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Myths about Publishing

Sep 25th 2007Sabrina Jeffries
Sabrina JeffriesOn Writing! & Sabrina Jeffries

I�ll never forget the day I gushed to my mother about finally not having a clinch cover (after six published historicals as Deborah Martin) and her saying, �What? You weren�t just choosing those covers to annoy me?�

Printing PressI can�t blame Mom for thinking it, though. Plenty of readers think I get to pick the covers. Even booksellers think we authors have more of a say than we do–a bookseller once told me that authors need to realize they would broaden their market if they just made their print bigger. As if I could just haul out the gigantic printing press I apparently keep in my basement, and adjust the typeface. Ah, I wish it were that easy.

So here for anyone�s perusal (reader, aspiring author, man on the street) are a few myths about publishing debunked:

1) Authors decide what covers go on their books.
One Night We don�t paint the covers, choose the models, or dictate how big our name is on the cover. If we did, there�d be no �nursing mother� covers, I�d be Jack Hartnett�s best friend (model for One Night with a Prince), and my name would be HUGE and sparkly with some holographic effect designed to imprint it on every passersby�s brain. Just sayin�. Most of the time, they don’t even tell us which artists painted our covers, much less what models they used.

2) Authors decide the titles of the book.
We SUGGEST titles. Occasionally our publishers even use them. But once a book leaves our hands, the marketing professionals make the decisions. If we�re lucky, they choose a title that is both clever and exactly appropriate for the book. If we�re unlucky, they slap a picture of a pregnant chimp playing the piano on the front and title it �Monkeying Around.” Unlucky is bad. Very, very bad.

3) Most of the book’s price goes to the author.
Uh, no. We get anywhere from 4% to 10% of the retail cost of the book. But before you start screaming that the publisher doesn�t deserve such a huge cut, you should know that the bookseller/retailer gets anywhere from 40% to 50% (they�ve got all that overhead, you know). Lots of people have their hands in the pie�we�re just one of them. It takes a village to make a book. Or something like that.

Jack HartnettI could go on and on. Did you know that foiling costs extra money? That publishers try to keep paperbacks to a similar size to save on shipping costs, so sometimes the font size is dictated by that? Do you know how to tell if a book is a reissue? And can anyone give me Jack Hartnett�s phone number � oh, sorry, thought I�d just slip that in. Seriously, though, what questions have you always had about book production? Don’t be shy–we goddesses LOVE to answer questions!

67 Comments »

67 Responses to “Myths about Publishing”

  1. pri.r. on 25 Sep 2007 at 3:34 am #

    ok SOME of these questions relate to the topic itself…but all of them indirectly relate to authors and their books…

    1. hasn’t suzanne enoch’s “A touch of Minx” been released already?…. i’m sure the excerpt was posted ages ago on her delightful website…

    2. this question relates to this site itself… What are “Bots”?!! ..this question has been bugging me for sometime…that and what ‘dh’ stood for..but thankfully that little issue was cleared up recently.

    3. do all authors books become published in large print? and if not then how do they choose which ones do and which don’t?

    4. Sabrina, were you referring to the male model in “One Night with a Prince” as Josh Hartnett’s best friend???… because…woah..

    5. i’ve noticed that i always get cut off when i talk about random authors (ie: Kresley Cole) so does Mt. Olympus stream and check what we goddesses write?

    6. Is anyone eagerly awaiting the release of Kresley Cole’s 3rd Immortals After Dark book??!..like me?

  2. Judy F on 25 Sep 2007 at 4:44 am #

    BOT are books on tape.

    Who decided to go with the larger mass markets? they are a pain to shelve at the bookstore and at hope. Also I find them hard to hold to read.

    I like to know the answer to the large print ? my mom loves to read but being 82 she can’t read the fine print or smaller pring like she used to. She has switched to BOT but there aren’t a lot of the romance books in those types of books.

    Also why do some books that originally come out in trade go to mass market later. Why isn’t it all of them? Sometimes I just can’t swing the 14.00 for the trade side and would like to wait for the MM.

  3. Stacy ~ on 25 Sep 2007 at 5:43 am #

    I think, I’m not sure so don’t quote me cuz I could be wrong, that BOTs related to this site are sorta like spammers, that’s why some sites require people to give the revealed password in order to post their messages.

    Actually, the guy in the above pic is JACK Hartnett, and Sabrina wants to be his best friend ;)

    My questions are similar to Judy’s. Sometimes trades are like getting a book in hardcover, and you have to wait for the smaller version, which fits better in the bookshelves. But then it seems not all trades are released mass market.

    Why are so many books released with covers that look so alike, i.e., using the same exact picture but changing the colors, etc?

    Why do publishers change the look of a series mid-stream? I hate when 3 books all have similar covers and then the next one is completely different?

  4. Ellen dujour on 25 Sep 2007 at 7:34 am #

    What a shame that you are not allowed to have a major say on the cover of your book. Some of the covers are so bad, my sister can’t read the book unless I give her permission to rip the cover off.

    Unless it’s a corpse, I don’t like people on my covers. Trust me, the man I picture is always hotter than the man on the cover.

    And to pri.r….does Mt. Olympus stream and check what we goddesses write?
    Dear Gawd I hope not!

  5. Ellen dujour on 25 Sep 2007 at 7:45 am #

    How frequently do publishers suggest a genre for you to write? Do they talk trends with authors?

  6. cookeemama on 25 Sep 2007 at 7:46 am #

    In my understanding, a bot is a software program that roams the net and automatically fills in forms. I do sweepstakes and they are forbidden at the web sites where you can enter a sweeps on-line. Bots work 24/7. I imagine a bot could cause a bit of mischief on a site like this. The person running the bot could start posting inappropriate stuff and have it repeat endlessly. Until it filled up the space allotted to the Goddesses.

    Whew. I need to go back to bed. I’ve used up my tech know-how for the day.

    I think it’s a darned shame that authors can’t choose the title, at the very least. My biggest book pet peeve is the print running into the inner edge and disappearing into the spine . Even breaking the spine doesn’t help sometimes. Grrr

  7. SuzyQ on 25 Sep 2007 at 7:53 am #

    My question is on copyrights. I always check the copyright page to see if a book is a re-release by looking for the date. But what about the copyright name? Many times the name listed is different than the author’s name. So, is the copyright your real name or can you use your pen name?

  8. Sabrina Jeffries on 25 Sep 2007 at 8:09 am #

    So many questions! Great!

    Yeah, the bots are a computer thing related to this site. Bot is short for robot, but I don’t know what they do exactly. I’ll try to find out.

    As for large print or audio books or foreign editions … these are all subsidiary rights. When a publisher buys rights to a book, it’s generally only able to produce one of them–the print version. So they license the rest of the rights to other companies. Thorndike Press, for example, does a lot of large print books, so they license the large-print rights from my publisher for a fee. It’s like selling a book all over again–they only license the rights to books they think will sell in large-print. So if they don’t think a book will sell in large print (large print is expensive), they don’t purchase that book. I only started getting large print sales in the last few years. Most newer authors don’t sell to large print.

    Also, some authors keep all their subsidiary rights, some keep some, some keep all … (cont.)

  9. Sabrina Jeffries on 25 Sep 2007 at 8:16 am #

    NO, we do NOT track comments and shorten certain ones! That would be WAYY too much trouble. And I wouldn’t keep getting cut off all the time. ;-) So talk about Kresley all you want!

    The copyright name is GENERALLY the author’s real name, but not always. For example, if an author is incorporated under their pseudonym, they might start putting their pseudonym on the copyright.

    Judy, the larger mass markets are called a premium edition. Someone dreamed it up as a way of getting larger print for smaller books. I think the experiment is not going so well. ;-) I remember a few years back, when a publisher did a small hardcover for Mary Jo Putney’s One Perfect Rose in an attempt to get the best of both worlds–hardcover quality for a reduced price. That didn’t go over well either, sadly enough.

    And speaking of hardcover and trade … okay, I have an eye doctor’s appt. to get to, but as soon as I get back, I’ll answer that one! Give me a couple of hours.

  10. Karen Hawkins on 25 Sep 2007 at 9:10 am #

    Sabrina et al, the bots help get the site placed on various search engines. They search sites for key words and help the site show up on google, yahoo, etc searches.

  11. Karen Rose on 25 Sep 2007 at 9:10 am #

    Cookiemama – it’s a good thing I don’t choose my own titles. Mine tend to be really bad! There’s a different art to writing a book than to choosing a handful of words that represents the story while hooking the reader’s attention and enticing them to buy the book.

    To this, I bow to the marketing minds!

  12. DebMarlowe on 25 Sep 2007 at 9:19 am #

    As a new, about-to-be-published author, I find that most people are shocked that I have little or no say over title and cover issues.

    It’s funny, but many times I’m asked: “What did you name your book?” Instead of “What’s the title?” I usually then tell the person asking, that I named my book one thing, but the publisher named it something else. :-)

    I also get a lot of comments like: “Just don’t put—insert whatever their particular peeve might be–on the cover. I hate those!” And then they are shocked again.

    My kids and their friends assume I must be famous if I’m getting books published. I tell them, “No, just really, really happy!” :-)

  13. Nicole Jordan on 25 Sep 2007 at 9:36 am #

    I know, those bots really bugged me when we first started TGB. I thought they were spammers trolling for e-mail addys! But they’re not. They’re checking out how many hits we get and what words we use, so the search engines can put us in their databases.

    I absolutely hate the large mm size paperbacks. But if I remember correctly, there were several reasons publishers thought they would work better… but mainly cause they could cut down on paper. The costs of paper are sky-high, so anything they can do to shrink the number of pages helps their profit margin. Which is why some pubs make type so small and limit their authors to a certain word length, and why the length of Harlequin/Sillhouette series/lines books are shrinking.

    And we absolutely do not vet posts to exclude mention of any authors!! …. although I do believe our spam software looks for certain words to weed out spammers and puts those posts in a “garbage” file or “check” file. Thank heavens, or otherwise we’d have a zillion posts about male body parts, etc., lol.

  14. Meg on 25 Sep 2007 at 9:41 am #

    How do you decide how long a book is going to be? Is there a certain rule that says you have to write a “this-many-page” manuscript? And how many pages do you have to type for it to become a “this-many-page” novel?
    I also have a question about ths blog itself. I registered and was told that I would be emailed a password but haven’t gotten anything. Should I do it again?

  15. Claudia Dain on 25 Sep 2007 at 9:49 am #

    I think I may have some info on trade/mm to fill in while we wait for Sabrina to get back from her doctor’s appt.

    My next book, The Courtesan’s Daughter, is coming out in trade in ONE WEEEEKKKK (yeah, that was me, squealing) and then in mm later on. I was stunned when my publisher wanted to do Daughter in trade—again, one of those many things that is in publisher and not author control—and I asked them why. Because I was curious. And stunned.

    Their response was that they thought the trade format would appeal to a certain type of reader.

    I’m not sure anyone knows what type that is. It’s an experiment. It’s also a vote of confidence from the publisher in that they’re gambling that people will want to read that book SO MUCH that they’ll pay $14 for it.

    Frankly, I’m a nervous wreck.

  16. Claudia Dain on 25 Sep 2007 at 9:53 am #

    Meg, while Sabrina is still getting her check-up, I’ll step in and say that authors sign contracts to write a book of 85,000 words or 100,000 words, 25,000 words for a novella. The author has to get the word count of the manuscript somewhere in the ballpark spelled out in the contract. It’s really a ballpark and most authors of 100,000 word manuscripts can fudge it 10,000 words either way.

    One of the tricky things you learn as an author is how much ‘juice’ a story idea has. Some stories are just 25,000 word stories and they can never be more.

  17. Suzanne Enoch on 25 Sep 2007 at 11:08 am #

    pri.r — A TOUCH OF MINX is actually out today!! Amazon has been selling it for the past week, but bookstores, etc. should be placing it on the shelves starting today. SHOULD BE. That’s another thing authors have no control over.

    And we don’t control reprints, either. I can’t tell you how many emails I’ve gotten asking when I’m going to reprint my two Regencies, and angry because I haven’t done so already. Yes, I happen to actually own the rights to these two books (because they’ve been out of print for over 3 years), but finding a publisher to print them is something else entirely. Like Sabrina, I don’t have a printing press in my basement, nor do I command the market in general. As a goddess, I think I should, but hey. *g*

  18. twolilhahas on 25 Sep 2007 at 11:32 am #

    Why do authors use different names? I mean, I can’t help but think if I were to get a book published I’d be all about having my real name shining on the cover.

  19. twolilhahas on 25 Sep 2007 at 11:33 am #

    And has anyone else read J.R. Ward’s “Lover Unbound” yet?

  20. KariE on 25 Sep 2007 at 11:42 am #

    My question is relating to the printing of the book, ish. There have been a few books I have read that there are obvious mistakes in the “writing”. Such as, there would be a ” at the end of a sentence when no one was talking or the absence of them when a character was done talking.
    I don’t know how to phrase my questions so I will be blunt, how/why does this happen?
    (I hate when it happens because I have to re-read the paragraph before it, then read that paragraph 4 times to make sure I didn’t read it wrong. I loose my reading “groove”.)
    I remember in grade school when we had to write short stories, I always had a hard time finding a name for my story. I must agree with Karen Rose.
    I’m a book reader not a book writer for a reason!!!

  21. Lisa H on 25 Sep 2007 at 11:48 am #

    Here is a question for you goddesses that slightly pertains to writing…Are any of you going to the RWA conference in New Jersey next weekend? I am and would love to try to say “hi” to any goddesses or bloggers.

    Also, I have appointments with a couple of agents and I am very nervous about pitching my book. I have a solid mms and synopsis, but actually talking about the book is already giving me ulcers. Do you have any suggestions?

  22. Ellen dujour on 25 Sep 2007 at 11:53 am #

    lilhahas…I will absolutely use a pen name someday. It’s weird considering that part of an author’s life is to promote herself. I just feel like writing exposes so much, we should hold on to a bit of privacy.

    Claudia…don’t fret about the trade release. This goddess, for one, will run to the store to pick up a copy.

  23. colinfirthfan on 25 Sep 2007 at 11:59 am #

    Two, I am waiting for lunchtime to rush out and buy Lover Unbound. Have you read it already?
    I have ordered a Touch of Minx! I am a big Sam and Rick fan!!

  24. Ellen dujour on 25 Sep 2007 at 12:01 pm #

    Lisa…I have never pitched a book, but I am successful in sales. The trick is to get the listener to like you, and nothing does that faster than for you to show enthusiasm over your product. Tell them why you loved writing your manuscript. Tell them what you love about your characters. Use phrases such as, “I’m really excited about….or “What makes this manuscript unique.” Those are hooks that will ensure the listeners attention.

    Most importantly, just be yourself.

    Good Luck, honey! Let us know how you do.

  25. Lisa H on 25 Sep 2007 at 12:12 pm #

    Thank you Ellen. I truly am excited about not only the plot but especially the characters. I appreciate your advice.

  26. Karen Hawkins on 25 Sep 2007 at 12:13 pm #

    Claudia, I’d buy your work in any format!

    Kari, have you ever posted here and, after you hit the POST button, realized you forgot an ‘a’ or left in an extra ‘the’ after editing out a comment even though you read it twice? When you read something you’ve written, especially over and over, it’s easy to mistakenly SEE what you EXPECT to see. So though authors and editors proof and proof, it’s easy to miss something.

    Lisa H, Ellen’s idea is awesome! A published friend of mine told me to use this ’script’: “Hi! My name is …. I have a completed manuscript that is # words in length and is a (historical/romantic suspense/contemporary romance/etc) about a woman who … (state goal here), and a man who … (state goal here) and how they overcome … (state conflict here). It’s similar to the works of (list two current and successful authors).”

    It’s short, easy to remember, and simple. I wrote it out on a card and kept it in my hand and even read it once or twice and it worked!

  27. Ellen dujour on 25 Sep 2007 at 12:14 pm #

    Lisa gave me a great idea.

    I think we should have a Goddess Celebration at the next national RWA. Tiaras optional. It would really be a hoot to meet you gals face to face while consuming mass quantities of alcohol and cocktail weenies.

    We could start by rolling out the red carpet…and finish by doing a tipsy
    face- plant in the aforementioned carpet.

    All in favor, do a Queen Elizabeth wave to the computer screen.

  28. Claudia Dain on 25 Sep 2007 at 12:14 pm #

    Thanks, Ellen!

    I have no suggestions on how to pitch a book. I can’t do it at all. Which just goes to show that you can be a published author without the Pitch Skill. Don’t you feel better, Lisa? *G*

  29. cail on 25 Sep 2007 at 12:18 pm #

    i actually never buy hard covers for RNs. I like my books to be all the same size, so unless you’re putting a whole trilogy in one binding, its unlikely that i’ll be buying it.

    i really love when arthors have their backlist in order of original publication date on their websites, so i can avoid buying books again. what really irks me though, is when books are reissued with not only new covers but also new titles.

  30. Sherri Erwin on 25 Sep 2007 at 12:18 pm #

    Lisa H, I’ll be at the NJ conference. Be sure to say hi!

  31. Karen Hawkins on 25 Sep 2007 at 12:27 pm #

    My, Ellen! You DO have great ideas! A get together at Nationals? That sounds Very Possible! :)

  32. Cookiedough on 25 Sep 2007 at 12:33 pm #

    Well, I was going to go on a rant about how I couldn’t see any copies out at my local book store of Suzanne’s new book- loving Sam Jellicoe- and to sooth myself, have started rereading Twice the Temptation. So sheepish smile here, will dutifully wait and not complain to the author. Like you have the time to stock the shelves- or that it’s even your job. silly me!
    I have a question: How long between sending the manuscript to the editor will your readers see it on the shelves? I always wondered
    I write this while I’m at a client’s house cooking..luckily she’s a friend so I can totally use her pc. she’s also a bit internet illiterate, so I tend to bookmark what I think she’ll like or her children would want to see. I’m a full service personal chef! lol
    Her 4 girls are up and coming romance readers, although still too young in my opinion to read some of the more steamy books.

  33. Sabrina Jeffries on 25 Sep 2007 at 12:34 pm #

    I’m back. Phew! They dilated my eyes. Makes it really, REALLY hard to see.

    It’s finally wearing off.

    Okay, about hardcovers and trade. Hardcover is the format of choice for publishers. Why? Well, the most obvious reason is the profit margin is higher. But that’s not the only reason. First, with hardcovers, they get two shots–the hc version and the mass market. Second, mm originals (which is what most romances are) rarely get reviewed in newspaper book pages, are dismissed by the media, and don’t get prime placement in bookstores. Only hardcovers get that. Also, libraries prefer them for obvious reasons–they hold up better.

    So if a publisher thinks they can get readers to buy an author in hc, they’ll publish her that way. Paperback originals just get no respect. (cont.)

  34. cail on 25 Sep 2007 at 12:34 pm #

    and its in San Fran in July 08… i wonder if i can convince my company to send me out to the San Fran offices that week…

  35. Sabrina Jeffries on 25 Sep 2007 at 12:41 pm #

    Unfortunately, although mystery and fantasy writers are routinely published in hc, only a few top romance authors make it there, because romance readers prefer paperbacks. Maybe rom. readers just read so many more books or maybe many of the predominantly female readership are trying to hide their books in the family budget (both theories are postulated in publishing circles). Whatever the cause, mm originals are the standard for romance. But since it’s not for other books, romances are seen as subpar. That’s why if a publisher is trying to get a wider readership for an author, they’ll move her to hc.

    Trade is something of a new animal. Publishers have discovered that younger readers like trade–it looks less like their mothers’ romances, I suspect. Books that are either more literary or more trendy tend to be put in trade. Once again, for all the reasons publishers like hc, they like trade. They’ve been experimenting with it more lately.

  36. KariE on 25 Sep 2007 at 12:45 pm #

    Karen H. Point taken. :) Thanks.

  37. Sabrina Jeffries on 25 Sep 2007 at 12:47 pm #

    Judy F, why they do hard/soft or trade/soft (soft is paperback) or only hard or trade contracts is beyond me. Sometimes I think there’s some voodoo process going on in marketing. It’s all a marketing decision.

    Under subsidiary rights, I should have included e-book rights. Some publishers produce their own (my current publisher); some farm them out (my previous publisher). If the publisher does their own, they generally do everyone. If they don’t, then it operates like other subsidiary rights–the licensor picks and chooses. Authors have no say in this decision either.

    I should second what Karen R said–authors have no say, because marketing and sales is NOT our forte. We write books. We license them to a publisher precisely because they know more about that area. So we’re not complaining about this state of affairs, just explaining what it is.

  38. Lisa H on 25 Sep 2007 at 12:52 pm #

    Oh Sherri—I will look for you. Are you teaching a workshop?

    I would love to meet you gals at Nationals Next Year. It all depends on how this year goes for me. But hey, a girl can dream.

    Thank you Karen, I am definitely doing the index card thing. That is the sort of help I need.

    Thank you goddesses, it’s nice to have talented ladies answering my questions. (Yes I am trying to flatter) and (It’s not really flattery if it’s true!)

  39. Sabrina Jeffries on 25 Sep 2007 at 12:55 pm #

    Stacy, re similarity of covers–that’s very much dependent on the publisher and the author’s level. They’re more likely to re-use (with alteration) a cover for someone at the lower end and do original work for someone at the higher end. Also, some publishers are famous for re-using covers. My very first book cover as Deborah Martin was a re-used cover.

    As for series covers changing–that’s a marketing decision, sometimes based on the series not living up to its sales potential. Or sometimes they just feel like the first look has grown stale. Either tons of other publishers are mimicking it, or they aren’t having the same success with it, or it’s gone out of style.

    Ellen, the whole issue of publishers suggesting trends is a complicated one. Some do, some don’t. Some do with certain authors and not with others. Mostly authors make that decision, but certain publishers are notorious for trying to get their authors to write in different areas according to trends.

  40. Sabrina Jeffries on 25 Sep 2007 at 1:07 pm #

    cookeemama, the print running into the spine is a trying-to-keep-all-the-books-the-same-length issue. My publishers try to keep books to 384 pages. If the author writes a slightly longer book, they can manage it by making the print smaller and the margins smaller. I’m lucky in that my current publisher shoots for that, but has no compunction about publishing longer books. I’ve had publishers that will shrink it anyway, so that the print is infinitesimal and the margins miniscule. It largely depends on the publisher. The author can only get around it by writing a smaller book, but then she faces the possibility of them just printing it the same way with less pages. Arghh!

    Kari, I understand your frustration with typos, but some pubs and authors are better than others at this. Unfortunately, certain pubs don’t edit much at all anymore, so they let things like that go by. Most authors are good at self-editing , but not all. Speaking as a former tech writer (cont.)

  41. Sabrina Jeffries on 25 Sep 2007 at 1:12 pm #

    We used to have a rule requiring every editor to read over another editor’s stuff. What we discovered is that no matter how many times we read something, someone else always found something we missed. You’d be surprised how easy it is to overlook a typo that’s ALMOST right. I once wrote about a guy “tinkling with his computer” in a contemp. It went through four people before the copy-editor asked exactly what I meant by that. Oops! “Tinker” and “tinkle” definitely have different connotations!

    About pseudonyms, people take them for all sorts of reasons: privacy and marketing being the main ones. Some names just don’t exactly “sing.” I took my SJ pseudonym because books by my previous two pseudonyms hadn’t been selling that well. It gave me a new start. Also, the previous two were for different sorts of books. Since I’d changed my style of book, it made sense to change my name, so it wouldn’t confuse readers.

  42. Sabrina Jeffries on 25 Sep 2007 at 1:14 pm #

    From submission of a mss. to publication is usually at least 6 months, sometimes longer, depending on the publisher. They like to have a year.

    Okay, I’m off to do some writing. Will check back later for more questions!

  43. twolilhahas on 25 Sep 2007 at 1:34 pm #

    Ellen, good point on the pen name thing. I hadn’t thought of the exposure. It’s like opening yourself up for criticism and I can see how a pen name would be nice armor.

    ColinFirthFan, yes, I’ve read “Lover Unbound.” I really enjoyed it! And it was a nice long read at a little over 500 pages! It was a little different than the others, but still good.

  44. twolilhahas on 25 Sep 2007 at 1:36 pm #

    What do you published writers with pen names do when your fans call you by your pen name? Do you just respond like that’s you? Or do you say, “Hey, that’s my pen name. My real name is ___”?

  45. Karen Rose on 25 Sep 2007 at 1:51 pm #

    I’m lucky – my pen name is most of my real name. Karen Rose is my first/middle name, so when people call me that, it’s natural to answer.

    The down side was at first, when people would call me that, I’d cringe a little out of reflex. Karen Rose was what my parents called me when I was a little kid and had been bad, LOL. I got over that after a while.

    I consider myself a fairly skilled proofreader, yet my UK proofreader found mistakes in DFM that I’d missed and so many others had missed here in the US. Even readers :-) None of the mistakes changed the story – they were all little things, but it can be difficult to see mistakes when you’ve pored over a stack of paper so long! Also, the details might have been right with respect to the first version. Sometimes editors will ask you to change a big story line that creates ripple effects touching everything through the rest of the book.

    cont

  46. Karen Rose on 25 Sep 2007 at 1:52 pm #

    For example, twice now I’ve deleted people from books (no, I didn’t kill them, I just deleted their existence!). Then you have to proof the story through the eyes of ensuring every place they’re mentioned is revised, and every conversation in which they take part now has the correct number of speakers. “They” becomes “he” etc.

    It’s a lot harder than it looks! Spellcheckers and grammar checkers don’t catch everything!

  47. Sabrina Jeffries on 25 Sep 2007 at 2:01 pm #

    twolilhahas, I consider Sabrina to be my nickname, so I don’t have any problem with being called Sabrina. For me, going by Sabrina when I have my author hat on makes it easier to keep my professional life and my personal life straight. If I had chosen the pseudonym when I first got published, I would never even have told people my real name at all–it’s just too confusing for booksellers, reporters, etc. to have to deal with two distinctly different names. You want them to remember the one for the chick who writes the books, NOT the one for the chick who does a bunch of other things. :-)

  48. twolilhahas on 25 Sep 2007 at 2:16 pm #

    OMG, Karen, that would kill me. Proofreading someone else’s stuff is no biggie, but after I’ve written 15 pages or so of my own stuff, re-reading it really sucks. There are typos in almost every romance novel I’ve read. I hate them and they drive me crazy, but I understand it happens and can mostly overlook it.

  49. SuzyQ on 25 Sep 2007 at 2:39 pm #

    Sherri and Lisa – I plan on attending the book signing at the NJ conference.

  50. Karen Hawkins on 25 Sep 2007 at 3:36 pm #

    Well, if there are a LOT of typos, then someone didn’t do their job. But one or two — it can happen. Heck, there’s even one in my Bible and I can’t imagine how many people proof read it!

    Btw, I got the new Suzanne Enoch book, A Touch of Mink, in my hot little hands. I bought three copies today — one for me and one for my mum and one for my friend who is in the hospital. I’m ready to READ! For those of you who haven’t read about Sam and Rick, get thee to a bookstore!

  51. Karen Hawkins on 25 Sep 2007 at 3:37 pm #

    Uhm, that should be proofread, not proof read.

    See what I mean?

  52. colinfirthfan on 25 Sep 2007 at 4:02 pm #

    Ok Barnes and Nobles doesn’t have the book as yet. Neither does Target, Wal-Mart or the Borders near my house. But since I am desperate for the new J.R. Ward – I decided to try the Borders near work and they have it!!
    I have reserved a copy.
    ***quietly squealing so my boss doesn’t hear me***

  53. Karen Hawkins on 25 Sep 2007 at 5:30 pm #

    I’ve heard great things about Ward, but I was afraid it might be too dark for me. What do you think, colinfirthfan? Do you think Ward is a ‘dark’ writer? Should I give her a go?

  54. Cookiedough on 25 Sep 2007 at 6:29 pm #

    I called my local bookstore, and the very nice lady put me on hold, went into the back, ripped open boxes looking for A touch of Minx for me ! woo hoo!
    After my grueling week last week, I happily popped in, bought my copy and will be fully ensconced(sp?) on the couch tomorrow..will come up for air occasionally for diet coke and ice cream..it is definately comfort food /book day for me!
    when I join the world again, I’ll chat! can’t wait to dig in Suzanne!

  55. Jami Alden on 25 Sep 2007 at 6:36 pm #

    I always like it when people tell me they couldn’t find anything about my books in the NYT book review. I have to gently explain that NYT doesn’t really cover romance, much less erotic romance.

    And as far as JR Ward goes, I swore up and down that I wouldn’t read them, didn’t get the whole paranormal thing, and then I was passed Candice Hern’s copy of the first book and it was like romance meth. I was hooked, and as soon as I finished, jonesing for my next fix. As I write I’m going through DT’s waiting for my fix to show up on my doorstep.

    Yes, they’re dark, but sort of in the way Karen Rose’s books are gritty, if that makes any sense. And if you’ve read any of the spoilers about Ward’s various books, you’ll see she doesn’t spare anyone.

  56. twolilhahas on 25 Sep 2007 at 7:32 pm #

    Karen Hawkins! You do not know what you are missing. J.R. Ward’s books are fabulous. The only drawback is you have to wait until next year for Phury’s book! lol They are so good I couldn’t even read another romance novel for a month when I finished. Nothing compares! Romance meth is a perfect description!

  57. Sherri Erwin on 25 Sep 2007 at 7:40 pm #

    Lisa, no, I’m not doing a workshop this time. I decided to go and registered late.

    But the NJRW throws a great conference. They do a nice workshop for conference first timers to kick it off. It will help put you at ease. They’re a warm, welcoming bunch. I have a lot of NJ friends from attending that conference through the years. I can’t wait to meet you!

  58. Manuelita on 25 Sep 2007 at 9:15 pm #

    “Did you know that foiling costs extra money?”
    Is that why usually only the first print of a book has foiling, raised lettering, and stepbacks? These special additions certainly are an incentive to purchase a book as soon as it’s released and in its first print. Not to mention helpful to the author’s sales numbers.

    I was told that a first print will show a number line with 1 in it. For example,
    “10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1″. Is this correct?

  59. Sabrina Jeffries on 25 Sep 2007 at 11:05 pm #

    Yes, Manuelita, you’re right on all counts. Foiling, raised lettering, and stepbacks are special additions. The longer a book is in print, the less you see them, although I hadn’t thought to check about the stepback. I’ll have to check that. But the latest printings of my book The Dangerous Lord (in its seventh or eighth printing at least) don’t even have the title in color on the cover. They just run it off with no foil, no raised lettering, and no color on the title.

    The number line with the printing thing is also correct. As the printings go up, the last number shows what printing it is. So a book with 10 9 8 7 would be in its seventh printing, and a book with 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 would be in its fourth. Checking those numbers is sometimes the only way I find out what printing my book is in! Publishers are bad about telling authors that info.

  60. pri.r. on 26 Sep 2007 at 1:45 am #

    *shakes head* poor sabrina and her dilated eyes, having to answer all our queries :P

    also i too hope that Mt Olypmus doesn’t stream and check our comments…especially that time when KarenH posted all her *coughs* …creative :) pictures of her dogs. Zeus must have been shaking his head.

    hmm i know this is peculiar thing to bring up…but has anyone had a dream of robbing Amazon.com? … think of the possibilities ladies!:)

  61. Karen Hawkins on 26 Sep 2007 at 11:19 am #

    Hey! I was proud of taking a pic without a thumb in the front of it. Usually, ALL of my pictures have my thumb in the corner. I don’t know why, but that’s just the way it is.

    And robbing Amazon . . . ???? All of those BOOKS??? Wow. No. i hadn’t thought of it but . . . ohhhhhhhhhh, yeeeeeaaaahhhhh. That would be niiiiice! Afterwards, we’ll head over to the Ghirardelli chocolate factory and stock up there, too!

  62. Meg on 26 Sep 2007 at 11:55 am #

    Romance AND Ghirardelli!! My idea of heaven. :-)

  63. colinfirthfan on 26 Sep 2007 at 12:06 pm #

    KarenH, I too thought that JRW would be too dark but then I read Dark Lover and I was completely sucked in. She writes so well especially the interaction between the brothers.

    Two, I agree with you – now we have to wait for Phury. Groan!!! But I haven’t started V as yet so I am going to savor it and read real slooooowww.

  64. darkshire007 on 26 Sep 2007 at 4:50 pm #

    There are just too many entries today for me to read all of them; the plumbers are here fixing the sink so I have to be quick. The one question I have always had is: how are deadlines determined? If your writing the book, how come you can’t take as long as you like? Is this something that is bound by contract (like having to produce x number of books in x number of months)? You’ve probably already covered this one and I usually ask the dumb questions but I have always wanted to know.

  65. Sabrina Jeffries on 26 Sep 2007 at 5:55 pm #

    Oh, you like to ask the tricky questions, don’t you, darkshire?

    The simple answer is we choose our deadlines in conjunction with our editors.

    But it’s more complicated than that. First, we’re always aware that the more often our books come out, the easier it is to build our names and reputations. So we have to balance the deadlines with that reality, and some of us (moi perhaps?) tend to be too … er … optimistic when scheduling deadlines. Second, even when we’ve scheduled in enough time, some books kick our butts. And when that happens, it doesn’t matter how far off the deadline is–it’s not enough to get it done. Third (and you may have noticed this in your own life), the work expands to fit the time allotted. We all have so much business-related stuff to do in promoting our books and managing our careers, that it’s easy to do all the “right now” stuff and not work on the big chunk that’s the book.

  66. aussie dee on 28 Sep 2007 at 9:09 am #

    to me the best explanation I’ve heard is an author may choose an ‘alias’ for want of a better word to separate the different parts of her work, one name for say historicals and one for contemparies or whatever. the topic of book covers has been at one stage a contentious issue of who was to blame/praise

  67. DaisyBeach on 13 Oct 2007 at 7:31 pm #

    ms. hawkins,

    JR Ward books are really awesome. Check it out. But start with Dark Lover or you will be totally lost. Love your books too!

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