Good News (which was much needed)

[erastes]

TRANSGRESSIONS has (within a whisker) earned its advance back in six months.  I don’t know for certain, but I keep reading everywhere that “most books don’t earn back their advances” so surely this is a good thing?? i didn’t get any royalties because of that whisker, but I will do next payday.  Alex Beecroft’s False Colors (which I knew was doing a little better based only on Amazon sales) has entirely earned out its advance. 

Transgressions had under 10% returns, don’t know what the normal figures are for that. That’s the trouble with this business you don’t know what is “normal” because so much is shrouded in secrecy!  Here’s hoping this means a second printing, and that they’ll continue with the line – I want MERE MORTALS out there!!

Assassin’s Creed has gone hard.  I think I need to hone my fighting skillz because up to now I’d been playing in stealth mode, stealth walking around, stealth assassinations – and suddenly I’m hit with having to fight three Templars (who are hard buggers to kill) AND a load of guards from a trapped position – not fun. I hate to have to fight.  Apparently the trick is to take out as many standing guards before you attempt the assassination.

Comments

[semioticwarrior.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on the excellent sales figures!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Thank you, dear.

[asphodeline.livejournal.com]

It sounds good and 10% returns sounds pretty good too. Fingers crossed for second printing - does this mean we now have valuable first editions??!!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

:) If it goes to second printing, you may well have - although as Mr Pratchett once said (I think) that it's the unsigned ones that are the ones to look out for.

At least I had a higher first print run than JKR, so I live in hope that SQUILLIONS of squids will be forthcoming.

*snort *

[belluthien.livejournal.com]

I ordered TRANSGRESSIONS last week, after reading that Bay Area review you posted. ;) It should arrive today!
Yay!
& Congratulations to both you and Alex.
y

[erastes.livejournal.com]

LOL!! Thank you - I hope you enjoy it! Now I just need to inspire you to make a roundhead outfit and a Cavalier outfit....

[belluthien.livejournal.com]

;)
I suspect I will. I'm enjoying False Colors...

Now I just need to inspire you to make a roundhead outfit and a Cavalier outfit....

LOL!
Well, those are some very cool outfits. I particularly admire the Cavalier's, but I'm biased. ;)
y

[enolabloodygay.livejournal.com]

Perhaps you mean a Royalist and a Parliamentarian outfit?
Don't want to get all Hollywood about this and I am your favourite pedant, after all!

[belluthien.livejournal.com]

... Just wanted to let you know, Transgressions almost derailed my packing for NYC, but I managed to get the necessary things done on time for our flight out. (I had thought I would just take a peek inside, and then could not stop.) Finished it there, & really enjoyed it.

It screams for a sequel, imho.
Yes.
y

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Oh how lovely! (sorry it derailed, but still...) it's always nice when people are sucked in and can't let go, it's something I pray will happen, because, for me, that's the best kind of reading.

There may be one one of these days, lots of people have been indignant (including my editor) about not knowing what happened to the farm.

I'm thinking something along the lines of what happened to Luke skywalker meself. *giggle*

[belluthien.livejournal.com]

Oh how lovely! (sorry it derailed, but still...)

I didn't miss the flight or forget anything, so I forgive you. *smiles*

it's always nice when people are sucked in and can't let go, it's something I pray will happen, because, for me, that's the best kind of reading.

I pray it too, for my stuff... I think we all do. And it is the best kind of reading. I love to be sucked in to the point of thinking about the characters for days after.

And I'm still thinking of yours. Loved the biblical references to David and Jonathan. That had me squeeing, because I'm a geek for these kinds of things. *more smiles* And it was somehow perfect, thinking of their namesakes this way, because I always thought this kind of love is in the Bible, actually, between the lines but not so very shrouded so people cannot see it if their eyes are open. I ramble.

There may be one one of these days, lots of people have been indignant (including my editor) about not knowing what happened to the farm.

Hehehe. Your editor, too! ;) I thought of mentioning that, but thought you must have heard it before already, and... It's up to you to let us know, but DAMN! I Do want to know what happened to David's father... and that girl, and her offspring. Oh, yeah. Not to mention how David & Jonathan's lives continue from where they are. I've got escape plans working through my head, and none of them seam easy. Yes.

I'm thinking something along the lines of what happened to Luke skywalker meself. *giggle*

Omgosh, how perfect and cruel! Love it... ;)
I will be patient, promise.
y

[beckyblack]

Congratulations! Bet you're counting the days for the first royalty cheque. Do they still pay it by cheque? I'll bet they do. Publishing sounds like a very old fashioned and arcane game. I got my chequebook out the other day and found the last one I wrote was in 2006.

[chris-smith-atr.livejournal.com]

I wish I was you. The amount of cheques I'm currently writing is terrifying.

[beckyblack]

I'm all about the plastic and the online.

[chris-smith-atr.livejournal.com]

So am I. But the wedding ppls. THEY DEMAND CHEQUES.

[beckyblack]

Bah tell 'em to get with the 21st century, dude. :D

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I agree - I don't even know where my chequebook IS. If i can't paypal it, I'm really not interested!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Yes, they certainly do - which is a pain as it costs money to pay American cheques into the UK banks. I've asked for direct payment but.. no.

I suppose it will be another six months until I get anything - without checking my contract, I'm pretty sure that's the dealio.

[beckyblack]

Never even thought of that! Getting to the bank at all to pay in even a UK cheque is a hassle. Paying in foreign ones, extra layer of hassle.

Of course I'd like to have that problem! :D

[storm-grant.livejournal.com]

That's great new. Congrats!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Thanks Stormy, it's all very new and scary and I'm going to make the most of it while it lasts - knowing this business, next week the news will be "Running Press are pulling out" but I'm travelling optimistically.

[storm-grant.livejournal.com]

No! No! Next week's news will say, "due to the overwhelming success of our m/m historical line, we're expanding into paranormals". ;-D

[crawling-angel.livejournal.com]

Hear, hear!

[chris-smith-atr.livejournal.com]

BE CONGRATULATED. AND REVERED.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Lower, minion.

[chris-smith-atr.livejournal.com]

Minion tunnels through floor.

[tamara-allen.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! Only six months out--that is really good, isn't it? I hope it does mean a second printing. I'd love to see the line continued.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

i THINK its good but i really have no frame of reference - i'll have to do some research. thanks hun!

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

I've had a cheque for $18.99 from them, which I'm thinking would actually cost that much to cash, so I might frame it instead :D

I'm not sure we could have done much better for them and for the line :) Let's hope it's enough and it carries on to greater things!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

i do feel that if they'd gone to RTs con they would have done even better but i'm pleased anyway - at least its a plus if we have to go elsewhere

[heidicullinan.livejournal.com]

I spotted both TRANSGRESSIONS and FALSE COLORS on a bookshelf in a Barnes & Noble in West Des Moines, Iowa last weekend, so you're taking on midwestern suburbia. That can only be good.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

that's great!

[heidicullinan.livejournal.com]

You know, I'm still mulling this one, but I think the thing about earning out advances is going to become standard. The advances bigger than projected sales is a tool of the NY houses, which are all floundering. In contrast, the smaller, electronic houses all seem to be going with no advance or very small advances; Dreamspinner told me their advance was more "good faith" than an expectation of sales, and that most of their authors earn out in the first quarter.

Much as I admit I like the romance of an advance that would pay off my home mortgage, this new way seems fair to me. I still get paid for what I sell, and if I sell more, I get more. I suppose that puts some of the marketing onus on me, but that was there anyway. What really has my attention is that everything I read in New York publishing biz is about how they're all panicking and running around with pitchers of water on a burning deck, and in the meantime the small, upstart, mostly digital houses are expanding, sailing on by. In a skiff, yeah, but they're moving. I'm with the skiff, thanks.

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

YAY!

You might see how complicated it would be to get a bank account for US $. Most Canadian banks do--it takes a long time for the deposit to clear, but it's then there to change into local currency when the exchange rate is good. (We kept our US account when we moved, since my wife goes to visit her mom in the States every couple of months.)

Six months ... Huzzah!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I'll look into it...thanks!

[nagasvoice.livejournal.com]

A fairly standard level of returns for hardback best sellers is 50%. That's a lot of books getting tossed.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

rather than tossing WITH the book! :)

[enolabloodygay.livejournal.com]

So next week I'll have a friend in the top tax bracket? Please buy a home in a nice HOT tax haven - I know you'll never go there, but I'll use it for you!
Well done, you. xxx

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I wish! And the minute I buy one, we are both going to live in it. With cats. I can live in air conditioning and the pool.

[cheshyre]

FYI, earlier this evening I spotted Transgressions prominently displayed on the new book shelf at the Wakefield Public Library (north of Boston).
Looks like there are 2 copies in the library network so far.

Just thought you'd like to know about a spotting in the wild.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I understand that it's in lots of American libraries which is wonderful!