Buzz, Balls & Hype

Get Ready to Read in Paris at this Year’s Salon du Livre 2012

A guest post about  Salon de Livre 2012

In Paris the written word rules. Books have always held a place in the heart of Parisians, with many writers from near and far calling Paris their home. Expats such as Ernest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein have resided here, and their legacy is celebrated year after year at the Salon du Livre.

The Salon du Livre 2012 is considered one of the top cultural events in Europe, held this year from March 16^th through 19^th. There is anticipation that those who attend this once a year event will discover a premier marketplace for all those in the book industry. 

Open to the general public, it also brings together publishers and booksellers with more than 250 conferences. Salon du Livre 2012 will introduce new works with book signing from sought-after authors from France and the international community.

Audiovisuals will also be made available, including a documentary film that shows how the written word transposes to the cinema, reinforcing the strong bonds existing between the two.

Each year a theme is emphasized to make the book fair event memorable. This year, a special exhibit will be dedicated to the Japanese verse. Approximately thirty Japanese authors consisting of novelists, mystery writers, children’s books, and poetry will be highlighted and available for seminars.

A tradition continues at the Salon du Livre 2012. One city is highlighted as the guest of honor and this year’s event has chosen Moscow. 10 authors will hold a dialogue with the viewing public by sharing their personal inspirations gathered from their city.

Planning a Visit:

Address of venue: Porte de Versailles – Pavillon 1 - Boulevard Victor, Paris 15ème

 

Secure accommodations either near the Salon du Livre 2012 or anywhere else in Paris by visiting parishotels.net. 

To visit the Salon du Livre 2012 Paris Book Festival via public transportation by:

 

Subway: Board the number 12 to Porte de Versailles or number 8 to Balard

Tramway: Embark lines T2 & T3 to Porte de Versailles

Bus: Take 39 – 80 to station Porte de Versailles

 

 

 

 

 

Sales Appeal

It’s taken me a long time to understand something about why some books sell and others don’t. 

 It’s taken me having written novels and marketed more than 1200 others via AuthorBuzz.com.

Sales don’t always have anything to do with good or brilliant or original.

Sales are about appeal. 

The marketability, the success of a book, ultimately rests with whether or not people will find the concept/characters/title/cover appealing.

What’s appealing?

It’s in the eye of the beholder, but readers know it when they see it. And we see the results.

Bridges of Madison County, The Da Vinci Code, The Help and Sarah’s Key have very little in common with each other. But they all had that certain indefinable something that appealed to readers.

Nora Roberts, Stephen King, Lee Child and George R. Martin write wildly different books. Their writing, plotting and styles little or nothing in common.  But they all write books /characters that readers find appealing.

It’s helped many writers I know… writers who sweat every word… who write truly magnificent books… when I explain this seemingly simple idea.  

You can write the best book you can and that might still not be enough. Appeal isn’t something that most writers can’t strive for or identify. It 's something even the best agents and editors can’t always identify. 

So beat yourself up over a whole lot of other things, but don’t assume that because you book didn’t take of it wasn’t good. Or even brilliant. It might just not have been appealing enough.