Jul 20 2008
The Year of Acheron
Apparently, this is the Year of Acheron and YouTube has the video to prove it. Sherrilyn Kenyon’s video book trailer is kind of scary. If the book delivers this kind of chills, it would be pretty awesome.
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Jul 20, 2008 @ 23:50:00
Honestly, I don’t like all the ads for Acheron. I want to think of him as I’ve come to know him and that’s his hot and sexy self… not the animal or beast they’re portraying him to be. He’s rather scary in a lot of the ads I’m getting from St. Martin’s.
Jul 21, 2008 @ 00:31:23
Wow.
Jul 21, 2008 @ 00:55:40
He’s very dark, and yes very animalistic.
Jul 21, 2008 @ 09:11:02
Yes, can’t say I care of the direction the ads have been going myself. The ads I have seen don’t really match up the Archeron of my imagination. Not that he couldn’t become pissed off and become your worst nightmare. Now his pet Simi…she is an animal..err..dragon…err…demon. :-) Can’t wait, please let be as good as the first 4. Anybody read an ARC with an opinion on how good it is? Keri
Jul 21, 2008 @ 09:49:29
It does make him look *badder* than he is most times.
But having said that- I’m still grabbing the book first day it’s out ;)
Jul 21, 2008 @ 10:00:38
It sounds like it’s going to be more set in history than present day.
I’d like some history but I’m more interested in present day.
i’m one that’s gonna be grabbing it the first day as well. If I’m broke i’ll be standing in the store reading it LOL.
Jul 21, 2008 @ 10:06:39
I love it when romance novels get this popular. SK’s having her book release party at the Parthenon in Nashville — I’m going to get hubby to babysit that night, since she’s in my local chapter and we want to show our support!
Jul 21, 2008 @ 10:19:21
Rebyj-
I believe that Sherri said the first half is his past- the second half is present day. That’s why originally it was supposed to be released as 2 books instead of 1 big one.
P.S. to Jody W- I’ve recently gotten my boss hooked on her books. So much so that she and I are going to Orlando to see her together. Helps you get the day off when your boss is a fan ;)!
Jul 21, 2008 @ 10:32:51
ty KC!
I’m in nashville, how do I get invited to the release party?
I’m about 6 miles from the parthenon..i wanna go~!
Jul 21, 2008 @ 10:38:57
Rebyj-
You don’t need an invite- just show up! It starts at 7 pm I think.
Jul 21, 2008 @ 10:58:51
oooooooo I wanna…
gonna go to her website and see what day it is.
Jul 21, 2008 @ 11:20:53
I LOATHE video trailers, and won’t watch this one, because after a dozen or so books, I’ve already formed a picture of what Acheron looks like – to me. I don’t want to be pulled out of the book this way, have this mental picture contradicted by the physical characteristics of an actor hired for a gig.
Kenyon’s written words are vivid enough for me.
Jul 21, 2008 @ 11:34:32
OK, I have to ask this question. Is there some segment of the readership – or potential readership – that book trailers hit more effectively than other types of author promo? Because as a regular romance reader (and aspiring author), book trailers don’t influence me to purchase a book. AT ALL.
From a marketing perspective, what do book trailers accomplish? What’s the ROI? I’d appreciate any perspectives that others could offer.
Jul 21, 2008 @ 11:38:22
Book trailers are not my thing. If I am being perfectly honest, and not mean, I think they are damn dumb.
Take this trailer for instance – it is like, almost, every other movie that is adapted from a book. The movie is never quite as rich as the book was and that is how I feel about this trailer. That is not the Acheron in my head that I have come to know through the books and I actually hope it doesn’t stick in my head when I start the new book.
Why did I watch it? Curiosity killed the cat and I thought this one might, just might, be different.
Peace.
Jul 21, 2008 @ 13:29:44
Clinch covers don’t embarrass me, but book trailers do. Hmm, why? Don’t know. Might be because cheesy book covers know they’re cheesy. Book trailers seem to take themselves seriously…but the unintentional cheese factor is through the roof, which only makes them worse.
(Yes, I know book covers and book trailers are not self-aware.)
Jul 21, 2008 @ 13:52:31
I can’t watch them – they make me want to cringe, not buy the book.
Jul 21, 2008 @ 14:18:17
I agree that books are almost always better than the trailers that represent them, and that trailers are almost always cheesy… and yet I love trailers! I love all movie trailers, even for terrible movies. (Remember that awful Arctic movie about the sled dogs? That trailer still makes me laugh & cry & hug my dog.) There’s something about the super compressed storyline & hook endings that appeals to the scattershot aspect of my personality.
From a marketing standpoint, I think trailers serve the role of another point of entry into your creation. Thinks of a newspaper story. The headline, the photo and the sidebar are all different points of entry to lead people into the story itself. Alternate points of entry give people with different information processing strengths (some people are visual processors who like pictures; some people are data processors who like graphs) their own way to access the information. Any way to get people to read more.
Jul 21, 2008 @ 14:28:33
Personally, I hate trailers… and this trailer has me worrying about the actual storyline. I know that Ash was tortured when he was human and all that, but does this book actually involve a romance? I mean, I read the DHs for the romance, the world creation or subplot that has been going on is just the icing on the cake. I want a love story. That’s what draws me to Sherrilyn Kenyon’s books.
Jul 21, 2008 @ 17:06:18
But what about the book trailers that don’t take themselves seriously?
Jul 21, 2008 @ 20:07:26
Jody – I’ve yet to see a book trailer that didn’t try to come across as dark, mysterious, chilling…whatever. Admittedly, though, I watched ten book trailers in a row when they first started showing up on YouTube and decided that for the sake of my sanity to avoid future ones at all costs.
IMHO, the two mediums don’t seem to mesh well.
Jul 21, 2008 @ 20:13:55
I really hate trailers. I avoid them at all costs. I think its more of a tax write of for the publisher than anything. Me, I’d rather get a bookmark or a flyer in the mail than watch a trailer.
But I admit, I caved on this one. I’ve been hoping for Ash’s story for 6 years, and when SMP kept emailing me with little tastes…I was too damn curious.
What a letdown. Like most of you, I have a different picture altogether in my head of Ash. That won’t stop me from parting with my $12 for the hardcover, but still. (*Go to your local Hastings Books and Music-they have a 50% of for the first day*)
Trailers IMO dumb down the book for mass appeal. Late nights watching tv, I laugh hard enough to have to check myself at the commercials for James Patterson’s “thrillers”.
Jul 21, 2008 @ 21:45:45
I’m fine with humorous book trailers, but most of the more serious ones just don’t do it for me. If anything, they often make me LESS interested in the book. Oddly enough, the few serious ones I’ve liked have been DIY efforts put together by the author herself/himself. I’ve yet to see a big budget book trailer I thought was worth the money, to be quite honest.
One thing I liked about the Acheron video was that it looked like a video game trailer. It sorta reminded me of the intro video for the original Neverwinter Nights. Does it make me more likely to buy the book? Probably not. I’m waiting to see what independent and trustworthy review sites have to say about it before making a decision.
Jul 22, 2008 @ 07:54:16
I generally don’t watch trailers, but sinse this one was the discussion topic I felt I ought to watch it before commenting. That said, I’ll go back to not watching them.
As a die-hard romance fan and a fan of the DH series, I don’t need a trailer to sell me the book. I also didn’t need to weekly emails that shoved the book and it’s release date in my face to sell it. I really feel this book crossed the hype line into overmarketed.
My feelings toward this trailer in particular were negative. As others have said, it didn’t fit my image of Ash. This trailer shows him as a angry god on the edge where the previous books have shown him to be calm and working to keep peace. If anything, it makes me less likely to buy the book.
I think the main reason trailers aren’t appealing to me is because they are made to promote established writers. Look at the basic facts with this one: SK is already a very popular writer under both of her names, the DH series is her biggest seller and Ash is central to the DH world. With or without the hype YOA would have been a big seller.
Imagine if the publishers were to take just a little more time and effort to promote a relatively new author who shows promise. That is the kind of advertising that would get me. As things are now, new authors are (for the most part) quietly placed on the shelves and publishers wait to see how readers respond. A few books may be blessed with an excerpt printed in another title, a published review or inclusion on a list of new titles, but that’s about as much promotion I see.
In short, I think going to trailers such as this one is overkill for an already anticipated book and that publishers should work harder to promote newer authors and titles.
Jul 22, 2008 @ 09:16:44
I have to say I like trailers … not because they’re serious entertainment … let’s face it most aren’t. But I have to admit they’re a great way to introduce a genre or an author to a consumer who may not have been aware of them before. Also, with less and less younger people picking up a book and instead, choosing to pick up a video game or the remote control – this is a creative way to get them interested in print. There are trailers for every genre not just romance, I’ve read some fantasy that I would never have had I not seen the trailer first (I am a strict romance reader so I hardly ever go outside of that section in the bookstore). I have also been introduced to authors I might have passed on – with the cost of everything going up I have to be reeeeally careful on where I spend my book money so I like having a trailer to watch cause in 30 seconds I can see if it might interest me … I use it as a tool for finding books in addition to word of mouth (from friends) it saves time in trying to weed it all out in the bookstore.
But that’s just my 2 cents
Jul 22, 2008 @ 14:01:25
Book trailers don’t affect my buying. Most of the time I skip them because I’ve only found a handful entertaining/well-executed. And even the best of them have done diddle in terms of influencing me to even check out an excerpt. Excerpts, word of mouth/reveiws, and/or blurbs/synopsis are what work for me as a reader.
Having said that…I have a book trailer on my site :-P Which I’ll admit to being pretty fond of. lol.
Websites are pretty static. And a new site for a new writer (on a budget) would have even more limited material. So for me it was a decision based on needing content–something fun for vistors. If it tips a purchase decision in my favour, bonus! Some folks actually do love them. But that’s not what it’s there for.
On the other, other hand, *g* the trailer is up on the book’s page at Powells.com. ::shrug:: Considering there’s no excerpt on the page, things are pretty much a wash there. :-P
Jul 23, 2008 @ 16:06:26
I cant do trailers either. I already have a picture in my mind and if the trailer doesnt add up or is way off it totally sucks and ruins it. I steer clear.
Only person so far who can match book to screen is JK Rowling. I cant imagine if she did hot romance guys.
Jul 24, 2008 @ 00:51:16
Everyone keeps saying that they have their vision of Ash in their head and I have to say that this guy… yes, the actor, IS my vision of Ash. *hangs head in shame at her fan-girlish behavior at realizing who was cast as Acheron in this commercial* So, I was very happy to see the trailer, (erm, commercial because that’s what it is) and him in it. *laughs* Though, my vision was him with blond hair (and the actor is obnoxiously gorgeous when his hair was long and blond), that aside… the book: I would have gotten it anyways. Some have even said, and not specifically on this site, but that it’s too dark. Well, I don’t want a Zen-like Ash sitting there looking happy because I don’t get the feeling that he is. That would be a waste of trailer time. And yes, I love trailers be it for a movie, TV show, or book. I view it as another way that an author can express themselves and their work. I mean, why not?
Jul 24, 2008 @ 09:16:37
I’m with Laura Stephens. I didn’t think it was too dark. I mean – he IS a 7′ tall, 11 thousand year old, vampire, hunter, killer of the bad guys, god after all. What’s light about that.
I don’t get embarrassed by trailers, but I do hate a bad one. Simply animating a slideshow is a waste of money, IMHO, unless it’s a truly funny one. And I hate cheesy acting in one with people who are obviously not actors. At least with the Acheron one, the actor looks remotely like Kenyon describes him.
May 14, 2009 @ 00:02:28
Personally I just started reading her books and when I read about Ash my imagination portrayed him to be this very dashing yet charming guy but in the clips for the movie he just looks out right evil and like he cares not for any of mankind. yes he can get very pissed off and mean but this just doesn’t do him any justice
Apr 29, 2010 @ 11:38:13
@Marissa Scott: i agree
Apr 29, 2010 @ 11:39:33
@joshua: hes sapposed to be humble and serine
Dec 09, 2010 @ 17:10:01
Archeron………..damn extermly seeexyy!!