The secret of getting your novel onto supermarket shelves

[Pauline Rowson]

Most authors would love to see their books sold in supermarkets because that usually means increased sales. But there's not a lot of space for books in supermarkets and it costs the publisher vast amounts of money to get what shelf space there is, so only the top names (or potential top names) are carried and promoted. But now all is revealed on how to crack this particular nut and it comes straight from the mouth of the key book buyer in one of the major supermarkets in the UK - Asda.

In an article in The Bookseller, which also claims how sales of misery memoirs is declining (Yippee), publishers are now looking towards books about angels as a new genre emerges. Asda book buying manager, Steph Bateson, says:

"We are still seeing misery (memoirs) working but there are fewer mis-mem titles and more angels books. Dogs is another crossover—a book that combines mis-mem, angels and dogs is our perfect paperback."

So here's my cunning plan for getting the next DI Horton marine mystery crime novel stocked in Asda:

A reality TV personality is murdered on the day her misery memoir is published. The flawed and rugged DI Andy Horton is called in to investigate, but he's blocked at every turn, until an Angel arrives in the form of a Springer Spaniel to help him crack the case.

Do you think it will work?

[Pauline Rowson]

Like it!

[I. J. Parker]

Good one! Let us know how it fares. :)

[B.R.Stateham]

Name the dog 'Rupert' and the dead chic "Mrs. Murdock."