Huge Ads With My Books In Them Make Me Happy
Posted on December 6, 2012 Posted by John Scalzi 30 Comments
People keep sending me copies of the Audible.com ad that features Redshirts in it, and I have to admit that I think it’s pretty damn cool that Audible using the book as an example of the genre in their advertising. Yes, it’s advertising Audible primarily, but it’s advertising me and my book as well, and every time the ad goes up somewhere, I get to be there too. For example:
Hey, you know how often a science fiction writer gets a big-ass billboard in New York City advertising his latest book? The answer is: Infrequently! At best! So thanks, Audible.com. You know how to make at least one of your writers feel all nice and shiny.
While we’re on the subject of Audible and Redshirts, hey, look! Redshirts was listed as one of Audible.com’s best science fiction works of 2012. Can’t complain about that, either.
Do you get any kind of royalty for the Audible ads featuring the cover of Redshirts?
Oh, that’s, that’s, 8251653328_54a294c412_z.jpg quite a shit pic name.
Saved it with an adequate name.
Jennifer R. Ewing:
No, why would I? Audible’s not making any money directly from the advertising; indeed it’s spending money. And they’re doing me a favor by advertising my book. Beyond that contracts usually allow for publishers to advertise their wares, and Audible’s a publisher of mine.
Shawn T:
Blame Flickr for the pic name, man.
Congratulations on the timing and placement!
Awesomeness for your awesome book!
Beautiful choice of book. I finished listening to it yesterday and was still blubbering when the phone rang, so my brother had to call back. Since I had gifted him with the ebook previously, he said he understood.
Not too shabby! I’d be pleased, too!
Swanky!
Does this mean we can start accusing you of selling out?
I liked Scalzi before liking Scalzi was cool!
Wow, so it’s like product placement, except it didn’t cost you a dime! That’s pretty awesome. Let me offer you a virtual high-five.
Purely tangential: I keep reading the title of this post as “Huge Ads With My Boobs In Them”… Possibly it’s time I got my eyes checked again.
I guess I always assume the ‘worst’. I figure when I see a cross-promotion like this that there is some sort of quid pro quo behind it. Maybe not cash but some tie in or discount to the second party. I guess thats not always the case. You may be one of the luckiest Sons a guns ever – I hope sales spike for you!
It made me sad that I won’t be teleporting to work. Or even taking my flying car. I was *promised* a flying car! :(
Good job having a good book with a cover that contrasts sharply with “Audible’s” color!
Hey Scalzi-
I was introduced to your books through Audible.com! It makes me ridiculously happy that this ad exists.
I love audible. I quit buying books through itunes as soon as I found out they were a thing. Its like a book club, but totally more awesome.
REDSHIRTS is a good candidate to be used in advertizing, since it is a good book and is well read by Wil Wheaton. It also has a striking and simple cover, which sticks in the minds of viewers.
That ad is gorgeous — such a great visual.
That is one sweet ad. Gratzies!
Great! Must be really awesome to see that, Scalzi!
That’s cool. Considering most of the time a book gets shown (such as ads for the Nook or Kindle), it seems to usually be George Martin or Suzanne Collins.
Dude, you got a billboard!
I saw that ad two weeks ago when I was driving home from a day in the city with my family. It’s right at the corner of 36th street and 2nd Avenue and gives you something to look at while you’re waiting at the light to get into the midtown tunnel – a good advertising spot for a billboard.
You’re thinking ahead to John’s upcoming book cover pose.
At first I was thinking this was co-op advertising, but I see now, as you point out, it’s just garden variety advertising for the publishing company.
It’s a little like the ads at the back of a paperback for other wares from the publishing company.
Come to think of it, do paperbacks still have those ads? I don’t recall seeing one recently, but I’m not buying many mass-market paperbacks, so there may be a zillion counter-examples of which I’m not aware.
Now that we have digital production do they just increase the font size by a squintillionth to make the book come out to an integer number of signatures.
Heh, I didn’t notice that middle clicking the ‘view image’ right click option
took me to http:// farm9 .staticflickr .com/8484/8251653328_54a294c412_z.jpg .
I just assumed that “8251653328_54a294c412_z” was a message that decrypts
to where the zombie overlord will start creating its army of undead miniature
–cows.– bulls.
http:// miniaturebull. com/ yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/dustinripley.253203220
(remove this and spaces and linefeeds.)
_std.jpg
“Come to think of it, do paperbacks still have those ads?”
‘Bellwether’ does not.
‘A thousand words for Stranger’ does.
–
Something that has really annoyed me a couple of times
was in hardcover books. I had about an 1/8 of an inch of it
left and and !BANG!
That 1/8 inch was the first bit of a different book.
I still haven’t read ‘Duma Key’ because of that: I just can’t
find where I’ll need to start reading. – BTW, I bought ‘Duma
Key’ ’cause it was (has S. King been knighted yet?) by Him,
not because of that advert.
Had I known that I wouldn’t be able to figure out where I
should start reading the complete novel from? Ida probably
not bought for about ten years.
–
Horses (redacted).
What your daughter needs for Christmas is about five
miniature horses.
You’ve the pastureland, and may not have to get rid of
your cats.
[Deleted for asshole — JS]
Congrats, John!
congratulations John, but just out of curiosity why didn’t you mallet raging bull? I know people are entitled to their opinions but he didn’t have to be a dick about it! I haven’t read it yet, well except for the first 5 chapters but I can’t wait. I’m hoping to get it for Xmas. If I don’t it will probably be the 1st book I get for my new Kndle which I AM getting for Xmas..
Evette:
Hadn’t seen it yet. Fixed.
I sound like more of an asshole than I usually am about the S King bujum. (SP)
I read the first little bit of it that was past the end of the book I was reading.
Every time I try to read that book I’m discommoded* by “That doesn’t make
any sense” and “oh. left, that. I read that already and still can’t figure out what
I need to get to next.”
Every time I try to read S.Kings Duma Key I need to remember the first two
chapters and I can’t.
–
*
Discommoded.
I love the word.
It means something like “to be made uncomfortable.”
I think that what it really means is ‘Dude thinks he is alone. On three? Knock
him off of the commode.
One.
Two.
…