulate air pollution caused by the milling process.

As a writer, I was saddened. I asked myself, "Do I really want to write books when the publishing process requires the existence of plants like these?"

As a technologist and scientist, I know that other products can cause just as much pollution, and that environmentally-informed consumption really just requires choosing the lesser of many evils.

But as a serious e-book devotee, I was comforted by the fact that I am able to buy e-books, supporting the book industry without supporting the paper industry.

In the future, I will suggest to anyone who tells me that "real" books are better simply because of their scent to spend a day next to a paper mill. After that, the scent of all that paper might just make them ill.

SB-

That's true, I'd never thought about that. It's amazing how paper can smell good and paper mills so unbelievably badly.

On the other hand, we mine a lot of heavy metals (or rather, miserable people in even more miserable third-world hellholes do) or strip the metals from garbage heaps for the metals used in the batteries of e-readers and other devices. It's not clear at all if e-readers are "greener" than books. Probably not.

http://tiny.cc/ukt59

Mark-

I definitely would not say the case for e-readers is overwhelmingly clear cut, but there are quite a few problems with that article. The transportation section doesn't taken into account that books are often printed overseas in Asia, shipped to distribution centers in the US, shipped to bookstores, then a good chunk shipped back to bookstores, then pulped. That article treats transportation as if the book is printed in the bookstore.

Ellen Hopkins joins Tom Green in being too controversial. Pretty good company.

I've read John Green. He's amazing (a-man-zing).
I haven't read Ellen Hopkins. What are the controversies?

About agents and companies who passed on projects that later became successful.... it's all very well for them to be supportive and such, but I betcha that the other, still unidentified agent and the 11 publishing companies who turned down the then-unknown JK Rowling have been kicking themselves for years.

It took a couple of decades, but the record company that declined on the Beatles because "guitar groups are on their way out" finally admitted it was the dumbest thing they'd ever done.

I think it's an incredibly complicated issue, whether books are greener than e-readers. Well, like most issues when it comes to the environment. But I think there are plenty of reasons (I think) to get an e-reader--I've got a Kindle and my wife has an iPad, and I've got an iPhone and probably will buy an iPad in the next year, although not necessarily as an e-reader--but because it's "greener" than books probably isn't one of them.

I really don't understand why print book lovers are made fun of so viciously, like we're crazed glue-sniffers obsessed with the smell of books. Why can't we like print books? What's the big deal? Ebooks have their place and no one's trying to get rid of them. I'm all about adapting, but I don't think print books should just disappear. I personally NEED to have a book in my hand and carry it around with me and lend it to friends and relatives to read. I've tried reading on a Kindle and it was a frustrating experience for me. If people prefer ebooks, that's great! But some of us don't and never will. Why can't there be room for both?

I'm still where I've been on this whole issue for a while. I don't think that Books/eBooks = CDs/MP3s. There is a difference in the actual experience of reading in the former, while there's no difference in how you listen in the latter (well, okay, not totally, because audio quality is worse than it used to be with the latter).

I think eBooks will grow to become a substantial portion of the book market but that there will still be a greater number of paper books sold, at least for the next couple of decades.

And I still don't know what eReader I'd like to buy.

Mark -
I completely agree that it's hard to decide which is greener. Like I said, trying to consume more eco-consciously is really just trying to pick the lesser evil -- not consuming at all is better for the environment, but that's not going to sell us any books.

But I also don't know anyone who is sticking their nose in an e-reader and telling me that it's better because of its delightful, plasticky scent. :) Arguments like the one you pointed to are much better arguments in support of the whole e-book vs. "real" book debate -- I'd be very interested to see a comprehensive review of such studies.

Maggie -
Yes, this whole glue-sniffer thing is rather ridiculous. My comment is just that the scent of paper-making makes this argument even more ridiculous. I am totally open to other arguments -- the comfort of a real book is definitely one of them -- and I agree that even arguing is a tad pointless. Of course there is room for paper and digital books. As long as books are being bought, we should all be happy, right? :)

I agree with you, Maggie. I find comfort reading printed books--so easy, no hassle, and I do like sharing them with people after I'm read them. I don't understand why e-enthusiasts are so quick to put down people who aren't embracing the eworld wholeheartedly. I use my ereader and sorta like it, esp when I'm stuck in a motel room and need something to read. But I prefer books--just love the whole experience of reading printed books.

mark and sb-

No doubt. I do wish there were some more comprehensive studies, because it's an important issue.

Maggie-

I actually think there's hostility on both sides (inasmuch as there even ARE sides). I mean, look at this post from the Seattle Post Intelligencer in response to Shatzkin's article. This person says Shatzkin doesn't know what he's talking about, then goes on to say a bunch of wildly inaccurate things, like if you lose an e-reader you lose every e-book you've ever bought (not true at all - every e-book company I've bought from has stored my purchases and with Amazon and iBooks you can download them across devices.)

I can't speak for Shatzkin, but every time I post about e-books the same arguments keep coming up: smell, bathtub, I'll go blind. At some point I do start feeling a little frustrated, like, look, reading in the bathtub isn't going to stop this change! We need to be ready!

Of course on the individual level it's totally fine for people to prefer paper books and there's no reason anyone should be rude to one another. I want bookstores to succeed, I don't think it has to be either/or, I like paper books too. It's not that I look down on people who read print books, but if I had a nickle for every person who told me they would never read an e-book and now has an e-reader I'd already be a rich man. I know it's not for everyone, but to a certain extent I don't think people yet realize the extent to which their own habits will inevitably (yes inevitably) change.

Not to bring down the seriousness of the debates in this comment thread, but I feel the need to applaud this line from the vid:

" . . .one of nature's most deadly killers, the teacup Yorkie."

Thank you. That is all.

Just a small point to add to the e-book/paper book discussion:

Have you ever gone on vacation and stayed a hotel or inn and they had an available library where you could basically take a book and leave a book? I like those. Sure, e-readers can store enough books that you wouldn't NEED to do this just because you finished a novel early, but it's fun to see what people leave behind. Sometimes there are notes and other weird items in them, too.

Speaking of which, do e-readers have a way of annotating margins?

melanie-

Most do, but there are a few that don't (iBooks still doesn't have a notes feature, I'm pretty sure).

I personally think the glue-sniffing, feel-of-paper thing is a bit overrated, but I confess to liking books as "objects." That is to say, I like the covers, I like the feelings of the heft, the layout of the print on the page (not so much on the Kindle, that's for sure). I like bookshelves and the look and appeal of books on those shelves. Each book casts a memory and an experience and I don't have that same sort of thing with an e-book.

So far with the Kindle I buy some e-books and some paper books. Of course, if market pressures push up the price of paper books (I don't see how they can't, actually), I suspect I'll be buying more and more e-books. I still like music CDs and I still like DVDs over just having a video file, too, because they seem more tangible and are even more portable, but the handwriting's probably on the wall (hey!, a new format) for them, too.

Thanks for the links, as always. I don't agree with Picoult, but even if her assertion were true, I don't know why she'd care. If you've chosen to be a commercial writer-- well, then, success is measured by sales and by what the public thinks, not by what the critics write. So, clearly she has succeeded. Why even bother herself with this?

Oh boy! Look at all the wonderful links. You outdid yourself outdoing yourself last week, Nathan.

Fun, fun, fun.

I'll come back and comment after I've READ them. But I did want to weigh in on the conservation issue. Although I suspect neither is good for the environment, I do think e-books win. One reason for that is sheer volume. I will only buy one I-phone, probably every five years or so. I've bought....what hundreds? A thousand? books over my lifetime.

On another note, I couldn't help bu notice that Mark Terry got Comment of the Week and not me. I totally agree he made a great comment and he said tons of things I agree with.

But it made me ponder. Why? Why didn't one of my ten comments on Wednesday alone win? (Epecially the one about my profile picture). What am I missing here? I scratched my head and then it came to me! I realized that, like with most things of this nature, winning comment of the week is a numbers game. If I post often enough, I'm bound to hit on a good comment through sheer statistical probability.

So, I'm thinking of 25 as a good round starting amount of comments to any post. If I do that daily, that's 150 comments a week. (I'll give Nathan Saturdays off.) Surely, with 150 posts, something in there will be coherent.

I'll be back to comment more later on the links (was there ever any doubt?)

Hope everyone has a truly great weekend!

Mark -
It's funny -- I feel the exact opposite about books. I think we are a good case study for the two sides of this debate. Call me lazy and wimpy, but I seriously dislike the heft of a real book. I love the fact that my Kindle takes up almost no room on the bookshelf (I've gotten rid of most of my bookshelves and those that I have, I simply consider to be "shelves" as there are hardly any books on there). I love that I can read in bed without getting fatigued from holding it open, that I hardly have to move to turn the page, and that, when it's lights-out time, I can read on my iPhone without needing a booklight. I do get attached to my e-books, in that I have my favorite parts of favorite books bookmarked so I can flip to them easily whenever I want. If I want to see the cover, it's either already in the e-book book (in full color on the iPhone), or I look it up online. When I get tired of the layout on Kindle or iPhone, I change the colors or type size. I am seriously in love with e-books. I feel the same way with other file types -- hand me a CD or a DVD and I'm already looking for someone to pawn it off on. I'll keep a digital file forever (or as long as the DRM lets me, but that's a whole other issue).

I HAVE been accused of being a little too much of a techie.

I appreciate your openness to changing formats because, like Nathan, I think it's an inevitable shift.

Nathan -
I hadn't realized how many people who said they'd never read an e-book are now reading e-books -- excellent point. I think your take on this is very optimistic: Just because you say you won't change doesn't mean it's true. Why not prepare?

And, incidentally, I stopped reading in the bathtub when I dozed off and saturated the bottom half of Harry Potter 5. Nothing is safe in there! :)

I'm in the Kate and Mark Terry camp. The books I really love I consider objects of art. I love the art work on the cover and often consider this part of the book. Call me old-fashioned. And as Kate mentioned, when I see someone reading a book I try to look at the art work on the cover and figure out what sort of story they are reading. After all the hub-bub of the transition is over, and both are alive and well, it seems the marketing of e-books will be the interesting game.

p.s. Nathan, I hope you know that I'm just playing. I don't really care. I just thought for a moment you might get worried I was serious. I promise I won't post 25 times in any particular post.

24 is my absolute limit.

Jody Picoult vs Michiko Kakutani re Jonathan Frantzen etc.!? And we Bransforumites were complaining recently about unpublished writers being nasty to each other! It seems publishing success does not mellow some people.

Relating the Ellen Hopkins and Mike Shatzkin links presents another powerful argument against E-books. You can't burn them! You could burn the aptly-named Kindle, and I-Pads and Nooks, but somehow it's not the same. Not to mention 'Smell, bathtub, I'll go blind'.

In Ireland, you pay extra for plastic bags. That has solved all the country's problems, and Jeremy Irons lives here in a pink castle.

On the subject of e-Books versus printed paper books: reading large volumes of text on screen makes my eyes hurt; reading a paper-printed book does not.

Consider the flicker factor--the monitor refreshes itself several times a moment as you look at it, meaning your eyes are refocusing refocusing refocusing refocusing refocusing refocusing refocusing refocusing to keep up with it. It's a tiny movement, but too much of it causes eye strain.

Since we spend much of our time during work days at a computer terminal, then in front of the TV at night, isn't it nice to know there is at least one form of quiet entertainment that doesn't require yet another monitor?

I think I am commenting too much on this post, but...

Jeanne-
You are right about staring at LCD monitors, but this is precisely why e-readers such as Kindle and Nook use e-ink. The e-ink displays do not constantly refresh like an LCD monitor and therefore do not cause flicker-related eyestrain (see blog post).

Like I said before, I'm not anti-paper books. I'm just a big e-book fan trying to stick to the facts. :)

Hilarious video! You know what else should be eliminated?

Lawns.

They waste TONS of water, give us unnecessary work on the weekends, and are completely useless.

Rock lawns ftw!!!

Re: Franzen's newest novel FREEDOM -- NYT book reviewer Michiko Katutani says this:

"...While “The Corrections” attested to Mr. Franzen’s discovery of his own limber voice and tamed his penchant for sociological pontification, the novel was something of a hybrid in which the author’s satiric instincts and misanthropic view of the world sometimes seemed at odds with his new drive to create fully three-dimensional people. It felt, at times, as if he were self-importantly inflating the symbolic meaning of his characters’ experiences, even as he condescendingly attributed to them every venal quality from hypocrisy and vanity to paranoia and Machiavellian conniving..."

I've read it three times and still have no clue what it means. I like my reviews in English, please.

Also, and not that I have to worry about it, but if TIME magazine called me the greatest anything, much less writer, I'd think I'd suffer a nervous breakdown from the expectation. Come to think of it, I wouldn't want to READ anyone who thought he was the greatest writer. I like humble writers. Their books are much more authentic, I think.

Speaking of the plastic bag and human ingenuity, someone recently drew my attention to one of the greatest obstacles to the modern city, if not the biggest obstacle to the modern city. Come-on Manhattans, kick-in! One of the biggest obstacles to the modern city was...Poop! The modern city almost didn't exist for this reason. But humans are very ingenious when their life is on the line. So, now we can brag about the our chic skylines, but what is going on under the ground made it all possible. You gotta love it!

Nathan, Thanks for the video link in your post, which spurred me to write a blog about plastic bags that's been simmering for a few days. It is timely with the ban in California pending. http://dawnpier.blogspot.com/2010/08/screwing-planet-with-plastic.html

Read the Ellen Hopkins' posts and I sympathize with her comments and attitude. Small-town censorship is alive and well in the USA -- and always has been. Some states are worse than others. It's more an affliction of the small-town protective mentality, than indicative of the USA or any other country. Small minds can proliferate anywhere.

Also read the Jodi Picoult incident. Interesting but not surprising. Reviews are the OPINIONs of the person writing them. They may or may not be FACT. I can't see that it's to Picoult's benefit to challenge them. But, it's her choice.

Eric's interview by Tahereh was great. I like his attitude, and he remains respectful of his following. A good blog check out.

Thanks for the links,Nathan, and the interesting reading. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

And the plastic bag video was awesome. Jeremy Irons nailed that.

Well, I'm for paper, but it's the books that matter. I want paper, but if the books I want end up (at some point) only coming out as ebooks, I'll probably get a reader and be happy enough reading. But I still prefer paper.

And I'm not entirely sure about the inevitability, still. Certainly ebooks will get bigger. But in the near future how much bigger will they get? Yes, I hear stories of people who said they will never take up ebooks and now love them. But for every one of those stories I also hear one about how someone bought an ereader and no longer uses it. They've gone back to paper books, and their ereader is one more gadget sitting on a shelf.

I hear a lot of both, and it makes me think this really is a shifting demographic. People are adopting and leaving, adopting and keeping, not adopting at all... it's pretty early in the game, really, and so much is speculation and curiosity. People are trying to feel out what's best for them. It's gonna be interesting to see where it all goes. I'm hoping for multiple reading platforms myself -- a nice balance where everything is available to everybody in whatever format best suits them.

I don't ask for much, I know.

I agree, Byran. I have friends who were incredibly excited about reading books on their iphones, but they've mostly gone back to reading printed books. My ereader gathers dust most of the time...I do think there's a lot of hype out there generated by Amazon (for the Kindle), Apple (for the ipad, iphone). Not everyone is going to drink the Kool-Aid...nor should they be compelled to do so.

Nothing about the continuing Dorchester saga? After going completely ebook, it appears they are downsizing the staff:

http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php/weblog/comments/more-wtfery-from-dorchester/

I <3 Jeremy Irons. That video was fabulous.

Ami: With the exception of a narrow strip of grass between my house and my neighbor's driveway (a concession because we share use of that strip of land), my husband and I have eliminated our front lawn. I spent all of May stripping off the grass, laying landscaping fabric, putting in native plants, and spreading soil and mulch. We have had nothing but compliments from the neighbors. And I didn't have to work out at the gym.

D.G. Hudson: "It's more an affliction of the small-town protective mentality, than indicative of the USA or any other country."

A-MEN!

Regarding the e-book vs print book debate, I think that there should be room for both. And I hope that the shift toward e-books isn't inevitable; thinking of it as such makes me sad.

I look at it this way. When an artist paints a picture, they are not just thinking about color and composition and content, which are the two-dimensional elements of a painting. They are also thinking about brush strokes, thickness of the paint, layering, texture... These are three-dimensional elements, and they are lost when a painting is translated to an electronic medium.

I think of books in a similar way - each book is set in a certain type, printed on specially selected paper, and bound in a certain way, with a cover that may be flat and smooth or have raised lettering or other three-dimensional elements. The cover is designed to look a certain way when positioned spine-outward on a shelf, and to look another way when positioned facing out. A lot of careful thought goes into all of these elements, and they are all lost when a book is translated onto an e-reader.

We wouldn't malign an art lover for refusing to give up all of his paintings in exchange for bare walls and an e-reader full of flat images. Why denigrate book lovers for feeling similarly about their carefully arranged shelves of beautiful, colorful books?

Also: I disagree with the idea that e-readers will be a wonderful thing for picture books. I give my children actual physical toy cars and trucks and sticks and blocks and dolls to play with, and I do not think that artificial interactions with an electronic interface is healthy play. Books afford the opportunity to utilize the imagination to picture whatever the words conjure up, and giving children e-picture books that move and dance and do the imagining for them is akin to sticking them in front of the television with subtitles running along the bottom. So in that regard, I hope that the shift to e-books is NOT inevitable.

I have no idea what these controversies are all about, but hate is weak.

And then there is this complicating things:

http://tinyurl.com/2dh52w3

The Feds, in very heavy-handed fashion, have made it clear that colleges cannot use e-readers for textbooks and cannot distribute any ereader to students that is not completely accessible to the blind.

The motto is that if blind students can't have Kindles then no one can . . .

On the other side of the plastic bags issue...an Australian show, The Gruen Transfer, each week challenges 2 advertising companies to come up with an ad for something really "unsellable." Here is one of the ads created to sell plastic bags. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npf6qns0JhU

Getting rid of heavy text books sounds like a good thing to me. Kids can now excuse themselves from homework assignments by complaining about battery failure, etc. The dog will no longer have to take the blame.

I personally have no need for an ereader, but I can see why others love them. For me, reading paper books (fiction mostly) is a non-problem, something I don't need to spend $ to solve. In fact, I want the actual object, one that I can loan out without someone else's permission, one that I can add to my library and enjoy regardless of the newer, better, must-have tech toy.

I completely understand Picoult's rant. We live in a patriarachy where men still make up most of the rules. And the minority of women who get to participate are still working off of those same male standards as if there's no other paradigm. So good for her.

Really sad to read about the censorship in Houston, but not surprised. People tend to hide behind "the children" when they have a personal beef with public content.

Thanks for the links Nathan. Very informative.

In ireland they reduced plastic bag usage - not through banning but by charging 22c government levy on each bag! Government makes money and reduces usage :)

seems quite effective!

When I lived in Korea they started charging for plastic bags in the stores there too. I think it's a great idea. I think charging for bags may be less controversial than banning them completely. It works for reducing usage.

Thank you for posting the video. One of the best I've ever seen.

Okay, about the plastic bag...do non plastic grocery bag users buy plastic kitchen garbage bags?

I use my plastic grocery bags for the kitchen garbage, so the way I see it, I'm recycling.

Okay Nathan so a couple of things I am going to take from your post today are:
Ellen Hopkins should publish on ecologically sound stone tablets therefore she can pitch them at the superintendent's thick skull,
and
regarding the plastic bag issue, how about shopping with the always reuseable shopping tote made form Shatzkin Butt Hide.

It's a shame I just missed the author top ten earnings list but then again who would want little old self-absorbed, pompous me... oh wait that was last year.
This year I'm into screenplays, ever heard of Oscar?

I'm busted. What you said about people deciding to never read E books because they're not paper, makes sense.

Gotta keep my mind open.

Okay, if there's an e-reader with intuitive note-taking capabilities to replicate my margin scrawling... I would bite. Especially if you could keep it all one place on a computer.

I noticed, at an agent's contest, that there was an entry from a "Marjorie" at 2:38 PM. My entry was from me, Marjorie, at 9:43 PM.

If you click on the first "Marjorie" to view her profile, you are are taken to a page that shows the name was created this month and the blog has under 10 visits and no listed personal blogs.

I want to state that I am not that person and I did not create that profile. My comments will always take you to my profile which lists my blogs and over 6,000 visits.

I do not know if this was coincidence or deliberate... but I do not appreciate it because the same name, Marjorie, makes it appear as if I am the author of the comments or contest entries posted.

I wanted to post this so in some way I can disassociate from a name that may have been created to impersonate me and may be leaving comments on blogs that appear to have been written by me.

This is what happens on the internet I suppose, but with this post I have taken some proactive step to clarify what does concern me and make others aware.

?

Anon, why the ?

What don't you understand? There are two "Marjories" out there now posting on the same agents' blogs.

I am this Marjorie, and when you click on this name you always will be taken to my profile page where my blogs are listed.

I do not want anybody to think I am the other "Marjorie" with the newly created account, no listed personal blogs, and less than 10 blog visits.

?

Anonymous, if this is so difficult for you to understand... E-mail me for the Cliff Notes version.

I am done explaining it here. I have a cartoon to pump out.

.

Elle: At our house, we use the emptied bags/packaging that we end up with when we buy loaves of bread, apples, potatoes, onions, toilet paper... You'd be surprised how much plastic the average family disposes of when you really stop to look at it.

Anyone who cannot see the value of a paper book over an e-book when reading in the bathtub has clearly never dropped their book in the water. Likewise with beach reading, frankly. Even though I have switched to e-books, I will still buy and check out paperbacks from the library for reading in those "high risk" places. I can afford $5.00 to replace a mass market paperback; I cannot afford $150 to replace my Kindle or $300 to replace my iPhone.

Spam and rejections
Rejections and spam
Waiting for the windfall
Yes ma’am I am
Books in the hardrive
And backed up on disc
When the call comes
I’ll take the risk
Cuz query I may
And query I might
It all comes down to
How well I can write.
(titled writers prayer) Thought you'd get a kick out of it. Just killing time waiting for replies to my queries.

I want to clarify my comments on e-readers. For practical reasons, I have actually made the switch to e-books. I believe most of my book purchases in the future will be done through the Kindle store. However, I still find there are times when only print will do, and it frustrates me when that is completely blown off.

I know it must get old to hear the same arguments over and over, but that doesn't mean they are invalid. Perhaps if those arguments were acknowledged, we wouldn't feel the need to repeat ourselves. Perhaps if members of the e-book revolution spent as much energy finding an answer to the Bathtub Dilemma as they do mocking those who mention it, the problem would soon be resolved.

I do believe in e-books; I read them and love them. That doesn't make me blind to their limitations, however.

re: e-books vs. print books:

I'm an orthodox jew and I do most of my reading on saturday when I can't operate any sort of machinery or appliance or what have you. Maybe there aren't many of us but there are certainly people out there who prefer print books for more than just aesthetic/nostolgic reasons. Plus, until I can afford to quit the library,there's no way I'm getting an e-reader.

Nancy-

What's frustrating is that the bathtub thong has been solved long ago - put a Kindle in a plastic bag. Done. And it still comes up again and again.

Whoops! Should have read bathtub THING. Pretty funny typo though.

Excellent typo, Nathan. Very apropos.

That's a solution I hadn't considered. It amuses me that you recommend plastic bags two days after you posted that fantastic video, but I assume you mean a Ziploc bag--something that could be sealed. In that case, vive la'revolution!

Don't mind the Bathtub Thong Dilemma, what about EMP? Electromagnetic pulse. Your new-fangled E-readers and E-books won't survive World War Three! Us paper fans, on the other hand, will still be able to enjoy reading (in between hunting and eating each other and dying of radioactive suppurating sores and the usual post-apocalyptic stuff).

LOVE the Plastic Bag mockumentary! I have watched Planet Earth and Blue Planet so many times with my kids that I have a special appreciation of the genre.

Man, the whole 'ridding the world of plastic bags' thing sounds good in theory, but we've been banned from using them here in South Australia, and let me tell you it sucks. Not only do you have to add a new room onto your house to store the new 'environmentally friendly' bags, but you also have to remember to TAKE them with you to the shops so that you don't have to keep buying MORE 'environmentally friendly' bags (hence the addition of the new room).

Also, the new 'environmentally friendly' bags are not so environmentally friendly. It takes longer for them to break down than plastic bags.

As someone who owns two dogs, plastic bags are sorely missed in our household.

JaimeLoren-

Here in San Francisco stores just use paper bags, which we then re-use to hold the recycling. They're also compostable. So if you forget the re-usable bags you don't have to buy more. It's really not that big of an inconvenience, if at all, considering that collectively San Francisco is saving 180 million plastic bags a year from landfills/ocean.

I am quite aware, Mr. Bransford, that you are trying to out-link me. You believe that if you place oodles and oodles of wonderful links within one post, I shall fail in my ablility to comment on them all. It is a diabolical plan - but ha! Ha, I say. You gravely underestimate my ability to ramble, Mr. Bransford.

It may have taken me until today to READ all the links, but I shall now commence to comment upon each and every one of them.

First up: Censorship. Censorship is bad. Seriously. You may have the right to guide the reading of your own children, but you do not have the right to control the reading of mine. So good for those who boycotted the conference that banned Ellen Hopkins.

I haven't studied the printing habits of the NYTBR, but I did notice she accused them not only of giving favorable reviews to white males, but giving them more review space in general. My educated opinion is this - of course there's a white male bias. Where isn't there? Besides, like all ethical issues within publishing, publishing is notable for having almost no accountability and/or sanctions when it comes to both covert and overt discrimination. I also noticed that the Time Magazine covers were - (wait for it) - almost all white men.

Mike Sh. is right on the money about how e-readers are getting better and paperbooks are standing still. I loved what Saundra Mitchell said about ad placement: that integrated product placement should be extremely expensive and acceptable to the author. Yes!

So, I have this new idea about helping agents not overlook bestsellers. I think literary agencies should get organized. They should find out what agent has an eye for what type of writing, and that agent only represents that genre. All YA queries get sent to Carol, who represents YA, and all Literary queries get sent to Tom, etc. Doesn't that sound organized and efficient? I thought so, too.

James Patterson makes alot of money. Know what else James Patterson does? Advertise on T.V.

Oooo. Research. I get to critique research!! Here we go: The movie research looks interesting, but it appears to leave out some important variables like cultural context and economic factors.

I'd better hurry if I'm going to buy Barnes and Noble. I still only have 44 dollars. I wonder if they'd accept barter? I'd be willing to critique some research for them - I'm good at that.

Cute article by Natalie Whipple. Tahareh asks the BEST interview questions I've ever seen. Eric is charming and funny, even if he is wrong about the self-publishing thing; I disagree with him every time on that! Good article by Jennifer Hubbard, except I don't agree. I think agents should be at their writer's beck and call night and day to meet every little whim that passes through their client's mind. I think the reasons for that speak for themselves. Every book I write will have the same first line: "If you don't keep reading this book, your hair will fall out." That should keep them reading.

Funny and quite pointed video. I like the English accent. Adds just the right touch.

Ha! I'm done. It may be too late - you might have posted Monday's post as I write - no one may read this - but it's the principle of the thing. I shall not be out-linked!

Thanks for all the wonderful links, Nathan. Hope everyone is having a happy Monday!

Mira, don't read all Nathan's links. Just PRETEND you did.

White men on Time covers? Like Hitler and Stalin? Not necessarily an honor. And I'm a white man, but I've never been on the cover of Time(yet)!

$44? Does that include my $22.50? In which case, what did you spend the other dollar on? As for B & N accepting barter, I have a great collection of plastic bags.

'If you don't keep reading this, your hair will fall out.' Brilliant! 'But if you're already bald, reading this book will make your hair regrow.'

Nancy and Nathan -

Re: The bathroom thong. The first time I tried the plastic bag thing, I was using a box of cheapo plastic bags (who can afford Ziplock brand?). When I dropped my Kindle in there, the bottom of the bag broke open and my Kindle fell to the floor. Insert trombone sound effect -- lolarious.

The baggie totally works, but proceed with caution. :)

I usually forget to baggie it, though, and bring it to the beach anyway. I've done this at least a dozen times and it's remained in pretty good shape. I even checked my email on for free from the beach in France using the 3G. That was pretty sweet.

And also, I live in a nice metro area where I can check out e-books from the library. Any regular library users should check to see if this awesome feature is available for them. Some of the books are also available as audiobooks to download to my iPod. Libraries rock.

Ha! I meant "bathtub thong", as in, the derivation from "bathtub thing". If anyone else refers to the "bathroom thong", though, I suggest changing it to "bedroom throng" or "bathroom throne" or some other happy alternative ;)

Nathan -

Your Mayor's people should call my Premier's people and do lunch :)

My agent and I talked about self-pubbing with reference to my NF books - and I am still very happy I have gone the traditional route. I am not saying I will never self pub...but I like the things a pub house has to offer still.

Thoughtful post! I'm seeing this trend as well, where legitimate authors are seeing it as a way to take back control. JA Konrath has started a revolution I think. Thanks for these links.

I don't know! What is going to happen? I still wish for the traditional route, yet who knows if that will happen? Or if it's really that good?
Thanks for the great links. Going to read them now...

I don't know what to think about self publishing. I think it depends on how much money an author has to put into it - not including marketing. Most self pubbed kidlit I see has poor cover art and bad editing. But I haven't seen many, so I'm no expert.

Thank you for this post! As you know, I'm going to self-publish my novella, and I'm pretty nervous to do so, but it is exciting as well.

The thing with already established authors self-publishing is that of course they get great sales AND get the book exactly the way they want it because they are already established. I won't have that edge, sadly, but my goal in self-publishing my book isn't to make money. I have my own reasons for self-publishing it, and it's comforting to know that I'm CHOOSING to self-publish, not FALLING BACK on it because I couldn't get it traditionally published. That's a big difference, I think.

I'm going to go read those articles, thank you!

I blogged something similar today. I think this is an exciting time in publishing. I hope to jump on the train very soon.

Interesting! There's so much more out there than we think. Thanks for stopping by my blog :)

I blogged about the difference between true self-publishing and subsidy publishing on Tuesday, because there IS a big difference.
The internet is changing the industry. EBooks are changing the industry. True self-publishers and small presses thrive because they can adapt faster than the big boys.

Christine: How interesting that your agent approached the subject! Things are changing all around I think.

KarenG: JA Konrath likes to shake things up, no doubt! It'll be interesting to see where it all leads.

Lydia: I'm still going for the traditional route as well, but I think it's interesting to keep an eye on what's working for other people too.

Laura: Money is important to factor in as well. But I'm starting to see some self-pubbed works that have better covers than certain publishers are known for. Again, money (and graphic design talent!) make a huge difference there.

Michelle: You have the talent to make a stunning cover for your novella. And I'll be one of the people buying a copy :)

Mary: I read your post. Great minds think alike :)

Jessica: There certainly are more options to publishing these days.

Diane: I think you're right that subsidy publishing has added to the confusion about self-publishing. But with traditional publishers jumping into the fray, it seems as though the lines between publishers and self-publishers are getting blurrier every day.

I don't think it's frowned upon like it used to be but it still is a far cry from traditional methods. To each his own. I am really intruiged with what JA Konrath did!

I've personally never read anything self-published that I thought was good. It seems like people don't have other people edit their work, and the whole thing seems ego-driven. Sorry! That's just been my experience.

Regardless of what happens, I think we'll still need some sort of filter--imagine trying to pick a book out of the millions that are available! I think things may shift out a bit, but we'll still need good editors and agents for quality control.

sf

I agree with SF, I think that we need gatekeepers to filter through all those manuscripts. Personally I read a lot of traditionally published books that I don't enjoy, I can't imagine what the landscape would look like without agents and editors. I'm guessing we'd get stuck reading a lot of stuff that probably shouldn't have been published in the first place. That said, I've read and LOVED books that were published by smaller presses and never got the marketing/PR that they deserved, so I'm sure there are some manuscripts slipping through the cracks.

This is such an interesting discussion!

I'm getting published the traditional way, and that's how I've always wanted it. I think my manuscript will shine thanks to my agent and editor's input. I think it's essential to work with a team of experienced, knowledgeable people.

Sometimes I find myself longing for the good old days.

T.Anne: JA Konrath is a rebel! I think he's trying to spark a revolution :)

SF: I've actually never read a self-published book, but I have read books by authors who were discovered after self-publishing (Bruce Hale & Christopher Paolini to name just two) so I know there are gems out there!

LiLa: I couldn't agree more!

Medeia: I agree that working with a team helps make your book the best it can be.

Beth: Me too!!

It's almost here! I bet you are excited! My review is coming a week from today.

Good luck with your contest. Those descriptions sounded a lot like me when I was a kid. I hated having to speak out in front of my class. I was SO shy. Now I talk to anyone. What the heck happened?

Sandy, I AM excited and nervous, too. Can't wait to see how you liked the book.

Rena, YES! I also recognized my younger self in much of their descriptions. Aren't you so glad that these things turn around?

That must have been interesting and agonizing at the same time to read all those and make judgements on them. I'll look forward to the winning essay.

Charles,
What you said was so true. Some of the essays were SO honest, and it almost made me mad on their behalf for the treatment they received. I say almost because these same writers somehow tempered that element of their essays with humor. I just couldn't believe such young writers could do that so well.

And it did break my heart to see how many people felt shy, even when they were the kid who already lived there, and their essay was about encountering a newcomer.

The grand prize winners (not announced yet!) wrote so well. One writer's take was from a perspective I hadn't even considered. His entry was short but insightful.

Very cool. Congrats. Gotta love when someone gets it.

You make me want to rearrange my posts and publish my review NOW! I'm so glad you are receiving great reviews!

See you tonight!

I was biting my fingernails that Casey would get voted out last night, as he was pretty stinky this week.

Oh, that's a lovely review. I can't wait to read the book.

So glad you got good reviews - have fun with the signings :)

尋夢視訊聊天a漫a片a圖一夜情一葉情人妻激情情色寫真美女自拍辣妹自拍正妹自拍美女走光辣妹走光正妹走光脫衣秀脫衣走光色情自慰自拍成人全裸打炮打手槍打飛機巨乳巨奶女優大奶性交性愛淫蕩淫慾

It's funny, I just noticed that the color scheme on the covers (and horizon line) is EXACTLY the same. Clearly I'm drawn to something about it, haha.

I was going to say just that! :o))

They do look cute! I wish there was a B&N here.. I miss it so much.

And why don't you like character driven books? I love those.

Love your little bunny sketch! And thanks for the link to Jill McDonald. Just love her work. So loose and playful!

Thanks Deb. Oh, I don't like 'licensed character' driven books. Like Dora, Backyardigans, etc. I know they have their place but they really do tend to 'take over' the market, esp. at B&N!

Ohhh you meant licensed character books! I thought you were referring to character driven books as opposed to story driven books.

I don't like the licenced too much either. Unless is kipper or Maisy :o)

Gina, I love Jill McDonald's work as well. I was JUST thinking of her over the past few days, it is so funny and so serendipitous that you posted this.
I went to her web site and it looks like it has not been updated in quite awhile (still info on Surtex 2008 up there). BUT (and it is a big but :) ) she has a BLOG! Isn't that great??

http://jillmcdonald.blogspot.com/


kathy

Another big Jill McDonald fan here too. Kathy, thanks for the blog link! Bookmarked.

Yes, Gina, definitely see a pattern here as far as palette. =o)

Hi! thanks for visiting my blog :) and thanks for the book recommendation, I'll have to check that one out :)

Thanks for this. I always love it when USA Today Thursday comes as that's the "book" features day. I do like the NY Times list the best because it does divide it into different kinds like fiction, kids, non-fiction, etc. Good links to check and interesting to see who has different books. If I don't get by to say it have a wonderful Christmas and keep up the wonderful blogging about kids' books PLEASE as is it so important! (former reading teacher speaking, you can tell)

thanks for sharing. Have a great weekend..

Excellent resources! I've tweeted this to my folks...

Jon
cbiclubhouse.com, Home of the Fightin' Bookworms

The literary equivalent of the locavore movement is the blog. Handselling is all about relationships - becoming trusted, being personal.

The Daring Novelist is right -- I've found a lot of good books on blogs. And my favorite book stores are the ones, independent or chain, where the clerks are obviously readers themselves.