Friday, September 29, 2006

Take a Look at This List!

On its third blour day, Violet Dawn remains as the #1 Most Popular book on Technorati.

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Here’s the fiction bestseller list for October (reflecting sales in the month of August). Notice again how many novels are ranked for the Top Fifty List. (The first number is ranking on the fiction bestseller list, and the number in parentheses is the Top Fifty ranking.) Twelve this time. Last month, if I remember right, it was sixteen. Seems like only a year ago or so that merely the top two or three made the Top Fifty List. I know other factors can be involved, but one factor has to be that fiction is selling in higher numbers.


1 (2) Found Karen Kingsbury, Tyndale, p

2 (14) Night Light Terri Blackstock, Zondervan, p

3 (16) The Copper Scroll Joel Rosenberg, Tyndale, c

4 (22) The Bishop's Daughter Wanda Brunstetter, Barbour, p

5 (23) Leave a Candle Burning Lori Wick, Harvest House, p

6 (25) Like Dandelion Dust Karen Kingsbury, Center Street (Hachette), p

7 (28) The Ezekiel Option Joel Rosenberg, Tyndale, p

8 (32) Redeeming Love Francine Rivers, Multnomah (WaterBrook), p

9 (33) The Prophet Francine Rivers, Tyndale, c

10 (37) House Frank Peretti & Ted Dekker, WestBow (Nelson), c

11 (45) Last Light Terri Blackstock, Zondervan, p

12 (46) The Englisher Beverly Lewis, Bethany House, p

13 A Promise for Ellie Lauraine Snelling, Bethany House, p

14 The Rapture Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins, Tyndale, c

15 Under the Northern Lights Tracie Peterson, Bethany House, p

16 The Witness Dee Henderson, Tyndale, p

17 One Tuesday Morning/Beyond Tuesday Morning Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan, p

18 Moolight on the Millpond Lori Wick, Harvest House, p

19 Even Now Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan, p

20 Beyond Tuesday Morning Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan, p


Last May we looked at the bestseller lists—how they’re put together, and based on what sales numbers. You can review that multiple-day topic by going to the
May 2006 archives and starting at the May 3rd post.
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Last week Jason posted this on the comments page:

I had a question that might be a touchy one to answer. I look at the limited opportunities to have books published, and then I see a fiction title by [a well known person who’s not a writer], WITH the help of 3 other writers . . . What do you think about celebrities "writing" novels and them getting published just due to the name? I know this happens in the ABA as well.

So, BGs--How would you answer?

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Today on Scenes and Beans

Janet Detcher: Renee’s Story

This is not an easy story to tell, but the lessons she learned may help someone out there who's going through a difficult time.


5 comments:

Kristy Dykes said...

"What do you think about celebrities "writing" novels and them getting published just due to the name?"

K: It's just the way things are, is my thinking. This business is about the bottom line, like any business.

Sometimes the "stars" have a passion to write fiction and even come up with the storylines but need literary help. This happened with Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. (The idea for Left Behind was LaHaye's.) Other times, publishers hook up the two. A few years ago, an editor at a big house told me a certain author's numbers weren't good, even though she was a great writer, and so they hooked her up with Famous Person, and now, that author is bestselling in her own titles. A win-win situation. Tommy Tenney had a passion for Esther, and Mark Andrew Olsen partnered with him. Now Olsen's done the same thing with evangelist John BeVere.

A publisher has to earn money to stay in business. I think we can look at it like this: the "stars" keep the houses running so they can take on someone like me! :) Oh, happy thought!

~ Brandilyn Collins said...

Checking the comments. Again. Perhaps they're posting better today? The last three days blogger's been awful. It's taken a long time to post both my blogs each night.

Sorry about the gum-up. Not too conducive to discussion.

Lynette Sowell said...

I once heard an author say at a writers' conference, "Lots of times it's about who you know." This is a business, and just like everywhere else, name recognition helps. The key as a writer is to show up, keep writing and learning, and keep getting to know people. Not just for the sake of getting published (that becomes clear sometimes the more you talk to people), but because writers are pretty neat people to know. And remember, who's hot now may not be hot in a few years. :) You need to persist and stick it out and learn to be flexible. :)

Often it's difficult for a business person to find a balance between business and ministry, and yes, often a "name" will get a foot in the door over talent. That's the nature of the beast.

Anonymous said...

(Sorry for this clandestine comment regarding your comments on another site, but . . . way to go, girl!)

~ Brandilyn Collins said...

Oh, Nicole, life is always interesting. :]