> Kevin Burton Smith <kvnsmith@...> wrote:
>
> Dave wrote:
>
> > this is the kind of news that raises the alcohol consumption among
> > writers:
> >
> > From Publisher's Marketplace:
> >
> > Comedian Kathy Griffin's memoir, to Pamela Cannon for Ballantine,
> > reportedly in a major deal, "for more than $2 million," (NY Observer;
> > deal not confirmed by RH), at auction, by Trena Keating at Endeavor.
>
> Not completely off topic.
>
> While I don't quite get the whole Griffin thing either, she is
> exceedingly popular,
She's exceedingly popular?? Hell, what for?for what?? The only thing I
know about her is a couple of Seinfeld episodes and being loud and
abrasive on reality shows. She's the definition of D level celebrity,
and when Andy Dick gets his 5 million dollar advance for his memoirs
we'll know the apocalypse is truly upon us.
> and assuming she writes her own material, at
> least this time they're giving it to someone who is a writer.
Who knows if she does, and if she'll even be writing her memoirs?
Probably be ghost-written. But in any case, in a time when publishers
are going through chaotic reorganizations, cutting back staff,
shuttering or severely reducing trade fiction, what we're seeing is
"the safe" (gutless) move towards celebrity books, with ridiculous
advances. Will Griffins book sell the 800,000 copies necessary to earn
out her advance? I wish I could take bets on the odds of that happening.
> Anyhow, if just the thought of somebody else landing a cushy book deal
> drives you to drink, how many bottles did you kill when Gores and
> Atkins were paid to pick over Hammett's bones?
From the emails I received I wasn't the only writer edged closer to
the bottle from that news, although Ed Gorman cracked me up with his
email: "Holy shite! I knew I should've married her!". About Gores and
Atkins, they have talent, they're writing substantial works, and not
just being tossed millions to dish because some NY house has so little
respect for the reading public (maybe deserved) that they think the
public will flock to any book with a D level celebrity name on the cover.
--Dave
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