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Troy
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 28, 2003 - 04:29 pm: | 
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I was at my table at the New York is Book Country street fair (http://www.nyisbookcountry.com/content/fair.asp) book fair the past Sunday. Ron Kavanaugh (http://mosaicbooks.com) and I have shared a booth or table the last couple of years.
A long day of standing on my feet and stressing my voice was winding down when a couple of sisters approached the table. It was hard to ignore the fact the one, the most vocal, was built better than most women I’d seen in recent weeks. When the pair approached close enough to hear me talk about the book I was selling. I launched into to my standard pitch; the one that points out how I promote quality authors both self-published and published by major houses that may not be getting the recognition that they deserve. I spoke about the out of print titles by John A Williams (http://authors.aalbc.com/johna.htm), who I was focusing on that day, and well as some of the other titles like Grace by Liz Nunez (http://elizabethnunez.com) or Role Call (http://reviews.aalbc.com/rolecall.htm) the anthology from Third World Press.
The vocal sister pointed accusingly to Karen E. Quinones Miller’s book Using What You Got (http://aalbc.com/authors/karenquinonesmiller.htm) and questioned my position of promoting “quality” work. I asked the sister had she read the book. She said “No”. So I asked her how did she come to the conclusion that Using What You Got was not a quality book. She pointed to the book and said, “Look at it. Are you trying to tell me this is quality?”.
I knew it was pointless to argue with someone who was willing to criticize something she had not read. Truth be told I had not read Karen’s book either but the vocal sister did not know that. So I ignored my better judgment and pursued the “discussion”. I assured the sister, who was becoming less attractive by the second, that this was a quality book written by a skilled writer. The sister asked me what the book was about and I reprised the jacket copy (had at least read that). She dismissed the book again. I asked her what she thought about John A. Williams’ work – she had not heard of him. She asked me want his Williams’ stuff was about – she was less than impressed.
The sisters left the table obviously unmoved with what I had to say and certainly without purchasing a book. It was only at that point that I noticed the vocal one was not carrying a thing. A sure sign, especially near the end of the book fair, that there was likely no intent to make buy any books. I wanted ask vocal sister what books she taught were “quality”, but she was long gone.
I looked over to Ron and said, “man, selling books is hard work”. Ron said “yeah I could tell she was running you through you paces”. The day was just about over and while sales went relatively well (considering ~90% of the attendees were non-Black) I did not sell enough books to recover the cost of the booth, let alone compensate me for the time and energy I spent at the fair. One would wonder why I bother.
As corny as it may sound, I bother because, I believe this whole thing we all do of promoting our culture and ensuring our voices are heard and represented, in all their various forms, is important. Besides the opportunity to meet people far more brilliant and talented than I is icing on the cake.
P.S. Speaking of such talent I finally met Bernice McFadden (http://aalbc.com/authors/bernicemcfadden.htm) for the first time and we spoke about this discussion board. I’d read Bernice's book Sugar a few years ago and enjoyed it a great deal. Yeah, that is why I do this thing.
Peace,
Troy |
InPrint
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 29, 2003 - 09:01 pm: |
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I haven't read Karen Q's book either, although I've met her and found her very pleasant. Perhaps though they were reacting to the Ebonic grammar of her title. I mean, I know we just got off the cover thing, but isn't that kind of title a sign of something as well? An affinty with a school of commercial writing not known for quality? Do the majority of her readers even know that the proper form is "Using What I Have?" I have never read a book I enjoyed that started with an Ebonic title, outside of My Pafology.
That said, Troy, you are appreciated as an advocate of the medium, in all its forms.
Also, next time you see Ron, ask him when the next @#$%&*^ issue of Mosaic is coming out.
Here's a good bit of commercial fiction gossip!!! It's been reported that at recent Black Expo panel, Black lit mags came up and my personal hero, Mr. Omar Tyree, recommended www.mosaicbooks.com to an audience member. When asked how to spell the site's name however, Omar began to stumble, looked sheepishly to the side and asked the bard himself, Michael Baisden, for help. Baisden just shrugged an "I don't know" and then dropped another chicken bone on the carpeted floor.
Okay, I added the part about the chicken bone myself. |
Troy
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 29, 2003 - 11:09 pm: |
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Hello Inprint:
Ron is in the process of, and close to completing the formation of a not-for-profit called The Literary Freedom Project. Mosaic will be published under this entity in the near future.
Speaking of an inability to spell Mosaic; at last years event the New York is Book Country staff spelled Mosaic M-o-s-i-a-c on a big banner at the top of our booth. How embarrassing is that? I doubt if anyone noticed. So, I'm not surpised an Omar T. or Michael B. could not spell the word under pressure. I think Omar more that made up for it by recommending Mosaic (smile).
As far as the title and the cover of Karen's Book; I don't care for either too much (though I'm less bothered by the title). If I was unfamiliar with Karen's work I would not give the book a second look if I were to see it in the store.
If I learned anything in this business is that you can not judge a book by it's cover. Anyone who attempts to do so is misguided. It is lke judging the depth of ones intellect by the what they are wearing -- you'll be fooled everytime.
There is a book on my desk right now called Sexual Healing by Jill Nelson. If I never heard of Jill Nelson I would never pick this book up either. But I know Jill is a skilled journalist and bestselling author; so I went to a reading of Sexual Healing and I enjoyed what I heard. The cover in know way, at least in my eyes, reflects the contents of this particular book or the skill and talent of the writer in general. That was not the goal of the cover.
What burned me about "vocal sister" was how easily she was able to dismiss Karen's book based soley on the cover and the rest of the books I was selling by association. Shoot, I took it personally (smile).
take care |
JMO
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 29, 2003 - 11:57 pm: |
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Troy, you said:
As far as the title and the cover of Karen's Book; I don't care for either too much (though I'm less bothered by the title). If I was unfamiliar with Karen's work I would not give the book a second look if I were to see it in the store.
Then, in the next paragraph you said:
If I learned anything in this business is that you can not judge a book by it's cover. Anyone who attempts to do so is misguided. It is lke judging the depth of ones intellect by the what they are wearing -- you'll be fooled everytime.
Are these two paragraphs contradicting themselves? You say, if I didn't know of Karen's books then I would've bypassed her book if I saw it (after seeing only the cover and title) but then you say one can't judge a book by it's cover.
I think people do it all the time. You may bypass some good books based on the cover (and title) but then you're probably are bypassing some bad ones, too. We based those judgments on previous book selections. And, like life, sometimes you strike gold and sometimes you don't. But you are making those choices on something other than which way the wind is blowing.
You also said:
What burned me about "vocal sister" was how easily she was able to dismiss Karen's book based soley on the cover and the rest of the books I was selling by association. Shoot, I took it personally (smile).
That's understandable. But, by the same token, you're calling a book "quality" but then you also admitted to the sister that you hadn't read the book. Now, if I were this woman, I'll be hesitant too, especially if I hadn't heard of the author or read any of author's previous books and then the person trying to sell me the book hadn't read the book either yet claiming it's "quality." Yes, I know you said you didn't tell her that but then maybe she did knew it because you didn't say, I've read it. I am surprised she didn't ask you that ... I would have.
But based on what you wrote, in essence you've done exactly the same as the sister ... walked away from the booth with a copy of the book in hand.
I think this speaks to what InPrint said before in the other thread, people are throwing all the books into the same pile, whether they belong there or not.
Also, I agree your comments about Sexual Healing.
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Cynique
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 12:19 am: |
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Your remarks about Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum were hilarious, InPrint.
Troy, a new study out shows that the older woman/younger man liaison is a trend that's on the upswing so Jill Nelson might strike gold with her new book, suggestive cover, or not. LOL |
Troy
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 12:32 am: |
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JMO:
In the first part I don't think I'm being contradictory: "If I was unfamiliar with Karen's work I would not give the book a second look if I were to see it in the store". But since I am familiar with Karen's work I would consider it despite the cover.
On the second point. I guess vocal sister did not ask me if I had read the book because it was not important to her. She had already formulated an opinion. The only reason I asked her had she read it because I wanted to understand what about the book caused she did not like. Once I leanred she had not read the book I wanted to understand her prejudice and why she could so easily dismiss the book without knowing anything about the author or without reading it.
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Yukio
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 04:19 pm: |
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Troy:
I think JMO is suggesting that in the first part you stated that you WOULD'VE judged the book by its cover IF you didn't know the author, while in the second part, you stated that judging a book by its cover is "misguided."
Therefore, what you have stated does lend it self to the interpretation that you've contradicted yourself, though this may not have been your intension nor what you meant in your own mind as your wrote the post.
I'm a victim of this all of the time, btw. |
Troy
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 09:51 pm: |
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Hey Yukio:
I sitting here trying to watch the PBS Blues program finish off a newsletter and catch up on on these discussion boards (seems I missed a lot).
At any rate, I understand why my post could be misinterpreted, but I re-read it and I did not think it was contradictory -- of course I'm biased 'cause I know what I was trying to say (smile). Did my clarification help?
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JMO
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 10:31 pm: |
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Yukio, thank you. That's exactly what I meant. I should have re-read my post and corrected my errors. But Troy does say one thing in one paragraph and then in the next, say the complete opposite.
If you don't know about an author or their work, then more likely than not you'll judge that author's book by the cover and title. Beyond reading the inside cover what else do you have to make a judgment? |
yukio
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 - 10:26 am: |
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Troy:
Don't be biased, my friend. It happens to all of us, at least regula folk like myself.
JMO:
Yeah, i think brotha Troy's comments were contradictory, but as i said it probably wasn't meant to be contradictory.
Well, if it's a new author or at least one you're unfamilar with then you don't have access to what da folk may think. Of course, you can always read a review, but maybe that take too much time. I will often read a review or two and return to the book if it sounds interesting.
Good day! |
Karen E. Quinones Miller
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 20, 2003 - 03:30 am: |
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Wow, Troy . . . I'm sorry to hear you had such a hard time at the "New York is Book Country" street festival! The event was so heavily promoted I was sure it was going to be a lucrative venture for all of the vendors.
Yeah, you're right . . . selling books is hard work. <smile>
May I make a suggestion, though? Quite often vendors will have authors come to the events to do a signing for them. Not only will you sell more of the author's book by having her/him there, but you will also sell more books overall because people who stop at the table because they see an author sitting there will also browse through the other books you have. I'm sure there are a lot of authors who would volunteer to help you out, Troy. (I would!)
By the way, just for the record, the title "Using What You Got," was coined from the phrase, "You gotta use what you got to get what you want," which was contained in the lyrics of two popular songs of yesteryear. I thought it aptly fit the the character in my book, so I used it. Sorry it caused you so much trouble at the fair. <smile>
So . . . does anyone know the titles of the songs from which I got the lyrics?
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Leah Mullen
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 27, 2003 - 07:11 pm: |
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Troy: I must have went home before all drama!!
Karen: I believe the answer to your trivia question is Think About it. Sung by Lyn Collins and written by James Brown
Confession: I actually got the answer from my husband. Are we correct? |
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