Buzz Worthy News
Is New Adult a genre? An illustrator proposes to his girlfriend in his acknowledgments, Amazon’s bestselling list of 2012 is out (spoiler: I’m not on it). Hans Christian Anderson’s once again delighting the world with a fresh story, and we have infographs! Because we know how much our readers here at Cuddlebuggery love their infographs!
Buzz Worthy News is Cuddlebuggery’s weekly, regular Monday post bringing you all the most interesting news on the publishing world. For cover reveals and new releases, check out our Sunday post, Hot New Titles.
Publishing
Dang Nammit! What is this fangled New Adult thing?
So here’s a thing everyone is talking about. New Adult, folks! Let’s sell it! Wait…er. What is it? Well since nobody seems to know what Young Adult is, do we have any hope of sussing out the New Adult conundrum?
Well, until then, it sells so let’s not over think it!
But that’s not going to stop people from talking and talking and talking about it. Some are all Yea!
“One of the marketing goals of the term is to catch what editors and agents call the “post-YA reader.” Merrilee Heifetz, an agent at Writers House, who recently sold two books she classified as new adult, said this element is key. “We had this huge boom in the YA market, and now we don’t want to lose those readers. For a teen who was a voracious YA reader [the new adult tag] offers a way to say, here, these books are for you.””
And some are all Nea!
“Kenny Brechner, owner of Devaney, Doak & Garrett Booksellers in Farmington, Maine, said he doesn’t think the term will have much appeal to readers. “If there was a great category name that I thought would attract customer interest and generate sales, I would take it on. I’m not going to try and market something I’m reasonably sure will be perceived as lame.””
Ball’s in your court, readers.
Book Illustrator proposes to girlfriend
Its the worst kind of problem a zaney book illustrator could face: maintaining expected coupling traditions – but how to make it different?
The answer of course, for Sam Zuppardi, was to slip his marriage proposal into the acknowledgment of his debut children’s book illustrations for, Misadventures of Edgar and Allan Poe: The Tell-Tale Start.
“Jade has been such a massive support all through the process of my starting to illustrate for children,” Zuppardi says of Jade Amers, his girlfriend of five years. “So putting something [for] her in this book felt really appropriate. Making it into an outright proposal was like one of those happy, light-bulb moments.”
“The proposal was tucked into the acknowledgements in the back of the book rather than showcased in the dedication at the front. “I thought it’d be nicer if it was kind of sneaky,” November recalls. “I also made the decision not to put it in the galleys. My feeling was, if you’re going to propose to your girlfriend this way, you’ve got to do it right…. You do it in the finished book.””
Amazon’s Best Seller’s List is out – Fifty Shades isn’t on it
Okay, I lied but writing the title made me feel better for a moment before delving into the reality of the list. Actually Fifty Shades is on it twice. Which, as it turns out, is exactly how many times it takes before I weep for humanity.
1. “Fifty Shades Freed: Book Three of the Fifty Shades Trilogy” by E.L. James
2/ “Gone Girl: A Novel” by Gillian Flynn
3. “Fifty Shades Trilogy: Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker, Fifty Shades Freed 3-volume Boxed Set” by E.L. James
4. “Bared to You: A Crossfire Novel” by Sylvia Day
5. “No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden” by Mark Owen
6. “The Marriage Bargain (Marriage to a Billionaire)” by Jennifer Probst
7. “Reflected in You: A Crossfire Novel” by Sylvia Day
8. “The Racketeer” by John Grisham
9. “Defending Jacob: A Novel” by William Landay
10. “The Innocent” by David Baldacci
If you’re looking for the YA & Kid’s list, it’s here. The Kindle version is here.
The world is changing – now you can see how
So put your hand up if you love infographics! Because I just flipping love those things. Can’t get enough of them. Even better? An infographic about publishing! Well, 3D Issue is here to meet all your Publishing/Infographics needs.
Even better? There’s an emerging trends section! I flipping LOVE emerging trends!
Although, it would seem there are those willing to take advantage of our vast love for information presented with cute graphics and trendy colour schemes.
Because, ya know, SEO scammers are a thing and they like using Infographics. But since I don’t know what an SEO is or what it does or why it matters, I’m just going to nod along and smile politely.
Self-Published Best Sellers List
Self-publishing a book isn’t for the faint of heart. It can be a difficult journey filled with its own set of unique challenges different from those who attempt to traditionally publish their novel. So every time Kat and I see a bestselling self-published list, we can’t help but to salute these rockstars!
For the week of December 10th 2012:
[one_third]Amazon
1. The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski
2. Stop the Wedding! by Stephanie Bond
3. The Unwanted Wife by Natasha Anders
4. Accidentally on Purpose by L.D. Davis
5. Fade into You by Kate Dawes
6. Rock the Heart by Michelle A. Valentine
7. Some Kind of Wonderful by Barbara Freethy
8. All In by Raine Miller
9. Fade Into Me by Kate Dawes
10. Fade into Always by Kate Dawes[/one_third]
[one_third]Barnes and Noble
1. His Every Choice by Kelly Favor
2. DISARM by June Gray
3. ENGAGE by June Gray
4. BESIEGE by June Gray
5. RETREAT by June Gray
6. The Henry Sessions by June Gray
7. Chosen by Denise Grover Swank
8. Here by Denise Grover Swank
9. The Duchess War by Courtney Milan
10. Wanted by Kelly Elliott[/one_third]
[one_third_last]Smashwords
1. Spinward Fringe Broadcast 7: Framework by Randolph Lalonde
2. With Everything I Am by Kristen Ashley
3. Into the Hollow by Karina Halle
4. Incendiary: The Premonition Series (Volume 4) by Amy A. Bartol
5. Come A Little Bit Closer: The Sullivans by Bella Andre
6. Wisdom by Amanda Hocking
7. Something in the Wine by Jae
8. The Duchess War by Courtney Milan
9. Settling the Account by Shayne Parkinson
10. Malice In Wonderland by HP Mallory[/one_third_last]
European Comission Whoops Apple’s Ass (and some other publishers were involved)
So the times, they are a changing. At least for European ebook users. The European commission has approved commitments from Apple, Hachette, Harper, Simon & Schuster and Macmillian to stop regulating the prices of ebooks.
“The commission has been investigating the publishers Hachette Livre, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster and Macmillan, together with Apple, over “a suspected concerted practice aimed at raising retail prices for ebooks in the European Economic Area”, in breach of EU antitrust rules. It found that Amazon and other retailers were faced with “what we suspect was a concerted and coordinated demand” by the four publishers to agree to the so-called agency model, which allows publishers rather than retailers to set the prices of ebooks, and said that “the coordination of commercial behaviour between competitors – here, with the help of Apple – is forbidden by our competition rules”.”
So now the natural market is free to allow Amazon to take over everything. Which is strange considering Amazon is only the cheapest option for their top twenty list. Books outside are easily beaten by alternatives.
New Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tale Found
Han’s debut tale may have been found by experts in Denmark. This leads to classic questions like, did old Hansie make rookie mistakes? Does it stand up to his other work, and is it just as freaky as his other tales.
“The Tallow Candle was discovered by local historian Esben Brage in the dense private archives of the Plum family, revealed Danish paper Politiken, which printed the story in its entirety today. Brage was in the reading room at the National Archive for Funen in Odense when he stumbled across a small, yellowing piece of paper at the bottom of a box and realised it might be important. Two months later, experts have now confirmed that the story was written by Andersen.”
Interesting! But can you prove it?
“And I am in no doubt that it has been written by Andersen.” Experts Bruno Svindborg of the Royal Library and Professor Johan de Myliu have also agreed the text was written by Andersen.
Oh. Fine. The experts are convinced.
Apparently the story isn’t as polished and mature as Andersen’s other works. Oh well. Everyone has to start somewhere!
Entertainment
Amy Tintera’s Reboot about to have a movie reboot
Tintera’s upcoming sci-fi book, Reboot is looking at getting a movie adaptation.
“Chernin Entertainment is producing Reboot, an edgy YA story set after the world becomes infected with a deadly virus and killer slave soldiers are created from dead teenagers. Two re-animated teens decide to band together to fight the organization responsible.”
The book is due to come out in May 2013.
Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum.The perfect soldier is done taking orders.
Interesting! Can’t wait to see how this goes!
Monument 14 Gets a Movie Deal
Hollywood has apparently figured out there is a thing with YA books being made into movies. These says movie deals seem to be popping up left and right like wild daisies. This time it’s Emily Laybourne’s Monument 14. It’s about a group of teens that gets trapped inside what’s best described as a Super Walmart while on the outside the world goes to hell in a hand basket. What a fantastic idea. I’m totally heading for my local Walmart when the apocalypse hits. Reel FX and Andrew Adamson’s Strange Weather have acquired the screen rights, with Brad Peyton to adapt.
“As soon as I read the first chapter, I knew I wanted to do this movie,” said Peyton, who last helmed Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. “It’s such a great concept and the kids felt real to me. The whole experience of living through the end of the world is an exciting one to try to capture on film, especially from such an original perspective.”
Neither Kat or I have read the book, but the premise sounds interesting!
Controversy
I can: Not. Right.
Cassandra Clare Teaming up with Sarah Rees Brennan and Maureen Johnson Collaborating on Original Novel
Okay, ha! Just joking again. They’re working on a digital short stories series entitled The Bane Chronicles – which is, as you probably guessed, an off-shoot of The Mortal Instrument series focusing on fan-favourite character, Magnus Bane.
“This spin-off series, set in Clare’s “Shadownhunters” universe, profiles the character Magnus Bane. Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint at Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, will publish the first title in February 2013. Each of the ten Bane installments will come out on a monthly basis leading up to the release of The Mortal Instruments film adaptation. In 2014, the publisher will release a single volume containing all ten stories.”
This is, obviously, exciting news for TMI fans who are always eager for more room to play in their preferred fantasy series. However, it has, once again, caused outcry from other fans who feel taken advantage of. Multiple negative comments have cropped up on Goodreads. Even from fans of the series.
In total, The TMI novels seem to keep piling up. In addition to this short, digital serial there are six of the original Mortal Instrument books, though that series was supposed to be a trilogy, and a Shadow Hunter guide. Then there is the Infernal Devices series which also takes place in TMI world at an earlier date. The Dark Artifices series is a planned spinoff that Clare signed to earlier this year. The Shadow Hunter’s Codex is due to be released Nov 2012. This, in addition to the Manga adaptation and the movie that is currently being shot. It’s a lot for one, originally planned trilogy, but ultimately good news for those still willing to partake in the world Clare has made.
More debate over white washing in YA covers
Say what you want about the book blogging community, but they sure are passionate about matters that are important to them, and white washing of book covers is one of those things. But this also a case that’s a little more complicated than it seems.
Race representation on book covers is unfortunately limited. However, the race of actual characters is increasingly diversifying. However authors often, unfairly, shoulder some of the blame for the covers of their books that aren’t as diverse as their stories are. YALSA ran a post this week about race on covers. White washing is always worth discussing because intelligent and thoughtful discourse on this subject is imperative to the changing way we reflect the world through literature.
The article itself was not without criticism, particularly from the authors of the work mentioned. Diana Peterfreund wrote this response to the post. What do you guys think?
stinalindenblatt
It’s ironic that agents and editors are now seeing a market for NA when for years they claimmed there wasn’t one. Apparently they weren’t listening to what readers wanted. Glad the self publishing movement proved otherwise.
Deb E
stinalindenblatt I agree. Only a few years ago, I kept reading that if you were writing/had written a story with characters between the ages of 18-22 or so, you could forget ever picking up an agent/publishing contract. So, for the sake of authors/readers everywhere, I am glad the pros are finally realising that people in that age group do, in fact, read!
cynicalsapphire
You finally made it! Hurrah!
New Adult: NO. Just fucking NO. It’s not a genre and people should stop being dumbasses about this shit. They’re either teen books or they’re adult books. Let’s be honest, those authors who write them are not thinking about writing specifically for 18-22 year olds. They are writing them for adults who read YA books, but miss the sex. Thus they’re ADULT. Stop trying to make New Adult a thing: http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mej0i30V7F1r5jqiz.gif
He proposed in a book? Fellas, the bar has just been raised EXPONENTIALLY.
Other than Gone Girl, I wouldn’t want to touch that list with a fifteen foot dildo.
Ebooks: Amazon, you crazy genius bastard!
Fairy Tale: Oooh, that’s still awesome! Anderson’s Juvenilia!
TMI: *projectile vomits* I expect better things than this from some people.
Whitewashing: Diana Peterfreund sort of OWNED. Why is she in that TMI non-fiction story anthology? I’LL NEVER UNDERSTAND THIS MADNESS.
Fangs4Fantasy
I’m not sure about this New Adult thing. I mean, YA itself isn’t a GENRE per se, it’s a target audience and/or a style/theme. You can have a YA Urban Fantasy or a YA contemporary or a YA romance or a YA Sci-fi etc. YA’s more of a style of writing these genres than a genre in and of itself – and the reason why it’s call YA is because it’s not New Adult. Do we need a word for, basically, every book that isn’t YA? And if we do, surely it’s more a matter of re-labelling than a new genre (as well as making books that aren’t porn sound like porn)
amandapearl2
Fangs4Fantasy Maybe instead of calling new adult a genre it’s a way for publishers to call out books for the 20 somethings. I dunno, I feel like if they do it right it could be really useful. I know I love YA but I tend to like the older YA more.
Fangs4Fantasy
amandapearl2 Fangs4Fantasy perhaps as some kind of parsing of YA? Like ‘middle grade’ but on the upper end?
amandapearl2
Fangs4Fantasy exactly! That would be really cool 🙂 I just know I like the YA that has more A than Y and I would appreciate any help in sorting through everything.
amandapearl2
I fall age-wise into the New Adult category (I’m 25) and while I LOVE reading YA, there definitely are many books where I roll my eyes at the just too teenager-y-ness of it all. Of course there are many notable exceptions (Libba Bray and Laini Taylor come to mind), but I for one would be down with publishers and booksellers pointing out those more mature books for me so I don’t have to wade waist deep in teen angst.
Kate C.
I’m a person who is fond of organization. You should see my book collection! For me, as a reader, I like that they’re trying to have a “label” for those books that really aren’t YA. I mean, the YA books I read don’t usually have sex in them (with a few exceptions like Amanda Hocking or Abbi Glines) or characters that are in college. What I would really like, instead of a YA/New Adult book label is a sexy times/no sexy times rating. I just finished a couple of Abbi Glines books that had teenage characters and the sexy times in those books had me more hot and bothered than the outright sex in the adult romances I read. Also, New Adult seems like an excuse to have younger characters and sex in the same book. Just from the ones I read.
I read both articles on white washing, etc. and it seems like they both have valid points. In the end I liked Diana’s point the best, which is that whether or not it’s happening, let’s keep making noise! If readers continue to demand covers that accurately reflect the character’s racial/ethnic backgrounds, then the publishers (and authors for self-pub) will use them. They WANT to sell books, so we need to let them know that what is on the covers is important to us! More bitching! 🙂
BTW- Kinda shocked you guys didn’t have anything about Hugh Howey in here. Not sure if you know who he is, but his book, Wool, got optioned by freaking Ridley Scott a while back. Anyway, he just made a deal with S&S to have them publish the hardcover and paperback versions of his omnibus edition. But he keeps all the ebook rights! This is a rare deal anywhere, but in the biggest news to me, they’re publishing the paperback and hardback AT THE SAME TIME! I’ve never heard of that before. Anyway, I thought that was some interesting publishing world news.
Stephanie Sinclair
Kate C. OH! I forgot all about Wool. I did read about that earlier and forgot to put the link in the post. D’oh!
Ashleigh Paige
Karina! Automatic reaction to seeing her name right there. She’s just fantastic and she deserves being on that bestseller list (though I think she deserves to be at number 1!).
I honestly stopped caring whether or not New Adult is a genre. All I know is that books that tend to fall in that category are AWFUL. I have encountered enough bad books while attempting to explore that genre that I gave up trying (I think I was three or four books in out of ten I wanted to read) and it makes me want to hide under the covers. Half the books that call themselves New Adult can be called contemporary adult, but I think there’s an issue with the adult genre having trouble marketing to the younger adults who just grew out of YA. In the leap from one to the other, you’ll go from teenagers to late twenty-somethings and thirty-somethings.
I think that label is also being used to tap into the rabid YA fanbase but include the sex content of an adult novel. They want sex and they want YA readers, but they don’t want people clutching their pearls by including that sex in a YA novel. Therefore, New Adult: all the sex and all the appeal to a YA reader with none of the complaints about sex. Unless that sex involves shoving a beer bottle up a girl’s vagina and the reader is me. I can’t believe I’m one of the few people who has complained about that! Y hello thar, possible rape.
Kate C.
Ashleigh Paige Yes, yes!!! Exactly! They are basically YA with sex. Consenting adults just barely above teen, so the characters can do it. I’m glad I’m not the only one who noticed this.
Just noticed that the yes was a bit emphatic for the subject matter. lol
SamanthaCitron
OMG I LOVE THE NEW ADULT GENRE! As someone in there mid-20s, its so refreshing to read about characters going through things I remember or have experienced personally. While I love YA books, the whole high school aspect makes me feel silly sometimes for reading them. And its also a bit annoying because I KNOW High School isn’t like that; whether the YA is contemporary or PNR. And then romance books are usually about 30/40 y.os, sometimes divorcees, who already have a career and are looking for love. It’s hard to relate to because I haven’t had those experiences yet. I’m just starting out, juggling grad school, the start of a career, friends, and family; and thats what I would personally like to read about.
Goodreads recently published a blog post about the up and coming New Adult genre and it was defined like this:
“the books are filled with young people, mostly college-age, who seem to have lots of sex and rarely see their parents (if they haveany)…Editor Amy Tannenbaum at Atria Books…finds that one defining characteristic of a New Adult book is the degree of parentalinvolvement. “New Adult generally features main characters between the ages of 18-23. That said, New Adult can skew a bit younger if the characters are particularly mature for their age.”
I dunno, i guess from the comments below I can see it will not be appealing to everyone, but I know I am super excited about it and wonder what took them so long to do this!
Heartless_Lyn
I hope that the New Adult genre actually happens. I have heard from some sources that parents are unable to keep track of what is going on in books nowadays. I think Twilight needs to head on over to New Adult. Just my two cents.
The self-pub picture is priceless!xxxx
Bookish_Belle
That proposal is so sweet! You guys totally got me excited when you said 50 Shades wasn’t on that list. And then I cried.
jarndt08
I really need to read Monument 14 I think I would really like it, so cool that it got a movie deal. Oh and I LOVE New Adult so far. I have read 3 or 4 and love it. I feel like with NA I get exactly what I am always missing in YA. I like that the characters are a bit older, and that they actually do the naughty. I like the naughty.
rabbitsfortea
I do find the genre of NA pretty unnecessary and over-categorizing, but that’s just me so idk.
Also, Hollywood sure does know how to jump onboard the money making ship. Reboot does sound interesting though, I’ll definitely be reading that to see if it’s good.
Lastly, Cassie Clare. Oh, Cassie Clare.I’m utterly SICK of the shadowhunter world and the way she is milking her cash cow. However, I did so love Magnus Bane and Sarah Rees Brennan’s work (Unspoken was awesome), so I’m afraid that I will be checking out the Bane Chronicles. /hangs head in shame
Giselleco
Reboot is not even out and it has a movie? Geez! Monument 14 will make such a boring movie. Nothing but playing house happens in that book! Any “top” list 50 Shades is on is a list to avoid imo. O_O
Stephanie Sinclair
Giselleco Well, technically, it’s old news. I think they just selected a writer for the project. When the book originally sold, the film rights were sold at the same time.