Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2006 12:59:50 -0500
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>, <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>
From: "Mike B." <omni at omniphile.com>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: How to sell books.....
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>

At 1/14/2006 12:32 PM, Michael Walsh wrote:
> > kfl at KeithLynch.net 1/14/2006 12:21:32 PM >>>
>
> >It was marketed as nonfiction.
>
>I'm willing to give the author of a memoir/autobiography a certain
>degree of leeway, memory being what it is.  Not everyone keeps a diary,
>much less a meticulous one.

Sorry, but short of a serious head injury that resulted in long term brain
damage, I doubt that many people would remember a few hours in jail on a
drunk driving charge as 3 months in prison...complete with stories of life
with his cellmate.  Just for one example of his "memory failure".

Getting a date wrong, or getting events somewhat out of order I could
believe, but his "errors" are just a bit much.

I'm surprised that he hasn't claimed it was just an editing oversight,
since the book was originally submitted as a fiction novel, but rejected
until he redid it as a memoir and resubmitted it.  "Oops...that bit was
from the novel, and I must have missed it when I was revising things to
make it factual..."

> >The publisher is offering a full refund to anyone who bought it
> >direct from the publisher.

They are putting a notice on all future printings to notify the reader that
some parts are more factual than others...and the publisher of his next
book (due out later this year I think) has already announced publicly that
it is *FICTION*.

>Considering the number of copies bought directly from the publisher, I
>suspect those refunds are being funded out of petty cash.  Mind you,
>petty cash for Random House is a bit more than the rest of us have....
>in our entire lifetimes.... combined....

Is Doubleday part of Random House?  The report on the radio last night said
the publisher was Doubelday.  I can't say, as I haven't seen the book, and
don't plan to look for it, and I don't keep track of which big publishing
fish has eaten which other most recently.

-- Mike B.
--

Following the rules will not get the job done. Getting the job done is no
excuse for not following the rules.