Juno Books

Since I took the time to gather some notes for my speech for the Lord Ruthven Assembly at ICFA, I thought I’d start sorting into some cogent form…bit by bit. So here’s a new category, “Publishing”, and the first “bit” about it…

The American publishing industry is usually referred to as a $25+ billion industry (in round figures). But that includes *all* books published in the US and sold worldwide. Since I talk about fiction and, really, only about genre fiction, I wanted to see if I could come up with a reasonable amount for “our” segment of the industry (without paying tons of money on the latest reports).

According to the American Association of Publishers trade sales for 2005 amounted to $7,828,050,000.

“Trade Books” means “adult and juvenile, hardbound and paperbound, created predominantly (50% or more) for the general consumer and marketed primarily (50% or more) through trade channels, i.e. to bookstores and libraries either directly or through wholesalers and jobbers….Paperbound books primarily distributed through the mass market media are” [also included]. “Mass Market Paperbacks” is defined as ” Softbound works of adult fiction and nonfiction distributed predominantly (50% or more), directly or through wholesalers, to mass market outlets such as newsstands, drug stores, chain stores, supermarkets, etc.”

Adult Hardbound: $2,221,700,000
Adult Paperbound: $1,140,989,000
Mass Market Paperback: $1,083,611,000

So, if I added correctly that means about $4,446,300,000 would be “adult trade books”. How much of that would be fiction? Good question. I guestimated — using the sales figures from Nielsen Bookscan, that about 40% of hardcover sales are fiction, 49% of trade paper were fiction, and 53% of mass market were fiction.

These figures may be wrong, but for the sake of this calculation here’s more or less what that means based on the figure above:

Adult Hardbound Fiction: $888,400,000
Adult Paperbound Fiction: $559,000,000
Mass Market Paperback Fiction: $574,300,000

So, for worldwide adult fiction sales from US publishers: $2.022 billion…maybe…

What about US sales alone? According to other figures from the Association of American Publishers, domestic net sales for 2006 were $10,027.9 billion. The most recent reports are vague as to what types of books sold, but I did find a figure for 2004 stating adult fiction now accounts for 14% of all titles published in the U.S.. So, I am guessing this might mean that about 14% of $10,027.9 billion, or $1,403.9 billion of that is adult fiction (including mass market, trade paper, and trade hardcover).

But, maybe not… The Romance Writers of America cite “Business of Consumer Book Publishing 2006″ figures fior the “consumer book publishing industry” as $6.32 billion in 2005. Consumer book publishing is defined as “English-language, U.S.-based revenues only” and includes “adult hardcover, adult paperback, adult mass market, children’s/YA hardcover, children’s/YA paperback, audio books, electronic books, and religious books.”


Romance fiction net sales were, according to RWA, projected to be $1.4 billion for 2005, science fiction/fantasy for 2005 as $510 million (a 7.5% share of the consumer market), and mystery book sales were $405 million (a 6.1% share of the consumer market). Romance fiction leads the market categories with a 26.4% share, followed by the religion/inspirational category at 25.5%.

Confused?

Me, too.

But I think the point I want to make is still coming through: Publishing is a relatively small industry and the sf/f portion is smaller still. My guess is that it is less than the $510 million just mentioned, but let’s use that figure.

Now $510 million is a lot of money, but considering $4 billion worth of ringtones were sold in 2004 (only $300 million of that in the US), Americans spent $34.4 billion on their pets that same year, and wholesale dollar sales for bottled water exceeded $10 billion in 2005…well, that’s not so much.

Back home (which is also the office, of course) and am thinking that two trips in two weeks is a bit much, but, oh well.

This trip was for a Diamond Distribution sales meeting and the best thing that came out of it (that I can talk about for now) is that the strange and mysterious clog in the distribution pipeline has been tracked down and unclogged. If you recall, we had books printed and shipped to the warehouse, but they were not making it to the stores. Things should be remedied soon and we can get books to where they belong.

It was also great to meet more of the Diamond folks (and re-meet some) and see where their offices are. (In a building that sort of looks like maybe it should be in Oz as it is a greenish glass cube structure.)

The only Bad Thing, okay TWO Bad Things, were (1) I ate too much and (2) my return flight was delayed two hours.

Meanwhile although it will take a couple of weeks for it to get to the stores, MATTERS OF THE BLOOD (and the other eight releases so far) is available directly and don’t forget your secret discount code to save $2.00…

Oh. Hmmm. Unless you subscribe to the newsletter, you don’t KNOW the secret code. Best subscribe, eh?

Unfortunately, our author, Maria Lima did not get her books in time for an appearance this week. This is so unfair! *I* got books. The Wildside/Prime offices got books. The only books that DIDN’T get to where there were supposed to be were the ones that most needed to be there. Aargh. Everyone should buy TWO copies to make Maria feel better.

This month’s Speculative Romance Online Newsletter has an interview with moi.

They also have reviews of THE STRANGELING and RAGS & OLD IRON:

Short, sensual and sweet, THE STRANGELING delivers an unexpectedly good read out of usually suspect elements, and with a slight sexual and thematic sharp edge. I stayed up past bedtime to reach the happy ending, and my bet is you will, too.

…you like an edgier story, or if you’re an author looking for an example to follow in terms of contemporary fantasy world-building. RAGS AND OLD IRON comes very, very close to being exactly what I’m looking for from a horror love story. I’m definitely going to dip back into the Juno pool. If this title is a reliable indicator, this line delivers the speculative element, and has the potential to come through with some pretty original love stories.

THE STRANGELING reviewed at Curled Up With a Good Book:

Fantasy fiction fans who also love a steamy romance will flock to The Strangeling, an erotically charged story about a beautiful woman with the power to defeat the armies of the underworld….titillating and highly descriptive fantasy story that offers up truly erotic sex scenes blended with nature magic and ancient wisdom. Author Saskia Walker succeeds at weaving powerful imagery with delicious romance. Fans of The Strangeling can also look forward to her next novel, due in late 2007, with the promise of more erotically charged fantasy that goes beyond the norm of romantic fiction.

…and again at Dee and Dee Dish:

But, STRANGELING is so much more than erotica or magic. At it’s heart, STRANGELING shows how believing in ourselves and taking a chance really can pay off. There were also some very quotable moments in the book, and I just wanted to share one of those with you. “The best a couple can do is be strong for each other, if one of them is weak. Each one of us lives life like the ebb and flow of the tides, sometimes waning, sometimes fierce. Ultimately, though, one person cannot be strong all the time; in a couple, or a chain, they will always be strong.” Even if the rest of the book would have been a stinker (which is definitely was not), the poetic way Walker weaved those words was enough to make the book a good read…If you are looking for a straight Romance, you’ll be very disappointed in THE STRANGELING. However, if you want a very well written, Erotic Fantasy, this books for you. I know I sure enjoyed it, and hope you will too.

(And hey, she liked our cover copy, too!)

NIMUAR’S LOSS reviewed at Bestsellers World: This book is fantasy at its best.

JADE TIGER reviewed at Book Fetish:

Jade Tiger is part of the new fantasy imprint Juno which features strong women and compelling plots. Being the first of our reviews for this imprint, it sets a high expectation for future releases. The author did a beautiful job of choreographing both the fight scenes and the love scenes, blending them seamlessly in a fast-paced story that is sure to keep you on the edge-of-your-seat.

Front Street reviews —
JADE TIGER:

JADE TIGER is a romance as well as a fantasy novel steeped in Buddhist philosophy and Shaolin kung fu….JADE TIGER is also a thriller. Fast paced and compulsively readable, the novel is over almost before you know it. The author’s love of the martial arts is evident throughout the novel, imbuing a story full of fight scenes with an air of authenticity. Though Shan is an expert fighter, her character is made real in both her imperfections and in her extreme sensitivity to them…

Rags & Old Iron:

Rags and Old Iron takes readers on a journey from Arizona to Florida, and pulls the mystical and magical into modern life. I was impressed with how full the plot was without being overwhelming. The story resonates with magic, romance, and a sense of impossible things come to life.

The Strangling:

The way that Maerose harnesses her magic will not leave romance-seekers disappointed. An interesting twist at the end makes the climax worth waiting for….It has a lot of potential as a fantasy story which is overshadowed by the dominance of the romantic theme. However, it just depends on what the reader is looking for. Erotica readers will find the story right on target.

Purple Pens on BEST NEW PARANORMAL : It’s a fine collection…

Bookloons on BEST NEW PARANORMAL: Whether you’re interested in the literary aspect of paranormal romances or simply want to enjoy some great short story writing, Best New Paranormal Romance is worthy of your time…

So, really, I’ve started to blog several times while here and always wind up never finishing. So maybe a summation is in order…and I will try to finish this one.

ICFA is nice because there are a lot of smart people here who read books. Hard to find hundreds in one place, but here you have it. It is the sort of place where you can use the word “numinous” and everyone understands you. John Clute and Peter Straub had a session (moderated by Gary Wolfe) last night and the roomful of people not only could process their level of discourse, there was no one asking a question only to bring attention to him/herself and no one standing up and blathering so as to, well, do the same thing, I guess.

Although it is mostly an academic conference plenty of non-academics come, too. Or academics who are also in the business.

Maybe I should have gone to more of the academic side of things. I did sorta peek in on a couple of paper presentations and the were pretty dry. Nor can I take take some of the topics seriously: “Gender in SAW Films”, “The Mupping of Identity: What Jim Henson’s Muppets Can Tell Us About Our Furry Selves”, “Appropriations of Canonical Authority in Gaiman’s SANDMAN”, “Uncanny Mothering and the Complications of Identy In ‘Coraline’”, “‘Paradise Lost’ and Fan Fiction”? I dunno. Maybe I am wrong, but it seems a little silly.

Sometimes I wonder…gee, maybe I should have gone into academic work. I like to talk about this stuff and all…but then i realize (other than having four children to educate) getting a “real job” at a college is just as hard (if not harder) than trying to become a pro writer or editor. And the publishing business doesn’t require those expensive degrees!

I’m in Ft Lauderdale at the ICFA. My Net access is…weird. SO if you’ve emailed, you might want to be patient for a couple of days. I also posted already about the con…but it has disappeared…

1) Check your “junk” mail or wherever your spam goes (not that we are spam!)
2) If you still don’t find it, email me

* * *

Already have six entries in the contest! Guess y’all like words better than pictures!

* * *

Issue #2 of the *Juno Book News* should be in your email box. This time it went ONLY to those very intelligent people of good taste who have specifically requested it by subscribing. So, if you haven’t, well — you can still sign up here.
The SUPER-DUPER SECRET DISCOUNT CODE to use on DIRECT JUNO ORDERS is in THIS ISSUE. Save $2 a copy! Be the first on your block to get Juno Books! Receive your books in the comfort in the privacy of your own home! Save petrol!

If you missed issue #1, it is now posted here.

(In alphabetical order by author’s last name)

Evergreen - Angela Boord
The Desires of Houses - Haddayr Copley-Woods
Smoke & Mirrors - Amanda Downum
Wizard of the Eternal Watch - Eugie Foster
An Autumn Butterfly - Esther Freisner
Moment of Joy Before - Claudia O’Keefe
The Mountains of Key West - Sandra McDonald
A Light in Troy - Sarah Monette
The Story of Love - Vera Nazarian
Moon Viewing at Shijo Bridge - Richard Parks
Jane: A Story of Manners, Magic, and Romance - Sarah Prineas
Journey into the Kingdom - M. Rickert
The Red Envelope-David Sakmyster
La Fée Verte - Delia Sherman
The Depth Oracle - Sonya Taaffe

M. Rickert’s “Journey into the Kingdom” is the story of 2006, I think. I know it’s in at least three other “year’s bests” — and most deservedly so!

Hey, I had PRIORITIES get in the way. Still will get a short newsletter probably tomorrow (Saturday).

Yup! You can now order from the Juno page on Wildside. But, hold your horses…if you subscribe to the newsletter (which will hit your email box in the next day or so) you will be provided with a SUPER-DUPER SECRET COUPON CODE that will save you $2 on every book! (Sorry no decoder rings, yet.)

Subscribe here

Do you require a HEA in the stories you buy? Or is “dark” “romantic fantasy” all right? (I’m specifically thinking about the Best New… series, rather than novel-length submissions.)

Well, I *thought* this was addressed in the guidelines, but I guess it doesn’t specifically say so: No. HEA is not required for either. And if you are REALLY intersted in BEST NEW — reading a copy of the first one is still your best bet.)

It’s wonderful that there is now another choice for me besides Harlequin’s Luna imprint for some lighter fantasy that’s written for women.

Luna is about as close as you will get to describing Juno in a comparison. Atthe same time we are a little…wilder? broader? different? Oh, and with a much, much much lower budget! And some of our stuff is not “lighter”…

Does the title still have a “2″ in it? Over on the year’s best sf info page, I’m currently tentatively calling the next two volumes “Best New Romantic Fantasy (2007 edition)” and “Best New Romantic Fantasy (2008 Edition)”, but if there’s a number of some sort in the title, let me know and I’ll update the page.

Hmmm. Good question, Jed. The Datlow/Windling series started out as:
Year’s Best Fantasy: First Annual Collection (1988) which covered 1987
Year’s Best Fantasy: Second Annual Collection (1989) which covered 1988
Then the THIRD one was:
Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror: Third Annual Collection (1990) which covered 1989

So there’s precedence for sequential numbering despite a title change

Any ideas? The numbering is a good idea for a continuing series published in the year after the year it covers…

(1) I’m still waiting to hear from two authors on BEST NEW ROMANTIC FANTASY. The original editor is nicely helping find one. The other I have a phone number for, so I guess I’ll try calling when I get a chance.

(2) Any novel submission through DECEMBER 4, 2006 should have been replied to now.

A comment below says:

…I think sales will depend — at least partially — on shelf placement, though. Go for the romance section. Then, if someone moans about a lack of HEA, you can point to the title and say…” well, uh, pay attention, dear reader! Further: Seriously, there are plenty of “urban fantasies” shelved with romance these days. People who need that HEA should know by now to read the fine print in order to figure out what they’re buying.

We don’t have a lot of control over where stores place us. We’d like to be everywhere in every section, of course. In theory, if your BISAC code is “fantasy” then you are “fantasy”, etc., but it is not as if stores really CHECK that. We hope that even with the new title we will still be placed in romance sections, too, but we don’t know.
And, yeah, there are “non-romance” titles on most romance shelves these days. Which is why I wonder a little about the readers who are so insistent that if it says “romance” or is in the romance section then a has to fit the HEA/romance pardigm or you are somehow deceiving them. When I say, “I’m sure romance readers are intelligent people who can figure these simple things out,” I am usually ignored.

I mean, I’d be insulted if a publisher thought I wasn’t bright enough to figure out what I wanted to read. Or that publishers publish a variety of books. Maybe romance readers have just gotten used to categories and specific imprints and it is different for them.
But I’m paranoid. I begin to wonder about a conspiracy. I wonder where the true roots of this protest lie? I am not referring to any academic or genre-related definition, those discussions are ongoing and natural. I mean the actual idea that only one type of romance should be shelved and that any publisher who feels differently is “invading” and “defrauding” romance buyers.
Seems to me there is only one entity that one might think is beginning to suffer due to inroads made by paranormals and fantasy mixed with romance and, for that matter, by small presses. It’s a division of a big company that produces most of the world’s “romance” books and more or less invented category romance. If I were them, I’d think it was in my interest to try to convince fans that “bad guys” were invading their turf and that strict definitions must be obeyed. Seems to me that it would benefit my profit margin.
NOT that I am suggesting this is true. I just wonder. I have that sort of mind…