Release Me
In follow-up to yesterday’s post - how many releases in a month are too many from one author?It would seem the answer is: one at a time, thank you. Maybe not.
It’s no surprise to anyone who stops by now and then that Erin McCarthy is one of my favorite authors. The fact we’re going to be in an anthology together is a bonus for me (probably not for her) but my fangirl appreciation existed long before I got The Call. I own all of her books and have read all but A Date With The Other Side - that’s a result of my anti-paranormal issue, not her writing.
While combing through McCarthy’s website, I noticed she has 3 more releases coming out this year: the Brave single title, The Pregnancy Test; a novella in the Brava anthology, The Night Before Christmas; and a novella in the Berkley anthology, The Naked Truth. The interesting part - to the extent I haven’t lost you yet - is that all 3 books come out in October 2005. The same thing happened with Alison Kent, another one of my favorites, this month. She had a Brava single title, Larger Than Life, and a novella in the Brava anthology, Beach Blanket Bad Boys released.
I wonder, as either an author or a reader, if this matters. Seems to me the concern about readers only having so much money to spend and choosing not to spend it all on one author that month is a real concern. Now, as a reader I’m one of those folks who gets attached to an author then buys all of that person’s releases. If more than one comes out in the month, that isn’t likely to dissuade me. After all, I have both of Alison’s June releases. But 3 in a month could be a problem for some folks. For example, if A Date With The other Side were one of the 3 McCarthy releases coming out in October, it’s conceivable - just maybe - that I would lose a bit of my usual loyalty, buy her other 2 monthly releases and hold off on the one from the genre I didn’t like. Sure, I’d buy it eventually, but maybe not right then. I do have a mortgage and other bills to pay.
If it’s not a great promotional tool, how does this happen? I’m not sure. In McCarthy’s case, there are two publishers releasing her work in October. And, maybe I’m wrong and this works exactly the opposite of how I think it does and publishers prefer multiple releases from one author in a month, but I doubt it. With many things in life more is better (I’m referring, of course, to potato chips) , but I’m guessing this is one of those times when it’s not.
June 14th, 2005 at 9:14 am
I would like to find out what’s the rationale behind releasing them all at the same time.
Wouldn’t an author with a steady stream of releases be able to keep her name out there constantly?
Sherrilyn Kenyon–who possibly writes faster than Nora Roberts–looks like she has a book out nearly every month if you include rereleases.
June 14th, 2005 at 9:37 am
I think SK has written pretty far ahead, if I remember right. And knowing how long I wait in between her releases, she does unfortunately not have one nearly every month.
June 14th, 2005 at 9:39 am
An interesting question. Brava does seem to think it’s perfectly okay to schedule a novel and novella from the same author for release in the same month. I’d think this would make promotion difficult, but I’m willing to concede Brava probably knows more about it than I do *wry grin*.
This happens all the time in e-publishing, BTW. I know several authors who are wildly prolific and have more than one release a month. It seems to have gained them readers rather than losing them– but e-book readers seem to be a bit more rabid in general, so maybe the same isn’t true for print books.
And slightly OT, the paranormal aspect of A DATE WITH THE OTHER SIDE is EXTREMELY light. Don’t hesitate to read it… it’s a fun book, very similar in tone to her others.
June 14th, 2005 at 10:05 am
The issue of a release each month, or almost, is interesting. I’m figuring it gets the author’s name out there. I do have to admit that in one case it’s backfired for me - Lucy Monroe. I’ve never met this lady and am sure she’s lovely. Really, I’ve only heard stellar things about her and her writing. But, there was a point where she had a book out every month (or it seemed that way). I got kind of tired seeing her name. I’ve gotten over it and have bought some of her books. I will now sit down and read some, but she is the one time I can think of where seeing her name all the time made me NOT want to read her.
Multiple releases in the same month is a different thing. I love McCarthy and look forward to each new book. When I saw her next 3 all come out in the same month, I thought: whoa, that’s too many at one time. And, keep in mind, I’m a huge fan of hers. I have to wonder if someone is lukewarm on her or just trying her out for the first time, if the multiple releases in one month thing matters. Of course, I may be reading too much into this. It could be that most readers don’t know or care about release dates so that the multiple releases in one month thing isn’t an issue. I may ask Alison if it bothered her to have it happen as an author.
Ellen - thanks for letting me know about A DATE WITH THE OTHER SIDE. Wendy and I both love McCarthy and neither of us love paranormal. I’m thinking we might add this to the review rotation at Paperback Reader for something different.
June 14th, 2005 at 10:13 am
Oh Ellen, thanks for saying that. I too had shied away from A DATE WITH THE OTHER SIDE due to the paranormal hook.
I’ve wondered about authors having several releases on top of one another or several in the same month and my reader feeling is I’d rather have more time to savor an author that I enjoy and anticipate a new release. Multiple offerings in a month do get lost in the shuffle for me simply because I like variety in my reading.
June 14th, 2005 at 1:29 pm
I can only wish that my favorite authors were prolific. The more I love an author, the more you can bet on one of these two scenarios:
1. They will burn out on writing romance, and switch to women’s fiction. Cry.
2. They will burn out on writing romance, and take a 5-year hiatus from writing anything. CRY CRY CRY.
Anyway, I’m the kind of person who, if I love an author, I’ll buy everything she has to put out. Three releases a month? Bring. It. On.
Come to think of it, my love of slow-ass authors is probably a defense mechanism, because if I loved profilic authors, I’d be in deep, deep trouble. Like, even more trouble than I am already.
Hey, HelenKay and Wendy: have either of you read The Real Dea by Lucy Monroe? If you haven’t, I’d love to see the two of you take it on in Paperback Reader.
June 14th, 2005 at 2:04 pm
Candy - I do believe that means you are the kiss of death for a romance writer. Seems obvious to me….
THE REAL DEAL is one of the Monroe books on my TBR pile. I may drag it out and add it to the list.
June 14th, 2005 at 2:45 pm
Personally, I like it best when an author’s works are scheduled with some gaps in between. For me, I’ll rush out to buy one book and if they have another release the next month I might get that one too. If there’s one the month after that chances are pretty good I won’t pick it up. It’s an author’s voice I appreciate. A deluge of the same voice lowers my appreciation for it. It’s the comparsion to other authors, the contrast that increases the appeal. Now, if the author is writing in different subgenres then I think that’s different.
June 14th, 2005 at 3:13 pm
I prefer an author’s books to be spread out, but if I enjoy an author (like I do Erin McCarthy), I will buy everything. I’ll probably just end up spacing out the reading a bit. If I can restrain myself.
Alyssa
June 14th, 2005 at 8:09 pm
“Candy - I do believe that means you are the kiss of death for a romance writer. Seems obvious to me….”
EXACTLY. Which is why you should be praying for a shit review from me when your story comes out.
June 14th, 2005 at 9:09 pm
Sylvia & Alyssa - I agree. I prefer the books spread out. I hadn’t even thought about Sylvia’s point - kind of an absence makes me want it more. That’s true.
And, uhh, Candy do you take bribes?
June 15th, 2005 at 5:50 pm
“And, uhh, Candy do you take bribes?”
Yes. Big ones.
Soooo, how’s the mortgage payments coming along?
June 15th, 2005 at 6:04 pm
You name it - it’s yours.