Articles from September 2005

Prediction: Next Year, Your Mother Will Have a Podcast

September 30th, 2005 · 5 Comments

While we have made a solemn vow to avoid the podcast train (our voice is not ready for prime time), it seems the rest of the world can’t avoid the next big thing. While publishers were slow to embrace decent websites (slow meaning we are still waiting) and blogs, they have jumped on the podcast […]

File Under: Publishers and Editors

The Decline of The Used Bookstore, The Rise of The Used Book Sales

September 29th, 2005 · 4 Comments

Yeah, yeah, yeah, you’ve heard it all before, and, you know, you’re right. Used book sales still comprise a relatively small piece of the total book sales market. What are we so worried about? It’s going to be fine, it’s better to have readers than royalties, and so on. What me worry? Yes, worry. Not […]

File Under: Square Pegs

A Little Point of Pride

September 29th, 2005 · 4 Comments

It is rare that we brag*, but as part of our personal Banned Books Week celebration, we perused the list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books, 1990 – 2000. You can imagine how our black heart swelled upon learning that we are aces when it comes to reading banned books. As it turns out, […]

File Under: Square Pegs

Your Nascent Marketing Career

September 29th, 2005 · Comments Off on Your Nascent Marketing Career

Taking his Emerging Writers job quite seriously keeps our friend Dan Wickett very busy. In addition to reading like a fiend, discovering more new authors than one man should legally have time to do (no, Dan is not languishing in library-like prison, though that does sound lovely about now), and keeping tabs on the literary […]

File Under: Square Pegs

On Italian Tile

September 28th, 2005 · 2 Comments

“I’m thrilled to death,” said Joyce Generali, 48, of Leawood, Kan., who paid $6,000 to appear in Michael Chabon’s next novel, due out spring 2006. “I was thinking of remodeling my bathroom, but this is a lot better than some Italian tile. The bathroom can wait.” She was even more thrilled to learn that Chabon’s […]

File Under: Square Pegs

One Publisher Speaks in the Wilderness

September 28th, 2005 · Comments Off on One Publisher Speaks in the Wilderness

Booksquare household hero, Tim O’Reilly, offers his thoughts on the Google libraray. O’Reilly has been a pioneer in publishing, making the full text of his books available electronically via a subscription service called Safari. He also supports the Google initiative. O’Reilly responds to one publisher’s statement that the opt-out option is unfair because he, the […]

File Under: Square Pegs

The Importance of Understanding Contracts, Part One Thousand

September 27th, 2005 · 10 Comments

Despite many (many!) years of working with contracts relating to the calculation and payment of royalties (or non-payment, depending), there is one thing we would never do: sign an agreement without the benefit of an attorney’s review of the language. The fact that so many people do is terrifying. Even if your contract is the […]

File Under: Square Pegs

More Books, Controversy, Stay Tuned

September 26th, 2005 · Comments Off on More Books, Controversy, Stay Tuned

It took us a while to get to last week’s New York Times story about manga and the girls who read it, but we have a good excuse*. We have now read enough to feel confident in our ability to recap the highlights: publishers didn’t realize that girls’ market would be so big (despite the […]

File Under: Books/Mags/Blogs

Democracy in Action

September 26th, 2005 · Comments Off on Democracy in Action

If you’ve never had the privilege of contacting an elected representative (and we have to wonder who you are), opposing the renewal of Section 215 of the Patriot Act represents a perfect opportunity to see bureaucracy in action. You can enjoy the wonder of House and Senate member websites, you can try to contact specific […]

File Under: Square Pegs

Oprah Saves The World, The World, Unfortunately, Was Watching Another Channel

September 26th, 2005 · Comments Off on Oprah Saves The World, The World, Unfortunately, Was Watching Another Channel

For the eight or nine of you who slept through last week, we have breaking news. For the zillion who were paying attention, we are going to revisit an old story. Either way, books have been saved, or something like that. Oprah Winfrey has decided she’s done enough boosting sales for dead people and is […]

File Under: Books/Mags/Blogs