The most dispiriting thing about the publishing world is everything has be gobbled up by YA. Hell Half of Barnes & Noble is just YA books, and the other half is Lego sets; with one copy of the Penguin Edition of "The Grapes of Wrath" hidden in a corner.
Hunter needs to write a YA novel series! Perhaps about a young man, whose dad is a "senator" but he, the son, finds out that he has super powers that only manifest after he does hookers and blow.
Ahhh, I laughed a lot on this one. Thanks for this. So true on nepotism. People talk a big game on that because most never get a chance to deal it out. Different game when you get the chance. Good on you for staying with the family business. I work with plenty of bus owners whose kids never even consider it. Kinda sad in some cases.
Also, random observation… whenever I read your posts, I hear it as if a movie character is reading it. That’s a good thing. This one was Lt Col Frank Slade. Well done. So don't ever do that audio voiceover thing and ruin it. Keep bringing it my man. Good stuff.
Thanks for the shout-out, Alex! I'll be very curious to hear your feedback on LEVERAGE when it comes out. I share much the publishing industry's politics, just not its sensibilities. I recently met with my editor at Atria and internally they're optimistic the novel could be a good shock to the system. Alas, we shall see what happens. The book business is very humbling, as all but two or three authors will tell you.
Have you read Tony Tulathimutte or Michel Houellebecq? I think you'd dig both. Tony's younger and much more sane. Houellebecq is a madman, but his English translations are -- for better and worse -- unforgettable.
I have Houellebecq waiting for me. Havent made the plunge as I’m afraid once I dive in I will get lost down there haha but I will check out Tulathimutte!
I’m so excited for your novel man. Truly can’t wait. Also your agent is the man btw (gave me lots of hope for the future).
I'm a big evangelist for Houellebecq even though he's controversial. I read, in this order, THE ELEMENTARY PARTICLES, PLATFORM, THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ISLAND, and SEROTONIN. The first and third are phenomenal. The second and fourth are great.
Tony has two books: PRIVATE CITIZENS and REJECTION and both are fantastic. I'm gonna try to convince him to write a blurb for LEVERAGE once copy-edited pages are available.
Christopher is fucking amazing. We just had an hour-long call on Wednesday and we basically cruise the same wavelength. I'm very, very fortunate we're working together.
The culture and political climate is always in flux and sometimes "the market" isn't ready for a certain type of work. Knowing a bit about your book from your query and the emails we've exchanged, I'd say the opportunity to reach disaffected young men is huge. Publishers, like all business, are risk averse, but when they see the dollars they'll pivot on a dime. My advice is to keep developing and improving and to make sure that manuscript stays warm. Remember it took me five years, two books, and one mortally wounded marriage to break through.
The book cover problem is real and unfortunately authors have such limited say in the matter. Most of my novelist friends - myself included - were horrified by the covers first presented to them and had to fight hard for any improvement.
Do you think it’s that most authors are bad at branding themselves? Or don’t have a clear vision of what their unique brand is? Or is it that publishers want to fit everyone in a cookie cutter mold? Also…I’ve had your book in my cart for like a year now. So thanks for giving me an excuse to click buy! Haha
I think the problem is with the publishers, not the authors. My author friends have come up with mood boards, images, etc to help share their vision with their publishers. I sent in covers I liked and some limits about what was a hard NO for me. But then they go do their thing and so much of it seems to be about favoring designs that will “pop” in social media thumbnails - have you noticed that covers are brighter and brighter? So much neon. (And: thank you for pulling the trigger on NSFW! Hope you enjoy it!)
I'd be willing to bet he has a screenplay in the works. He lives in LA and considers himself an artiste. Thing is, it could actually be very good if done right.
Appreciate the shoutout, Alex! And I, too, would read the fuck out of a Hunter Biden novel. I also 1000% agree with your take on the pardoning. I'd do that shit for my kids in a heartbeat, and I think anyone who is honest with themselves would, too.
Idk how to say this but your book isn’t getting published because book buyers (who are mostly women) don’t want to read your book, and not because there is some cultural hate towards male protagonists. You’re just not appealing. That’s it.
The most dispiriting thing about the publishing world is everything has be gobbled up by YA. Hell Half of Barnes & Noble is just YA books, and the other half is Lego sets; with one copy of the Penguin Edition of "The Grapes of Wrath" hidden in a corner.
Hunter needs to write a YA novel series! Perhaps about a young man, whose dad is a "senator" but he, the son, finds out that he has super powers that only manifest after he does hookers and blow.
Hahaha just laughed out loud. I’m sure his real super power is the amount of blow he can consume in an evening.
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Ahhh, I laughed a lot on this one. Thanks for this. So true on nepotism. People talk a big game on that because most never get a chance to deal it out. Different game when you get the chance. Good on you for staying with the family business. I work with plenty of bus owners whose kids never even consider it. Kinda sad in some cases.
Also, random observation… whenever I read your posts, I hear it as if a movie character is reading it. That’s a good thing. This one was Lt Col Frank Slade. Well done. So don't ever do that audio voiceover thing and ruin it. Keep bringing it my man. Good stuff.
Thank you so much for this comment man. Made my day. Happy my musings can cause some laughs!
Thanks for the shout-out, Alex! I'll be very curious to hear your feedback on LEVERAGE when it comes out. I share much the publishing industry's politics, just not its sensibilities. I recently met with my editor at Atria and internally they're optimistic the novel could be a good shock to the system. Alas, we shall see what happens. The book business is very humbling, as all but two or three authors will tell you.
Have you read Tony Tulathimutte or Michel Houellebecq? I think you'd dig both. Tony's younger and much more sane. Houellebecq is a madman, but his English translations are -- for better and worse -- unforgettable.
I have Houellebecq waiting for me. Havent made the plunge as I’m afraid once I dive in I will get lost down there haha but I will check out Tulathimutte!
I’m so excited for your novel man. Truly can’t wait. Also your agent is the man btw (gave me lots of hope for the future).
I'm a big evangelist for Houellebecq even though he's controversial. I read, in this order, THE ELEMENTARY PARTICLES, PLATFORM, THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ISLAND, and SEROTONIN. The first and third are phenomenal. The second and fourth are great.
Tony has two books: PRIVATE CITIZENS and REJECTION and both are fantastic. I'm gonna try to convince him to write a blurb for LEVERAGE once copy-edited pages are available.
Christopher is fucking amazing. We just had an hour-long call on Wednesday and we basically cruise the same wavelength. I'm very, very fortunate we're working together.
The culture and political climate is always in flux and sometimes "the market" isn't ready for a certain type of work. Knowing a bit about your book from your query and the emails we've exchanged, I'd say the opportunity to reach disaffected young men is huge. Publishers, like all business, are risk averse, but when they see the dollars they'll pivot on a dime. My advice is to keep developing and improving and to make sure that manuscript stays warm. Remember it took me five years, two books, and one mortally wounded marriage to break through.
The book cover problem is real and unfortunately authors have such limited say in the matter. Most of my novelist friends - myself included - were horrified by the covers first presented to them and had to fight hard for any improvement.
Do you think it’s that most authors are bad at branding themselves? Or don’t have a clear vision of what their unique brand is? Or is it that publishers want to fit everyone in a cookie cutter mold? Also…I’ve had your book in my cart for like a year now. So thanks for giving me an excuse to click buy! Haha
I think the problem is with the publishers, not the authors. My author friends have come up with mood boards, images, etc to help share their vision with their publishers. I sent in covers I liked and some limits about what was a hard NO for me. But then they go do their thing and so much of it seems to be about favoring designs that will “pop” in social media thumbnails - have you noticed that covers are brighter and brighter? So much neon. (And: thank you for pulling the trigger on NSFW! Hope you enjoy it!)
Noticed? I’m blinded any time I walk into a Barnes & Noble!
The publishing industry is following the general cultural trend of seeking sameness and uniformity in all things.
This will continue as long as the academic complex continues to produce MFAs.
Even now, earnestly woke twenty years olds are laboring away on their MFAs in Iowa City. I can see them now.
Sounds like a zombie movie…
Yes, or lemmings marching off the cliff.
Hunter wrote a memoir! If it was honest (I haven’t read it but I would doubt it is) it might be good.
I need the novel so he can say he made it up 😂 like OJ - If I Did It
I'd be willing to bet he has a screenplay in the works. He lives in LA and considers himself an artiste. Thing is, it could actually be very good if done right.
Appreciate the shoutout, Alex! And I, too, would read the fuck out of a Hunter Biden novel. I also 1000% agree with your take on the pardoning. I'd do that shit for my kids in a heartbeat, and I think anyone who is honest with themselves would, too.
Wouldn’t even bat an eyelash bro haha
Thanks for the shoutout Alex! High praise I am sure to fall short of.
The line about your wife being Sicilian made me laugh 😁
I wish I was kidding…😂
Idk how to say this but your book isn’t getting published because book buyers (who are mostly women) don’t want to read your book, and not because there is some cultural hate towards male protagonists. You’re just not appealing. That’s it.
For someone who didn’t know how to say that…😂