Location: The Lodge @ Sonoma in Sonoma, Calif. for day 2 of the Books & Such Agent Summit

Today’s book: Austenland by Shannon Hale

I am extremely excited about Austenland‘s upcoming film release, and a sequel is in the works too! Sadly the film trailer hasn’t released yet, but if you want more info on the film, here’s the link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1985019/

Basically, Austenland is the story of Jane, a woman in her 30s, who has an obsession with Mr. Darcy, especially the Mr. Darcy played by Colin Firth in the BBC version of Pride & Prejudice. Her desire for a Mr. Darcy of her own leads her to believe she’ll end up as a spinster until an elderly great-aunt passes away and leaves her a trip to Pembrook Park–a high-class Jane Austen resort in England. At Pembrook Park, Jane has a chance for her dreams to come true.

The book is hilarious and perfect for Jane Austen fans like I am. It leaves you dying to read Pride & Prejudice for the one hundredth time. The movie is being produced by Stephenie Meyer, so I owe some vampires a word of thanks for selling so well in book and movie format.

I believe that Austenland is a good candidate for film because:

1) Jane is a character who is like so many young women today. She’s career-driven but a closet romantic and is obsessed with Jane Austen’s works.

2) It’s a story that most women will want to see on film, and we’re usually very good at getting our significant others to take us, which equals twice the ticket sales.

3) The book was really funny but made me cry too. I think the story evokes the emotions and has the perfect setup to be a romantic comedy.

4) It’s a Jane Austen story without being one that takes liberties with Austen’s works.

If you’ve read the book, please add to the list of reasons it would make a great movie.

Do you enjoy Jane Austen-related books or regencies? What makes a good regency story or a good Jane Austen-related book? Why do you think these books are so popular?

Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.

The last few days I’ve been exploring trends in our culture that can inform what we write about or how we reach readers. One idea that’s been around for awhile but seems to be experiencing a renaissance is taking your hobby to new heights by attending a crafting retreat. It’s adults meet camp!

The idea is that you not only get away to enjoy fresh air and a new locale, but you also make something while surrounded by other enthusiasts.Makerie is such a camp.Located in Colorado’s Flatiron Mountains, the retreat consists of workshops in letterpress, food styling, photography and embroidery. Toss in breaks for yoga, hikes and quiet time for this adult getaway.

Teahouse Studio presents workshops on painting, graphic design and writing at an artists’ studio in Berkeley.

Ace Camps, in Vancouver, B.C., offers creative retreats centered around art, photography, food and journaling.

What does this upsurge of interest in doing crafts or pursuing artistic expression with others mean?

I’d say these retreats are a blend of the trend I wrote about the other day–individuals creatively expressing themselves through the food items they make–and the specialized book clubs–the need to be with others who share your interests and want to talk about them and pursue them in a group setting.

What does this mean for writers? That people are very interested in creativity, crafts and being with others who also are passionate about the same activity.

A novel could be set at a crafting retreat; or you could connect your nonfiction book to the reader’s desire not to be isolated in his or her interest. Maybe you could even develop a retreat of your own…just a thought.

How do you respond to the trends we’ve explored this week? Did the discussion help you to direct your thinking about what you’ll write in 2012? Or about how you’ll find readers who would appreciate your work?

Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.

In many ways, our society feeds a sense of being part of the milieu rather than being uniquely you or me. As a result, individuals are looking for others with whom they can connect and share their passions. One of the ways that need is being expressed is through book clubs. While many of us belong to generic book clubs that each year pick a variety of fiction/nonfiction, genre-crossing blends of books, others are founding specialized book clubs. One type of club is the cookbook club. The idea is to pick a cookbook, spend a month testing recipes and then coming together for a potluck.

Other books clubs exclusively read historical novels from a specific era, such as the Civil War. Still others read from the never-ending stream of WWII nonfiction books.

And some read books that involve an outing. The book club I belong to picks one book each year that results in our traveling to a site. For example, one year we read The Maltese Falcon and took a San Francisco walking tour of all the places named in the book. Another year we read a Jack London biography and then ventured to the Jack London State Park, where we had the chance to interview Jack London’s grandson–in the house he had built in the middle of the park and that was filled with London memorabilia. We went to Ashland, Oregon, to watch “To Kill a Mockingbird” performed as a play the month we read that book.

People are looking for ways to “add value” to their book clubs by connecting in a variety of ways over books.

What does that mean for writers? Think about how your book could fit into a specialized type of book club. Look online for such clubs. If you can’t find any but think lots and lots of people would respond to that type of club, start forming them via your website and social media.

What possibilities do you see for book clubs that are highly specialized? (Maybe you have ideas for a club you’d like to be in–even if it isn’t related to what you write about.)

Location: Books & Such Midwest Office: IL

The continuous evolution of e-book publishing and its surrounding causes and effects warrant occasional updates. What do the latest shifts mean for authors and publishers? Here are two newsworthy comments:

• As of its post on May 2011, Amazon now sells more e-books than print books, according to Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s CEO. They were hoping for this but never expected it to happen in less than four years.
• Steve Haber, president of Sony’s digital reading unit, predicted in 2007 that it would take ten years for e-books to outsell paper books. Last year he said, “Three years ago, I said within ten years but I realized that was wrong – it’s within five.” I’ve seen several other quotes that corroborate his revised estimate.

When charting new waters, it’s to be expected that there will be some reluctance, maybe even distrust, and that certainly  has been true with e-books. For example, authors generally are disappointed in the 25 percent royalty rate that has become the standard in the industry for e-book sales. Perceptions are that publishers are unfairly claiming the bulk of savings in creating e-books rather than print books.

But wait, the publishers see the situation differently. Brian Murray, CEO of Harper Collins, is quoted on TheBookseller.com: “When we looked at our print royalties, we saw they averaged about 16%-18% so we knew we could afford to pay a higher royalty rate [for e-books]. That was almost a 40 percent increase in the royalty rate. There is a lot we can do to give readers additional value, such as enhanced e-books. Because they sell for a higher price that is, in turn, going to raise the pay for authors.”

A lot of authors would argue with Mr. Murray’s perspective, and publishers are under pressure by agents to increase the e-book royalty rates. It’s all a roller coaster.

Rachel Kent posted an important series of blogs last week about putting the C (Christian) back in CBA. As Christian publishers: 1) observe the effect Amazon Publishing may cause for ABA publishers (which I wrote about in yesterday’s post); 2) respond to the competition with independent e-book publishers (55 such publishers listed in a Google search but surely more than that exist); and 3) uphold Christian ethics, I trust they will be motivated to make deals that are a win-win for both parties. Christian publishers are rushing to find a model that will keep them profitable through several waves of change taking place simultaneously, while also attracting—and retaining—authors. We look forward to that happening. They are the guardians that ensure the Christian message is told.

The thing that remains the same is the content. While the delivery method continues to evolve, great writing will always be in demand. Keep growing and writing great books, and you will have increasing options to get them out to readers.

How do you feel about the 25 percent royalty rate for e-book sales?

Have you signed a contract that has a higher or lower rate? (Don’t give the name of the publisher or disclose any contractual terms that are proprietary!)

In your dreams, do you still see your next published book in a print version?

Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.

Recently, these verses have been coming to mind a lot for me:

^“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)

Many times I worry about one situation or another (or all of them at once), and I have to remind myself that the Lord is near and that I need to give the situation(s) over to Him. This verse convicts me of worry, but it also encourages me to know God is near and so is peace.

Do you have a verse that has encouraged you recently? Please share it here; it might encourage others, too.

Thanks so much for spending this week with me, exploring how we can help to make the CBA marketplace an even better place to work. Have a great weekend!

Location: Santa Rosa’s main office

Conventional wisdom tells us that during the Great Depression (1929-1939), Americans flocked to the movie theaters to escape their drab lives through the music and dancing magic of Shirley Temple, Fred Astaire, and Ginger Rogers.

True, but those films weren’t exactly happy tales void of difficulties. When my family and I watched all the Shirley Temple films one summer, we joked at the start of each one, “How do you think her parents will die this time?” She may have had a happy ending, but Shirley usually had tragedy in her past. And Ginger? Always a broke store clerk or a woman down on her luck. Things turned around when Ginger found Fred and twirled away on her very high heels. And they all lived happily ever after.

But while moviegoers sought escape in song and dance, what types of books did the readers buy? The best-selling novel of 1931 and 1932 was Pearl Buck’s The Good Earth, the story of a poor Chinese farmer during turbulent times. The 1931 nonfiction list included books about games, biographies and several political and/or current event books. (These best-selling book lists come from a 2006 class taught by Professor John Unsworth at the University of Illinois’s Graduate School of Library and Information Services,  ”20th Century American Best-Sellers.”)

One of the best selling writers during the Depression and World War II era was the Lutheran pastor, Lloyd C. Douglas. Among his novels written during this time period were Magnificent Obsession, Green Light, White Banners and The Robe. The Robe, which examines events connected to the cloth Jesus wore at his crucifixion, was on the best-seller list for three straight years during World War II.

On the nonfiction list, one of the big sellers in 1933 and 1934 was 100,000,000 Guinea Pigs: Dangers in Everyday Foods, Drugs and Cosmetics by Arthur Kallet and F. J. Schlink. See? There’s nothing new under the sun. Biographies and narrative nonfiction-type stories fill the ranks, with books about war clouds growing in Europe appearing with greater regularity toward the end of the decade.

Another big fiction seller during the Depression was Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind–an historical novel set during the Civil War, which emphasizes Scarlett O’Hara’s pluck and opportunity-grabbing ability. Plenty of escapist literature appeared on the list: Anthony Adverse, a swashbuckling story that topped the list in 1933 and 1934; Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s true tale of adventure:  North to the Orient; and Clarence Day’s domestic comedy: Life with Father. A.J. Cronin medical dramas appear almost yearly.

The fiction lists generally hold at least one mystery (often by Mary Roberts Rinehart), romantic suspense novels, tearjerkers, American historical fiction and usually one humorous book.

What sort of conclusions, if any, can we take from lists like these? Is it possible to take historical information and apply it to today?

During times in my life when things aren’t going well, when death or fear drags me down, I don’t want to read heavy stories. I read to escape from my turbulent life into a place that may also be unruly, but at least is guaranteeing me a happy ending. That may be why I always read the last chapter of the murder mystery . . . before I should.

Which brings us to today.

In a time of pressing financial need, chaos around the world, frustration with government and sagging moral institutions, what type of book do you want to read? What would be the felt need for a large enough component of the reading public to make book sales soar?

Or, what type of book do you NOT want to read during trying times?

Location: Main office, Santa Rosa, CA

Those of you who have been following my writing saga on the Books & Such blog may be interested in hearing the latest wrinkle. After releasing on September 1, 2011, A Log Cabin Christmas Collection hit #34 on The New York Times bestseller list for the week ending September 17.

To call me astounded would be an understatement. I keep repeating the words, “New York Times best-seller.” They still ring like a fantasy.

Maybe not even a fantasy; these are words I never even dreamed. So what does that make them? Fantastical? Improbable? Mythical?

Whatever. But, technically, true.

I realize A Log Cabin Christmas Collection is on the best-seller’s list because of the lead author: Wanda Brunstetter. Wanda has several other novels on the list this fall. But still, in small letters on the bottom of the cover appears, Michelle Ule–or my alias on the list: “et al.”

Some of my incredulous family members are suspicious. “How many copies of a book do you have to sell to make The New York Times Bestseller list?”

The answer varies between, “I don’t know,” and “it’s complicated.” But a more nuanced answer goes like this:

The New York Times first published their best-selling books list in 1942. The list is generated through the News Survey Department, which has nothing to do with their fine book review. The department uses weekly sales reporting samples of chain and independent bookstores, along with sales results from book wholesalers. It does not take into account Amazon’s sales or those of big box stores such as Costco or Wal-mart (which carries A Log Cabin Christmas Collection), or even Target—which also carries my book online.

It may be worth noting that only about one percent of books make it to the NYT best-seller list.

It also might be worth noting that the highest ranking A Log Cabin Christmas Collection hit on Amazon was 9,522.

Cynical family members also wonder if the NYT list could be manipulated. According to Wikipedia, it has been tried. In 1995, authors bought 10,000 copies of their book,  The Discipline of Market Leaders, claiming it was an excellent marketing investment for them. The book stayed on the list for 15 weeks and while not illegal, most publishers believe the authors’ purchase and skewing of the figures was unethical.

I didn’t do that.

The big question, of course, is what makes a book a best-seller? No one knows how to guarantee that a title will make the list, even though marketers promise they can get your book on the list. It basically winds down to catchy titles, intriguing book covers, creative marketing, hot genres, an author who has appeared on the list previously, and selling to all sorts of different people–crossover appeal.

In our case, A Log Cabin Christmas Collection is aimed at a niche market–Christmas stories in a historical setting–and is gorgeous. The greenery on the cover is embossed, and the pages are ragged-edged like a pine log. Novellas, short stories about 60 pages in length, make for quick reads, and of course these particular novellas are inspirational–one of the areas in publishing that is growing.

Sales were helped by Wanda Brunstetter’s name, but we had several other well-know writers in the mix: Jane Kirkpatrick and Margaret Brownley, not to mention Kelly Eileen Hake, Liz Johnson, Liz Tolsma, Debra Ullrick and Erica Vetsch.

All in all, it’s been a wonderful, fun experience. And in my own case, friends are laughing with me and asking a really hard question: “If your debut novella winds up on The New York Times bestseller list, what will you do next?”

Indeed.

Think of best-sellers you’ve enjoyed. What led you to that particular book? Did it make a difference that it was on The New York Times or some other bestseller list? What role do best-selling lists play in your choice of reading material? Should a list make that big of a difference? Do you think quality determines whether a book will be on a list?

Location: Books & Such Illinois Office

It’s hard to keep up with happenings in the digital world that affect publishing. Have you heard that Facebook bought a digital publishing company? Don’t be alarmed; they aren’t getting into the publishing business. They bought Push Pop Press not for the purpose of publishing books but to use Push Pop’s groundbreaking software ideas and technology to enhance our Facebook experience. Their press release states:

“We’re thrilled to confirm that we’ve acquired Push Pop Press, a startup whose groundbreaking software changes the way people publish and consume digital content. We can’t wait for co-founders Mike Matas and Kimon Tsinteris to get started, and for some of the technology, ideas and inspiration behind Push Pop Press to become part of how millions of people connect and share with each other on Facebook.” – AFP Tues, Aug 2, 2011.

The FB visionaries apparently feel that the success of Push Pop Press’s one published book was due to the publisher’s great design rather than the content and author (Our Choice, by Al Gore).

How can we apply the foresight of this social media giant to the future of e-books? Design technology is poised to explode. This is especially encouraging for children’s books and their authors. Children’s books have struggled because most people want to handle and “try out” a children’s book before they decide to purchase it. With fewer independent bookstores and now one fewer chain bookstore, buyers have less opportunity to see, touch, and feel the books. And children’s books haven’t worked well for e-book publishing because of the art and design needs.

When asked for publishers’ current e-book percentage of their sales, here are the responses from editors on a panel at the Oregon Christian Writers Conference:

Abingdon – All their fiction books are published in softcover and e-book

Revell – Fiction is their leading e-book category; increased from 10% to 14%

Tyndale – 10% of their sales and growing, especially fiction; release in both print and e-book

Waterbrook Multnomah – 15%; all books are released in softcover and e-book

White Rose – e-books far outsell print

Winepress – 20%

We’re all hoping children’s e-books will eventually catch up to these percentages as new technologies are developed. Have you heard about the one that enables children to swipe the e-reader screen to change colors? Electronics and the Internet are akin to second languages for this generation, fostering an urgent need for healthy children’s e-book publishing. They’ll be reading books in an entirely new experience. I just hope they will also always have the desire and opportunity to hold and appreciate a print book.

Have you heard any buzz about specific design enhancements for e-books? What creative abilities would you like to see?

Location: Books & Such Illinois Office

Before you get too comfortable with your e-reader of choice, let’s take a speculative look to the future from the pattern of the past. As we know, we don’t have to look too far ahead or too far back to see change. For instance, what have you done with your VHS tapes? If you’re like me, I replaced my favorites with DVDs and discarded the rest for which I didn’t want to spend money twice. Now BlueRays are replacing DVDs…

How will this ever-evolving pattern apply to e-reader technology and ultimately the e-book market in general? BIG question! Not only do current e-readers have their own formats, but we’ll also be contending with the added formats for every new technology. Some related questions to ask:

• Will I have to replace all the e-books in my library as my current e-reader becomes obsolete?
• What to do with “old” technology e-readers? How long will new e-book releases be available in my obsolete e-reader format?
• How will libraries keep up with technology while also maintaining their archives? Will a universal and “forever” format be devised that automatically accepts new formats? If so, will it become available to the average consumer?
• Are these suggested realities going to affect my purchasing decisions?

This forward look makes me, a consumer, want to shout, “Stop the train, I want to get off!” and hug my shelves of print copy books close to my heart. Now there’s justifiable hope for the future of print books! Lovers of holding the printed page in your hands take heart. Add to that, some publishers are already beginning to bundle print copies with e-books. But once again, we’ll be paying more. So do e-books really cost less in the long-term?

For me the agent and you the author, it means we need to continually be alert to the twists, turns, and speed of this fast-moving train.

I have saved more on this topic for tomorrow’s discussion.

Okay, I laid the framework. It’s your turn to enter into this speculative discussion. What does this mean to you, the author, in terms of your writing? Add more questions to this list as you ponder. Do you have any educated guesses we can put in the “answers” column?

Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.

Everyone gets discouraged at some point, but publishing is an industry full of emotional roller coasters. It’s easy to fall into the pit of discouragement as a writer, publisher, editor or agent. A book that comes to mind for me during discouraging times is The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. This book is the true story of Corrie’s internment in a concentration camp during WWII. She and her family were Christians hiding Jews from the Germans in Amsterdam. She was caught and tortured, but ultimately survived, and her story has touched millions of people. (The movie is good as well! I cry every time I watch it.)

The most amazing thing to me about Corrie’s story is that, even though the circumstances she faced were awful, her attitude,  faith, and optimism are what carried her through.

Here are some quotes taken from the book that encourage me:

“Perhaps only when human effort had done it’s best and failed, would God’s power alone be free to work.”

“This is what the past is for! Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see.”

“Even as the angry vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him….Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me your forgiveness….And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world’s healing hinges, but on His. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives along with the command, the love itself.”

“There are no ‘if’s’ in God’s world. And no places that are safer than other places. The center of His will is our only safety–let us pray that we may always know it!”

I figure that if Corrie can have such a faith during that horrible war, I can strive to have faith like that in my day-to-day life. God knows the future. He has a plan, and I don’t need to worry. The discouragement comes when I don’t let go of the worries. If I trust God, I don’t experience that discouragement; instead I’m excited to see what God has in store.

I’m not so good at letting go of the worry, but I keep trying. It helps to think about The Hiding Place.

As a matter of fact, it’s time for me to read that book again!

What books have helped encourage you?