How far would you go for publicity?

[Karen E. Olson]

I was distraught to see in the NYTimes Home section yesterday a story about a writer who got a book contract based on his vow not to use toilet paper for a year.

That's right. He got a book deal with FSG based on a proposal about "living green" in Manhattan: no using subways, trains, buses or any other sort of transportation save a Razor scooter; no toilet paper; no TV; no lightbulbs; no eating anything that hasn't come from within 250 miles of NYC; no olive oil, coffee or spices; no disposable diapers for his child. They have even got a composter in their apartment with worms.

But, the kicker is: he is still using a computer (there's a blog at www.noimpactman.com); they are still using a washing machine; there may be no toilet paper but there is a "dryer"; they have a maid; and they still use the stove.

Would you go that far? Would you eschew toilet paper to get a book deal?

[Bill Peschel]

There's already one book about a woman who eschewed shopping for a year. It was silly, but there was some consideration going on about what consumption really meant (such as, buying a DVD was out, but was going to a movie in?).

With all the talk about global warming and limited resources, we'll probably see more of these kind of books. There's another book, about a guy who went without power for a year, called "Switched Off".

[Toni McGee Causey]

Wait... eschewed shopping for a year? And there was a book about it? I did that, damnit... but it was called being broke. Geez.

[M.G. Tarquini]

What's the purpose behind the book?

Besides getting the contract, I mean.

[Steven Torres]

Didn't Thoreau do something like this? His premise for WALDEN was to see how little money he could use in a year.

Anyway, hard to see how this turns into an interesting book unless he is quite the writer.

Also, it seems like a bit of a cheat to do this in NYC. Everything is within walking distance.

[Elizabeth Zelvin]

The last three comments before mine touched on the first thing that sprang to my mind: I wouldn't want to WRITE a book about how I didn't use toilet paper--too high a price to pay for getting published. In fact, it sounds remarkably like any other kind of scutwork job that keeps us from doing what we really love to do.

[pr]

I'm distraught that blog posts are giving a guy like that even more free publicity by talking about him.

Peter

========================

Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/

[Todd Robinson]

Once I caused a near riot at Partners and Crime during Edgars week. I showed up with 12 Thugettes and a half dozen Thugs. We were distributing t-shirts for the website until some old lady took a fit and started pushing one of my girls. We were threatened with the police.

All in all, a good time was had by all.

In other words, there's not much I wouldn't do.

[Ayo]

Personally I think that the publishers must have more money than they know what to use it for. He must have a really good agent to be able to pull off such a stunt. I would never be that desperate for publicity to go down that route. Not all publicity is good publicity!

[Sandra Ruttan]

"Not all publicity is good publicity!"

Here here!

[Anne Frasier]

that's fucked up.

[Sylvia Dickey Smith]

Depends upon what is available as an alternative! LOL

No, seriously, that just seems to cutesy for me. Nor would I buy that book, borrow it from a friend or a library, or even buy it used for five cents!

Unless of course I'd run low on TP.

Syl

[Shane Gericke]

No TP? Not even to get a movie deal would I do that. Well, maybe . . . no, I'm sure I wouldn't, I have my pride . . . uh, Jack Nicholson AND Julia Roberts directed by George Clooney . . . ohhhhhhh . . .

Shane Gericke
www.shanegericke.com