Purple Sells Books
February 04, 2010
"I'd like to outline what we're seeing in retail. We have two basic things that are selling very well. Anything that's pink, purple, gold and sparkle, and anything that's dark purple and black and has any type of vampire on it. I'm sorry, but that's really what's selling."
Barnes & Noble's Kim Brown, at an Authors Guild symposium, "What's Hot and What's Not: Current Trends in Children's Book Publishing," July 2009. A transcription of the discussion is included in the Winter 2010 edition of the Authors Guild Bulletin.
Pshaw, I say. That's such an oversimplification, and, really, people from B&N should know better than to run about giving everyone heart attacks saying things like that.
Posted by: adrienne | February 04, 2010 at 05:31 PM
That's quite a quote, indeed. Luckily, my book the Pink, Purple, Sparkly Vampire will be out sooooooon (you know, as soon as I write it :-))
Posted by: Gregory K. | February 04, 2010 at 09:39 PM
Really? Because that is just so wrong. In fact I'm pretty sure anything pink and sparkly or purple/black and vampiric stands zero chance of making it into my cart.
Posted by: Theresa | February 05, 2010 at 03:59 AM
Adrienne, yes, I agree. B & N should know better.
Greg, oh, the fibbing pink vampire series. Awesome. :)
Theresa, same with my cart!
I tried to figure out from the context of the other remarks in the transcription if the B & N rep was kidding, but I don't think she was.
Posted by: Susan (Chicken Spaghetti) | February 05, 2010 at 08:01 AM
I'm with Adrienne. Second pshaw.
Posted by: jules | February 05, 2010 at 09:37 AM
Jules, yeah. Every day we see how much people, including children, enjoy a wide variety of books.
Posted by: Susan (Chicken Spaghetti) | February 05, 2010 at 06:25 PM
That certainly seems to be true doesn't it!
Posted by: Callista | February 06, 2010 at 08:43 AM