| Author | Message | ||
     Troy "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Troy Post Number: 319 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
Radiah, your comment "What disturbed me about the article is that this opinion is coming from another AUTHOR"; actually concerned me as well, but perhaps for a different reason. Nick says "But I must say that I retain very little of the hope and excitement and enthusiasm that I had when my first book was published eight years ago. I feel defeated, disrespected and troubled about the future of my community and my little subsection of this carnivorous, unforgiving industry." I'm astonished that he would feel that way. On virtually every measurable indicator subjective or otherwise we are in a much better situation than we have ever been as far as Book books are concerned. More authors are entering the field. More books being published, purchased and read. Books are easier to obtain. they cost less and there is a wider variety from which to choose. We have Carl Weber and Zane are running a major imprints. We have independent publishers like Triple Crown, Black Pearl Books and Writersandpoets publishing scores of authors who would not published by a "major house" just a few years ago -- Authors who, by the way, have given hundreds of thousands of readers hours of reading pleasure. If Nick does not want to compete with "Legit Baller"; he should find another vocation as this condition shows no sign of abating. Nick says he realizes "publishing is a business", but then goes on to make statements contrary to even a fundamental understanding of the book business. Actually Nick should be pleased that a Borders in Lithonia, GA, no less, had the "largest collections of books by black authors that I've ever seen outside an independent black bookstore". Is Nick unaware that there was a time Black Independents were the only sources of a decent selection of Black books? The fact that Nick's book was even in the store is a giant step forward. Also check out "Greene Response to "Their Eyes Were Reading Smut" a response by Brenda M. Greene, Ph.D., Professor of English Executive Director, Center for Black Literature Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York. Brenda says "We must also find a way to create mechanisms for promoting literary writers whose voices are not being heard and whose literature has become marginalized. Because these writers are more concerned with writing than with promoting their books.... Dr. Greene's National Black Writer's Conference will help address the "Literary" issue, complaining about book placement about in a store in GA will not. One more thing: These so called authors of "smut" are selling books, and they also buy advertising. The revenue that these authors create for book sellers (including AALBC.com) not only helps our bottom line, but these "smut" publishers effectively subsidize the promotion of the literary authors and publishers -- who do very little self promotions on their own. p.s. Back in March 2002, Nick Chiles' Denene Millner's Love Don't Live Here Anymore was #3 on the AALBC.com best sellers list ( http://aalbc.com/books/march_2002.htm, read a review http://aalbc.com/reviews/lovedontlivehereanymore.htm ). I'm sure Nick's article and the associated controversy helped his book sales. That may not have been his intent, but it is the way things work. Emanuel, I bet you know who he is now ;-) |