It’s definitely coming to books AGAIN.

It was very ordinary to see advertisements on the last few leaves of books in the nineteenth century. Most often for the publisher’s other wares, but there were paid adverts too.

So plus c(with a thingie under it)a change. People think spam is new, but the first electronic unsolicited citations were a series of telegrams in London in 1886.

I believe “product placement” is the movie term for putting identifiable goods into the action for pay. It probably happens quietly often enough. If the authors are clever, it’s pre publication- “Hello, Dodge of Portland? I’m Stephen King, and I really like that new Viper. I’m just finishing a new manuscript…”

Stephen King is the first recent author to sprinkle brand names heavily into fiction, and it was unusual enough to draw attention to it at the time and make it a marker of his work. He’s clever enough to make that call.

The successful “American Psycho” was one long list of commercial products. Or at least as far as I got through it before I threw it at the popcorn.

(It makes me wonder if once upon a time advertisers tried this, and publishers refused because they weren’t offered a big enough cut.)

I don’t see anything wrong with it. If Mr. King talks about a character using Tide, or Dashiell Hammett about one being shot with a Webley Fosbery, why do I care if the author got something more than artistic satisfaction? That payment lowers my cost after all, and it’s not as though “Coke” takes any longer to read than “soft drink”.

The movie adverts are different, that’s ten minutes of my life I won’t get back again. I arrive late to avoid them.

Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: Sridhar Balan is a senior consultant with book publisher Ratna Sagar Private Ltd. He had previously been a director with Oxford University Press, India. He is involved in professional training in publishing and also writes a column on publishing in leading newspapers.

I love the chutzpah, daring-do, just plain COMMON GOOD SENSE.

Onward and upward!

Russell

Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: Russell is a Brooklyn, New York based, much-published poet. He completed his first novel, Trompe-l’ oeil, in 2004.

There are so many books being published every year that I cannot possibly scratch the surface of reading them all and I have been hunting in vain for the next Jane Austin or Alexander Dumas. And I’ve given up on finding anyone like P.G. Wodehouse.

When you find them… please let me know!

Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: You can read an excerpt from Gina’s book, Running from Shadows at this link. She writes a weekly column for Blogger News Network, opinion pieces on news for Studylight, and book reviews at Upon Reflection.

There are plenty of books that fall into this category, and not just recent ones.

Do you intend to look up authors whose works seem to fit, or take suggestions?

Staghounds

Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: Thanks, Staghounds, for the viral marketing push. And, sure, if you’ve got some suggestions, absolutely let me know. I’d appreciate it! An awful lot of publishers are republishing old books, but these books are destined to just sit there, gathering dust, waiting to be stumbled upon. No marketing effort, no sales. 

Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: Hi, Peter. Welcome back. Don’t be such a cheapskate! Did you notice the softcover published by Berkley Books oh-so-many-years-ago is selling for twice that much on Amazon after the cheap versions run out? And the old versions are completely outdated unless, of course, you are still flying around the world in your personal Concorde! [Peter lives in California.]

Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: Kat is a writer and freelance editor, and senior editor/senior newsletter editor at Rose & Thorn Literary Ezine.