Saturday, October 07, 2006

Miscellaneous

I've never read anything by Renee Bernard, but Sybil's gotten me all excited about her upcoming releases. I can't wait for her first book out 10/31/06.

Anyone buy THE VAMPIRE WHO LOVED ME by Teresa Medeiros yet? Can someone explain what the deal is with Avon's fonts lately...and the spacing? What the fa? The font itself is close to 18 and each page isn't completely filled. Avon literally gives you about 2 small paragraphs per page. I feel like I'm reading a kids' book, POLLYANNA for 12 year olds or something. I don't understand it. I guess if they were to print it as a 200 page book instead of a 370 (more or less) pager, they would also have to charge $4.99 - $5.99 for it, instead of the $7.99 they ripped out of my pocket. I realize I didn't have to buy the book. I didn't even notice 'til I got home (and really it wouldn't have made a difference because I've been itching to read the book for months) and I was a little ticked! Anyone else find this extremely irritating? The font keeps on getting bigger. It was huge in Heath's PROMISE ME FOREVER but really Avon's pushing it with the #18 font of THE VAMPIRE.

Speaking of Lorraine Heath, the author has donated a copy of the very rare (I've never read it, hear it's amazing and I can't find it anywhere) ALWAYS TO REMEMBER to help fellow author Julie Kenner raise funds for LOVE WITH BOUNDARIES, an organization that assists in aiding orphaned children in China. The book is being auctioned off on ebay. As of now, the price is up to $17 but there are 6 days left and you know that means it'll probably end up being sold for close to $100 (if not more).

11 comments:

Kristie (J) said...

Can't say as I've noticed the increased font size in Avon books. Although that could be because I *cough* buy very, very few of them. I think the last one I got was Lisa Kleypas' and I still haven't read it yet.
And they do have some good stuff on Julie Kenner's auction don't they? Of course I *another cough* have a copy of Always to Remember so I bid on different things.

romancelover said...

Avon doesn't always use the enormous font; sometimes they'll use the regular one. It obviously has something to do with the author writing a shorter novel, but still. I was taken about by THE VAMPIRE's font. The story was good. I enjoyed it tremendously. Series whore that I am, I'm a little sad that the series was only 2 books and that it's over...sniff.

You have ATR? You were one of the lucky ones to read HEATH before her move to Victorian England, right? You've been telling me to read her historicals for a while and I still haven't done so. I will have to. You're a lucky girl to own this book which I hear is AMAZING!!!

Nicole said...

I haven't noticed the larger font, but I have noticed pages not being fully filled. It ticks me off too. I hadn't realized that the page count had to do with the price. Is that a fact? Hmmmm. I will definetly be paying attention to the font now. I was actually just telling Rene Lyon's that I was all excited cause her font was small (it's one of those big pb). Usually the big books have big print too, but not hers. Yeay!

romancelover said...

I don't know if the page number has to do with price. I'm just assuming it does, otherwise they'd sell Harlequins for $8, too. The font is only present in a few books. It started off with a couple here and there but now I'm noticing it more and more & it's usually with authors I love. Ticks me off. I loved VAMPIRE WHO LOVED ME, by the way. So good!

Spy Scribbler said...

They sure are pushing up the prices of the books, aren't they? Ever since the new-fangled ... what are they called? ... tall paperbacks came out, the regular-sized mass markets thought they could up their prices, too.

Dev said...

I haven't noticed a change in the font size, but then again bigger fonts don't bother me ~ it's the small fonts that I can't read. They give me a headache.

Kathryn S said...

It's because the book was short when turned in. Avon tries to keep all their books around the same page count. I'm not sure why, but that's the reason for different sized fonts.

As an aside, the price for Avon books varies depending on the 'category.' My books are $5.99. Lisa Kleypas books are $7.99 -- obviously because she is *way* higher up the food chain than I am.

And at the risk of sounding like a petulant Avon author, My current ms will be 370+ pages using Avon's standard font (if not one that is a little smaller). It will sell for $5.99 as I mentioned above. In comparison my book is the same length as a recent HQN title by Gena Showalter which is $6.99, A Warner title by Michelle Rowen (in fact, mine is at least 30 pages longer) which is $6.50. Mine is almost 70 pages longer than a St. Martin's LA Banks title that was $6.99

What's my point -- Avon's prices are the same or comparable to everyone else publishing books in the same length bracket.

romancelover said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
romancelover said...

Kathryn,

Hello! You've cleared up a bit. I still find it difficult to stomach that Avon would essentially sell a shorter book for the same price a regular one though...guess I'll have to get over that. The font was, in my opinion, far larger than any other I've seen Avon publish. Just my two cents. I enjoyed the book though. It was excellent and I shall post a review later this week.

- Daniela

romancelover said...

BTW...I think your books are excellent. Loved your last series and looking fwd to more. I'm surprised you're 5.99. Go figure.

Kathryn S said...

Gotcha, Daniela. My point is (and I'm not crapping on anyone) that it wasn't Avon who made the book short. And the thing being is even if they made the book smaller, they'd still have to charge the same price in order to pay TM the money she's earned and, I think, deserves.

oh, and as an aside...I've heard a lot this price thing has to do with the fact that the price of paper jumped drastically in the 90s and so publishers had to jump up prices.

Anyway, I'll shut up now and go write -- otherwise my next book is going to be too short! lol.