Friday Morning Tootsie Rolls

Yes, we must suffer with the leftover Halloween candy. Waste not; want not, as my daddy used to say.

Chew on this: Today's P5.

(1) SUFFER IN SILENCE: 7,982 5
(2) COOKIN' FOR LOVE: 32,811 5
(3) WAITING FOR THE WORLD TO END: 89,476 6
(4) DEATH COMES TOO SOON: 93,929 5
(5) TECHNO-NOIR: 99,800 5

________________

If you think going POD is a waste of time (granted, it can be) take a look at this outstanding article by Elizabeth Royte in the NYTBR. Going POD is hard, but at least your expectations are (or should be) proportionate. But Ms. Royte really nails the entire publishing process down--and how it brings you down.

Every traditionally published writer I know (myself included) has gone through these phases she writes about. Every word is true. Sadly.
________________

The Orlando Sentinel had an article last week on self-publishing. They discuss many things we've discussed here (the importance of eye-grabbing covers, the lack of distribution, etc.) and while it gets harder and harder to find something new to say about self-publishing, this piece still has some interesting points. The main discussion is about POD presses, and maybe even a few you have never heard of.
________________

Our friend (and former POD author) Michael Crider just sold another book to Da Capo. Here is the bullet from Publishers Marketplace:

"The Guy's Guide to Surviving Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the First Year of Fatherhood author Michael Crider's THE GUY'S GUIDE TO GETTING ENGAGED, TYING THE KNOT, AND THE FIRST YEAR OF MARRIAGE, a humorous look at dating, getting engaged and then married, and the truth about the first year of marriage, to Marnie Cochran at Da Capo, for publication in fall 2006, by Frank Weimann at The Literary Group (world)."

Congrats, Michael. Keep the words flowin'!

________________

Speaking of bad agent stories, ICM is selling out--sort of. It was bad enough when all the publishers were being gobbled up by a few (say six) major corporations--and then to have stock prices tied to the success of these publishers (which translates into: "We need more commercial books!")

But now corporate literary talent agencies? Gee whiz, it was one thing when the publishers would only look at commercial material, but what happens when that pressure is passed down to the agents? I fear the end of the world is near. Or at least publishing.
________________

Off you go, folks. And please dispose of your candy wrappers in the trash receptacle. And, hey--no complaints of tummy aches!