2009 Horror Bail Out
Hey buster, wanna buy a book?
This is the chorus most often found in convention dealer's halls, as we're all getting so desperate we're nearly mugging the passers-by. While sitting behind the rack of books at Midsouthcon this past weekend, I tried the Jedi Mind Trick: "These ARE the books you're looking for." I got a lot of amused giggles. Not so much with the sales.
We're all in trouble. Nobody's buying books. Heck, Borders itself may go under any day. So I beg you to participate in the 2009 Horror Bail Out! The banks got one, so did Detroit (but not newspapers!). Here in the horror world, we're dying on the vine. Books aren't selling, magazines are folding and publishers are clinging by fingernails.
So take a whole $20 and go buy a horror novel or subscribe to a magazine. Any magazine, any book. (Though you can try mine if you really want to - I make a great birthday present!) Go buy from one of Choate's participants and you'll get another benefit besides great fiction: List what you bought, and on June 1 there will be a drawing to award "Gift Baskets From Hell" courtesy of us struggling fictioneers.
Participating publishers currently include Graveside Tales, Apex Books, Shroud, Skullvines Press and Necrotic Tissue. Allow me to toss my own hat in the ring: anyone who orders from me (booksales@elizabethdonald.com) will be entered into a drawing for a basket of cool stuff, including books and coffee. You know you wanna! Be sure to indicate in the email that you are a contest participant.
You might consider starting your participation with Apex, which has been honored this week with a Stoker nomination for Fran Friel's MAMA'S BOY. Sara Harvey's CONVENT OF THE PURE is out now and quite the hot ticket, I might add. And you CultureGeek readers know I named UNWELCOME BODIES by Jennifer Pelland as last year's best book of the year.
Every single panel in which I participated last weekend turned from its assigned topic, whether "pulp fiction" or "killing characters" or "novelizing RPGs," to the state of the publishing industry. I said it till my face turned blue and I'll say it again: YOU decide. You vote with your dollars. Make it a good one.
This is the chorus most often found in convention dealer's halls, as we're all getting so desperate we're nearly mugging the passers-by. While sitting behind the rack of books at Midsouthcon this past weekend, I tried the Jedi Mind Trick: "These ARE the books you're looking for." I got a lot of amused giggles. Not so much with the sales.
We're all in trouble. Nobody's buying books. Heck, Borders itself may go under any day. So I beg you to participate in the 2009 Horror Bail Out! The banks got one, so did Detroit (but not newspapers!). Here in the horror world, we're dying on the vine. Books aren't selling, magazines are folding and publishers are clinging by fingernails.
So take a whole $20 and go buy a horror novel or subscribe to a magazine. Any magazine, any book. (Though you can try mine if you really want to - I make a great birthday present!) Go buy from one of Choate's participants and you'll get another benefit besides great fiction: List what you bought, and on June 1 there will be a drawing to award "Gift Baskets From Hell" courtesy of us struggling fictioneers.
Participating publishers currently include Graveside Tales, Apex Books, Shroud, Skullvines Press and Necrotic Tissue. Allow me to toss my own hat in the ring: anyone who orders from me (booksales@elizabethdonald.com) will be entered into a drawing for a basket of cool stuff, including books and coffee. You know you wanna! Be sure to indicate in the email that you are a contest participant.
You might consider starting your participation with Apex, which has been honored this week with a Stoker nomination for Fran Friel's MAMA'S BOY. Sara Harvey's CONVENT OF THE PURE is out now and quite the hot ticket, I might add. And you CultureGeek readers know I named UNWELCOME BODIES by Jennifer Pelland as last year's best book of the year.
Every single panel in which I participated last weekend turned from its assigned topic, whether "pulp fiction" or "killing characters" or "novelizing RPGs," to the state of the publishing industry. I said it till my face turned blue and I'll say it again: YOU decide. You vote with your dollars. Make it a good one.
Have I told you lately that I adore you, Ms. Donald? Thank you for the VERY kind mention and the excellent post!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend.
Many Hugs,
Fran