People with terrible books - Tom: Zero

[Christina]

Not one terrible book, but I was infuriated to find out that James Patterson just signed a 17-book deal.

http://www.mediabistro.com/agencyspy/celebrity/best_selling_authorformer_adman_james_patterson_signs_massive_book_deal_with_hachette_130698.asp

What's even crazier is that the deal ends in 2012. That's almost 6 books a year. Insane.

I have a couple of friends who have gotten jobs out of this. I'm not sure how I feel about that, given how tough da biz is right now.

[scratchbomb]

Not one terrible book, but I was infuriated to find out that James Patterson just signed a 17-book deal.

http://www.mediabistro.com/agencyspy/celebrity/best_selling_authorformer_adman_james_patterson_signs_massive_book_deal_with_hachette_130698.asp

What's even crazier is that the deal ends in 2012. That's almost 6 books a year. Insane.

I have a couple of friends who have gotten jobs out of this. I'm not sure how I feel about that, given how tough da biz is right now.

If it puts people to work then, I guess I have less of a problem with it. Everybody's gotta eat. Still frustrating for the aspiring writer, though.

[Christina]

If it puts people to work then, I guess I have less of a problem with it. Everybody's gotta eat. Still frustrating for the aspiring writer, though.

Well, that's the thing ... this is not exactly a stable time in this or any other business. I'd hate to hook my wagon to one author, despite the fact that the guy shows no signs of stopping.

His whole thing is "I have so many ideas that I have to have co-authors, because I literally don't have enough time on the planet to make books out of all of them".

[scratchbomb]

He's also far from the only guy to do that. Nearly every big "franchise" author farms out most of the actual writing.

[Martin]

Speaking of books, Dan Brown's new brick drops next week in the US. The release of the Swedish edition of the book is a mere week later - the Swedish publishers don't wanna risk people picking up the English version. However, due to insanity, the American publishers refuse to hand over the manuscript to the Swedes until it goes on sale in the US, which gives the Swedes about one week to translate and print the book. Rather than backing off from such an impossible proposition and wait a couple more weeks, the Swedish publishers have decided to chop the book up and give six translators one part each (of about 100 pages), and one week to translate it. Then copy + paste = done.

The potentially schizoid translation might the only reason to read this book.

[AndrewVDill]

Speaking of books, Dan Brown's new brick drops next week in the US. The release of the Swedish edition of the book is a mere week later - the Swedish publishers don't wanna risk people picking up the English version. However, due to insanity, the American publishers refuse to hand over the manuscript to the Swedes until it goes on sale in the US, which gives the Swedes about one week to translate and print the book. Rather than backing off from such an impossible proposition and wait a couple more weeks, the Swedish publishers have decided to chop the book up and give six translators one part each (of about 100 pages), and one week to translate it. Then copy + paste = done.

The potentially schizoid translation might the only reason to read this book.

Just read today that this book might feature clones of Jesus.  There's a part of me that really wants to read it.

[Martin]

I'll read it with disgust/pleasure round Christmas, when my dad inevitably gets a copy. Jesus clones deserve an afternoon.

[Christina]

I'll read it with disgust/pleasure round Christmas, when my dad inevitably gets a copy. Jesus clones deserve an afternoon.

Also for those of us who have to travel a lot, you can play a little game with yourself where you try and guess what percentage of the people on your plane are reading a Dan Brown book. The backlist counts. Once, at the height of the Da Vinci Code frenzy, no lie - 25%.

[gravy boat]

Speaking of books, Dan Brown's new brick drops next week in the US. The release of the Swedish edition of the book is a mere week later - the Swedish publishers don't wanna risk people picking up the English version. However, due to insanity, the American publishers refuse to hand over the manuscript to the Swedes until it goes on sale in the US, which gives the Swedes about one week to translate and print the book. Rather than backing off from such an impossible proposition and wait a couple more weeks, the Swedish publishers have decided to chop the book up and give six translators one part each (of about 100 pages), and one week to translate it. Then copy + paste = done.

The potentially schizoid translation might the only reason to read this book.

This crazy Swedish translation process would make a better movie than any of Dan Brown's book. I think Ron Howard should direct it -- it would be a nice book end to Apollo 13 -- and I think Omar should have a cameo as a scrivener.

[JonFromMaplewood]

Just read today that this book might feature clones of Jesus. 

"The Boys From Nazareth?"

[Big Plastic Head]

I'll read it with disgust/pleasure round Christmas, when my dad inevitably gets a copy. Jesus clones deserve an afternoon.

Also for those of us who have to travel a lot, you can play a little game with yourself where you try and guess what percentage of the people on your plane are reading a Dan Brown book. The backlist counts. Once, at the height of the Da Vinci Code frenzy, no lie - 25%.

Copies of DaVinci Code litter crash site...

[dave from knoxville]

It's not really a problem when you don't actually write any of them.

He's the Keith Haring of tossed off thrillers?

[Martin]

Cast of Jersey Shore: two
Tom: zero

Two Jersey Shore Cast Members Sign Book Deal

[scratchbomb]

The cast of Jersey Shore was visiting Mets spring training camp today, for some reason. That filled me with a terrifying vision of one of those shaved apes sucker punching Johan Santana.

[Bryan]

Pete Wentz: 2 (I think)
Tom: 0


Looks like it's an autobiographical novel about the alienation of being a rock star.