Monday, January 21, 2013

American Idol and the Publishing Business

 

 

How many American Idol contestants can you name?  I’ve been watching AI from the get-go, so I’ll go first.

 

  1. Kelly Clarkson
  2. Carrie Underwood
  3. Clay Aiken
  4. David Cook
  5. Jennifer Hudson
  6. Phillip Phillips
  7. Colton Dixon
  8. Jordin Sparks

 

Well…that’s it.  American Idol has been on…what?  Twelve seasons?  And I can remember only eight contestants.  I know I liked a lot more than eight.  Yet, I can’t think of their names.  I remember the female country singer in last season’s AI—I really liked her, but darn if I can remember her name.  She had it all—talent, charisma, beauty, and a rockin’ country voice—but I can’t remember her name.  (I know I could look it up on the internet, but that just proves my point—I shouldn’t have to.)  This must be so disheartening for all those talented singers who make it to the AI top ten, and then after the tour is over, they vanish back into obscurity.  Oh, sure, some of them go on to become household names—Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson and…well, that’s about it.  But even some of the most talented winners of AI—David Cook, for one, kind of disappear after their initial, if moderate, success.  Why, I wonder?

 

I have my suspicions, and this is where American Idol and the publishing business have something in common.  The winner of American Idol gets a record contract and big-name producers like Jimmy Iovine get them in the studios, and with their star-making know-how, try to turn them into the next Britney Spears or Justin Bieber, even if it bleeds every bit of originality out of them.  Because they don’t care about originality.  They only care about the big bucks.  They want these young artists to fit into a box, following a proven formula that will churn out mega-billion dollar sales.  Unfortunately, it rarely works.  Why?  Because these kids, talented as they may be, when trying to emulate a Britney or a Justin, turn out to be nothing but a pale imitation.  And in a blink of an eyelash, they’ve faded into obscurity.  Once the record sales dwindle, I suspect the initial interest from Hollywood disappears as if it had never been there in the first place.  These poor kids end up going back to producing their own records and doing gigs in small-town bars close to home.  And this is another similarity to the publishing business.

 

As you know, I’m sure, I’ve been out of the New York publishing circles for many years now, so this may or may not still be true.  But I’m going to tell you how it used to be, and how the publishing industry is exactly like American Idol.  Let’s just assume it hasn’t changed much since my experience, okay?  Publishers are always looking for their “next big star.”  That unknown author who is going to write a book that generates huge buzz in the publishing house, which is a real indicator that the book is going to be HUGE—selling millions of copies and landing on the NY

Times Best-Seller List.  That’s why you hear about a first-time author’s book going into a bidding war and ending up getting six and seven-figure offers.  It happens more frequently than you would think.  It didn’t happen to me, alas, but I did get a pretty good advance for my first novel, BORDER CROSSINGS, that came out in hardcover, retailing for $25.99.  I remember thinking at the time: Who on earth is going to pay $25.99 for a book by an author they’ve never heard of?  Turns out I had reason to be concerned.  Not many people did pay $25.99 for the book.  And although I went on to sell my publisher another three books, the death knell for my career was already sounding.  Sales were low, excitement was diminishing, my editor left for a job with a different publisher—and eventually, no one at my publishing house had ever heard of me.

 

Something similar happened to a friend of mine.  She was already published in category romance, but when she wrote a big women’s fiction novel, her savvy agent got several publishers interested, and although it didn’t sell at auction, one publisher offered her a six-figure deal.  She was headed for the big-time.  The publisher promised they’d get behind her, and promote the book with ads, book tours and a huge New York City launch party—the dream of every author.  Days before the book hit the stores, the publisher flew her to New York, wined and dined her, and had her doing appearances even before the book was officially for sale. Sadly, her appearances were poorly attended, and the night before her official launch party, she received a phone call from her editor telling her the house was “disappointed” that the pre-orders for the book were lower than they expected.  Her book tour was canceled, and she flew back home, feeling like a whipped puppy dog.  I saw her book in a Barnes & Noble one time shortly after its release, and I don’t know if it ever came out in paperback or not.  This author—the rising star that the publisher had proclaimed her to be—suffered a devastating case of writer’s block and ended up leaving the business altogether. 

 

Sound familiar?  I wonder how many AI contestants totally give up on their dream after their brief brush with fame?  It all comes down to two different animals—artists and corporate business.  Artists just want to create their art, and corporate business wants to back artists who make them money.  And if they don’t, it’s goodbye and on to the next. (Because there is always a hungry “next.”) Sometimes, everything comes together and an artist gets to make their art—the art they want to make, and the money flows in. Those are the lucky ones.  The rest of us?  We turn to self-publishing and self-recording, and sharing our art wherever and with whomever we can.  And who knows?  Maybe in the long run, we’re the ones who are happier. (Although I’m betting Nora Roberts is pretty darn happy.)

 

So…if you loved some of those artists on AI who didn’t make it big, search them out and buy their self-produced CDs.  And while you’re at it, support your local indie authors.  J  For us, every little sale counts.   

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

WHEN SPIRIT TALKS, YOU LISTEN





The older I get, the more spiritual I’ve become.  Spiritual, not religious.  I’ve never been a big fan of organized religion.  Maybe it had something to do with my “fire and brimstone” upbringing in the Baptist church.  But even as a child, something didn’t sit right with me about a punishing God who glares down from above, waiting for you to screw up so He can send you to Hell.  Somehow, that just didn’t jive with the Jesus who loves me that we’d sing about in Vacation Bible School.  Thus, after years of searching to fill my spiritual void, and visiting various churches throughout the many places we’ve lived, the moment I walked into Unity of Fairfax in Vienna, Virginia, I knew I’d arrived in my church home. That was many years ago, and I still feel the same way. 

So when I walked in last Sunday, I had no idea that one five-minute conversation would change the course of my life.  (Or at least, the course of my year.) Now I know it was Spirit, and I’m so glad I was open to it.

I had a few minutes before the choir met to rehearse, and sipping my coffee, I saw Lisa across the atrium and decided to join her.  Earlier in the week, I’d seen her post on Facebook about going to Ireland in the spring, so I asked her about it.  She told me all about a writer’s retreat she was attending in Dublin.  It sounded like so much fun, and I told her how envious I was that she was going.  (When I’d first read her Facebook post, I remember thinking how I wished I could shrink myself down to the size of a ladybug and crawl into her luggage.) 

“You should go,” Lisa said, smiling.

“Oh, no!  I couldn’t,” I said quickly.  “Can’t afford it.”

But then I heard the voice inside me.  Spirit, I know now.  It’s a tax write-off.

Lisa went on to tell me the cost of the retreat, the flight, the hotel, and mentally, I’m calculating.  I shook my head.  “Too expensive.  It would practically clean out my checking account.” 


But Spirit spoke again.  You’ll get your income tax refund in April.    

It was time to head into the sanctuary for choir rehearsal.  I gave Lisa a wistful smile and said, “I know you’ll love Dublin!  Wish I could go, but I just can’t swing it.” 

During church, my mind kept returning to my conversation with Lisa.  Ireland!  It had been eight years since I’d been there.  Way too long.  And to be able to go there to write?  How cool would that be?  Suddenly I tuned into the minister’s message.  It was about taking risks.  Imagine that! 

On the way home, I broached the subject with Frank.  Guess what my wonderful, supportive, The World’s Best Husband said?  “You should go!”  And then later, the Most Fantabulous, Sweetest, Adorable, Man of My Dreams said, “What can I do to make this happen for you???”

Of course, I turned down his generous offer of monetary help.  After all, this is a business trip, and it’s my responsibility to pay for it, but the fact that he offered melted my heart.

I mused it over for a full afternoon and night, and on Monday morning, I woke up, knowing this was meant to be.  Spirit spoke and I listened.

I’m going to Ireland in April!!!!! 

Now, if only I could win the lottery so I could take my daughter, Leah, and my sister, Kathy, with me.  But you never know.  Spirit moves in mysterious ways.

NEWS

At last!!!!!  LILY OF THE SPRINGS is out in audio!!!  It’s available on Audible.com, and if you join the Audible book club, you can get it for only $7.49. 


My third novel, EAST OF THE SUN, WEST OF THE MOON, will be reissued in print in a few days.  If you haven’t read this steamy older woman/younger man novel (the most erotic of all my titles) you’ll want to pick up a copy.  Check out the book trailer:



Happy New Year to all of you!  And don’t forget…listen to Spirit. 

Best,

Carole Bellacera