Just a little

[threemonkeys]

I spent a bit of time talking to a bookseller today about how hard it is to sell short stories. He reckoned that he could name all the people who could be counted on to come into his store and buy a short story collection. It is a very short list of names. I imagine therefore that this is closely related to the reason why an author who sells as well as Sean Williams does ends up having his short fiction published by a small press. Light Bodies Falling is published by Altair Australia Books (AAB) and I'm guessing does not have a very large print run. That is a pity because more people should see just how good Sean is at the shorter form. But the virtues of short stories and authors who do better at that form is an old argument and apart from the dedicated few who might pick up this book anyway, I'm not sure it will gain any more traction this time around either. So if you do like short stories, go pick up a copy - it isn't Sean's best short work but still pretty damn good and worth supporting AAB in their efforts to get it out there.

Comments

[littenz.livejournal.com]

All right, as I was probably on the "named" list, where is this gem of a book to be found?

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Yes, yours was the first name mentioned. I bought the book at Conflux - it wasn't specifically the reason for the conversation. Arty Bees have a number of small press novels on sale - they don't actually look all that good, but Matt was at least prepared to give them a shot because novels are easier to sell than short story collections.

hey!

[clueless-kitty.livejournal.com]

happy birthday ross!

im off to auckland on monday!

Re: hey!

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

Hope things go well/are fun in Auckland. If you are near Manukau, try to get to Barbaras Books (http://www.barbarasbooks.co.nz/directions.htm). Barbara & Peter are the current fan fund of Australia & New Zealand delegates.

short stories are for failed lit fans

[lparkes.livejournal.com]

I doubt I was on the list, but I do like my short story collections.
I'm too chaotic and succumb to TV candy too easily to read many novels these days.

I tend to go for short stories instead because I know I'll be able to read a complete story before my reduced attention span gives out. They also help assuage my my feelings of guilt as someone who is a lit fan that watches far too much TV. ;-)

Re: short stories are for failed lit fans

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Well no, your name wasn't on the list. I do get the short attention span thing though. When I go through a reading slow patch, I use short stories to get me back into the groove when I can't summon the concentration needed to attack a whole novel.