USA Today Bestseller List, Week Ending December 2, 2007
By Jane • Dec 6th, 2007 • Category: Publishing News • •
I am totally surprised at the weak showing of romance books on the list this week, particularly when there was a big release of new books last Tuesday. I know that my bookseller friend told me that the holidays are very soft on romance books as most book buyers are buying gifts for others and not for themselves.
On Bookscan, other than Blood Brothers (Sign of Seven Trilogy, Book 1), the sales numbers for the top 15 romance books were low.
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Blood Brothers (Sign of Seven Trilogy, Book 1), Nora Roberts (Jove), $7.99, No. 1 (Peak 1).
Stars: Hidden Star\Captive Star, Nora Roberts (Silhouette Special Releases), $7.99, No. 24 (Peak 15).
Dakota Home (Dakota Series #2), Debbie Macomber (Mira), $7.99, No. 31 (Peak 19).
The Widow, Carla Neggers (Mira), $7.99, No. 52 (Peak 45). This is the paperback release of the hardcover. I liked the book.
The Edge of Winter, Luanne Rice (Bantam), $7.50, No. 54 (debut).
The Warrior (Brotherhood of the Sword, Book 3), Kinley MacGregor (Avon), $6.99, No. 64 (debut).
Santa Cruise, Mary Higgins Clark, Carol Higgins Clark (Pocket), $7.99, No. 75 (Peak 35). I missed this one last week. It was still in the list at No 64.
Creation in Death J.D. Robb (Putnam), $25.95, No. 76 (Peak 5).
Wife for Hire, Janet Evanovich (Harper), $7.99, No. 80 (Peak 7).
Midnight Awakening (The Midnight Breed, Book 3), Lara Adrian (Random House), $6.99, No. 86 (debut).
Christmas Wishes, Debbie Macomber (Mira), $7.99, No. 89 (Peak 11).
Comfort and Joy, Fern Michaels, Marie Bostwick, Cathy Lamb, Deborah J. Wolf (Zebra), $7.99, No. 95 (Peak 27).
For a Few Demons More, Kim Harrison (Eos), $7.99, No. 104 (Peak 14). Paperback release of hardcover.
The McKettrick Way (The McKettrick Series #9), Linda Lael Miller (Silhouette Special Edition), $4.99, No. 107 (Peak 69).
An Affair Before Christmas“>An Affair Before Christmas, Eloisa James (Avon), $7.99, No. 110 (Peak 44).
Swimming without a Net (Fred the Mermaid, Book 2), MaryJanice Davidson (Jove), $7.99, No. 112 (debut).
The Accidental Mistress: A Novel, Tracy Anne Warren (Ballantine), $6.99, No. 121 (debut).
Her Secret Fantasy: A Novel, Gaelen Foley (Ballantine), $6.99, No. 131 (debut).
The Gift: Home For Christmas\All I Want For Christmas\Gabriel’s Angel, Nora Roberts (Silhouette Special Releases), $7.99, No. 148 (Peak 7).
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Out of the list:
Dead of Night, J.D. Robb, Mary Blayney, Ruth Ryan Langan, Mary Kay McComas (Jove), $7.99, No. 77 (Peak 13).
Upon the Midnight Clear, Sherrilyn Kenyon (St. Martin’s Paperbacks), $6.99, No. 94 (Peak 6).
The Taste of Innocence, Stephanie Laurens (Avon), $7.99, No. 123 (Peak 25). Paperback release of hardcover.
Truly, Madly Manhattan, Nora Roberts (Silhouette Special Releases), $14.95, No. 131 (Peak 41).
Demon’s Kiss, Maggie Shayne (Mira), $7.99, No. 142 (debut).
Jane is a long time romance reader whose passion is, you guessed it, reading. Jane also does not like to talk about herself in the third person, but apparently this is the way that this biography thing works (although in a true biography, someone else would be writing this blurb). Anyway, currently Jane loves urban fantasy authors Patricia Briggs and Ilona Andrews. She's really excited about this year's crop of historicals including Joanna Bourne's The Spymaster's Lady and Sherry Thomas' Private Arrangements and the upcoming Loretta Chase Her Scandalous Ways.
She's looking for a good contemporary author. Email her with a recommendation!
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I wonder though…are sales soft or is it simply harder to make the list because of the increased sales of gift-type books? My agent and I discussed this and she finds that sales are strong or equal to other months, but that the list is filled with gift-type books that knock off the romance midlist author. I’d love to make a list, don’t get me wrong (I have a book coming out next December) but I’m really much more interested in strong sales…and if people are in the stores, that’s a good thing.
Who knows? I have no control over my release dates so I guess I’ll stop freaking out now. LOL~
I’m just looking at the top fifteen bookscan sales for 11/04 and 12/02 and the comparison numbers (excluding NR’s unbelievable number of sales for Blood Brothers) are 124,145 for 11/04 and 86,441 for 12/02.
Overall numbers sold: 300,620 11/04 and 253,754 for 12/02 (I got the last number by substracting the NR Blood Brother’s sales and adding in the number of sales for the top selling book in 11/04).
So I think it might be a combination of both. I know that bookseller friend told me that big names sell strong in the holiday season because those are often bought as gifts as well.
Makes sense. I didn’t want a December book, but I had no choice. Hopefully, the publishers understand this phenomenon!
I’m anxious to read your paranormal offering Julie. I am anxiously awaiting your arc.