Thursday 11 June 2009

Lauren Conrad and L.A. Candy

Tell Me a Story - rant.

One more celebrity has nudged their way into the publishing world.

TV star, Lauren Conrad, has released her first novel, L.A. Candy, and boy does it piss me off.

Celebs and their publishing houses know they’ll make a mint from their work. They already have a ‘face’ - they’re known to millions, so millions will buy.

We writers – the ones who try to avoid daft sentences, the ones who strive to produce sensibly structured work – struggle to get a foot in the door – we can’t get publicity - yet a celeb goes viral as soon as they put pen to paper.

We all know promotion is required to sell books – but how does an unknown author achieve it?

I've tried it all, read various blurbs that guarantee to show us how to achieve notoriety - been there got the ‘T’ shirt - no results.

In a classical Catch 22 situation, publishing houses rarely promote ‘unknown’ authors - only well known authors who don't really need it get a push. Newbies have to make their own way - and if you’re with an independent publishing house – forget it – no budget for you my friend.

How do we achieve celebrity status…… Maybe shooting somebody or robbing a bank would make a difference…… Anyone got a gun....

Just thought I’d let you know it hacks me off – just in case you hadn’t already realised.



*** Lauren Conrad, Lauren Conrad, Lauren Conrad ***
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End of post - Lauren Conrad and L.A. Candy