Comments on: Patchett Up Your Pity Party, Ann http://www.edrants.com/patchett-up-your-pity-party-ann/ a blog in ever-shifting standing Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:27:32 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Rebecca http://www.edrants.com/patchett-up-your-pity-party-ann/comment-page-1/#comment-246509 Rebecca Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:01:06 +0000 http://www.edrants.com/?p=8022#comment-246509 A larger question is: are we moving into a era with so few independent book stores that book tours are pointless? You mention Denis Johnson and John Twelve Hawks. I bet there are lots of other authors that are starting to wonder if the whole exercise is pointless. I went on book tour four years ago and sold about ten to twelve books in each city. It seemed like a lot of money spent for a very small benefit. If the tour leads to publicity and an interview, it makes sense. But there are too many authors sitting alone at that table. A larger question is: are we moving into a era with so few independent book stores that book tours are pointless? You mention Denis Johnson and John Twelve Hawks. I bet there are lots of other authors that are starting to wonder if the whole exercise is pointless.

I went on book tour four years ago and sold about ten to twelve books in each city. It seemed like a lot of money spent for a very small benefit. If the tour leads to publicity and an interview, it makes sense. But there are too many authors sitting alone at that table.

]]> By: Steven Harris http://www.edrants.com/patchett-up-your-pity-party-ann/comment-page-1/#comment-246499 Steven Harris Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:32:45 +0000 http://www.edrants.com/?p=8022#comment-246499 It's a piece of fluff, but I'm with Gwenda. I don't see any ungratefulness. What's wrong with observing that book tours are grueling and people ask silly questions (something I often/always observe when I attend author appearances)? I advise E.C. to lighten up. It’s a piece of fluff, but I’m with Gwenda. I don’t see any ungratefulness. What’s wrong with observing that book tours are grueling and people ask silly questions (something I often/always observe when I attend author appearances)? I advise E.C. to lighten up.

]]> By: Gwenda http://www.edrants.com/patchett-up-your-pity-party-ann/comment-page-1/#comment-246497 Gwenda Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:31:36 +0000 http://www.edrants.com/?p=8022#comment-246497 Pretty much every author who has ever been on an intensive book tour complains at some point about how grueling it is (and having seen a few up close now I sympathize with this) -- many publicly. Like Patchett in this essay, they always follow that up with the caveat that they realize how lucky they are compared to many of their colleagues. So, I don't see where the read of her being ungrateful is. She's just being honest. But, anyway, I love Patchett's essays, and this was no exception. Pretty much every author who has ever been on an intensive book tour complains at some point about how grueling it is (and having seen a few up close now I sympathize with this) — many publicly. Like Patchett in this essay, they always follow that up with the caveat that they realize how lucky they are compared to many of their colleagues. So, I don’t see where the read of her being ungrateful is. She’s just being honest.

But, anyway, I love Patchett’s essays, and this was no exception.

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