Big Buzz on Sarah Palin book
The new Republican V.P. nominee, Sarah Palin, has a book out and it’s a hot bestseller on Barnes & Noble.com and Amazon. “Sarah: How a Small Town Girl Turned Alaska’s Political Establishment on Its Ear” has been out a while. The biography was first published in April of 2008, before Palin’s recent problems were disclosed in the national media.
Last Saturday, “Sarah” ranked number eight on the Barnes & Noble.com bestsellers list. By Sunday evening, it had jumped to number five. Then on Labor Day Monday, the highest ranking for the “Sarah” book was number 12. This morning, the “Sarah” hardcover was at 15.
Written by Kaylene Johnson, the book is slim at around 160 pages. That might be expected since Palin’s political experience is somewhat limited. She was elected governor of Alaska in 2006. Previously, the most significant job on Palin’s political resume was that of mayor of the small town of Wasilla, Alaska.
Then last Friday, Palin made the leap onto the national scene when presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain introduced her as his running mate. That probably gave the “Sarah” book a nice bump up in sales.
If you want a copy of the “Sarah” book don’t rush on to the Barnes & Noble website. A notice on the site says the book is temporarily out of stock and will not be available until September 8 or 9.
On Saturday, I checked Amazon.com and found the “Sarah” book was ranked number eight on its list of top sellers, too. Oh, and it is out of stock here as well. Also, the title is slightly different here. It’s listed as “Sarah: How A Hockey Mom Turned Alaska’s Political Establishment on Its Ear.”
When I glanced through Amazon’s bestseller list on Sunday evening, the “Sarah” book had dropped to 19 in ranking, but had skyrocketed in price. Two booksellers on the site were offering new hardcover copies at $142.50 and $145.00 each plus shipping! The list price is $19.95 for the hardcover and $15.95 for the paperback.
Yesterday, the hardcover version was listed at number 37 on Amazon’s top seller list. Again, there were some copies from other booksellers being offered for sale on this site. A used copy for $65. A few new copies from $27.95 to $142.50 each and a signed new copy for $100.
This morning, the “Sarah” hardcover was ranked 47. There are several used and new copies from independent booksellers from $29.95 to $142.50.
Dorchester Publishing editor launches new website
Editor Leah Hultenschmidt is the voice behind “Romantic Reads.” Hultenschmidt handles romance and western for Dorchester, which calls itself the oldest independent publisher of mass-market books in America. Hultenschmidt’s site covers current/new projects and book releases in both categories as well as providing writing, publishing tips and news for authors.
Hultenschmidt moderated a terrific workshop at the recent 28th Annual National Conference of Romance Writers of America. I got quite a bit of information and inspiration from her workshop, “The Hybrid Hype: Genre-defying Blends that Hit the Mark.”
I’m getting a good vibe from her website, “Romantic Reads” as well, so I’ve added it to my list of favorites.
Boys Night Out — A Walk on the Noir Side
Authors Bill Fitzhugh, Gary Phillips, Darrell James, and Michael Mallory will be getting together for a panel discussion at the Buena Vista Branch Library in Burbank. James will moderate. The event is set for Saturday, September 6 from 2-4 p.m. It is presented by a local mystery group, Sisters in Crime Los Angeles.
