This is a call for book proposals that fall under the general heading of books about popular culture. Please forward to anyone you know who may be interested. Given the current (busy) state of my production queue, we are looking at publication in 2d half of 2010 or 1st half 2011.
Nimble Books has published a number of “meta” books about pop culture topics like Harry Potter and The Solomon Key I do have some specific ideas about what works and what I’m interested in publishing going forward.
What has worked so far:
- speculation books about highly anticipated titles
- quiz books that rely on facts extrinsic to the works, e.g. “What are the names of J.K. Rowling’s children?”
- “values debate” books that challenge the values implied or stated by a work of popular culture
- books whose title = Unauthorized + {Title of big bestseller} + Analysis (this is “title surfing”)
What has not worked:
- scene-by-scene analysis books (a bright idea of mine that simply hasn’t panned out)
What is illegal, so forget about it:
- Unauthorized “companion” or quiz books that rely substantially on fictional facts intrinsic to the works; the well-reasoned opinion in the 2d District, Warner Bros. v. RDR, is a pretty reliable guide to the current state of law
I am interested in publishing books that offer a fresh perspective on popular culture. By this I mean the following: most books about popular culture fall into the following categories:
- fanboy love
- academic fanboy love
- scandal-mongering
- academic disparagement
If your book does not fit easily into any of these categories, it is probably original and there may be a niche for it! In particular, I am interested in publishing books about popular culture that:
- stimulate debate questioning the tacit assumptions of today’s culture
- advance “old school” values such as literacy, devoutness, integrity, primary research, and the scientific method
- frame a topic in a way that allows a reasonably long shelf life (aim for four years); e.g. “AFTER LOST”, not “LOST: Season Six”.
- introduce new primary material for fans of a particular topic (e..g this year I am publishing a series of interviews with James M. Cain edited by the late John McAleer)
- relate to genres I enjoy (science fiction, thrillers, mysteries); e.g. in 2008 I published a great collection of essays about science fiction and fantasy by David Brin
- glorify shows or authors that I like (to be perfectly honest, I am a fanboy …)
If any of this strikes a chord, please review the Publish With Us page at NimbleBooks.com and drop me a note!
Hi. How is the James M. Cain project coming along?
Best, Andy