The making of my own cookbook

[MelissaH]

I guess I'll find out once the contract comes back to me. I love these questions - gives me specific things to look for that I hadn't considered.

I wouldn't have known to ask about this one, either—except that one of the bloggers I follow posted not long ago that a knitting book she'd written several years ago is out of print and the pattern rights are going to revert to her so she can revise and reformat them for sale on her website. And huiray is absolutely right, about photo rights being something else to clarify.

 

Right about now, I'm wondering if I should have gone to law school!

[gfron1]

I've been having my agent ask about marketing stuff and today's response is exciting to me, realizing that promises do not always translate into action. As always, censored to protect the innocent. This is all great because they see the potential for something that could generate buzz or awards, but I'll really have to do my work to get things moving. And that's where all of my food writer friends will come in.

 

 

Re: how we’d sell the book, NAME is our distributor, so they’d work to get the book into B&N, Amazon, BooksAMillion, and Indiebound – our top four retailers. We also have an in-house special sales team, which would work to get the book into non-bookstores, such as Whisk (a specialty cookware store in Brooklyn) and retailers like that. Special sales is also where we’d go to get books into trade shows, conferences, and/or catalogs.

 

On top of that, we’re distributed by NAME in Canada, and we work with NAME UK. NAME sells our foreign rights.

 

To follow up, I just had a quick meeting with my publicity director, who has worked on books by Famous French Cef and Super Famous American Chef (who coincidentally has become Instagram friends with me...like we actually interact), and who ran the publicity campaign for BOOK, which was a James Beard Award Winner in single-subject cookbooks. He’s also currently working with FOOD PERSONALITY that every American knows (who is one of my Fall 2015 authors), though that’s for his fiction novella collection. He really liked the proposal, and on top of supporting Rob in his ideas mapped out within, he said we would:

 

• Print ARCs [Rob: these are advanced reading copies] for long-lead food media, such as web, magazines, television shows, and morning shows
• Gather reviews from the trade publications, such as PW [Publishers Weekly], Kirkus, and Booklist
• Contact local and regional media, of course
• Attempt to book Rob on the ALA Cooking Stage [American Library Association]
• Attempt to book Rob at regional bookseller shows
• Map out a social media/digital media campaign (NAME that must mean something to people in the industry from Wiley just joined our team and is working on revamping PUBLISHER authors’ campaigns)
• Gather additional endorsements for the book before publication (I’d/my agent be lead on this endeavor)

 

[Deryn]

How exciting for you, gfron!

And it is great to know we will be able to buy your book in Canada (for twice as much as in the US, no doubt, but it will be available easily!)

On another note though, for me, the name BooksaMillion conjures up a picture of a junky discount bookstore. I don't think I have ever seen one that was a really nice upscale bookstore. Are there any that are not like my image? If not, I hope they don't distribute there immediately.

Amazon and B&N (and the specialty kitchen store) sound ideal however.

[huiray]

Here's keeping my fingers crossed for you, gfron1! 

 

[gfron1]

Blotting out facts will make this less exciting, but this is why you have an agent:

 

Re: the editing, I can tell you that I've edited more than 100 books in my time at NAME, and I think a copy edit (and subsequent proofread) would definitely help us avoid anyone ever saying Rob's book isn't well written or sloppy. We'll put the best material out there, and Rob will be included every step of the way.

 

Re: our best offer. I can raise the advance (though only slightly) to $## and I can raise the ebook royalty to ##% net (no escalators). The photo budget would stay at $## (though Rob would not have to earn this back, as discussed). I can also offer bestseller bonus language, such as the following:

 

In addition, the Publisher agrees to pay the Author a bonus advance of $## against royalties for hitting the New York Times bestseller list in spots 16 through 20, as well as $## against royalties for every week the book is on the printed and published New York Times bestseller lists in spots 1 through 15, up to a maximum of five weeks total.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions about our offer or anything else.

 

 

I don't know about this whole NYT list thing but its fun to see! So as I was told, my agent has already made me more than her % with this one letter.

[Lisa Shock]

I'd check the details on selling the foreign rights, make sure they revert to you so you don't have an issue with releasing a 10th anniversary issue or something in the future.

[gfron1]

We have a deal!

 

Within a week the publisher will announce the deal on Publisher's Marketplace, and at that time I will do the same. Apparently that's what publishers do. Now this topic transitions into - what happens once a deal has been signed? I'm anxious to see if my title stands; I'm looking forward to a good copy edit; How many pics will they allow?

 

Tentative deadlines - all content to editor by first of the year; finished manuscript designed and ready for the printer by March; out in September of 2016.

[IowaDee]

Just fantastic news!  I'm sure I speak for all of us in saying "Congratulations"  What a fantastic journey you have shared with us. Love the idea that is will be coming out with plenty of time to order for the holidays.  I picture lots of them under Christmas trees!  Mine will be among the first.  

[huiray]

Well done and congratulations.  I shall look forwards to the announcement in the near future.

 

Just curious – do you know where the book will be printed?

[Anna N]

That is wonderful news. It took some persistence on your part to get there but you must be feeling very satisfied at this time.

[Shelby]

WOOO HOOO!!!!!  Break out the champagne!!!  Congratulations!!!

[gfron1]

WOOO HOOO!!!!!  Break out the champagne!!!  Congratulations!!!

I'll hold off til the check comes  And in the category of 'bad timing,' I lost my morning prep person so I"m working 6am-11pm these days. I'll celebrate later!

[Kerry Beal]

Thrilled for you Rob!

[MelissaH]

Mazel tov! I'm very happy for you, and I look forward to seeing what happens next. (And this copy editor hopes you get a good one from your publisher!)

[Smithy]

This is wonderful news! I look forward to seeing the finished product and comparing it to the version I saw.

[milgwimper]

Wonderful Gfron. I cannot wait to see all your hard work.

[Tri2Cook]

Congratulations Rob. You've worked so incredibly hard to get where you are now from where you were when I first met you here on these forums, it makes me smile when I get to read about how all of that hard work is paying off for you with your restaurant and now with this book. I look forward to it's arrival.


Edited because apparently I can't form a proper sentence at 5 am.



 

Edited September 2, 2015 by Tri2Cook (log)

[gfweb]

Fantastic, Rob!  Thanks for sharing all this.

[Arey]

Congratulations.  Your ship has finally left the dock, hope its calm seas and prosperous voyage from now on.

[gfron1]

2 thoughts for today. First, the parallel with TV shows, movies and musicians is so blatantly obvious now. I had just never thought about it. Which artist ends up where and how they then are presented to the consumer.

Second, the first request from the publisher is a one line summary of the book for promotion...

[huiray]

If the marketing team got you a spot as a guest on something like "The Chew", would you accept it? (Or would it possibly detract from the image/public persona you wish to cultivate?)

[gfron1]

If the marketing team got you a spot as a guest on something like "The Chew", would you accept it? (Or would it possibly detract from the image/public persona you wish to cultivate?)

Since I've never seen the Chew, IDK. I'm not interested in goofy food entertainment like the competition shows. I was at one time, but I have too much to do now.

[huiray]

I see from another thread that you will be closing shop in the near future and relocating.

 

I'm wondering - How will this affect the upcoming book? If not anything else, how are you going to be described and what is your biography going to say?  After all, I would imagine the text of it has to be "fixed" well before you make your final move, have a new appellation/address/etc... It occurs to me too that you might be in the position of being at a "meet the chef/author" book-signing sometime towards the end of 2016 and having to sign a book that says in the bio that you are the chef at Curious Kumquat when you no longer are? Or will there be the chance to alter the bio before the book is printed, assuming you know the new details in time?

[gfron1]

We've always wanted it disconnected from the restaurant and tied more to my name so it'll list the Quat just as it would any previous places. I do think we'll be established before we go to print however. I've been shocked how many people have contacted me about my building in less than 24 hours.

I see from another thread that you will be closing shop in the near future and relocating.

 

I'm wondering - How will this affect the upcoming book? If not anything else, how are you going to be described and what is your biography going to say?  After all, I would imagine the text of it has to be "fixed" well before you make your final move, have a new appellation/address/etc... It occurs to me too that you might be in the position of being at a "meet the chef/author" book-signing sometime towards the end of 2016 and having to sign a book that says in the bio that you are the chef at Curious Kumquat when you no longer are? Or will there be the chance to alter the bio before the book is printed, assuming you know the new details in time?

[huiray]

We've always wanted it disconnected from the restaurant and tied more to my name so it'll list the Quat just as it would any previous places. I do think we'll be established before we go to print however. I've been shocked how many people have contacted me about my building in less than 24 hours.

 

Ah, I see. Thanks for the note.