The Lovely Bones: Is it Really a Big Deal?

Since the movie has just been released, I figured it was a good time to review the book because of all the hype. Let’s face it, these days they turn many novels into movies because there are so many dull screenplays out there. Are you buying into that idea? Because here’s something closer to the real truth behind it all; there are plenty of good screenplays roaming around Hollywood. Well, maybe not plenty, but a good handful at least.

The reason most producers and directors usually don’t attach themselves to a particular film project is that a screenplay alone has little merit. (Ouch! Sorry new screenwriters.) That is to say, that a screenplay has not proven itself to be a money-maker, a bestseller like a novel might have already done in the marketplace. The formula is simple: bestselling novels equal blockbuster movies. End of equation. If a novel is successful then its counterpart, a movie by the same title will also be a smash hit, and it usually is.

Which makes me wonder why more screenwriters don’t first learn to write novels instead. (laughter here) Like Michael Blake did with Dances with Wolves, for example. The fact is that very few writers can master both art forms as convincingly as Blake has. Although, the success of his wonderful novel, in this case depended largely with the success of the movie first. Go figure. You get the idea. Sometimes it takes both the movie and its novel, or vice versa to make either one a raving success. Oh, the madness of it all! But here’s a consolation to aspiring screenwriters: you only need 120 pages as opposed to about 350 for a novel. Hmm…there must be a catch. (You better believe it.)

The fact remains, producers don’t take any chances with their 50 million dollar film projects, and why should they, when there are plenty of successful novels already on the bestseller list that prove a film version (a good screenplay) can and usually will succeed.

Okay, enough of that. Let’s get to this incredible book. And let me say that as soon as the book came out, it was already known, by all those who needed to know, that it would be a bestseller and the movie rights were sold to DreamWorks two years before the book was even released. Now that’s good buzz folks, and this story deserves it because the author earned it. Yes, Alice Sebold earned her place as a bestselling writer in the world of American Literature, and she also earned a nice paycheck to go with it--her first novel. Her first book, was a memoir titled Lucky, which dealt with her real life rape experience, and which paved the way for The Lovely Bones ten years later. So it’s safe to say that some of the details in the novel may be true to life. Details that the movie left out, in fact.

Okay, as a graphic designer, I always take note of book jackets and this one intrigued me right away. First of all, since the story’s protagonist is only 14, the jacket appeals to young women, who make up about 85% of the reading and book-buying market anyway. The graphic, integral to this storyline, is a charm bracelet in the form a halo, floating over a baby-blue sky above the provocative title. Oh, how simple. How curious. Yes, of course it works. Why shouldn’t it? It hits all the right hot buttons.

In my case, since I am such a male, bestowed with tons of testosterone, I balked at the whole idea, except for the title, which stopped me cold. The Lovely Bones covers all the bases as far as its appeal to both men and women. Can you think of a better contradiction than the word “lovely” (for women) and “bones” (for men)? Which market do you think the show BONES is written for? Thank you.

This title is poetic and garish, all in one breath. Brilliant. But more importantly, the idea behind the title, its sentiments are echoed at the end of the story, which ties everything together beautifully.

Another selling point for this book was the shocking opening scenes. It has plenty of shock value. A dead girl telling the story of her own gruesome murder? Why not? But this was no ordinary murder. First, it was a brutal rape, then a cold-blooded murder, and finally, a hideous dismembering in bits and pieces. This is hard-hitting stuff folks. Gets you deep in your gut. It’s an opening that shakes you and rivets you to the entire story. Suddenly, you must read every word. The idea, the great (high) concept compels you to. Ironically, it is those same grizzly details that make producers and directors think twice about investing in such a morbid story like this. After all, viewers and readers alike are already bombarded with plenty of it on the evening news and in the newspapers and gossip tabloids. Who needs more?

The twist with this story, however, is that the book, for the most part focuses on finding this killer and bringing him to sweet justice, while at the same time we experience the family’s grief through the eyes of their murdered daughter. And let me say that this concept is not entirely unique, (Remember GHOST, with Patrick Swayze?) but I think the author’s style brought something very unique and fresh to this story and that was its saving grace, as it were. Like they say in Hollywood. “We like the same old stories, but in different flavors, please.”

Furthermore, Sebold indulges in another literary device that she handles superbly, tragedy and comedy. (You know, like those two theatrical faces I can’t stand.) This is classic theatre on the written page, and it just doesn’t get any better than this. Sebold is a master at juxtaposing both the tragic and the comic by referring to Susie’s naïve use of words such as “neato” and by embarrassing Susie by exposing her silly family stories. Yet it is these very same stories that tickle the reader’s sensibilities in a bizarre way. Right in the middle of a murder scene, no less.

What more can we ask for? It’s the kind of story readers look for. But not so fast, because the book and the movie both opened to mixed reviews in their own time. What was the problem? Well, for starters, the movie was rated PG, which meant a wider audience (more profits) of young adults, many, which were without a doubt to be protected by their doting parents about repulsive matters such as rape, murder and dismemberment. Talk about misplaced concerns folks. Don’t worry, your children already know about it. They probably learned it during their first grade years, so why sweat it now? It’s too late.

Okay, so why all the controversy? Oh right, heaven was a middle-ground, an in-between place that enraged theologians to no end. “You mean that’s what heaven is really like?” they asked. Sounds to me like they were searching for alternative answers about heaven and they didn’t agree with Sebold’s take. How lame is that?

And so, the list goes on. Some critics thought the ending was too tidy and sappy. Maybe too simplistic, while others saw it as fine literature in the capable hands of an emerging writer.

As with all opinions, they are subjective and every reader will have their own interpretation and views on the book and the movie, and they would all be right.

Whatever you think, whether you are in favor, or against this story, one thing is certain: this story has all the hallmarks of a classic tale, whether you like it or not, and I’m sure that Alice Sebold is very happy with its outcome in more ways than one.

So yes, it is a big deal. Worth millions to Sebold, and worth an initial $70 million to DreamWorks, and counting.

For Screenwriters: Here's your chance to see the difference between a First Draft, a shooting script and a Final Cut version of a script. Also, Filmmaker's Commentaries.

http://www.lovelybones.com/scripttoscreen/index.html

Here's the Official Movie Trailer:

Can You Connect This Sultry Blonde with a Classic Novel?

If you don't recognize her right away it's because she was only 14 when she debuted as the unfortunate teenager who lost her leg in the very popular movie The Horse Whisperer starring Robert Redford in 1998.

The novel by Nicholas Evans debuted in 1995 to mixed reviews.

She's the lovely Scarlette Johanssen, who lit up the big screen with her performance as Grace MacLean in the movie version of the novel.

To me this is a case where the movie turned out much better than the book. Not to diminish the nice work by Evans in the book. I just thought the the novel was a bit stale by comparison. Johanssen is the kind of actor that once you see one of her performances you want to see them all, which is the hallmark of a powerful actor. One that commands big bucks and lures in moviegoers with just their name. She did win a Young Star Award for her performance in the movie and deservedly so, and she hasn't looked back since.

Although, I liked the book too, but Grace comes across as a spoiled, privileged child in the novel, while all that changes because of Johanssesn's strong performance in the movie, which helped the popularity of the book.

Click on the title of this Post for the link to Google Books Excerpts and check out Nicholas Evans' opening chapter, I think it is among the best I've read in a long time.

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My Next Post: Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones. Here's another good story that deserves a movie and the film is just as good or better than the book this time. How did this amazing story come about? Come on back for all the juicy details.

Buh-bye Kindle! Look Out Nook...

Sorry Bezos, but I'm so happy I never bought a Kindle. So far I like the nook so much more and I'm hoping they improve the next model since I'd like to buy one but, now there's even more competition in the ebook Reader market, so I'll have to think again.

Say hello to Blio. Unlike other eReaders, this device displays books in full color via your computer or iPhone, for example. It's basically a software program that synchronizes with the internet so it's interactive too. Sounds interesting but it might still be in development stages. Hey, sometimes, it pays to procrastinate. I'm sure there are plenty more devices like this one on the way.

And as far as the Kindle goes, Bezos should not be shaking in his Eddie Bauer Penny Loafers yet. Just design a slicker, more appealing Kindle and you're back in the running. Now, is that so hard?

Check out the whole story on NPR.

Would You Like Paris Hilton to Promote Your Book?

Here's something I recently came across that I thought was interesting. It so happens that I've been looking for an image I could Photoshop my DFB book jacket onto, but I think the good folks at Photofunia have that covered already.

<-- Check out more in the left column.

Can Your Book Trailer Do This?

Okay, I’ll admit the headline is a bit pretentious, but it works. It piques your curiosity, or at least it should. The same goes for book trailers. Many authors think that book trailers all by themselves will sell books, and although that might hold true in some cases (with well-known, established authors that you’ll buy anything from) most of the time a book trailer will serve as part of the marketing mix in your advertising campaign.

Everything that encompasses advertising, to include: websites, marketing, publicity, public relations, posters, brochures, and so on, is only a fraction of the entire sales picture. Selling your product, your non-fiction book in this case, needs specific marketing goals tailored to your book and its audience. The role that book trailers play in this mix is important because imagery and music help sell products like nothing else can, save for a personal visit from a persuasive salesperson.

As I’ve mentioned before (Article: What Makes this Book Trailer So Effective?), the real purpose of any book trailer is to make you curious enough to seek more information about the product. But, it must also reach prospects in an emotional way. It’s what good advertising has always been about, evoking emotional responses, pushing all the right buttons at the right time. Everything has to be just right, nothing out of place, and when that’s accomplished, magic happens.

Here’s a book trailer I put together for Dorothy Thompson, CEO/Founder of Pump Up Your Book! (gotta love that name). It's designed for Kay Marshall Strom, who is an established speaker/writer specializing in inspirational and motivational speaking and keynote presentations for many different events throughout the country. Her new book: The Second-Half Adventure: Don't Retire-Use Your Time, Skills & Resources to Change the World.

The goal here is to introduce Kay as an experienced, dynamic speaker/writer that you can trust and believe in to help turn your dreams into reality. A tall order indeed, but you must sell the author first, her book, second. And with the right imagery and a powerful soundtrack to match, you can put together an effective trailer that will inspire viewers and potential customers to take action.

Once prospects click on a book trailer link, or any button that will lead to a landing page, the book trailer’s job is essentially over. It’s time to push more hot buttons. The kind of hot buttons that will lead to a sale, and that, is the subject of another post.

Enjoy the trailer and if you’re in the market for good books like these, or the least bit curious, take a look at Kay Strom’s website for much more about her, her speaking engagements, and all her books. Meet Kay here: http://www.kaystrom.com/

Kay Strom Book Trailer

For more information about how to Pump Up Your Book!, visit Dorothy Thompson's website for the latest about online book promotion tours:

www.PumpUpYourBook.com/

Book Chase: Google and On Demand Books Partner to Make Hard-to-Find Books Readily Available

Book Chase: Google and On Demand Books Partner to Make Hard-to-Find Books Readily Available

Espresso Book Machines

Hey folks, I just thought I'd post this interesting video about an instant bookmaking machine.

This technology has been around for decades, (color copiers and robotics) but packaged now to fulfill an ever increasing demand for "instant books, hot off the press."

Enjoy the holidays! See you back here soon.

"A Death For Beauty" The Novel Update

Okay folks, a lot going on with the novel. First of all, I tweaked the DFB website and I think it looks better. No major changes, but I've added a few more links. I've even added my own Classics Bookstore from Amazon. I like the way everything looks and the flickering B&W images really work with the theme. If you're using the IE Browser, you'll hear a new musical score that's a better fit than the previous one. Overall, this scheme works so I'll leave it alone for a while.

Okay, good news and bad news. Good news is that after the Book Giveaway on Goodreads, which went up to 569 requests for the book, many people said they were going to buy the book. They were very excited about it and about 35 people added it to their "to read" list, but guess what? Nobody has kept their word and bought a copy of the book. That doesn't surprise me because it takes a lot of momentum to build up a sales pitch and once that momentum is broken, for whatever reason, it's all over, you've lost the chance to make a sale. Besides, most readers on all those bookish websites are very fickle and their main purpose for being there is to socialize, not to buy books. (Wrong frame of mind.)

I'll have to admit that I'm not one to chase down prospects and beg for an order so I'll have to build all that sales momentum up again and this time keep my shame in check and ask for the order. Yes, that does work, but I hate to ask for the order. It sort of obligates people to buy and I think that's a bit pushy. Me pushy? I should go for the jugular but believe it or not, I'm a very sensitive guy. (Oh please.)

"In essence, the best offer that motivates book buyers, is the novel's story itself."

Okay, enough of that. Here's one more thing. Bookbrowse "offered me" an ad spot for $200 a month, (they make it sound so exclusive) but I just can't swing that right now. I think it might not have worked so well either, although I think this website is a dynamic place to advertise, but I haven't been able to try it. When I did have the money, they didn't have the space. They do have good ad placement though and apparently, loyal readers but a one month trial may not be enough, so I'll have to think about that one. In a perfect world, I'd place at least 3 different ads on 3 venues and test them out that way for several months or more and see if that works. But, if I didn't see results within the first month, that's a good indicator that the ads are not going to work.

It takes a lot of experimentation with advertising, but the bottom line is this: If you put together a good ad and place it in a fairly high profile website where readership is not just high but where the website can show you stats on how many buyers order certain books, (Bookbrowse does.) then you might have a good chance to make sales that way. Of course, an ad by itself is usually never enough to make a sale. That's where everything else in your marketing plan comes into play.

You must have a good, effective website in place where prospects can land and then you must have good offers in place to motivate sales as well. I've got all that, but what I don't have are advertising dollars to point prospects to my website to begin with. Not good. Effective advertising in all the right places is a must. (But you know how life is, baby needs new shoes.)

I still have a handful of reviews pending from both Goodreads and LibraryThing but those will take some time in coming. And although, reviews do help sell books, a review by itself is not enough to motivate prospects. I'm convinced that the main factor in determining what produces a sale is the connection that a reader makes with your book, its story. Second in line as a motivator is the author's platform. Their position in the marketplace in relation to the story, their background. (Mine is a bit fuzzy.) And last but not least, a great offer.

You know the offers, two for the price of one, or buy now pay later. Problem is, those offers work for just about any product, except for books because usually the profit margin on books is so low that those kind of offers are not viable.

In essence, the best offer that motivates book buyers is the novel's story itself. That's why it's so important to present your book so it offers intrinsic value to the prospect. You must present your book in such a way that the prospect will think that if they don't order your book, they will be missing out on adding something very important and meaningful to their lives. Just that simple, and that complex.

Again, having all that in place, as I believe I have, is no guarantee of sales. (I'm living proof of that.) You must find an effective way to drive qualified traffic to your website where closing the sale must happen. And that folks, takes plenty of cash that you must invest and possibly lose in the process. But who said selling books was easy? You haven't heard that from me. What you have heard is that good, repeated advertising is the key to consistant sales.

Don't have the money to invest in advertising? Then you can expect to only sell a handful of books if you're lucky. Which reminds me, my mom said she was going to buy a copy of my novel, but she never did. I'll see if I can work up the nerve to bring that up during our next conversation.

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Meanwhile, consider breaking open your penny jar and buying as much advertising as you can. Believe me, you're going to need it.

My Review: High Plains Tango

A Ballad From the Heart (Yes it's a somewhat sentimental review. I was having a tender moment with myself.) What I really like about this story is its soft, lingering pace. The lazy yawn of a tomcat named ”Dumptruck,” for instance, and the sensual dance of a mystic goddess that goes by the name of Susanna Benteen, better known as “the witch” among the locals in Salamander.

For those of you who saw one of my favorite movies, “Bridges of Madison County,” you’ll know what I mean about Waller’s languid, unhurried pace. In “Bridges,” Clint Eastwood evoked that mood with a musical composition of his own, titled “Doe Eyes,” towards the end of the film. And to complement those simple chords, the Bluesy ballads of Johnny Hartman, emanated from the muffled speakers of an old Victrola. That was then, in the movie, but this is Waller’s trademark, laid-back style, which he captures once again in this wistful novel. Another story underscored, if not with sorrow, then with melancholy―something I always fall for.

First, about the title and the Hardcover book jacket since that’s what attracted me to the story to begin with. I tend to judge a book by its cover and title so I had a feeling that whatever was beyond the dancing, ghostly figure on the cover, clad in a yellow dress, would be ever so nostalgic, and it was. That’s always one of those rare pleasures, when the title and cover artwork blends with the story in such an organic way.

Although, I’ll have to admit that it seemed a bit too romanticized for me but I soon got over it. The last chapter is as beautifully written as the first. Both serving as philosophical bookends to the writing in between, which seems to float somewhere amid the casual and unadorned, almost austere in its approach, which suits the storyline deftly. Clearly, we get from the outset that the main character, Carlisle McMillan, is a man of sparseness, a minimalist at heart.

We know we’re in for a slow, wandering excursion into something familiar, yet something difficult to put into words, wondering if Waller can pull this off―the ending that is, because we get the feeling that there’s a little something wrong with the telling along the way. It seemed as though there was no distinction between the narrator and the main character, and that’s too bad but I had already learned more than I should have about Waller’s own backstory, which inadvertently echo’s throughout this book so I always pictured him as the narrator. (That’s what I get for wanting to know more about the author.)

I’ll also admit that I skipped several chapters where a feud about the construction of a highway through sacred ground, took over and broke through the wonderful stillness that Waller, up until then, had so wonderfully managed to evoke. Yes, it’s conflict, but the kind of conflict that goes on for too long and with far too much detail. It seemed off key to my ear--cutting against the grain for this kind of story, to use a metaphor that Carlisle McMillan would appreciate.

The “mandatory” sensual scenes come across as awkward and almost gratuitous, compared to the overall tone and context of the story, but tastefully written nonetheless. Here again, my fault for delving too far into Waller’s background. (I know, I know. My psychiatrist has pointed out that I blame myself way too often.)

I just couldn’t get Waller’s image out of my head--his McMillan-esque ways and looks. It’s one of the reasons why high profile actors refuse to give interviews. It really spoils the mystery between the actor and the character they portray--the ability for the reader in this case to disassociate the main character from the narrator who also sounds like the author.

For me, it’s almost as if Carlisle McMillan and Robert James Waller were the same person. In my own mind, based on what I already knew about Waller, that seemed to ring true, and a little too close for comfort for my taste.

An aside: It’s a lot like when J.D. Salinger came out of hiding after 40 years of self-imposed seclusion. It was as if the mystery behind “The Catcher in The Rye” dissolved right before my very eyes. Especially when the 90-year-old Salinger commented on a scene from a Terminator movie, saying: “Holy crap, was that fucking cool or what?” Something outrageously disconcerting to that effect. Can someone please shoot me now? I’ll never be the same. Thank you.

Okay, as an author myself, not that I’ll ever reach the notoriety of Salinger or Waller, but I’m going to stay in hiding and keep my big mouth shut, just in case I ever do write a classic story―like Harper Lee. I just don’t want to spoil anything for the readers. Lord forbid.

All that nonsense aside, I don’t think this story can match the sadness of “Bridges” either, but we eventually realize that it is not meant to. Waller paints these words with honesty, longing, and a quietness that is both magical and gracefully inaudible at times.

Maybe even as lonely, as a High Plains Tango.

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Okay, you get the picture. Scratch the needle across the record. Here’s my favorite line in the book:

“It’s a Tango, you dumb bastard.”

BTW, this book has gotten many mixed reviews and for good reason. I believe that Waller is an excellent writer and that's clear based on the first and last chapter of this novel. But something happened in between, from chapter 2, in fact, that didn't ring true with most of this story. An environmental message and what seemed like a first draft as far as concepts go, permeated the middle of this story.

That's a shame because it almost comes off as a bad story, sandwiched between a great lead-in an a sentimental ending, which is the last impression one gets and the reason I liked it so much. Maybe this proves what they say: that the most important parts of a book are the first ten pages and the last ten pages. If that's the case, this book is the quintessential example of just that.

A contradiction in my review?

I know this comment may seem a contradiction to my review, and it is in hindsight, but the storyline I referred to between bookends, was referencing the pace of the story, not its content.

One more thing!

Amazon, I hope you run my review as is and don't edit the profanity like you've done in the past. I really don't get it. What's the big FUCKING Deal?

AMAZON MONSTER AD

And now, without further ado folks. As promised, my “award-winning” Amazon Ad that will never see the light of day, thanks to the Amazon servers. I don’t think it would have won anyway, maybe because of copyright issues, but it was worth a try just for the fun of it.

Clearly, an ode to my favorite monster of all time. (Sorry, Godzilla)

BTW, I know this might look like a homemade piece of junk, but give me a break, I maxed out all the tools on Windows Movie Maker.

And I know something like this is too bizarre for Amazon, but only a freak like me can pull this one off. Who really cares anyway? Here’s the MF video.

BTW, this is what happens every time I try to logon to Amazon too. Ridiculous.