We all know e-books are kind of neat....

[Liar]

But can they make you filthy rich?

Apparently so.

http://www.businessinsider.com/aman...silicon_alley_insider+(Silicon+Alley+Insider)

 

[voluptuary_manque]

According to Amazon she writes "young adult urban fantasy and paranormal romance" which I suspect we can translate to read "vampire drivel for self-pitying teenage girls", but I could be wrong. And as the article says, she's making millions which is more than this literate bear can say.

 

[Stella_Omega]

According to Amazon she writes "young adult urban fantasy and paranormal romance" which I suspect we can translate to read "vampire drivel for self-pitying teenage girls", but I could be wrong. And as the article says, she's making millions which is more than this literate bear can say.

I don't know if her readers are especially self-pitying. That might be projection on your part.

Yep, that .99 to 3.00 price point model works pretty well for ebook sales.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

I don't know if her readers are especially self-pitying. That might be projection on your part.

Oh, no doubt.

 

[sr71plt]

I linked this on another thread yesterday. I don't think it's her price point that's got her the sales, its getting on the "Twilight" band wagon early.

 

[lovecraft68]

I linked this on another thread yesterday. I don't think it's her price point that's got her the sales, its getting on the "Twilight" band wagon early.

Couldn't be more right. What Anne Rice started with Interview with a vampire that Twilight crap took it to a new level. Even on Lit all Jaz Cullens Vampire stories had nominations out the ass. I believe you do some bloodsucker things yourself no? Girl hit the trend just right.

 

[Stella_Omega]

That's so funny-- "Twilight" this, "Twilight" that. Y'all have heard of "Twilight" and think that defines Urban Fantasy. That's like picking out one movie... "Avatar" for instance, and claiming it defines Science Fiction.

(ETA) oh, and Anne Rice as well.



The bit I read from her blog has the girl protag being the one with the supernatural powers, which, when you think about it is absolutely opposite of any twilight bandwagon.

 

[lovecraft68]

That's so funny-- "Twilight" this, "Twilight" that. Y'all have heard of "Twilight" and think that defines Urban Fantasy. That's like picking out one movie... "Avatar" for instance, and claiming it defines Science Fiction.



The bit I read from her blog has the girl protag being the one with the supernatural powers, which, when you think about it is absolutely opposite of any twilight bandwagon.

If it's the first name that pops up in the minds of people like myself who haven't ever (nor will ever) read the books or seen the movies then apparently it did it's job whether it defines the genre or not it's become the standard.

 

[Stella_Omega]

If it's the first name that pops up in the minds of people like myself who haven't ever (nor will ever) read the books or seen the movies then apparently it did it's job whether it defines the genre or not it's become the standard.

If you never read or buy, then the name that pops up in your mind is pretty unimportant within the demographic-- if you see what I mean.

If Amanda is selling millions of books, right now, I'm thinking SHE might be the standard. Or Cassandra Claire. Or Sarah Rees Brennan-- both of whom publish traditionally.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Yup, all she will have to do in a few years is fend off the gold diggers of whichever sex is her preference . . . or set them up in boudoirs!

 

[lovecraft68]

If you never read or buy, then the name that pops up in your mind is pretty unimportant within the demographic-- if you see what I mean.

If Amanda is selling millions of books, right now, I'm thinking SHE might be the standard. Or Cassandra Claire. Or Sarah Rees Brennan-- both of whom publish traditionally.

Of course you are right. Within the genre those are the big names. Twilight seems to have transcended the genre and is what those of us who don't no shit about it equate it with. It has a place in pop culture right now and everyone knows "twilight" I'm sure the other writers are better but this is the one that got there first so to speak.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Of course you are right. Within the genre those are the big names. Twilight seems to have transcended the genre and is what those of us who don't no shit about it equate it with. It has a place in pop culture right now and everyone knows "twilight" I'm sure the other writers are better but this is the one that got there first so to speak.

No sweetheart-- Twilight didn't get there first, it got out first. Out isn't very useful to a genre writer. You want to be in.

 

[sr71plt]

That's so funny-- "Twilight" this, "Twilight" that. Y'all have heard of "Twilight" and think that defines Urban Fantasy.

Umm, no. I looked at her stuff and thought "Twilight" (not having read "Twilight," and not missing not having done so)--just like I'm sure 80 percent of other readers did. I don't have the least bit notion of what "Urban Fantasy" is--just like, I'm sure, 80 percent of other readers don't. I doubt the "Twilight" reading crowd has a specific formula in mind either. I'll bet her sales are related to the "Twilight" band wagon.

I think you overthink how nuanced the reading public is in discerning what genre is what.

(And I have just one vampire book plus one vampire story, I think--to respond to Lovecraft68. But they were fun to write. I enjoyed the concept of being fucked to death and loving it by a monster cock. But that's just me.)

 

[Stella_Omega]

Well, 80 percent of readers your age. And mine, for that matter.

But not 80 percent of the readers of her genre, and you can tell by her sales that's a considerable demographic.

 

[lovecraft68]

No sweetheart-- Twilight didn't get there first, it got out first. Out isn't very useful to a genre writer. You want to be in.

Twilight got there first as in made it first. It's the one everyone knows it's the one making the most money and the most recognizable to the general public. within it's genre it may not be the best I wouldn't know but it has become perceived that way by "blowing up" so to speak.

It's like in the horror genre say it to an average person who is a casual fan it's "Stephen King" this and KIng that. Stephen King can burp, turn it into 500 pages and it will sell like wild fire. Sad fact is his stuff has been crap for years and there are far better writers out there in the genre but he will always be the "Standard" by which everyone else is judged.

 

[manyeyedhydra]

That's so funny-- "Twilight" this, "Twilight" that. Y'all have heard of "Twilight" and think that defines Urban Fantasy. That's like picking out one movie... "Avatar" for instance, and claiming it defines Science Fiction.

(ETA) oh, and Anne Rice as well.



The bit I read from her blog has the girl protag being the one with the supernatural powers, which, when you think about it is absolutely opposite of any twilight bandwagon.

Twilight does, kind of. Before it came along Laurel K Hamilton, Kelley Armstrong, etc were hiding out in the Horror section. When I went into my local Waterstones over Christmas, they had a brand new 'Dark Fantasy' section. I doubt this would exist had Twilight not been the huge phenomenon it is.

Girl protag with supernatural powers - sounds like that other juggernaut of paranormal romance: Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood)

It's the Twilight bandwagon. It might not be the specific Twilight bandwagon, but it's the one that features vamps/werewolves + girl in romantic context.

 

[manyeyedhydra]

No sweetheart-- Twilight didn't get there first, it got out first. Out isn't very useful to a genre writer. You want to be in.

If you want to be Amanda Hocking or Stephanie Meyer, you most definitely want to be out. Do you think their stories would have ever seen the light of day had they tried hacking through the established horror genre path?

 

[Stella_Omega]

If you want to be Amanda Hocking or Stephanie Meyer, you most definitely want to be out. Do you think their stories would have ever seen the light of day had they tried hacking through the established horror genre path?

They are not horror genre.

 

[manyeyedhydra]

They are not horror genre.

They're set in a modern day world like this. They have vampires. Where else would they have been pigeon-holed

It's probably a good thing. It's opened up a very broad category that was previously cursed with a very narrow tag in most people's eyes.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Her biggest series is about Trolls. Only she spells it Trylles. And they're nothing like you'd imagine trolls would be like. More like elves, only living in gated communities with a hierarchy. And a princess with powers to compel people. And of course a trio, a girl who has to choose between two guys. That part has Twilight written all over it.

She does have another vampire series, not quite as popular. And one Zombie book.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Urban fantasy and Paranormal fiction, my dears-- all the hep cats (female, anyway) are writing this stuff these days.

Despite that talk about urban settings, I think the primary marker is a female protag, who is more or less heroic-- or anti-heroic-- especially in contrast to most other genres where women are heroines instead.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Shouldn't that be young female protag? The kind a teenager can imagine identifying with? I write female protags all the time but mine tend to be 'wise women' who run everyone around them's lives because they're smarter and more worldly than anyone else. I don't see that making me a fortune off of eager popsies.

 

[Liar]

So anyway... are her books any good? And I don't mean high art good, I mean for what it is - entertainment. I don't knock easy-reading young adult fantasy. It's a genre. It can contain smart writing and good storytelling, or clichéd tripe, just like any other genre. From what I've seen in blurbs, some of her ideas seemed semi-original at least.

 

[CharleyH]

But can they make you filthy rich?

Apparently so.

http://www.businessinsider.com/aman...silicon_alley_insider+(Silicon+Alley+Insider)

God, why - why can't I just like this post! Thanks, Liar.

 

[Stella_Omega]

So anyway... are her books any good? And I don't mean high art good, I mean for what it is - entertainment. I don't knock easy-reading young adult fantasy. It's a genre. It can contain smart writing and good storytelling, or clichéd tripe, just like any other genre. From what I've seen in blurbs, some of her ideas seemed semi-original at least.

At 99 cents a pop, we can afford to find out if she's good or not...