Merging Media

Posted by trav in Authors, Book Talk, Media, Publishers, Upcoming Titles      No comments

Aug
28

The creator of CSI and Dutton are teaming up to produce a new three-book series of “digital novels”. Let me preface this move with a quote from the CSI guy, Anthony Zuiker…

“I personally don’t have the attention economy to read a 250-page crime novel from start to finish.”

So that’s where he is coming from, on this. Zuiker goes on to say that these suspense-thillers will “reward” readers with rich media and video to enhance the reading experience. Basically, Zuiker will write an outline, then a ghost-writer will crank out 100 chapters and then Zuiker will back in and write 20 “cyber-bridges” (how lame-o is that phrase? Is this 1980? -ed.) for people to watch, before continuing on to the next chapter.

Of course, the example they give is a reading up to a crime, then log-on to watch a sex snuff film, and then go back to the book. I do have to concede this to the Hollywood folks… you’ll probably sell more books if you are including websites to watch sex videos.

To be fair, I am all for this type of convergence. It’s interesting how all these media formats merge and play off each other. I just think that this one pitch misses the mark on just about all of it. They really should have planned to do more and dig deeper.

(from Variety)

Another new book I’m looking forward to

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Feb
14

The new (supposedly expanded) edition of Don Tapscott’s Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything comes out April 17th! I’m not sure how much expansion they could do from the first edition, unless they just update the case studies. There has been so much in the past 18 months will social and group-think sites, that it has become obvious, to even the most stuck-in-the-mud businesses, that collaboration is the future.

Let me know if you run across any advance reviews out there. I’d like to read them and see if the new edition is worth buying.

Headed to the big screen…

Posted by trav in Authors, News, Upcoming Titles      No comments

Feb
14

I just read that Michael Chabon’s The Yiddish Policemen’s Union will be adapted to film by the Coen brothers.

I also just read in the latest issue of Bookmarks magazine that Chabon has a non-fiction book hitting the stores in March.

The Learners releasing soon

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Feb
7

Chip Kidd’s new book The Lerners hits stores on the 19th. This sophmore effort follows 2001′s The Cheesemonkeys.

If you’re wondering if you’d like to pick this one up you can check out the serialized version before buying.

The convergence continues

Posted by trav in Authors, Media, Upcoming Titles      No comments

Dec
10

I am facinated by the conversion of print to digital process. There are so many opportunities, techniques and startegies to explore that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Which is why I’m glad that folks like Chris Anderson are around to think about such things. Specifically, the new business model of making money by giving away your creative property for free! read more

Reviewing the reviews

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Nov
27

This last weekend I caught a panel of reviewers talking about themselves and book reviews over on BookTV. To be honest, they didn’t say much that hasn’t been said already, just a whole lot of complaining about the “shift in the industry” and how the mega-media companies see no value in printing book reviews.

And then I ran across this story… read more

New Chabon

Posted by trav in Authors, New Releases, Upcoming Titles      2 comments

Jul
11

I just saw in Bookmarks magazine where Michael Chabon has another new book coming out
?! I haven’t even read about the Yiddish policeman yet. The magazine said August of this year, but Amazon has it listed for October.

I’ve been told that the new book is a collection of short stories he’s done and has not been a hit with reviewers and pre-release folks. But I reserve the right to make that call myself and am looking forward to it!

War and New Piece

Posted by trav in Book Talk, Publishers, Upcoming Titles      No comments

Feb
19

Every year, Tolstoy’s War and Peace makes it as one of the top-ten best novels every written. So what does publisher Harper Collins want to do to honor this distinction? Put the 1500 page classic on a diet and change the ending, of course!

That’s right, the new edition coming out this year will be half as long and characters who were previously killed will live and others that lived will die. Why?

Harper Collins says…

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A ying to that yang

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Jan
19

Now, after that last post ranting on the state of new books, I have to say I am most excited about Michael Chabon’s 2007 release! It’s titled The Yiddish Policeman’s Union and is set to hit bookshelves on May 1st. Being a cover-guy, I usually wait until Amazon has covers posted before linking. But I feel as if I need some balance after that last post.
Chabon’s new story has and “alternate reality” twist to it as it takes place in Israel which is in Alaska…

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Premium Product Placement

Posted by trav in Book Talk, Upcoming Titles      No comments

Sep
11

I don’t read Young Adult lit, which is one of the most lucrative genres for publishers and authors… and now Proctor & Gamble.

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