Archive for the ‘BookManager’ Category
Wednesday, January 9th, 2013
This is a thrill and a half. The fine folks at BookManager, the organization that tracks sales from independent booksellers across Canada, has released their annual list of the top-selling books of 2012. Narrowing the focus to this country, what an honour it is to have two of my books among the ten topselling Canadian novels of 2012. It’s wonderful to be on the list with two other Leacock winners, Will Ferguson and Patrick deWitt, my friend Eva Stachniak and so many other fantastic writers. It’s also nice to see that three of the top ten are comic novels. I’m not sure that’s happened in a long time. This is great and encouraging news as I dive into writing “No Relation, my fourth novel. Happy New Year? It certainly is…
Posted in BookManager, CanLit, comic novels, Leacock Medal, McClelland & Stewart, No Relation, podcast novel, Terry Fallis, Up and Down, Will Ferguson, Writing | 4 Comments »
Tuesday, April 24th, 2012
I happened to check BookManager last night and was surprised and delighted to see both The Best Laid Plans and The High Road still in the top ten Canadian Fiction bestsellers list. It’s been four years since TBLP won the Leacock Medal, and coming up to two years since THR hit bookstore shelves. I couldn’t be happier with how they’re still doing, all this time later. This unexpected longevity is another manisfestation of the Canada Reads effect. I certainly didn’t expect TBLP to be still so high on the list more than a year after the Canada Reads win, but such is the power of CBC’s annual battle of the books. With my third novel, Up and Down, due in bookstores on September 11, 2012, I’m certainly grateful for this good news.
Posted in BookManager, Canada Reads, Canadian political novel, CanLit, comic novels, Leacock Medal, podcast novel, Terry Fallis, Uncategorized, Up and Down | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 14th, 2012
Thank you Canada Reads! As I’ve noted before in this space, winning Canada Reads has been an extraordinary blessing. In case there are doubters out there, here is some more evidence to pound home my point. Bookmanager, a company that tracks book sales across the country, has released their topselling fiction list for all of 2011. I don’t mean the Canadian ficiton list, but all fiction, regardless of origin. As you can see, The Best Laid Plans came home in third place for the year. What a thrill. Again, I say, thank you Canada Reads.
Posted in Ali Velshi, BookManager, Canada Reads, Canadian political novel, CanLit, CBC Radio, comic novels, Leacock Medal, podcast novel, Terry Fallis | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, July 5th, 2011
Okay, you know when I wrote in an earlier entry that I would try not to be quite so self-indulgent in my blog posts? Well, I’m still committed to that, but am requesting special dispensation to record the good news that The High Road has for the first time, cracked the BookManager Canadian Fiction Bestseller List, checking in at number eight. Undoubtedly pulled along by The Best Laid Plans, which is still basking in the Canada Reads afterglow. It’s a thrill to see both of my novels in the Top 10.
I promise a humbler writing update on novel number three shortly…
Posted in BookManager, Canada Reads, Canadian political novel, CanLit, comic novels, Leacock Medal, McClelland & Stewart, Media, Podcast contest, Terry Fallis | 2 Comments »
Saturday, May 7th, 2011
I had a quick look at BookManager the other day and clicked on the Canadian Fiction bestseller list that they compile through their dealings with book retailers across the country. I use BookManager to get a barometric reading on whether my novels are heading up or down the charts. The Best Laid Plans has been number one on BookManager for quite some time now. But for the first time, down at number 14, is The High Road. It had been steadily moving up the list, dragged along by TBLP, but THR has now broken onto the list. What a thrill to see them both there. Again, thank you Canada Reads!
Posted in BookManager, Canada Reads, Canadian political novel, CanLit, comic novels, Leacock Medal, McClelland & Stewart, Media, podcast novel, Terry Fallis | No Comments »
Monday, December 20th, 2010
Wow, the list moves fast. Having just posted about TBLP hitting #13 on the BookManager National Canadian Fiction Bestsellers List, I was surprised to see that this afternoon, it’s actually moved up to the #6 position. Unbelievable. My friend and fellow Canada Reads finalist, Ami McKay, is still shooting up the charts with The Birth House now sitting at #4. Looking at the other amazing authors on the list, I’m humbled by the company I’m suddenly keeping. What an honour. At the risk of repeating myself to the point of annoying, thank you all…
Posted in Ali Velshi, BookManager, Canada Reads, Canadian political novel, CanLit, comic novels, Leacock Medal, McClelland & Stewart, Media, podcast novel, Terry Fallis | 1 Comment »
Sunday, December 19th, 2010
I’ve been told by a number of folks in the publishing biz that Canada Reads really does move books in this country. The Canada Reads books sell. Well, I certainly believe it. The impact of being a Canada Reads finalist has been swift and significant for my novel. BookManager, a supplier of software and data solutions for the publishing industry, releases a national bestsellers list weekly. The Best Laid Plans has never come close to appearing on the list, until now. On a whim, I checked out the Canadian Fiction Bestseller list and was bowled over to see TBLP at lucky number 13. Another Canada Reads finalist, Ami McKay, is well up near the top at number five! I’m not surprised. The Birth House is a great read.
This is just another reminder of how lucky we are to be on the Canada Reads list…
Posted in BookManager, Canada Reads, Canadian political novel, CanLit, comic novels, Leacock Medal, McClelland & Stewart, Media, podcast novel, Terry Fallis | 1 Comment »
Sunday, January 24th, 2010
Well, I guess it’s really official now. I was checking BookManager a few minutes ago. This is a site used primarily to track book sales to and through independent book sellers. I check it periodically to see whether TBLP is still in demand. Tonight when I looked, lo and behold, The High Road has magically appeared in my listing, slated for publication on September 7, 2010. This is the first time I’ve seen a firm publication date. Here’s what it looks like:
When the cover design is completed and approved, it will appear as well. The High Road somehow seems more real now than it ever has.
Posted in BookManager, Canadian political novel, CanLit, comic novels, Leacock Medal, McClelland & Stewart, podcast novel, Terry Fallis | 1 Comment »
Monday, December 15th, 2008
I’ve been keeping one eye on this cool site call BookManager since another author suggested I monitor it. It apparently tracks independent book stores’ orders of every book available in Canada. Anything ranking in the top 5,000 is considered to be in “High Demand.” As we approach the all-important holiday season, TBLP checks in at #673. (It could change tomorrow but that’s where TBLP is today.) This is the highest it’s been since I’ve been watching and I’m told that this is good news, particularly as it’s been more than three months since it was published. By way of comparison, Joseph Boyden‘s Giller-winning novel, Through Black Spruce is at #7 and The Killing Circle, by Andrew Pyper (great writer, great guy) published in early August, comes in at #8766. Mind you in the big box Indigo stores, there are hundreds of copies of bestseller Pyper’s novel, many more than there are of TBLP so who knows what it all means…
Posted in Andrew Pyper, BookManager, Canadian political novel, Canadian politics, Joseph Boyden, McClelland & Stewart, podcast novel, political novels | No Comments »
Monday, November 24th, 2008
For writers, it’s not always easy to know how well your book is selling. Yes, you’ll eventually get sales reports from the publisher and ultimately a royalty cheque or two. But in the interim, beyond tracking how many copies are sitting on the shelves in the many Chapters/Indigo stores across the country (which you can actually do if you have plenty of time on your hands), it’s difficult to get a handle on sales. When I was in Ottawa, another author told me about BookManager. As far as I can tell, it’s a website that tracks independent bookstores‘ demand for books. It also ranks books based on orders from the Independents. At any rate, I’m given to understand that if you get the red designation “High Demand,” all is well. There are at least a few hundred thousands books captured in this system so coming in at number 952 nearly three months after publication seems like good news to me. Just for comparison, Giller winner Joseph Boyden’s Through Black Spruce sits at number 6 while Alice Munro’s new book, Alice Munro’s Best: Selected Short Stories, published in late October comes in at number 691. What does it all mean? I have no idea but I’m feeling good about cracking the top 1,000.
Posted in Alice Munro, BookManager, Canadian political novel, Canadian politics, comic novels, Indigo, Joseph Boyden, podcast novel, political novels, Terry Fallis | No Comments »
