Friday, January 7, 2011

Mock sea-horse kebabs

I must admit to being tired and flat even a couple of days after the floundering. Part of this I put down to the hot and humid days, with wind so the sea wouldn't even be nice.

I did little mini-seafood kebabs - a cube of leatherjacket, a cube of abalone and a squid tentacle - each on a toothpick. The cooked result looked alarmingly like a sea-horse! I mariananded them in light soy, sugar, garlic, ginger, white wine, a little cornflour, and they were very good - but more suitable as a starter because 3 little skewers and I was riched out. But the leatherjacket worked very well in this.

I've been keeping an eye on the Bookscan data - which is a bit worrying. I think we can safely say DRAGON'S RING is simply not in most major chain stores across the US - it still sold 171 copies in the last week, but only from 70% of the reporting areas, and when you consider for example how many B&N stores in one state (at least 10) or even city, that basically means if it is in them, it didn't sell. That's alarming at the reporting period when most of an author's books should sell. So: if you happen to be in the US, and go into a B&N - do see if it is there, and please tell me.

3 comments:

  1. I found a copy at the B&N here. However it was next to Slow Train...which was shelved with Eric's other books. Also Virginia's books were also shelved with Eric's.

    I bought it to give to my sister.

    But it makes me wonder. I can kind of understand putting Virginia's "1632" books there. But maybe that is part of the problem?

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  2. You have to wonder at how the hades they shelve it with Eric's books - it implies either the shelver knew we write together or else simply looked for 'Freer' on a book spine. I see Laura found it misshelved in general fiction too. This is an issue with single book orders I think. When they have 20 of yours to look for, it makes it more likely they're going to find it. Anyway, thank you, and i hope she enjoys it!

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  3. I don't have a B&N nearby so I looked on their website. Apparently it's in stock in the 5 B&N within 100 miles of Yakima, WA. If that's any use to you. :)

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