I’ll soon be on the OPEN ROAD
August 6, 2011
After many months of complex negotiations involving the language of publishing contracts drafted before e-books became a reality, my agent, Dave Larabell, of The David Black Agency, is close to concluding agreements that will lead to my currently out of print previous books becoming newly available via Open Road.
Such past bestsellers as THE LAST BROTHER, BLIND FAITH and CRUEL DOUBT, as well as cult classics HEROES and THE BIG HORSE should soon be e-books available on all platforms.
As for my one novel, THE DREAM TEAM (Random House, 1972) we’ll have to wait and see, but at the time of its publication The New York Times reviewed it together with a Michael Crichton novel and awarded it higher marks. Obviously, the marketplace had a different opinion.
There remain a few t’s to be crossed and i’s to be dotted with Open Road, but all my nonfiction books should be available electronically early next year.
Not to be pushy, but this seems a good time to remind visitors to this blog that THE SELLING OF THE PRESIDENT, GOING TO EXTREMES, FATAL VISION, THE MIRACLE OF CASTEL DI SANGRO and NEVER ENOUGH remain in print and available for order through independent bookstores, or online through Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
And now only 46 days until publication of THE ROGUE.
Posted in 
Tags: 29 Responses to “I’ll soon be on the OPEN ROAD”
Speaking of the open road, how can we find out where you will be doing book signings for The Rogue?
Just finished NEVER ENOUGH. The post of your grandchildren was great to see. It assures me that you are solidly grounded with a loving support system as you delve into some very disturbing subject matter. Your talents are appreciated !
Hello Joe. My favorite blogger, Andrew Sullivan, has a comment on his blog that he is reading “a very scarce advance copy” of the Rogue and that all he can say is “go buy it”. Not that I needed Sully’s encouragement to pre-order the book but his comments makes it that much harder to wait. I assume whoever got these “scarce advance copies” are bound to secrecy so there will be no leaks. Who decides who got or will get to see a copy of the The Rogue before the official publication date, 9/21. It does seems early for anyone to have gotten their hands on a copy.
Katie, take a look at Joe’s earlier post about the embargo:
https://www.joemcginniss.net/the-rogue-is-embargoed-due-to-explosive-content-no-galleys-sent/Joe%20McGinniss
Please come to Seattle! I want to personally shake your hand and have you autograph your book for me!
I hope you’ll be coming to Nashville. Although it is a very red state, Nashville itself is pretty Democratic. I’d love to see the hoards of Democrats come out for you’re book signing!!
I don’t know that Nashville even HAS a Book Store left (from the floods last year). The closest Book Store’s are most likely in Williamson County, just south of Davidson County (Nashville). I bought Geoffrey Dunn’s book there and was surprised that so many people were also buying it. Williamson County is very RED.
Nouveau Riche.
Gibsons, Joe’s publicity department @ Crown has other media exposure plans for his book, as he’s said, but here’s a generous alternative:
Simply send an email, with your name and mailing address, to his Publicity Director Annsley Rosner, and she will send you a signed bookplate for THE ROGUE, free of charge.
+ + + +
If you’re casting about anxiously awaiting Joe’s new book, I highly recommend reading his Going to Extremes. What an experience! You’ll trace his 1970s journey (pipeline days) all around vast Alaska, replete with bush pilots, dreamers, lovers, Indians, scroungers, drunks, professors, town mayors, newspaper editors, homesteaders, and barflies. I broke into gales of laughter many times, yet with tugging wonderings about “what happened to them later?”. Joe McGinniss can write! 🙂
Heard Nashvillian Ann Patchett on NPR a while back say she was opening a bookstore there because Davis Kidd and the others had all closed. She couldn’t imagine Nashville without a bookstore. So maybe hers has opened. If so, would be a great venue, a statement in support of independent bookstores and other successful writers.
A read of the article implies that Andrew Sullivan doesn’t quite fit the embargo categories which include mass media and review outlets, et al. Andrew is in a category all his own so may have qualified for one of the redacted versions.
Sorry, I forgot to add the link to Annsley Rosner @ Crown/Random House for the free signed bookplate:
Well, hell – why isn’t this working? Try this email address: arosner@randomhouse.com. If that doesn’t show up in my comment here, I give up!
Joe,
I know that, as of now, the publicity tour for THE ROGUE does not include book signings per bottom line issues. If there were a way for you to travel to a few major cities inexpensively, would Random House reconsider? I am proposing a grassroots tour, organized by your fans; I mean, it all helps, right? And since I don’t think this has ever been attempted before, wouldn’t that lead to even greater publicity? Looking at how the crazy Teabaggers are hijacking the country, I can’t think of a more important book to get to the largest audience possible. As an average citizen, I have been frustrated by feelings of powerlessness. I guess this is my attempt to contribute to something I believe so strongly in. And I think that there are a lot of us who would love to help! So, my proposal: volunteers from a few choice cities who can host a visit from you (provide meals and accommodations) and organize an appropriate venue for the book signing. As far as the plane tickets, maybe Random House could cover that, or else we could set up a fund. I would be happy to contact Annsley if she would be receptive to “outside the box” publicity.
I’ll cover Atlanta.
1253,didn’t your heart just break for the Kissel children in Never Enough? Stuffed with junk food, ignored by their mother unless she wanted to “play child” with them, overindulged with a slew of gifts when their father is killed…
I hope life is more normal with their aunt, but they lost both parents, forever. Brrrr!
I’ll second that, and get the newest version which has a updated intro which mentions “the Rogue” sarah palin. 8)
Thanks for that Heidi, I just sent her a email! 🙂
Here are some pics to go along with “Going to Extremes” Anchorage in the 70’s…
http://www.cysewski.com/wia/70anchorage/index.html
LOL! That was a trip back. Not a whole lot has changed since then, except newer model cars and it is MUCH more crowded.
From the headline I thought you were suddenly going to get a shrink wrapped bus and do a book signing tour… ala the Tundra Turd.
I know you stated differently, but couldn’t pass that one up.
You can get a signed bookplate free. And let’s do a thought experiment – suppose this book angers some Palinistas, and some are so angry that they would like to do some harm to Joe. Suppose they read about a personal appearance in their home town, or someplace they could easily travel to. What are the possibilities?
Oh, of course you are right. I thought the lack of a book signing tour was more of a cost saving issue, even though it would be a great way to add excitement and increase publicity. But I guess it really is more of a safety issue, understandably. duh
Agree with Katie Taylor @2:57 am; Andrew Sullivan’s blog is my homepage.
Before visiting Alaska in 1999, I read John McPhee’s Coming into the Country (1977). McPhee spent extended time in Eagle AK, a tiny village on the Yukon river adjacent to the Canadian border. That book mentioned Dick Cook (I think that was his name) a lower 48 expatriate who lived in the woods, off the land. The book also talked about the local postmaster (who keeps records of when the Yukon River ice breaks every year, now an ongoing record of climate change). Both Dick Cook and the postmaster were alive and living the same lives 22 years after the book was published.
Unfortunately I didn’t know about Joe’s “Going to Extremes” book, or I would have read that as well. Joe, you’ll be glad to know that the “similar authors/books” that my local library mentions for your book are:
Anthony Bourdain A Cook’s Tour; in Search of the Perfect Meal
Peter Mayle French Lessons; Adventures with Knife, Fork and Corkscrew
John Steinbeck Travels with Charley
Robert Pirsig Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
You’re in good company! I loved Alaska, and will be sure to read “Going to Extremes” soon.
Same as Terrorist Sarah Palin appearing in a town in REAL America…like NY or SF? Same thing.
Your thought “experiments” are “EPIC FAIL” ! Sarah has her PAC to bankroll her tour! Maybe Joe should start his own PAC and we can all give in it and he will sign book in REAL AMERICA, not off the wall red state.
WowWowWow.
The fuel storage tanks at the Union 76 (anchoragedt76) were actually (finally) removed last year.
I think the Chevron and the Texaco on 9th Ave are gone, but the one on 6th Ave is still there.
The Texaco near the Fireweed Theatre is now a Chevron – Fireweed Theatre closed a couple of years ago.
The tetrahedron at UAA is still there, so is Tappan Appliances and Gwennie’s Restaurant.
The Rice Bowl and Burger Jim’s are still serving; I gassed up at Bird Creek today – the restaurant building is still there but not open, though the door is exactly the same.
Those were amazing pictures – thanks!
Mr. McG: One of the better things people in Alaska DO do is read. Its those long long winter months. Not everyone, contrary to outsider’s opinion’s and beliefs, are “outside winter enthusiast’s”. Anchorage’s Loussac Library is big and airy with lots of nooks for quiet enjoyable reading. I haven’t been home in a while but I think Alaskan’s will be reading The Rogue and relishing it. At home or at Loussac. For me personally, I will buy all the rest of your books “in the real”. I love nothing more than to be in a cozy surrounding with my coffee and tea – reading the best I can find. In this case, ALL of yours. Starting with only my second one, THE ROGUE. I have such a great reading experience to look forward to starting in September. Thank you for what you are doing for everyone.
Ah Deennaa, Your reminder about cozy surroundings and a good book on a winter day sound wonderful when it’s 85 with 95% humidity!
Spot on! I plan on doing even more reading of Joe McGinniss after savoring ‘The Rogue’. Can hardly wait! I, and many of my friends throughout Alaska, do love to read.
Going to Extremes is great!
Here are more pics from above @Bretta
http://www.cysewski.com/wia/
(In case you didn’t find these) 8)
Hello Arapaho415: It’s so nice to run into another Sully fan here at Joe’s blog. Andrew’s writing has had a profound effect on me over the years and is responsible for bringing me along in my evolution on full support of marriage equality. I’m so happy that he is enjoying a wider audience since he moved to the Daily Beast website.