Mario wrote:
> Some of the trouble with the industry is that they're looking to
> have blockbusters as opposed to selling a lot of different stuff in
> moderate quantities. You can make a profit that way, just like you
> can make a profit by spending five million (not two hundred) on a
> movie and making 15%. It's three quarters of a million. But the idea
> of the blockbuster is everywhere.
At least the sheep mentality isn't quite as prevalent in the crime
genre. D-list prima donnas and other wannabes may sneer, but most of
the bigger names in our genre (Leonard, Connelly, assorted Parkers,
Evanovich this week) fly off our shelves because people actually WANT
to read them.
Promotion and placement and distribution do play a part in it, of
course, but usually that push comes AFTER an author has already
established a solid fan base. And many a highly promote book dies a
quick and quiet death. I see it every week.
The new Leonard, for example, is probably gonna sell like a mother,
whether they spring for an ad in the Times or not. Hell, I WANT to
read it. Especially after seeing KILLSHOT, and realizing -- once again
-- what a master Leonard is.
Whereas non-fiction, I'm pretty sure some of those HOW SO-AND-SO IS
DESTROYING THE COUNTRY or books seem to be more a way of expressing
outrage and solidarity with a particular viewpoint or stuck-in-the-mud
mindset. I'm pretty sure some of the people who buy those rants are
barely literate. But hey, Bill or Keith or Greta or whoever (or Oprah)
has commanded them to read it.
Or like with films, for example, there's this weird social pressure
that almost insists you HAVE to see the latest piece of special
effects-laden Hollywood crap. I still remember this customer dumping
on SPIDER-MAN III for several minutes. When his rant finally petered
out, I thanked him for giving me the heads-up and saving me a few bucks.
He looked horrified. "But, man, you GOTTA see it! It's the movie this
summer!"
Kevin Burton Smith
www.thrillingdetective.com
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 25 Jun 2009 EDT