That's totally amazing.
The bestselling new & future releases in Westerns. Updated hourly.
| 1. |  | The Tarnished Star by Jack Martin (Author) Publication Date: 30 Jun 2009 Not in stock; order now and we'll deliver when available
| ||
| 2. |  | Only the Strong (Wilderness) by David Thompson (Author) Publication Date: 1 Mar 2009 In stock
| ||
| 3. |  | Savage Territory: Matt Jensen: The Last Mountain Man by William W Johnstone (Author), J a Johnstone (Author) Publication Date: 2 Mar 2009 Available for pre-order
| ||
| 4. |  | Brimstone by Robert B. Parker (Author) Publication Date: 30 Jun 2009 Available for pre-order
| ||
| 5. |  | Bayou Trackdown (Trailsman) by Jon Sharpe (Author) Publication Date: 3 Mar 2009 Usually dispatched within 1 to 3 weeks
| ||
| 6. |  | Resolution by Robert B. Parker (Author)   (1 customer review) Publication Date: 5 May 2009 Available for pre-order
| ||
| 7. |  | Collision by Jeff Abbott (Author) Publication Date: 7 Jul 2009 Available for pre-order
| ||
| 8. |  | Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman (Author)  (8 customer reviews) Publication Date: Jun 2009 Available for pre-order
| ||
| 9. |  | The Man from Laramie (Leisure Western) by T.T. Flynn (Author) Publication Date: 1 April 2009 Available for pre-order
| ||
| 10. |  | The Unforgiven (Leisure Western) by Alan LeMay (Author)  (34 customer reviews) Publication Date: 30 May 2009 Available for pre-order
| ||
| 11. |  | The Collected Short Stories of Louis L'Amour: v. 6 by Louis L'Amour (Author) Publication Date: 1 Mar 2009 In stock
| ||
| 12. |  | Wilderness #60: The Outcast by David Thompson (Author) Publication Date: 1 Jun 2009 Not in stock; order now and we'll deliver when available
| ||
| 13. |  | Destry Rides Again (Leisure Western) by Max Brand (Author) Publication Date: 1 Mar 2009 Usually dispatched within 1 to 3 weeks
| ||
| 14. |  | The Blue Mustang (Leisure Historical Fiction) by Will Henry (Author) Publication Date: 1 Mar 2009 Usually dispatched within 1 to 3 weeks
| ||
| 15. |  | The Last Gunfighter: Slaughter by William W. Johnstone (Author), J. A. Johnstone (Author) Publication Date: 4 April 2009 Available for pre-order
| ||
| 16. |  | Stagecoach Graveyard by Thom Nicholson (Author) Publication Date: 7 April 2009 Available for pre-order
| ||
| 17. |  | Blood Bond: Deadly Road to Yuma by William W. Johnstone (Author), J.A. Johnstone (Author) Publication Date: May 2009 Available for pre-order
| ||
| 18. |  | Showdown at Hole-In-The-Wall by Ralph Cotton (Author) Publication Date: 3 Mar 2009 Usually dispatched within 1 to 3 weeks
| ||
| 19. |  | Untamed by Emma Wildes (Author) Publication Date: April 2009 Available for pre-order
| ||
| 20. |  | Shotgun by Elmer Kelton (Author) Publication Date: 2 Jun 2009 Available for pre-order
| ||
| 21. |  | Outlaw's Reckoning (Ralph Compton Western Series) by Ralph Compton (Author), Marcus Pelegrimas (Author), Marcus Galloway (Author) Publication Date: 7 April 2009 Available for pre-order
| ||
| 22. | | Holding Out for a Hero (Frasers) by Ana Leigh (Author) Publication Date: 26 May 2009 Available for pre-order
| ||
| 23. |  | 45-Caliber Widow Maker by Peter Brandvold (Author) Publication Date: 5 May 2009 Available for pre-order
| ||
| 24. |  | The Trailsman #330: Tucson Temptress by Jon Sharpe (Author) Publication Date: 7 April 2009 Available for pre-order
| ||
See all customer reviews...
14 comments:
The book trade's marketing experts must be scratching their heads over this! A new writer, with no track record, tops pre-orders in his genre with a hardcover book still four months away, outstripping orders for paperbacks by some of the very top names in the field.
Moreover, the book is published by an independent family firm in London, interested almost exclusively in library sales, and the competition is published by international corporations, headquartered in New York.
It's exactly what they -- publishers, sales reps, buyers for chains -- have always told us could not be done. So how was it?
Let's look at as much of the book as we are able, sight unseen: a title, a cover, a blurb.
The title is a good one, but it has been used before at least three times. The cover is generic, and is an excellent piece of art, but only as many other covers are. The blurb hints at themes that are not especially original. For example, the spoiled and despicable son of a rich man is an element I last used myself in Sons and Gunslicks.
No answers there then.
My theory is that, as readers of this blog, the explanation is before your very eyes. It's the Tainted Archive. It's as simple as that.
Gary has tended his blog tirelessly for months, promoted the western genre relentlessly, and piqued curiosity with prominent positioning of his book's cover. We have also been allowed a taster of his fiction online -- e.g. at Beat To a Pulp. Gary comes across as an enthusiastic, likable, helpful person, interested in what interests us. He also reminds us here from time to time that you can see him on TV. Therefore, we just can't wait to read his book! That, I figure, is the sum of what it has taken to outstrip those whose appeal is based on years of work and selling: the Thompsons, Sharpes, L'Amours, Parkers, Comptons and all.
Strange? Only because we've been conditioned by the western's doomsayers into believing it would be.
Yep Chap agree with you fully - There's been the Man Called Masters taster on Beat to a Pulp of which I am grateful. But as I've said I try and keep the Archive interesting and with some hard work it's finally paid off. Course I think The Tarnished Star is a great book and I hope everyone enjoys it and that Arkansas Smith does just as well.
I believe in my writing and I think the Tainted Archive is an extension of that - I am proud of both Tarnished Star and Arkansas Smith.
But what you say is correct. It just goes to show the awesome power of the internet. I've worked as hard on Tainted Archive as on the books themselves and of course Wild West Monday is helping to refresh interest in the western as a genre for good escapist fiction.
As for themes that are not entirely original - I'll agree with that but then nothing is fully original. I will say though that I feel my characters are fully rounded and will ensnare the reader.
Oh and in the week leading upto publication of Tarnished Star - Beat to a Pulp is holding a Jack Martin/Gary Dobbs week in which two of my stories will be published. The western The Devil's Right Hand and a crime piece written under my own name.
And no rest for the wicked - I'm currently working on a third novel.
Nuff said.
And more pre-orders than Robert Parker and Louis L'amour - Now that's exciting. But no worries Tarnished Star will live up to expectations. Thank you all for your support.
Very cool. You've worked hard to make your own "luck," and it's well deserved. Congrats.
Gary can be confident, too, he won't be dropping out of the western follower's eye elsewhere. He could have mentioned that as well as his "double" at Beat To a Pulp, he will be the subject of a biographical feature article in the June Black Horse Extra.
Thank you Arkansas Slim - yeah and Chap is quite correct. He's been sitting on the article for some time in order to tie it into the Tarnished Star release. It's all amazing to me as a new writer but Chap/Keith is always there for advice to this greenhorn. In fact so much so do I value Chap's friendship that in Arkansas Smith, the character's boss is a chap called Justice O'Keefe.
Well done, Gary. Enjoy your success.
Gary,
> This is all down to you - but I expect you know that. Not only have
> you taken your book to the number one slot but you have the only BHW
> in the chart.
> Think you ought to drop Hale a line though - just to make sure that
> they do know.
> As for me - I am that pleased for you. This, to me, is really
> impressive taking into consideration that this is a first novel - and
> it has knocked Louis L'Amour down a notch or two.
>
Great news! You're a phenomenon.
Ray has a good point about making sure publisher Hale is aware of how today's marketplace is operating.
Hale's own website -- which offers customers good deals and presumably eliminates one layer of middlemen -- does not currently list June's The Tarnished Star. Not even in its Coming Soon pages.
Which must mean most pre-orders for the title are being channeled through Amazon UK, to whom we can assume Hale has sent the advance material for the listing. It seems an odd way for the publisher to do its business if it is any way serious about satisfying retail customers itself. And presumably it is, since it has its own shopping cart set-up and competitive pricing for new titles.
As I've noted before, publishing is a mysterious business, defying logic. Perhaps someone "in the know" can tell me if I'm missing something here.
By the way, Gary's revelation here about "Justice O'Keefe" came as a complete surprise. That's flattering and not really deserved. Though a newcomer, Gary clearly has heaps to show the older hands when it comes to selling books!
Chap/Keith - Yep I just thought Justice O'Keefe would be a nice nod to you. There's also mention of a Jack GIles Gang in the book but O'Keefe is a main character. Think of M to James Bond and that's O'Keefe to Arkansas.
Oh and I've email Hale on this matter as they must satisfy demand. As well as being no 1 in the pre-order charts the book is also NO 3 in the western charts proper.
Had my daughter up this weekend and visited Beat To A Pulp to read 'A Man Called Masters' - on the strength of that story another member of the Jack Giles Gang put in an order with Amazon.
That's great - those Jack Giles desperadoes sure do get about.
Post a Comment