A million books sold in one day!

[B.R.Stateham]

Dan Brown's new book sold a million copies on its first day. A million copies. Take in this, along with James Patterson's megablock deal, and I would suggest the health of the publishing industry is, in some respects, quite healthy.

How the hell does an author sell a million books? There are lots of well-known authors out there who have good reputations and a sizeable following. But they don't come close to hitting the numbers like Brown's new book did. I think this is a perfect example of a publishing house deciding on which author to push. . and when they push hard. . . it becomes amazing the numbers they can stir up.

[Jon Loomis]

Dan Brown was going to be a mega-star and a guy like Jon or a lady like I.J. aren't.

Hey, wait a second now...

[John McFetridge]

So far I've only read Island of Exiles, but the writing is so strong that I'd say you could do just about anything.

[B.R.Stateham]

I agree with you, Joe. But a modicum of financial success for the lesser voices would be appreciated.

[Joe Barone]

I guess it all depends on how you define success for the publishing industry. Massive numbers in obviously one sort of success, but a variety of excellent voices each of which sells fewer is another kind of success. As a reader, I prefer the second kind of success.

[I. J. Parker]

B.R. is as always an angel. Since we started this thread, I've been told to come up with a new series. I'm pondering the changes I'll have to make in order to be more successful next time.

[B.R.Stateham]

It does seem odd that the greatest success stories nowadays does not go the writer who can left genre material up and make it truly shine. . call it even 'literature.' No, the true success goes to the writer who creates a bland, colorless, composite of a story.

And yeah, I agree with Jon. I'm jealous. Not of the writing style, but the series of circumstances which were woven together my mysterious forces which said Dan Brown was going to be a mega-star and a guy like Jon or a lady like I.J. aren't. It doesn't make sense.

[Jon Loomis]

I'm totally jealous--of the yacht and the villa on Lake Como. The books, not so much.

[Jack Getze]

Didn't say we ARE jealous, just that we sound like it when we criticize another author.

[Jon Loomis]

Dan Brown is an abominable writer. I couldn't get through the prologue of "da Vinci." As Dorothy Parker said, it's "not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force." AS for the jealousy thing, sure, I'd like to have his money--but not if it meant I had to write like that.

[John McFetridge]

Well, in Pullman's case he talks about specifics in the writing. And I don't know about the jealousy.

As I've said before, think of it as restaurans - some peple want to open a McDonald's franchise and some want to be chefs in their own restaurant.