Purple Poppy Posted January 17, 2007 Posted January 17, 2007 Bagpuss said Is that Jonathan Strange and Mrs Norrell? If so, I must be looking at the wrong thing, as they are just very plain. No, I think it's this one... The Ladies of Grace Adieu and other stories. I assume it's this one. PP Quote
Janet Posted January 18, 2007 Posted January 18, 2007 Bagpuss said No, I think it's... The Ladies of Grace Adieu and other stories. I assume it's this one. PP Thanks for the pic. I know one shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but I'm afraid I'm guilty of that! This one really isn't my cup of tea and I'd probably pass it by. Quote
Polka Dot Rock Posted January 18, 2007 Posted January 18, 2007 Bagpuss said No, I think it's this one... The Ladies of Grace Adieu and other stories. I assume it's this one. PP That's the one I love how it's all fabric-y and embossed and just lovely to hold... Dear god. Do I have a crush on a book?! Quote
Janet Posted January 18, 2007 Posted January 18, 2007 Dear god. Do I have a crush on a book?! LOL - it certainly sounds that way! Quote
Polka Dot Rock Posted January 18, 2007 Posted January 18, 2007 Mind you, not as much as I had a crush on this here book: You can't tell from the picture, but it's all pearly and shiny. Beautiful. Quote
Wraith* Posted January 18, 2007 Posted January 18, 2007 Lol one of the best books I ever saw had a "liquid" cover that felt like blood. Quote
Polka Dot Rock Posted January 18, 2007 Posted January 18, 2007 I had a 'How Babies Are Made Book' which had a squidgy cover that was meant to be a baby suspended in amniotic fluid I kid you not! And it was hardback, to keep in topic *ahem* Quote
Wraith* Posted January 18, 2007 Posted January 18, 2007 I'm not going to dare type "'How Babies Are Made" into Google. (I know better now ) But do you think those kind of books are more marketing ploys rather than meant to actually be read? Quote
princessponti Posted January 18, 2007 Posted January 18, 2007 That's the one I love how it's all fabric-y and embossed and just lovely to hold... Ahh!! It is it is!! I first saw it in 'Smiths, picked it up and was unable to put it down! I had to carry it like a new born child around the store until I'd convinced myself that I couldn't leave without it!!! *sigh* Quote
princessponti Posted January 18, 2007 Posted January 18, 2007 LOL!! I am an advertisers dream!! My boyf always laughs at me! ...I recently returned home from Debenhams with three of the worlds sharpest knives, four small knives, and two juicers.. I had been watching a promotions guy who convinced me I needed all this stuff! My boyf did the same knife 'tests' when I got home to show me that it was exactly the same as the knives we already had! I really was certain that I'd never seen a tomato cut so effortlessly! ...I should be supervised at all times... Sorry... way off topic! Quote
Purple Poppy Posted January 18, 2007 Posted January 18, 2007 I think we've all fallen for that one! Quote
Weave Posted January 18, 2007 Posted January 18, 2007 We all do it at one point, the deal sounds great, then you get home and its like, 'oh no....' I do like the look of hardbacks, but I prefer paperbacks, they are easier to carry, cheaper and fit in my bag, I am trying to keep my bag as small as possible this year... Quote
Purple Poppy Posted January 18, 2007 Posted January 18, 2007 Gyre said I do like the look of hardbacks, but I prefer paperbacks, they are easier to carry, cheaper and fit in my bag, I am trying to keep my bag as small as possible this year... I've been trying for the last thirty years! I haven't succeeded yet. My ex used to say my bags were like binbags, black and full of rubbish! Quote
samgrosser Posted January 19, 2007 Posted January 19, 2007 I do sometimes wonder why publishers persist with releasing books in hardback first - in the interests of profit (and we all know about publishers and profit) you'd think they'd want to maximise sales from the start. Paperbacks must be way cheaper to produce, and how many more people buy them? I'm just hanging for the day my publisher tells me they're going to put Another Time and Place into paperback. Then I might actually see a decent number of sales - I can't count the number of people who've told me they're waiting for it to come out in paperback. Quote
Purple Poppy Posted January 19, 2007 Posted January 19, 2007 Sam....do you not have any control over what the publisher does. Can you not move to another publisher, or is contracted for a specific time? Quote
Polka Dot Rock Posted January 19, 2007 Posted January 19, 2007 I know that there are a couple of publishers/imprints that tend to publish new or less-established writers in paperback first. But I can't remember who they are! Quote
samgrosser Posted January 19, 2007 Posted January 19, 2007 Sam....do you not have any control over what the publisher does. Can you not move to another publisher, or is contracted for a specific time? The short answer is no to the first two questions, and yes to the third. Macmillan New Writing was set up as a new imprint of Macmillan last year specifically to publish previously unpublished authors. To keep costs down, (and therefore to be able to publish more writers) the terms aren't negotiable. Basically I'm happy with the arrangement - my book has been published by a branch of a major international publisher, and will, hopefully, eventually be available in paperback. I think the process is pretty much the same with most publishers and something I'm learning is that absolutely nothing in publishing happens quickly. It's just that it's hard to be patient. Quote
Polka Dot Rock Posted January 19, 2007 Posted January 19, 2007 Macmillan New Writing was set up as a new imprint of Macmillan last year specifically to publish previously unpublished authors. To keep costs down, (and therefore to be able to publish more writers) the terms aren't negotiable. It's strange that they don't publish the new writers in paperback first. You'd think it'd make more financial and commercial sense: people are more likely to buy paperbacks by writers they haven't read before, than in more pricey hardback. It doesn't seem to make business sense! Or have I missed something? Quote
samgrosser Posted January 19, 2007 Posted January 19, 2007 It's strange that they don't publish the new writers in paperback first. You'd think it'd make more financial and commercial sense: people are more likely to buy paperbacks by writers they haven't read before, than in more pricey hardback. It doesn't seem to make business sense! Or have I missed something? Yes, I know. I thought the same thing - but that's just the way it is, and quite frankly, I'm just happy to be published. Quote
Janet Posted January 21, 2007 Posted January 21, 2007 I'm just hanging for the day my publisher tells me they're going to put Another Time and Place into paperback. Then I might actually see a decent number of sales - I can't count the number of people who've told me they're waiting for it to come out in paperback. I'm afraid I was one of the people who said that! I used to read Judy Astley. She used to bring out a new book every April, always straight into paperback, but 2006's book came out in hardback. Maybe she became more popular? Quote
thebottle Posted January 27, 2007 Posted January 27, 2007 Paperback only because they are cheaper and I have little to no money. Quote
Maureen Posted January 28, 2007 Author Posted January 28, 2007 Paperback only because they are cheaper and I have little to no money. So if money was not the issue, you'd prefer reading the hardback? Quote
thebottle Posted January 28, 2007 Posted January 28, 2007 So if money was not the issue, you'd prefer reading the hardback? Honestly, I don't prefer either one over the other for reading. I buy paperbacks because they are cheaper, but I like hardcovers because they are more durable and last longer. They both read the same to me though, lol. Quote
Maureen Posted January 28, 2007 Author Posted January 28, 2007 Ok, I phrased that wrongly....what i meant is while reading, it does not make a difference to you holding a paperback, or holding a hardback? (or carrying around a paperback or a hardback...) Quote
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