Kunati Independent Publisher of the Year at BEA
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ForeWord Magazine named Kunati Books the first Independent Publisher of the Year at BEA, this year in L.A. "The new honor was created to celebrate ForeWord's tenth anniversary and to recognize Kunati's innovation and fearlessness."LARGO — For Immediate Release— To celebrate its tenth year, ForeWord named Kunati Books as the first "Independent Publisher of the Year" at its prestigious Book of the Year Awards at BEA in L.A. ForeWord's Publisher Victoria Sutherland said, "In a word, or eight, Kunati inspired us to create this award. I hope the recognition inspires others to follow in their new but large and welcoming footsteps."
Kunati Books—a publisher of provocative, bold and controversial fiction and nonfiction released its first titles just over two years ago—is the first recipient of this title. Kunati is one of today's most innovative independent publishers. Its principals pioneered book trailers and blog tours and they foster an open partnership with authors who enthusiastically participate in marketing their books through blogs, book signings, interactive online events and social marketing. Kunati currently has several movie deals in the works, and its roster of authors includes Pulitzer Prize-winner John E. Mack, popular thrillers such as MADicine and Hunting the King, real crime sensations, memoirs, and even a bestselling tarot deck in Quantum Tarot, and the forthcoming Touchstone Tarot from the bestselling Kat Black.
The award was kept "top secret," Kunati Publisher Derek Armstrong said. "We had no idea this award was in the works. We were surprised and delighted at the recognition, and credit most of our success to our authors."
Victoria Sutherland explained the rationale for this important award: "The convergence in the industry led to the independent press community, where interesting and extraordinary moments still happen because creativity and provocativeness are allowed to flourish without beaucratic overhead. We felt those publishers should be recognized for their vitality and entrepreneurialism in spite of overwhelming odds not to get involved in the business. And who better to recognize them than the magazine created to cover them exclusively?"
Kunati has been called "a publisher to watch" by Booklist and "impressive" by Publishers Weekly for innovative marketing, stunning book covers, daring online initiatives and very provocative and controversial titles. "We hope the Independent Publisher of the Year award will inspire other innovative small presses to take on debut authors, fight for good memoirs and fiction, and challenge readers with provocative non-fiction," said Armstrong.
The Creator of The Most Successful Fiction Spy in Print or Film Born 100 Years Ago
Ian Fleming created 007 out of his experiences in Naval Intelligence during World War II. James Bond went on to become the world's most famous spy, the center of a monster franchise of books and films.Fleming enjoyed prosperity and fame in his lifetime for his popular 007 James Bond books. But it was after he passed away, that his fame exploded with arguably the most successful film franchise in history.
A new Bond book by Sebastian Faulks celebrates the 100th anniversary of his birth on May 28, 1908, and a sizzling satire MADicine by Derek Armstrong from Kunati Books honors the great man by satirizing the satirist.
“Celebrate the upcoming centenary of Ian Fleming's birth by reading MADicine,” wrote Mary Frances Wilkens in the American Library Association’s Booklist Magazine’s starred review of MADicine. “Armstrong manages the difficult proposition of satirizing the very genre in which he's writing,” the review continues, “but not settling for a simple spoof. Like Ian Fleming, he somehow combines over-the-top satire with genuinely suspenseful action. His ear for funny and believable dialogue goes a long way to making this trick possible.”
Armstrong himself is quick to point out that he is a fan of James Bond 007 and Ian Fleming, but “Alban Bane, my main character, is not a spoof of the great spy. This is satire, and adventure, and a thrill-ride, in honor of the great Ian Fleming, but in no way a silly spoof.”Hot new author Karen Harrington, herself picking up starred reviews and major buzz for Janeology, wrote: “Who can resist a character who, when asked by a young kid on a plane if he is like James Bond, responds, "Better looking and funnier." This is a thriller with charm, humor and sexy-edge. Armstrong's dialogue is so smooth, you will feel as if you're hearing the characters, rather than merely reading them.”
Ian Fleming, born May 28, 1908 is famous for his charming spy, James Bond. Ian Fleming was himself the master satirist, yet he wrote convincingly of espionage. He was recruited as assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence in 1939 and honed his skills during the great war as an espionage planner. He even traveled to Paris as the German's approached the city.
After a stint at the Sunday Times, he moved to Jamaica where he build Goldeneye, the "secret" hideaway where he created Bond.
What's the Common Link Between O.J. Simpson, Steve Jobs, Amazon and Librarians?
This week, a “close friend” of O.J. Simpson offered Kunati—a publisher focused on “controversial and provocative books”—a tell-all book project: “O.J. told me that I was the only man he was comfortable enough to talk openly with. Web of Controversy will remove the public facade of O.J. Simpson.” Nice friend. More O.J. controversy. Will it sell? Almost certainly.
Condemning Controversy?
Why are readers receptive to controversy? Judging from a report I received this week—the Library Open Access report “Tracking Challenges in Libraries: 2007 Results”—the opposite is true. Patrons are vocal in condemning anything notorious or contentious. It seems that some library patrons would bring back book-burning. So, why do Kunati’s provocative books sell so well? Why do controversial books such as The Da Vinci Code become bestsellers? How is it that publishers can turn controversy into bestsellers and provocation into opportunity when some readers seem vocally in favor of censorship?
Violence, Racism and Promoting Witchcraft
The easy answer seems to be the power of the silent majority—enlightened readers—voting for freedom and fun with their wallets. Librarians, publishers and booksellers continue to offer these books despite a vocal minority. Among the condemned titles from library patrons in the “Challenges” report were: Oliver Twist (for violence), Brer Rabbit and Tar Baby Girl (for racism), and—of course—Philip Pullman’s Golden Compass for religious viewpoints. I recall Harry Potter being on a previous list for “promoting witchcraft.” The list of 36 “patron condemned” books in the 2007 list included my favorite classics, making me wonder if this is indeed a 2007 report. Fortunately, the librarians—stewards of free thought—denied all requests to “burn” or remove books.
What’s so Controversial?
A quick analysis of this most entertaining report from librarians shows the most common reasons for requests to “pull” books off library shelves, in order of prominence, were: homosexuality, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit language, violence, offensive language. Thank goodness for librarians, otherwise all of my own novels would be burned:
- The Game: let’s see, explicit violence, offensive language—it is a thriller, after all
- The Last Troubadour: ah, religious viewpoint for its portrayal of the Cathars as heroes and the Inquisition as evil?
- MADicine: oh, probably everything on the no-no list.
I suppose I’d be in good company with nearly all of Kunati’s popular books—including a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and a NY Times bestseller. Not to mention the rest of the “challenges” list: Exit to Eden, The Monkey King, Perks of Being a Wallflower, Rainbow Boys, Fly on the Wall, and the entire religion-based bestselling Left Behind series.
Steve Jobs says, “No One Reads Anymore.”
It seems that Apple’s Steve Jobs believes “people don’t read anymore.” The computer guru declared in his keynote at MacWorld 2007 that Amazon’s new e-ink reader was “dead on arrival” with a sweeping, and inaccurate, statistic: “It doesn’t matter how good or bad the product is, the fact is that people don’t read anymore. Forty percent of the people in the U.S. read one book or less last year.” Good to know, Steve. I guess Job’s forty percent only read controversial books?
According to a landmark study of 10,800 Americans by Persona Corp in 2007: 30.6% “Can’t live without books”; 23.4% “LOVE books”; 20.9% “Read regularly”—totaling 74.9% of all Americans. I guess it depends on whether you make phone gadgets or publish books which survey you trust, although a quick look at actual book sales indicates Persona’s study is closer to the right number.
Book Sales Over 36 Billion Net in 2007
Net revenues on book sales, according to The Book Standard, were up another billion dollars to $35.69 billion net sales in 2006 and another 1% up in 2007. After removing the 162 million in sales, which are exports, this translates into approximately billions of books sold in a nation of three hundred million. Even a rough averaging works out as every man woman and child in America reading at least 12 books each. Clearly, Steve Jobs has some research to do. And Amazon’s out to prove Steve wrong, putting all their sizable marketing muscle behind the Kindle, a device that, by all accounts, might become the iPod of e-books.
Librarians and Publishers Do It For Love
Contrary to the doom and gloom scenarios often painted in the trade news, books are not only alive and well and flourishing (sales continue to go up, and contrary to Steve Jobs, we’re reading books) but the trade remains an important champion of free thought and free will. Is there anything more important to a free nation of free people? I don’t think so.
So next time you visit your public library, don’t forget to shake your librarian’s hand and say “thank you.” Independent booksellers and small press publishers—who publish and sell books for love, not profit—equally deserve the support of free-thinkers everywhere. I’ll go one step further, at risk of offending my beloved indy booksellers—bravo to Amazon, for ignoring the e-book’s checkered history and coming out with the Kindle. We may be a fragmented industry, but we come together for freedom—and we do it for love.
More Book Trailers from the Trailer Inventor Kam Wai Yu
Persona's creative director Kam Wai Yu invented the book trailer in 1988, and has continued to lead in novel trailer and book video breakthroughs since. Now, almost a mandatory tactic, book trailers continued to sell books online and are a mainstay of blogging. View Kam's incredible award-winning trailers below, then call for help to develop your own.
Click on any image frame below. These are streamed, so please be patient as they load.
MADicine, the new Alban Bane Thriller, from Derek Armstrong
- “In his follow-up to the excellent The Game, Armstrong takes on a whole new set of challenges ... brilliance in which Armstrong blends comedy, parody, and adventure in genuinely innovative ways.”—Booklist
- "Detective Alban Bane's second outing takes a satirical look at genetics research companies, zombie films and more....Armstrong's action packed novel." Publishers Weekly
Click on the Image to Play!
The Last Troubadour Historical epic by Derek Armstrong
Three "unforgettable characters"—the Troubadour, the Templar and the Temptress—set out on a wild quest to avert a war by rescuing the Holiest of Relics from a Papal Crusading army. Armstrong seamlessly blends the history of the Cathar crusade and the Holy Grail with the development of tarot cards. Armstrong is the author of the critically acclaimed satirical "reality TV" thriller The Game. ISBN 9781601640109.
Truth or Bare A Crime Novel by Richard Cahill
A blackly funny crime novel about a lawyer who hates lawyers moving with the ease of a shark through the dingy bars and fantasy parlors where his clients do their dangerous dance of survival on society’s underbelly. ISBN 978-1-60164-016-1
Recycling Jimmy British Wit, a novel by Andy Tilley
An outrageous romp into "suicide for profit" and the darkest aspects of human nature, told with brilliant black humor and a zest for life. ISBN 978-1-60164-013-0.
Women of Magdalene Post Civil War Historical by Rosemary Poole-Carter
The women of Magdalene are dying and no one seems to care, least of all the haughty Dr. Kingston, the director of the genteel Ladies’ Lunatic Asylum. ISBN 978-1-60164-014-7.
On Ice A unique Road Trip with Red Evans
What do you get when you mix a corpse "on ice" in a kiddie pool in the back of a pick up truck, a wide-eyed farm boy and a flatulent dog? Don't miss this utterly charming road trip story.
The Game Satirical Thriller bashes Reality TV, by Derek Armstrong
bang BANG A novel by Lynn Hoffman
Mothering Mother A touching memoir by Carol O'Dell
Rabid A novel by TK Kenyon
The Secret Ever Keeps A novel by Art Tirrell
Shadow of Innocence A Groovy Sixties Mystery by Ric Wasley
Toonamint of Champions Hilarious "golf" novel by Todd Sentell
Whale Song A novel by Cheryl Kaye Tardif
By Derek Armstrong<
Author of
• Blogertize: A Leading Expert Shows How Your Blog Can Be a Money-Making Machine
• The Persona Principle
• The Game, An Alban Bane Thriller
• MADicine, An Alban Bane Thriller
• The Last Troubadour, Book 1 Song of Montségur
• The Last Quest, Book 2 Song of Montségur
Kunati Books 08 is Deadly Prose Pick for Most Promising 2008 Line!
Coming Fall 08
2008 Titles Already In Release (or soon to be released)
Alphabetical by Title with "loglines." Click cover to learn more.
In Lynn Hoffman’s "brilliant" novel, a singing vigilante waitress crime-victim takes on America’s obsession with guns and transforms herself in the process. Read More... View the trailer!
"Thoroughly charming and sure to enrage the NRA" Kirkus Reviews
"Starred Review. Brilliant." BookList Magazine
Hudson Catalina has given up on life, having lost both breasts to cancer, until the wrecked-by-life young Buddy Baker arrives, bent on murder. Linda Merlino’s harrowing, touching story of despair, abuse, murder and survival leaves you enriched by the experience. Read more...
"Populated by outrageous characters and fueled with pompous outrage, Huber’s irreverent broadside will pummel the funny bone of anyone who’s served." Publishers Weekly
In typical TK Kenyon genre-bending style, Callous is Our Town meets The Crucible in a paranoia-fest as neighbor suspects neighbor of being a murderer, a serial killer, or worse, and relationships spin out of control. Read more...
"Impressive." Publishers Weekly, review of TK Kenyon's Rabid
A "delightfully sarcastic" and "House-M.D-like"* detective takes on "creepy" reality television. In this darkly humorous thriller, reality television becomes too real when a killer with a message preys on the contestants of America's number one TV show. Read more...view the trailer!
"Armstrong is an author to watch." Booklist
"Dark tongue-in-cheek thriller" Library Journal
"Suspenseful and rich with dark humor" Foreword Reviews
On the evening of the American invasion of Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, an international cast of schemers, spies, churchmen and scientists race to claim the greatest prize the world has ever seen. Read more...
"A stunning debut thriller. More convincing than DaVinci Code." Films & Books Magazine
Tom is certain he is living the American dream. With twins and lovely wife Jane, and a house on the beach, life couldn't be better. Until one day in June, the police tell him the unthinkable—his wife has drowned their toddler son, while his daughter clings to life in the hospital. Read more...
"This affecting story, with its brilliant array of genial, selfish, troubled, and plucky characters, accomplishes a wonderful feat by revealing specific and universal truths within all families." Donald Phillips, bestselling author
In this historical thriller set against the rich background of the 13th century Inquisition, the last living troubadour, condemned by the church as a heretic, must rescue a holy Christian relic from a crusading king. Read more...view the trailer
"Brilliance....genuinely innovative" Booklist
"Amusing and entertaining... recommended for all." Library Journal
"Action-packed novel." Publishers Weekly
What happens when an engineered virus, meant to virally "cure" psychopathically violent patients, is let loose by accident on the world? And what chance does the world have when a rescue organization named WART (World Advance Response Taskforce) is our only hope? Read more...
"In his follow-up to the excellent The Game (2007), Armstrong takes on a whole new set of challenges....Armstrong blends comedy, parody, and adventure in genuinely innovative ways" Booklist
Nothing escapes Myx. And he isn't the kind of kid to let murders go unsolved. Two times dead left his mind wired like no other, and he knows how to use it. Read more...
"What a treat it is to be in the mind of Myx Amens, the clever, capable, twice-dead, protagonist of a story that surprises and satisfies throughout. A mystery told with wry, intelligent humor. More Myx, Mr. Diotalevi, and soon." Robert Fate, Author, Baby Shark series, Academy Award Winner.
Don't miss Carol O'Dell on CNN and FOX TV.
"Beautiful. Told with humor, and much love." Booklist
What do you get when you mix a corpse "on ice" in a kiddie pool in the back of a pick up truck, a wide-eyed farm boy and a flatulent dog? Don't miss this utterly charming road trip story. Read more...view the trailer!
"Evans uses offbeat humor to both entertain and move his readers." Booklist.
An outrageous romp into "suicide for profit" and the darkest aspects of human nature, told with brilliant black humor and a zest for life. Read more...View the trailer!
"Recycling Jimmy is energetic, imaginative, relentlessly and unabashedly vulgar, and at times, funny enough to make a cranky reviewer laugh out loud." Booklist
"Darkly comic story unwinds with plenty of surprises." ForeWord Reviews
A sexy, savvy, darkly funny tale of ambition, scandal, forbidden love and murder, science and religion collide with far reaching consequences. Nothing is sacred. Read more...View the trailer!
"Jealousy and anger erupt in murder, a tense jury trial and the discovery of a lethal, lab-cultivated aerosol rabies virus...impressive medical thriller." Publishers Weekly
An aging Godfather-like billionaire tycoon regrets a decades-long life of "shady dealings" and seeks reconciliation with a granddaughter who doesn't even know he exists. Read more...View the trailer!
"A must read." Films and Books
"Riveting, rhapsodic, accomplished." Foreword
"Romance, adventure and danger on the lake." Kirkus
The oh-so-cool crime-solving McCarthy couple delve into the dark and perverse shadows of ultra-establishment Newport against a groovy sixties backdrop. The quick-witted McCarthy family face shadowy kidnappers, protective family dynasties, and mysterious assassins. Read more...View the Trailer!
"Colorful and exciting. A lot of fun." Booklist
"Wasley brings reality to this tale." Library Journal
"A page-turner...Sit down and enjoy. You'll be glad you did." NY Times bestseller William Martin
A wickedly funny satire of the exclusive world of the private golf club tells the story of an obsessive bank teller from Mullet Luv, Georgia, and his squawking redneck fiancée achieving a lifelong dream of teeing off at the Augusta National Golf Club. Read more...View the Trailer!
"Regardless of which way your funny bone swings, Sentell’s Toonamint of Champions will give a brand new meaning to “par for the course.” ForeWord
"Over-the-top slapstick." Booklist
A literary yet humorous crime novel about a lawyer who hates lawyers moving with the ease of a shark through the dingy bars and fantasy parlors where his clients do their dangerous dance of survival on society’s underbelly. Read more...View the trailer!
"Cahill has introduced an enticing character in Speed; he’s flawed, funny, and apparently hell-bent on making sure his life never goes completely right. Let’s hope this debut novel isn’t the last we hear from him." Booklist Magazine
A fast-paced techno-thriller depicts a world of violent extremes, where religious terrorists and visionaries of technology fight for supreme power. Read more...
"Top rate adventure sparkling with ideas." NY Times bestselling author Piers Anthony
"A chilling technothriller. . . Dan Ronco is social visionary on par with William Gibson and Robert Sawyer." Scott Nicholson, author, They Hunger
Two cultures clash in a world where native tradition and modern law cannot co-exist. How can a young girl deal with the assisted suicide of her own mother? Whale Song is a haunting tale of change and choice. Read more...View the Trailer!
"Whale Song is deep and true, a compelling story of love and family and the mysteries of the human heart. Cheryl Kaye Tardif has written a beautiful, haunting novel." NY Times Bestselling novelist Luanne Rice, author of Beach Girls
"Tardif already a hit... a name to reckon with south of the border." Booklist
The women of Magdalene are dying and no one seems to care, least of all the haughty Dr. Kingston, the director of the genteel Ladies’ Lunatic Asylum. A mix of historical who-dunnit and gripping historical fiction by prolific author and playwrite Rosemary Poole-Carter. Read more...View the trailer!
"Women of Magdalene is a brilliant example of the best historical fiction can do." Featured review in ForeWord
"A fine mix of thriller, historical fiction, and Southern Gothic." Booklist
DayTime Soap Writers Cross Pickets
News Flash — In a move to keep their jobs, several WGA signatory writers crossed their own picket line. Several writers from the Young and the Restless have gone "financial core" which involves giving up their membership. The rationale seems to involve the declining viability of the "soaps" where a protracted strike could result in permanent cancellations of the programs.
Books Under Pressure
The book industry continues to be under pressure from retailer adjustments, devaluing of the dollar and the high volume of new titles published each year.
3000 Books Published Per Day in the United States Alone
According to Publishers Weekly: "Three thousand books are published daily in the U.S., and PW reviewed more than 6,000 of them in 2007."
Bookscan Numbers — Only 2.1% of Books Sold More than 5,000?
Nielsen Bookscan tracked 1.2 million titles in the United States; of these, 79.6% sold fewer than 99 copies, 16.6% fewer than 1,000 copies, and only 2.1% more than 5000 copies. Bookscan data, however, is not the total picture, and its accuracy is quoted by Bookscan as 70-75% but as low as 20% by some publishers interviewed by Deadly Prose.
Small Press Numbers Not Tracked?
Some small press publishers claim accuracy of less than 10% because of their focus on libraries, independent booksellers, direct channels and alternative retailing made necessary by retailer policies and distribution barriers. Most retail stores can only carry less than 2% of the titles published each year, according to a quick survey by Deadly Prose, leaving alternative channels of distribution a necessity.
Accuracy of Tracking?
Publishers Weekly reports: "BookScan generally claims to represent between 70% and 75% of sales in the industry... But a comparison with in-print figures supplied by publishers reveals that the numbers are more likely to represent about 65%, even after deducting for unsold books and returns ... For some of the books, they ran as low as 25%." Publishers Weekly's examples were all larger publishers:
"The biggest discrepancy came for The Ultimate Weight Solution by Phil McGraw (BookScan: 836,000 copies; Simon & Schuster, 2.5 million). Showing an even further disparity was The Purpose-Driven Life, which the publisher said sold more than 11 million copies last year but charted only 2.4 million. In the same vein, Bill O'Reilly's Who's Looking Out for You sold 430,000 copies on BookScan, while Doubleday Broadway cites an in-print number of nearly one million."
With smaller press, the discrepencies seem even more erratic.
Book Quickies
• Perseus secures the PGW name after the bankruptcy case approved the $80,000 purchase of the name.
• Carol O'Dell appears on CNN to promote her sensational Mothering Mother memoir and speaks out on the multi-generational family and how to cope. See the interview here.
• Translations of English-language books represented 23.3% of all books published in China in 2007 so far.• Derek Armstrong's latest cross-genre comedic thriller, The Last Troubadour, surges in sales as the Tarot-community buys in. Armstrong is known for his "brilliance" for his "blend of comedy, paradody and adventure" with tarot-themes. (Booklist review).• Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCaig bets on big demand with an initial print run of 1.5 million from SMP. We hope readers will "give a damn."
Books Still Three Times As Popular as Film
Only 6.1% Don’t Read Books Versus 14.5% Who Don’t Watch Films
In a landmark study by Persona Corp, the inventors of CogniMATRIXTM and Persona PlanTM, respondents from across North America overwhelmingly chose the Internet as their favorite “can’t live without” entertainment activity, with books as a close second. Films were not a top choice with these 10,800 respondents, considered representative of North America and accurate to within plus or minus 2%:
- 36.4% “Can’t Live Without Internet”
- 30.6% “Can’t Live Without Books”
- 28.6% “Can’t Live Without Music At Home”
- 9.7% “Can’t Live Without Theatrical Films”
- 18.4% “Can’t Live Without TV Movies”
- Reality TV you say? Only 13.8% “Can’t Live Without Reality TV”
Equaling eye-opening are the numbers for “I don’t indulge at all”:
- Only 6% “don’t indulge in Internet surfing”
- Only 6.1% “don’t indulge in reading books”
- Only 4.5% “don’t indulge in music in the home”
- But 14.5% “don’t indulge in Movies in the theatre”
- While only 5.3% “don’t indulge in TV movies”
- And a whopping 25.8% “don’t indulge in Reality TV”
Who will be the “Survivor” in this reality game? The ongoing popularity of books indicated here strongly supports a recent Publishers Weekly study. The unpopularity of reality TV is probably no surprise to anyone, but studios may double-take at the numbers for theatrical film.
Courtesy of Films and Books Magazine.
F&B NewsFlash — Writer's Set To Strike
The 12,000 members of the Writer's Guild of America will go on strike Monday morning in an action against the networks and studios. Although the strike is nearly a certainty, there is room for more talks.
The Writer's Guild spokesperson emphasized they will negotiate with the companies through the weekend provided the companies will not insist that residuals for DVDs not increase. Effectively, the clock is ticking down with 48 hours to go. "We do not want to strike," said WGA negotiating chairman John Bowman.
It now seems that talks are doubtful and the companies are not considering negotiation, based on Nick Counter's statement, "We are very disappointed with their press conference and the action they took. Their press conference was full of falsehoods, misstatements and inaccuracies..."
All writing covered under WGA, which is the majority of projects, would cease when a stirke begins. Only projects with final scripts would be able to proceed to development. Production companies have been on the clock for some time, racing to finalize scripts before the deadline.
Courtesy of Films and Books Magazine.