Questions for Publisher and Editor, Amy Einhorn?

[Rachel-K]

Publisher and editor, Amy Einhorn will join our discussion for this week only (10/12 - 10/16). Please welcome her to First Look, and post your questions for her here!

[Choisya]

Hello from Over the Pond Ms Einhorn: Thanks for publishing such an excellent novel which I am sure will achieve record sales both sides of the Pond.  I like the cover and the font used but would have liked to have had the section titles itemised, with their page numbers, at the beginning of the book, if only for ease of reference. It is a pity that the publication date did not coincide with the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of war, September 1st 2009 and perhaps you should now aim for December 8th, the 70th anniversary of America's entry into the war?  There may be quite a few people buying war memorobilia at that time and that should increase sales.  

[HannaintheTriad]

Welcome to the discussion Amy!  I do have a couple of questions for you regarding your approach to publishing and your selection of this novel in particular.

When I read a brief bio about your previous editing work, I realized I had read a number of your edited works.  What is different now for you when selecting authors and manuscripts as a publisher?  Is it a greater leap of faith?

I read Sarah's post about this novel being the culmination of years of work.  When did you first learn of Sarah and her work?  How did you decide to take on the project?

Sorry for the random questions, I'm just currous about how the process of editing and publishing all works.

[thewanderingjew]

I really like the way the book is presented.  Several of the books I have read recently have this book cover set up. The physical appearance of the Postmistress in its size, texture and weight of the cover make it really easy to handle. The flaps add just the right amount of weight to give the book the perfect amount of substance.

Was there a particular reason that inspired the creation of this format? Do you think this is the way books will be bound in the future since It seems to make a lot of sense to have the flap, which is also a great page marker in the absence of a bookmark?

I am hoping that books will continue to flourish "in the flesh" since my grandchild has a course at school devoted to "kindling". The teachers read to them from it and instruct them on its use. For me there is nothing like the feel and smell of a book that can be savored over and over again and placed on a shelf for posterity!

twj

[Amy-Einhorn]

It's great to receive terrific feedback from someone in the UK, especially given the local for some of the book.   Glad you like the cover. 

re: section titles and page numbers, we tend to only do that for nonfiction, though I can see why that would be helpful to some.  And re: the publication date, it's difficult to do fiction by someone who is not yet a  known "name" (ie Dan Brown, Pat Conroy, etc. etc) in the fall as it's such a busy season with very heavy hitters -- so for a book such as this, a book that needs readers to discover it and spread via word of mouth, fall isn't an ideal publication time.

Hope this answers your ?'s and so glad you liked the book -- Viking UK will be publishing it in the UK next year.

[Amy-Einhorn]

So glad you liked the packaging. What you have is actually a bound galley -- so the final book will be a regular hardcover.  The galley you have is for early readers like yourself, reviewers, publicity purposes, etc. etc.  We put flaps on the galley or "french flaps" as they're called in our industry, because it's a special book and we think/hope the flaps signify that it's a special book -- it also allows us more room for copy -- a regular galley usually only has the back cover of the book where you can put quotes and the plot description but the flaps obviously allow for more.

[Amy-Einhorn]

good questions!

To be honest, now that I'm not only a publisher but since the imprint is eponymous and my name is on every book, the decision to publish a book is a much bigger one for me.  In publishing your reputation is everything so I'm very conscious of making sure that if a book is on my list it has to be one I truly love.    I'm very fortunate to be in a position where I don't need to publish x number of titles a year so I don't have to publish inferior books just to fill a quota.

Re: working with Sarah and how I became aware of her work is a funny story.  Her agent sent me the manuscript I think it was almost 2 years ago this time exactly.  I knew by page 100 I was going to reject it -- the storyline was a mess -- but her writing was so wonderful that I read the entire thing -- which in my business is a bit unheard of as we have so much to read, why read something you're going to reject. But I did because I knew she was a great writer. But as I said earlier, the novel was a mess. Frankie didn't appear until page 150! So I rejected the novel with a note admitting that this was one of the odder rejection letters I'd ever written -- that I loved the book but it just needed too much work. 

And then a few weeks went by and I couldn't stop thinking about the book. And then I was listening to one of our sales representatives talk about a book and how it made them feel and I had this visceral reaction, thinking, "I just had that feeling of reading a great, special book. What was it? Oh yes, the book I rejected about a postmistress!"  So I just couldn't get it out of my head so I called back Sarah's agent and asked if I could talk to Sarah on the phone. We talked, were on the same page editorially and it was clear Sarah was willing to do the work so we both took the plunge and I'm so glad we did.  I put Sarah through some tough editorial revisions but the book is now better than I ever hoped it would be.

[Paul_Hochman]

Wow. That's a terrific behind the scenes story. Thanks for sharing it, Amy!

---

Amy-Einhorn wrote:

good questions!

To be honest, now that I'm not only a publisher but since the imprint is eponymous and my name is on every book, the decision to publish a book is a much bigger one for me.  In publishing your reputation is everything so I'm very conscious of making sure that if a book is on my list it has to be one I truly love.    I'm very fortunate to be in a position where I don't need to publish x number of titles a year so I don't have to publish inferior books just to fill a quota.

Re: working with Sarah and how I became aware of her work is a funny story.  Her agent sent me the manuscript I think it was almost 2 years ago this time exactly.  I knew by page 100 I was going to reject it -- the storyline was a mess -- but her writing was so wonderful that I read the entire thing -- which in my business is a bit unheard of as we have so much to read, why read something you're going to reject. But I did because I knew she was a great writer. But as I said earlier, the novel was a mess. Frankie didn't appear until page 150! So I rejected the novel with a note admitting that this was one of the odder rejection letters I'd ever written -- that I loved the book but it just needed too much work. 

And then a few weeks went by and I couldn't stop thinking about the book. And then I was listening to one of our sales representatives talk about a book and how it made them feel and I had this visceral reaction, thinking, "I just had that feeling of reading a great, special book. What was it? Oh yes, the book I rejected about a postmistress!"  So I just couldn't get it out of my head so I called back Sarah's agent and asked if I could talk to Sarah on the phone. We talked, were on the same page editorially and it was clear Sarah was willing to do the work so we both took the plunge and I'm so glad we did.  I put Sarah through some tough editorial revisions but the book is now better than I ever hoped it would be.

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[thewanderingjew]

I think you must be a special breed of publisher/editor because you went the extra mile, did more than your job description, so to speak, and I think your efforts will be rewarded. The book is good and the readers will be grateful to you for believing in it!

---

Amy-Einhorn wrote:

good questions!

To be honest, now that I'm not only a publisher but since the imprint is eponymous and my name is on every book, the decision to publish a book is a much bigger one for me.  In publishing your reputation is everything so I'm very conscious of making sure that if a book is on my list it has to be one I truly love.    I'm very fortunate to be in a position where I don't need to publish x number of titles a year so I don't have to publish inferior books just to fill a quota.

Re: working with Sarah and how I became aware of her work is a funny story.  Her agent sent me the manuscript I think it was almost 2 years ago this time exactly.  I knew by page 100 I was going to reject it -- the storyline was a mess -- but her writing was so wonderful that I read the entire thing -- which in my business is a bit unheard of as we have so much to read, why read something you're going to reject. But I did because I knew she was a great writer. But as I said earlier, the novel was a mess. Frankie didn't appear until page 150! So I rejected the novel with a note admitting that this was one of the odder rejection letters I'd ever written -- that I loved the book but it just needed too much work. 

And then a few weeks went by and I couldn't stop thinking about the book. And then I was listening to one of our sales representatives talk about a book and how it made them feel and I had this visceral reaction, thinking, "I just had that feeling of reading a great, special book. What was it? Oh yes, the book I rejected about a postmistress!"  So I just couldn't get it out of my head so I called back Sarah's agent and asked if I could talk to Sarah on the phone. We talked, were on the same page editorially and it was clear Sarah was willing to do the work so we both took the plunge and I'm so glad we did.  I put Sarah through some tough editorial revisions but the book is now better than I ever hoped it would be.

---

[babzilla41]

---

Amy-Einhorn wrote:

good questions!

To be honest, now that I'm not only a publisher but since the imprint is eponymous and my name is on every book, the decision to publish a book is a much bigger one for me.  In publishing your reputation is everything so I'm very conscious of making sure that if a book is on my list it has to be one I truly love.    I'm very fortunate to be in a position where I don't need to publish x number of titles a year so I don't have to publish inferior books just to fill a quota.

Re: working with Sarah and how I became aware of her work is a funny story.  Her agent sent me the manuscript I think it was almost 2 years ago this time exactly.  I knew by page 100 I was going to reject it -- the storyline was a mess -- but her writing was so wonderful that I read the entire thing -- which in my business is a bit unheard of as we have so much to read, why read something you're going to reject. But I did because I knew she was a great writer. But as I said earlier, the novel was a mess. Frankie didn't appear until page 150! So I rejected the novel with a note admitting that this was one of the odder rejection letters I'd ever written -- that I loved the book but it just needed too much work. 

And then a few weeks went by and I couldn't stop thinking about the book. And then I was listening to one of our sales representatives talk about a book and how it made them feel and I had this visceral reaction, thinking, "I just had that feeling of reading a great, special book. What was it? Oh yes, the book I rejected about a postmistress!"  So I just couldn't get it out of my head so I called back Sarah's agent and asked if I could talk to Sarah on the phone. We talked, were on the same page editorially and it was clear Sarah was willing to do the work so we both took the plunge and I'm so glad we did.  I put Sarah through some tough editorial revisions but the book is now better than I ever hoped it would be.

---

Very interesting.  Makes a reader wonder how many other books get rejected yet have the potential to be something special.  Ms. Blake was very fortunate to have you go the extra mile for her. 

[Sadie1]

Amy,  I first want to say that I have just finished the book today.  I loved the story.  I felt so emotional and bawling by the end.  I can see this story as a movie too.

But, I also find the book very choppy in places.  Especially the first two chapters.  It took everything I had to get through those first two chapters.  If I had not been part of the "First Look club", I would have put the book down by page 18 like my husband did and not looked back.

I am very glad that I hung in there and read it all the way through.  I was with the schedule, but then got to the point where I could not put the book down.  I had to know what happened next.  I told my husband this evening that he has got to finish it also.

There are places in the book that just don't seem like they belong.  Take for instance, Frankie starting her period..why was that in the book?  There wasn't a purpose for it.  Now if  a sentence was added about Frankie being glad she did after that casual sex she had on the street and now she knows she's not pregnant..then there might be a place for it.  It just seems like it was fodder in the book.

Same for the whole episode with Iris going to the doctor for her letter.  Why do that when she casually has sex later on.  The two do not go together.

This is a good story, but it needs some tweaking.  There are also several typo's and a repeat or two in the book...but those are in all the books I read....Dean Koontz, Michael Connelly, Dan Brown and the rest.

Sarah does have a talent for telling a story.

[Choisya]

Thanks Amy, that al makes sense.  I shall spread the word over here and it will be on my 2010 Xmas pressie list. 

[DSaff]

Welcome to the group, Amy! Thank you for helping to make this book available to us and for your time and participation this week. We really appreciate it. 

[nfam]

Hi Amy, 

Thanks for being with us to answer questions. I read your introduction to the book that you thought this would be a best seller. What made you think that? What criteria do you use to decide whether a book is going to go big?

[HannaintheTriad]

Amy - thanks for those insights.  I know my book club here at home will be reading the Postmistress when it comes out.  Everyone has been a bit jellous that I was given the opportunity to preview it!

[dhaupt]

Amy, thank you for joining the group and kudos to your early success in Amy Einhorn Books and also with your first publication that was on the best sellers list for a record period for a debut novel.

I don't have any questions, those that I had in mind have already been answered by your very eloquent response earlier in the thread.

I simply wanted to say that I am enjoying this read immensely and hope to be fortunate enough to read more of your selections.

[GreenFairyLV]

Hi Amy.

It took me awhile to start liking this book.  I kept reading because I'm in this book club.  I didn't really start enjoying it till half way through chapter 6.  I'm on chapter 14 and loving it now.  I read it now because I want to.  I've talked to others who have said they are having a hard time getting into the book as well.  I don't normally read books about war and thought maybe that was why it took me awhile to get into it. 

Are you afraid people will see this just as a "war" book, and only those type of readers will buy it?

Are you going to market it as WWII being the main character or a side note? 

I know a lot of people love reading about WWII and a lot of people would purchases it for that reason alone, but if I was in a store I wouldn't because I don't normally enjoy that type book.  I know I would have passed this book up and that would have been a shame. 

The inside jacket covers first paragraph begins with: "It is 1940 . While war is raging in Europe, in the United States President Roosevelt promises he won't send American boys over to fight."

If I was in the bookstore and picked it up and read that I would have put in back down.

On the back inside flap the last paragraph starts: " The Postmistress is a tale of three unforgettable women, of lost innocence, of what happens to love when those we cherish leave us."  I know I would have kept reading more about the book if it started off with that paragraph and probably bought it.

I'm probably not your target audience but I thought I'd just give my opinion on what would get me to buy it if I was in my bookstore browsing around for a new book.

[Amy-Einhorn]

Well first off, so glad you stuck with it and are now loving the book.

This is the first I'm hearing that people had a hard time getting into the book from the beginning -- for me, as soon as Frankie as an older woman at the dinner party starting telling her story, it hooked me -- but as you know from being an avid reader, reading is incredibly subjective, or as my mentor always says, "that's what makes horse races."  So what I think might be compelling, you might not -- neither one of us are right or wrong, it's just different tastes.

re: selling this as a war novel -- you've got a good point there.  If someone pitched this to me as a novel about war, I'd probably shy away from it as well as i don't consider myself a reader of war novels. That said, there's no escaping that the book does take place during war and it's a central happening in the novel though I agree with you, the real selling point if you will, are the three women.

[Amy-Einhorn]

Very glad you ended up liking it. As I just told another reader, I hadn't heard before this discussion that people were finding the beginning choppy or hard to follow --  these discussions are certainly valuable, too bad we can't have them for all of our books while we're editing them!  That said, I do think when you have a third person omniscient narrator and more than one main character, there's some inevitable adjustment time that a reader needs to allow themselves to get into the flow of the book.  

Re: the specific scenes you reference - Frankie's period I didn't think was gratuitous -- to me it really placed me in the time period in terms of what that entailed back then for women -- the washing out of the panties, the sanitary napkins such as they were, and the fact that yes, Frankie wasn't relieved at getting her period, it never really crosses her mind, she's not a typical woman  of the time if you will, she's a bit fearless and single-minded, it never seems to occur to her that she could get pregnant. Also, I do think Frankie's getting her period contrasts nicely to Emma's not getting hers -- to be honest both strike me as fairly non-maternal which is interesting given at that time it seems one of the few things women were relegated to do. 

 And re: your point about Iris' letter at the beginning of the book, well to me that shows so much -- her preconceived notions of what a man might want, her wanting to follow the "rules" as she envisions them but yet she then doesn't follow the rules in so many ways later on (both in her affair and in her not delivering the letter).

The typos and other mistakes hopefully will have all been caught for the final book -- keep in mind you are reading an advance galley so we're still making minor corrections for the final book.

[Bonnie_C]

Amy,

I loved your story about rejecting and then un-rejecting the manuscript for The Postmistress.  I can only imagine the excitement your phone call to Sarah Blake must have created.  Good decision on your part to stick with it.  I agree with your statement in the introductory letter at the beginning of the book. This is indeed a story that stays with you long after you finish reading it.

I also took notice of the scene when Frankie gets her period.  To me it wasn't so much about her getting her period as it was significant that she put her soiled underpants in the sink that had her clothing with Will's blood.  In other words, she was dealing with her own blood as a living being at the same time she was dealing with the blood of an individual that was no longer there.  But I may be reading WAY too much into this.

Congratulations on recognizing a hit novel and the best of luck for the future.

Bonnie