October 24, 2009
I was shopping at TJMaxx this week, and while standing in line was shocked to see Dan Brown’s Lost Symbol for sale at a majorly discounted price. I am not a big fan of Brown’s and had no plans of buying the book but as a long time book buyer/lover, I was startled to see the hardback being sold next to discounted cookbooks and Disney books.I have to admit to buying my copy of Her Fearful Symmetry (thumbs down) from Costco but for some reason TJMaxx struck me as a different scenario.
In her story, Nation’s Retailers Engage In Online Book Pricing Wars, Lynn Neary writes:
Al Greco, a Fordham University professor who studies the publishing business, says this price war could have a serious ripple effect on all booksellers: “This cuts into book buying at retail stores, supermarkets [and] convenience stores. The book store chains especially hit hard will be the independents who are unable to discount to that level.”
I guess what scares me the most is the idea that wandering down the narrow aisles of shelves crowded with books in a family owned bookstore will be a thing of the past. The positive side of discounted books is that maybe it will encourage more people to read, but I still don’t know how I feel about buying books at TJMaxx.
I think it’s time for the whole publishing business to make changes so the Dan Brown’s and Audrey Niffenegger’s won’t be hogging all the press and money, but what direction will it take? What does all this mean for people like me, working toward my MFA, hoping to get my book published and make a little money? Where will this leave people like me?
October 23, 2009
This is the best essay I’ve read on book promotion in a while. I have to say it makes me cringe when I read rants from authors who complain about touring the country to promote their book. At least your book is published, I hiss under my breath.
Well, Stephanie Elizondo Griest gives it to us straight in her Poets&Writers (Nov/Dec) essay, Confessions of an Author Nomad, promoting Your Book At All Costs. Her opening line had me hooked,
“Three years ago I drew the sad conclusion of every writer without a spouse or a trust fund: I could either write or pay rent. Not both.”
I laughed out loud and had to read it, slowly and with emphasis to my husband so he could appreciate that there were others out there like me, willing to go without in order to write! While I have a spouse, we also have 3 children and a mortgage and on and on so maybe she should clarify her statement as a “spouse who makes a lot of money or a trust fund”…..
Griest’s path of promotion is definitely not one I could emulate with 3 kids under 10, but I appreciate her enthusiasm and love of the journey. Her essay about the life of a published author on the road is inspirational instead of depressing, and we can all use more of those tales…..
October 14, 2009
I am not a big seafood eater but I live in South Carolina and am determined to become one. Barbara Seelig-Brown of Stressfreecooking.com has written a new cookbook for the ADA called, The Diabetes Seafood Cookbook, fresh, healthy, low-fat cooking. With over 100 recipes that range from mango tuna salad to salmon with black bean salsa, each recipe includes nutritional information and cook’s tips in 3-4 simple steps.
While I love to cook meals for my husband (cooking for the boys is not much fun), seafood has always scared me. What I like about this cookbook is its simplicity. I was not afraid to attempt a recipe, and in fact, I went out and made baked scallops & mushroom sauce and it was delicious! (I’ll add photos later.) The entire process took less than 30 minutes (the amount of time the baby was quiet in his bouncy chair), and had only 14g of carbs per serving. And, it was good.
There are many salmon recipes and while I have stayed away from salmon because of it’s fishy taste, I know it’s good for me. So I’m going to gather my courage and give one of Barbara’s 17 salmon recipes a try. Maybe roasted salmon with vegetables? Or salmon tacos, salmon and spinach pie? Something that doesn’t taste so salmony! Wish me luck…..
