How I Know It’s The Holidays
Posted on December 13, 2006 Posted by John Scalzi 19 Comments
I know it’s the holidays because at the moment Book of the Dumb has a higher Amazon ranking at the moment than my other books. This happens every year; for most of the year the book does hardly any business at all, and then comes the holidays and suddenly everyone’s looking for a relatively inexpensive gift for hard-to-buy-for Uncle Fred. Book of the Dumb to the rescue! Then December 26th will roll around and it’ll be back to the book-selling equivalent of the Oort cloud for another year. It’s interesting being a seasonal flavor.
What’s really interesting about it is that it sells enough units in its one-month selling season that it’s still my biggest-selling book, although there’s a good chance Old Man’s War may finally overtake it in the next year. We’ll have to see. It amuses me to have it be my best-seller, though. I’m sure it says something about me and/or the American public, but in eaither case I’m not entirely sure I want to know what.
“I’m sure it says something about me and/or the American public, but in eaither case I’m not entirely sure I want to know what.”
Leaving aside what it says about the American public — it says that you’re appropriately diversified. You’re like a one-man General Electric of writing! :)
You put that up because you knew some of us would click on the link, look at the book, and immediately wonder who they could get it for. Didn’t you? Didn’t you?
And the man says he doesn’t have advertising on his site: Hah! to that, say I.
Was the mention of the Oort cloud along with a seasonal phenomenon a veiled Anne McCaffrey reference? Cuz that’s what popped into my head when I read this post. I’m bettin’ it’s not. I’m sorry, my nerd glands are misfiring.
Monty:
“Was the mention of the Oort cloud along with a seasonal phenomenon a veiled Anne McCaffrey reference?”
Nope!
Damn, I just finished my seasnon book buy at Amazon. Well, there is allways next year.
I knew you were a writer with a diverse bibliography but heretofore this one had slipped under my radar.
I am afraid you have written a bestseller in the genre referred to at our house as Bathroom Literature.
I must have one for my own WC.
Hey, MY books are higher than yours. Could be the nationwide radio tour at the moment, but what do I know.
I am doing my best to help you, though: I bought copies of almost all your books. I haven’t been a Sci-Fi person, but I enjoy you’re writing, so I bet I love the books.
Gina:
“Hey, MY books are higher than yours. Could be the nationwide radio tour at the moment, but what do I know.”
It’s because they’re the best damn books about pets, ever. That’s why.
Oh my gawd. I meant “your” not “you’re.” Sheesh.
I wanted to buy OMW for some people, but it doesn’t seem to be in stock in Chapters (Canadian chain bookstore) anymore. *sigh*
Michele, it’ll probably be available again in January, when the mass-market paperback comes out.
Are you actually someone’s uncle?
Several people’s uncle, in fact.
“It amuses me to have it be my best-seller, though.”
It’s the rubber chicken on the cover. Stick a rubber chicken somewhere in the cover art for TLC, and I guarantee it’ll sell like Rastafarian hotcakes.
Hey, at least you have a best seller. :)
Random thought: Do you have to be named John to write for Uncle John’s?
No, but it doesn’t hurt.
I didn’t know you had a middle name until I saw it there?
Shouldn’t that be Book of TEH dumb?