Re: RARA-AVIS: Ellroy reviewd at Salon; Spillane still not dead

From: Philip Benz ( Philip.Benz@wanadoo.fr)
Date: 14 Jun 2001


Mark Sullivan wrote:
> All he did was
> exaggerate everything he was already doing [...] So how is it no
> longer crime fiction? Just because
> bookstores changed what shelf he was on?
>

I'm convinced this is primarily a marketing and perception thing. Take Diana Gabaldon. She wrote this series of 1000+ page historical/romance/time travel novels. Although the first one,
_Outlander_, started out on the romance shelves, very quickly she was able to move into the fiction section, with the help of her editor and agent.

I'm also convinced that Ellroy's attitude is a marketing ploy. Seems to be working quite well for him too.

Jess said:
> Ellroy doesn't control how AMERICAN TABLOID is categorized. The "big
> bookstores" (and libraries) do.

I think you'll find that authors, agents, publishers and their marketing plan have something to do with it. High sales figures can do wonders.
<g>

Cheers, --- Phil Lyc饠Astier, Aubenas, France

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