Jessica Roy and the Literati

I feel like I should post about this, but I'm not even really sure why. By now, most of you have probably read it - and the Gawker/Jezebel/n+1 scene's reaction to it. But to sum up, NYU student, blogger, and want-to-be literati Jessica Roy wrote a piece about her experiences hanging out with the Leon Neyfakh and Keith Gessen crew for New York Magazine's Daily Intelligencer.

As a publicist, I'm not part of this scene (although, we all do occasionally overlap. new york is strangely small in that way), but it sums up what I've heard a lot of people say about the industry as a whole. A number of people I've worked with have confessed that they rarely befriend people at their jobs because said co-workers are too pretentious. And it can be true. There are those people that don't have TVs and only listen to NPR and read the Times, and scoff at people like me for watching the Hills. There is a bit of aura of superiority - we publish books after all. We educate people. We produce a product that is meant to make a difference.

Which, if you think about, is kind of ridiculous. Can we really feel superior to the people over at Glamour or Maxim when we're publishing books like "Stuff White People Like" or "lolCats"? It's not as though we're in search of the next great American writer. We're in search of the next great bestseller. And I'm sure Leon or Keith can feel superior to us because, well, Leon covers the industry rather than taking part in it, and Keith runs a "high brow" lit magazine. Oh, and they're writers and highly educated.

The whole thing is just silly. And it's even more silly that we all write about it. That I'm writing about it. That people in New York have become so self-involved with ourselves that we think such things are news-worthy. Emily Gould is not famous. Nor is Keith Gessen. They are famous in a select circle of people, but because of sites like Gawker, the New York media has somehow become convinced that they are. No better than a Julia Allison type fameball, but they can feel superior to her because they've gained their fame for "deep insights" and books, rather than dating columns or talking about celebrities on national TV shows.

I don't really know my whole point with this, except that it sits badly with me. It bothers me that a 20 year-old girl was holding these people up as role-models and for what she wanted to be. Look, I read Jezebel and Gawker as much as the next girl - probaby more. And I find it hilarious. But, I would never wake up in the morning and say that my goal is to be Moe or Tracie. Or Sheila or Choire or Nick Denton. Well, maybe Nick Denton. He does have a really sweet apartment.

It just saddens me that these are the people that college students are looking up to. That these are our mentors. And that, as the book industry, we encourage it by continually publishing their work. People who tumblr and post rants and write pieces about themselves...aren't there better, more-talented, and less self-involved writers out there? Or is that just a contradiction in itself?

--Ladytron

More Gould Gossip

Thanks to Cajun Boy for passing this from Reverse Cowgirl's blog our way:

Got an email this past weekend in reference to this post. Came from an individual who read Gould's proposal in its entirety. Last weekend, a few folks end up at a bar, gather around a table, and one attendee pulls multiple copies of the proposal from her purse. Said copies are passed around, read, and readers find themselves "collectively aghast at its bone-shattering awfulness." Reportedly, it's "painful" to read. Supposedly, Gould as recently as a week ago declared she wouldn't be writing a memoir because writing 8,000 words about herself was too depressing, and she couldn't imagine writing 80,000 words about herself. I guess this is the part in the post where I'm supposed to say something insightful, but the only thing I can think to say is just because it sucks doesn't mean it won't sell for $250K-plus in a matter of days. I guess that's the breaks when the idiots are driving the clown car.

Updated: Another anonymous emailer who was present for the proposalakkake concurs: "I was there when that book proposal came out. And I'll tell you with remorse, as someone who has been trying to stick up for Emily: it's abysmal. It makes me sad."

I've talked to a couple people who have read the manuscript, and opinions seem to vary from "hideous" to "I enjoyed it." I have yet to get my grubby hands on a manuscript so I can offer no guidance. But, if anyone has one they want to send to the Editor via email, that would be totally sweet.

Do tell,

The Editor

Follow-up to the Sloane/Emily Question

From you handy tipsters, we have aquired this info:

1. The Original Publishers Marketplace Deal for Sloane: Vintage/Anchor associate publicity director Sloane Crosley's I WAS TOLD THERE'D BE CAKE, humorous essays about the glamor of inadequacy, to Jennifer Pooley at William Morrow, for publication in fall 2007, by Denise Shannon at Denise Shannon Literary Agency (NA). Apparently the book was originally more ettiquette themed, and at some point, the focus changed, as did the publisher.


2. A claim the Emily's book went for $250k, and Sloane's for $75k.


3. A claim that Sloane's book went for much less than $75k.

All I can verify is that the book was definitely in the five figure range, based on Leon Neyfakh's May Observer article. I think we can safely assume that Emily is at least raking in six figures more than Sloane. Although, the question remains, who will ultimately win? Sloane must have earned out her advance by now, and royalties should start coming in. Depending on what Emily's book does...well, she might never see more than her initial paycheck.

Do Tell,

The Editor

Gag

From Publishers Lunch:

Former editor of Gawker.com and author of a recent NYT Magazine cover article on her life online Emily Gould's AND THE HEART SAYS..."WHATEVER", called "an honest, searching and wry set of recollections that together weave a picture of what it's like to be a young person in New York City in the early 2000s," to Amber Qureshi at Free Press, in a pre-empt, for publication in 2010, by Melissa Flashman at Trident Media Group (NA).

Gawker says the deal was for a million. Gould (via Galleycat) denied the figure, and Ron reports that the deal may or may not be closer to $350k. Either way, Emily has a lot more money than I do. And that makes me angry. Does anyone know how much Sloane's book went for?

Do tell,

The Editor

Leaked: Sample from Emily Gould

Afterwards we sit on the fire escape half-naked and smoke a cigarette. Because he spends so much time working out, his smoking seems glamorous --louche and earned, not depressing and desperate like my ex-boyfriend's. He passes the cigarette to me and looks away, letting the sunset caress his profile and make him look like a still from a French movie, his face in sharp focus against the tenement blocks and the taller towers in the distance, dark against the streaky pink summer sky. I exhale into a breeze that feels like a caress. The day has cooled and now the air is the exact temperature as the blood that's slowing its race through my veins. I slump against him and feel his body stiffen almost imperceptibly. He has five more minutes and then he really has to leave for wrestling, and besides, sex never seems to relax him. Sometimes, I've noticed, he wakes up in the morning with balled fists.

Hmm. It's just so easy. Now, I know we've given Sloane a lot of shit in the past, but wow. This leaked excerpt from Emily Gould's book proposal just gave me a whole new level of respect for Ms. Crosely. At least the samples I read from Sloane (no, I never read the book. yes, I am a hypocrite) were amusingly self-deprecating. And maybe some of Emily stories (told through her TATTOOS. um, yeah.) will be as well. But if it's gonna be a whole book of prose written in the style of a 14 year old girl trying to be deep, well then. The air is the exact temperature as the blood that's slowing its race through my veins? I call bullshit. Was the air 98.6 degrees? 'cause that's by no means "cool." Or is Emily Gould's core body temperature freakishly low? Is that why her writing is so sluggish?

Also, any bets on who the boy is? Based on the pics of Gawker/Page 6 writer Joshua David Stein and his muscley torso, I'm going with Josh. Which means ex-boyfriend is probably poor Hugh. You remember Hugh, right? Of course you do! Emily talked all about him and how she flirted inappropriately with Josh while they were till together? In that NY Times Magazine piece? Remember? Of course you do.

Anyway, to quote Emily, "While nothing that has happened to me in and of itself has been that noteworthy: Lots of young people have lived in big cities, and have had an assortment of strange and ordinary jobs… there are some truths about doing these things and about writing about them online that haven't yet been expressed."

That's true, dear. Nothing has been noteworthy. Which is why people hated your piece in the Sunday Magazine. And which is why they will tear apart your book. And while perhaps there are "some truths" that haven't been expressed, that doesn't mean they should be.

--Paige Sexie

Random tidbits that are upsetting me.

I forgot to eat breakfast, so I feel stabby.

Emily Gould is shopping a book.

John McCain's campaign has a facebook game - and I actually downloaded it.

Keith Gessen is being interviewed on "Bookworm."

The Old Hag got a book deal based off of Jezebel posts (actually, I really like those posts, but a book, really?? Although, I suppose it's no more ridiculous than this. Or this. Or this.)

Cody's is closing for good.

My authors who refuse to understand why an established indie bookstore wouldn't want a debut, non-local author for an event. (sorry, no link for this. it just is)

The existence of The Shack, and how it will encourage thousands of deluded "writers" that they too can become bestsellers with no publisher, no support, and no publicist.

U.S. News & World Report's list of ways to deal with an office of 20-somethings. And the comments that other old farts added. Seriously, just give us some money and some respect, and we'll all get along just fine.

It's Wednesday - scientifically proven to be the longest day of the week.

Blech,

The Editor

Is Emily Gould the New Sloane Crosley?

Let's compare, shall we?

Publishing Experience:

• Emily used to be an associate editor at Hyperion and now blogs for Galleycat.
• Sloane is the associate director of publicity at Vintage/Anchor

Books:

• Emily is the co-author of some YA novel called Hex Education
• Sloane is the author of the New York Times bestselling essay collection, I Was Told There Would Be Cake

Gawker Connection:

• Emily is a former co-editor of the blog. It now mocks her.
• Sloane has never worked for the blog but is still mocked repeatedly.

Freelance writing pieces:

• Emily has had articles published in the New York Times op-ed section, Radar, Bookslut, and the New York Observer.
• Sloane has had pieces published in the New York Times, Village Voice, Maxim, BlackBook Magazine, Playboy, and the New York Observer.

Jimmy Kimmel:

• Emily was torn a new asshole by JK when he guest-hosted on Larry King Live.
• To my knowledge, Sloane has no connection to Jimmy.

Over-exposure:

• Emily's piece has spawned coverage in media outlets such as NPR, Slate, Atlantic, L.A. Times, New York Observer, Huffington Post, Philadelphia Weekly, New York Magazine's CultureVulture, Wired online, countless websites and blogs, and of course, Gawker.
• Sloane's book got her coverage in New York Observer, New York Times, Daily Candy, Radar, San Francisco Chronicle, Publishers Weekly, New York Magazine, Forbes, Newsweek Online, Paste, Salon, Gawker, etc.

Connection to one another:

• Emily interviewed Sloane for Radar

Hair:

• Emily's looks a bit lackluster and even in a little greasy in one of the pics.
• Sloane has been proven to have the shiniest hair in the publishing.

Slunch opinion:

• Emily is a nice girl and a funny blogger, but "Exposed" was the most boring, self-involved piece that I have ever read in the New York Times Magazine. Appropriate for Glamour? Maybe. But the New York Times?? No way. DO NOT WANT.
• Sloane is a nice girl and a good publicist, but the coverage of I Was Told There Would Be Cake was ridiculous. Is Sloane a good writer? Sure. Is she good enough to merit more coverage than all the other authors. Um, no.

So, there you have it. Young, cute ladies with publishing connections trying to make it as writers. Unfortunately for them, while the connections they have made may help them "further" their career, they also might piss off their peers to the point of never-ending mockery and skepticism about their true abilities.

Oh, also, I think Sloane wins the battle. New York Times bestselling books trumps cover story of New York Times Magazine.

--Paige Sexie