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Local Authors => Brandon Sanderson => Topic started by: EUOL on May 30, 2006, 03:20:45 PM

Title: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: EUOL on May 30, 2006, 03:20:45 PM
Well, today is the official release date.  I'm curious to see how paperback sales go--I've been through the hardback thing once, but paperback is a whole new world for me.  

I was waiting to see what the Amazon numbers were today, and there's be a lot less fanfare than there was for the paperback.  In hardback, we got to about #2500 in books the first few days.  The paperback is around 40k right now, which is lower than it's been before, but hardly stunning.  

Makes me wonder, however, how people even find new books on Amazon.  There's really no way a small, genre book like this is going to get any sort of publicity on their site.  My guess is that people have to go browse bookstores, see the book and want to buy it, then go order it off of Amazon.  However, I see that happening far less frequently for paperbacks than hardbacks, since Amazon offers HBs at significant discounts, but paperbacks are at their regular prices.  
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: stacer on May 30, 2006, 06:45:36 PM
Amazon often sends out marketing emails for things like this, though it's a limited number. Mainly, I think what drives people to buy paperbacks via Amazon is a book they read at the library but didn't want to spring for the hardcover, or a book they'd been meaning to read but hadn't, or a book a friend or someone else recommended to them to look up. Not sure how else, except in the connections on things like "the page you made." I know that Melusine often comes up when viewing Elantris ("people that bought this also bought this"), and that's another way that traffic gets pulled in to other books, I think.
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: Tage on May 31, 2006, 03:16:16 PM
I buy hardbacks almost exclusively from Amazon, and paperbacks almost exclusively from bookstores. I don't know if that's typical, but it makes sense to me, since paperbacks are the same price, and if I go down to the bookstore I can get it now.
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: EUOL on May 31, 2006, 05:30:17 PM
I'm guessing that is very common, judging on the sales numbers via Amazon.  That's what I'd do too.
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: Tink on May 31, 2006, 06:10:12 PM
Isn't Elantris selling in bookstores as well as Amazon? I do the same as Tage: i.e. buy paperbacks in the bookstore (if I buy paperbacks. Usually I buy hardbacks because they're nicer and I don't usually buy a book unless I really like it. They're heavy to move!).
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: Shrain on May 31, 2006, 11:12:40 PM
Well, regardless of where people buy it, having Elantris in PB is cool. Congrats on having your first softcover run! :D
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: Shrain on June 06, 2006, 10:14:55 PM
Sorry for the doublepost, but how's this for cool: I found 2 copies of the PB of Elantris at Boston's South Shore B&N. They were even face-out too. Not bad.
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: Nessa on June 27, 2006, 09:50:18 PM
From the paperback:
(http://www.vanessakchristenson.com/images/TWG9.jpg)

Apparently, EUOL has an evil twin.
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: Spriggan on June 27, 2006, 09:59:22 PM
This Brandon Anderson person is brilliant!  Though to be honest this wouldn't be the first time people have printed "Sanderson" as "Anderson", it was a fairly common occurrence when I was in school.
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: Fellfrosch on June 28, 2006, 01:02:01 AM
Is there an accent on the A in Brandon? Even thought it won't change the pronunciation, I'm going to always say his name with an accent now.
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: EUOL on June 28, 2006, 01:16:21 AM
The thing is, a lot of people still call me Brian Sanderson in reviews and the like.

So, it looks like I've got my pen name chosen for me.  Brian Anderson.  
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on June 28, 2006, 03:43:50 AM
I'm sure I'm going to inadvertantly insult someone who has that name, but "Brian Anderson" sounds like he writes technical manuals for toaster ovens, or something equally mundane.
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: 42 on June 28, 2006, 04:24:05 AM
Actually, he writes about prisoners rehabilitating. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1930586256/qid=1151479274/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-7571363-3461710?s=books&v=glance&n=283155)

And he's also a major league baseball player.
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: Shrain on June 28, 2006, 10:36:50 AM
hahaahahaa. Goodness, who proofread that section? One would have hoped that the big, bolded name would be correct. I bought the PB yet I hadn't looked at the endmatter yet. Huh. That's funny.

Ah well, maybe in the future, EUOL could eventually evolve into Bran or Brain Anderson and not just BrĂ¡ndon Anderson. That could prove entertaining, though, um, the undiscerning reader might go looking for Mistborn on the wrong shelf....
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: Eric James Stone on June 28, 2006, 01:04:24 PM
Just make S your middle initial: Brandon S. Anderson.
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: CtrlZed on June 28, 2006, 01:34:47 PM
Combine the first and last names and become one of these "one-name" authors.  Branderson
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: Eric James Stone on June 28, 2006, 02:10:57 PM
Just ask Kevin Janderson how well the name change has worked for him.
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on June 28, 2006, 07:06:47 PM
I am appalled!
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: Mad Dr Jeffe on June 29, 2006, 03:06:25 PM
its all good if you could get Hugo Weaving to introduce you at your next signing...

"And now without further ado... Mr. Anderson."
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: Nessa on June 29, 2006, 05:37:10 PM
*Nessa retreats to a corner and laughs hysterically until she starts hiccupping. Thanks for that, Jeffe, I truly needed that today.
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: Mad Dr Jeffe on June 30, 2006, 11:09:01 AM
so I got this autographed Elantris the last time Brandon came to DC and for some odd reason, I couldnt read it... started twice but just couldnt do it... but thats ok cause I just got the paperback last week and well, I started reading it last night at about 6 and finished at 10:30 pm (I read fast). Just wanted to say ...great book.
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on June 30, 2006, 06:12:56 PM
Double-dipper!! :o
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: Mad Dr Jeffe on June 30, 2006, 06:52:58 PM
is that a problem? I also almost bought a copy I saw in a used bookstore the other day... though I thought that that was a little sad...

Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on June 30, 2006, 07:36:23 PM
All the better for Brandon. (Except he doesn't get anything from used book sales, of course.)

Saw this paragraph on Locus Online: "Notable books in new paperback editions this month include titles by Lois McMaster Bujold, Cory Doctorow, Walter H. Hunt, Stephen King, Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, Jane Lindskold, Patricia A. McKillip, Alastair Reynolds, Brandon Sanderson, and John Varley "

It's notable!

Though if you actually read the article, the description is "Fantasy novel, the author's first novel and a stand-alone, about a beautiful city, Elantris, where magic has failed, and a second city affected by the same curse."

Err... Oh well.
Title: Re: ELANTRIS Paperback
Post by: Mad Dr Jeffe on June 30, 2006, 07:45:28 PM
silly Locus, Reading is Fundamental... to mix metaphors for a second...