Sombodies or Nobodies...the legacy of John Saul

Kreep · **Joined:** Fri Jan 26, 2007 1:19 pm **Posts:** 237

Hi Everyone! Happy New Year and all that. Things have been insanely busy with the new rugrat, but it's getting fun, too.

I have a question for y'all about some horror authors.

Thanks to Leisure Books, the local "B" chains (Borders, B&N, Books a Million) all have good selections of horror. But they all seem to have a pack of authors I've never, EVER, heard of...but who all have a ton of titles.

It reminds me of John Saul...lots of books, they all get picked up/published, but I never see anyone buy or read them...and have never heard of anyone (except my wife) who reads his stuff. He must be selling. Somewhere.

But what about these newer authors? They all take up considerable room on the shelves, but every time I go in the store...it's the same books taking up the same space. I have to wonder how these nobodies get publishing deals when they are completely unknown (to me, anyway) and never seem to sell.

The first one of these to pop up was Laurel K. Hamilton. I've sampled her writing...it sucks wet goat. I've learned enough to avoid her like the plague. But what about these folks:

Kim Harrison - All her books seem to be about a menagerie of "monsters," and their titles are all bastardized versions of Clint Eastwood westerns (For a Few Demons More, The Outlaw Demon Wails, etc.). They seem really freaking cheezy...but there are so many of them that she must be selling.

L.A. Banks - Haven't really paid any attention to his/her books...but again, there are so many of them on the shelves.

Do these people's books sell? If so, why do we never hear about them? If not, why are the publishers publishing them instead of picking up Brian Keene or Jack Ketchum? WTF gives?

Have any of you read these people? Are they worth reading, or are the publishers just trying to find the next Anne Rice?

Matt Cowan · **Posted:** Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:24 am

Hey Kreep!

I just wanted to say hi, because I haven't actually read any of the people you've mentioned there, except for Saul which I will never read again.

Monty Grue · **Posted:** Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:29 pm

David T. Wilbanks · **Posted:** Mon Jan 28, 2008 10:46 am

KentAllard · **Posted:** Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:12 pm

The Hamilton books are huge sellers, and as much as it pains me to admit it, there are very few "horror" authors that outsell them. The one consolation is their readers are drawn from the pool of romance readers for the most part, and thus aren't really in direct competition with our guys and gals. There aren't too many readers who ponder, "Hmmm, do I buy the new Jack Ketchum or the new Jim Butcher?"

David T. Wilbanks · **Posted:** Wed Jan 30, 2008 1:13 pm

Mark Justice · **Joined:** Mon Mar 14, 2005 1:28 am **Posts:** 1683

Last week at Wal-Mart I was cruising the crappy book section for a western when I ran across a whole line of western-romances. How long as this been going on?

I mean, since these guys went out of business:

David T. Wilbanks · **Posted:** Wed Jan 30, 2008 5:29 pm

KentAllard · **Posted:** Wed Jan 30, 2008 5:37 pm

Sombodies or Nobodies...the legacy of John Saul

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