Should I not want to read the third book? Or is it that the publishers don’t feel that X’s third novel merits as much media attention as the first one (definitely) did, and the second book mostly got?
There is obviously the family tree type of problem. I like someone’s books. They write more books, and I suspect I will like them too and I want to read them. Then I discover 150 other authors whose books I also enjoy. At some point in this branching off I will have to call it a day. It’s an impossible situation.
But if I feel fairly confident that I will have time to read and have a room in my heart (it’s a very big heart) for X’s new book, it’s sort of disappointing when the book fails to materialise.
If I didn’t receive, read or like the previous ones, it’s hardly surprising that they don’t send out the latest offering. But when I did, did and did, you’d have thought…
You know the book is out there because people talk about it (always good), and there are links on facebook to glowing reviews. When insecurity sets in, you check out people’s posts of the ‘in my mailbox’ type, to see what they’ve got. (Oh, they got the hardback, did they? And that book. And that other one. Haha, they don’t seem to have XYZ, though…)
Although I do have one particular third novel in mind right now, this is a general thing. If the author believes I will get the book ‘automatically’ and I don’t review it, there is only one thing they will think. If I’ve failed in keeping up with the publication date for the book, I will most likely not email anyone with my request.
There is eBay. Proofs have been known to make it there, when sent out to uninterested recipients. This very book appears not to have been eBayed. Perhaps very few copies were sent out. Hopefully this won’t prevent the author being able to put food on the table every day, or getting the children a few Christmas presents when the time comes.
Times are hard. But once the publishers have spent all that money on editing and printing; why stop there?
(I must state here that the particular third novel I had in mind has arrived, courtesy of its fed-up author. Thank you! You know who you are. [I will now see about selling my copy on eBay...])
Bookwitch – I’m afraid the publishing machine it sometimes rather squeaky… I would always make sure you are on my list, of course. In fact, would you like a copy of the ebook of Dear Agent, which I’m going to be sending to interested people on Friday(ish)? It’s not a book you need or would necessarily be interested in, so I don’t want you to feel you have to read it or comment on it, but I will happily send you one. And if it wasn’t an ebook I’d wrap it in a pretty red ribbon!
But once you’ve established I didn’t get a copy of The Book, and you asked your publisher to send one to me (more than once, even), what would you expect them to do?
Un-ribboned ebook? Yes, please! There is something so attractive about the way you write, that you need to find a more boring or irrelevant topic before I even hesitate about wanting to read it.
Reward the faithful reviewers and bloggers, I say! Especially the dedicated and diligent ones like you, dear Bookwitch! I am always amazed by your output and insight. You will definitely be getting copies of my upcoming third books.
Thank you! Yes, I suppose you’re coming up for not just one, but two, third books. But you do happen to have a publisher who diligently provides books, on and off request.