"Atlanta Nights" and a prayer book?

UrsusMinor · Dec 16, 2006

If anyone has an explanation of the following, I'd be interested in hearing it!
--------------------------
Dear Amazon.com Customer,
We've noticed that customers who have expressed interest in Atlanta Nights by Travis Tea have also ordered A COLLECTION OF MY FAVORITE PRAYERS by G., P. Geoghegan. For this reason, you might like to know that G., P. Geoghegan's A COLLECTION OF MY FAVORITE PRAYERS is now available. You can order your copy for just $18.95 by following the link below.

A COLLECTION OF MY FAVORITE PRAYERS
G., P. Geoghegan
Price:$18.95

stormie · Dec 16, 2006

That's just too funny! I guess if anyone thinks that Atlanta Nights is a fine piece of literary work, they'll need all the prayers they can get. (Maybe someone from Publish America.

)

victoriastrauss · Dec 16, 2006

Both pubbed by Lulu.

- Victoria

UrsusMinor · Dec 16, 2006

victoriastrauss said:
Both pubbed by Lulu.

- Victoria

True enough. Still not quite an explanation, though...

Let me rephrase. Out of the thousands of books published by Lulu.com, why the prayer book and "Atlanta Nights," rather than, say:

"Atlanta Nights" and "Finding the CAN in Cancer"

or

"Atlanta Nights" and "USPAP in Plain English"

or

"Atlanta Nights" and "Little Bear Fred and his new Circus Bed" ?

I think the prayer book is a clue that the Church is tied up in this, and there is a mystery lurking beneath this seemingly random connection. Perhaps to be revealed in the forthcoming "The Atlanta Nights Code"? (Sort of a "Da Vinci Code" for Baptists?)

[Though Travis writes better than Dan Brown]

James D. Macdonald · Dec 16, 2006

Why Amazon does anything is ... obscure. A better match might have been Atlanta Nights and How to Upset a Goliath Publishing Industry by Wee Willie.

(Y'all have bought your copies of Atlanta Nights, haven't you? It's the perfect gift for the people who don't read the books you give them.)

James D. Macdonald · Dec 16, 2006

WOO Wait a minute, everyone! On Amazon's Atlanta Nights page right now, they have AN paired with:

Buy this book with Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst today!

UrsusMinor · Dec 16, 2006

"Alexander..." is a great book.

But, then, "Atlanta Nights" is undoubtedly the greatest book of its kind!

What I found really baffling about the Amazon pairing with te prayer book, however, is that it didn't just pop up on their web page.

No, they felt strongly enough about it to e-mail me this opportunity.

James D. Macdonald · Dec 16, 2006

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Novel by Travis Tea.

Willowmound · Dec 16, 2006

Altlanta Nights's prose and plot may have shaken a few people's belief in their god.

Heck, if I thought it were a real novel, I might be getting prayer books myself. And I'm atheist.

PeeDee · Dec 16, 2006

You know what book I would buy? The book I would buy would be "How To Tie A Hangman's Noose." That's if I thought it were a real novel. Which I'm grateful that it's not. That would be really scary. A sign of the end times.

I had trouble making this post reach my five-sentence limit.

(edited to add, because there is no way to make a five-sentence post for this) Really, we need an Atlanta Nights audio book. Read by the author, whose voice would keep changing between chapters.

JeanneTGC · Dec 16, 2006

Is it wrong of me to want to buy Atlanta Nights, just to own the intentionally worst book ever written?

Part of me wants to ask for it for Christmas. The other part is scared I might enjoy it.

Saanen · Dec 16, 2006

JeanneTGC said:
Is it wrong of me to want to buy Atlanta Nights, just to own the intentionally worst book ever written?

Part of me wants to ask for it for Christmas. The other part is scared I might enjoy it.

Oh, it's actually hysterically funny--full of writer (and reader) in-jokes. I highly recommend it, and proceeds go to a good cause too (if I remember correctly, a SFWA emergency medical fund).

JeanneTGC · Dec 16, 2006

Saanen said:
Oh, it's actually hysterically funny--full of writer (and reader) in-jokes. I highly recommend it, and proceeds go to a good cause too (if I remember correctly, a SFWA emergency medical fund).

Oh, really? Hmmm...then if that's the case, maybe I SHOULD ask for it, by name and all. I can buy it, where, on Amazon? Or should I go to my local Borders or Barnes & Noble and order it? (I occassionally will set up the straight line...feel free to run with it.)

JennaGlatzer · Dec 16, 2006

Ursus, that's weird. It looks like a paid promo, I think. Publishers (and self-pubbed authors) can pay Amazon to send out mailings to people who've ordered other books, encouraging them to buy theirs, too. But why this author would choose the Atlanta Nights audience as the perfect audience for his/her book is... intriguing.

James D. Macdonald · Dec 16, 2006

Atlanta Nights is one of Lulu's best-selling books.

And yes, the proceeds from AN go to the SFWA Emergency Medical Fund.

(Yes, Atlanta Nights is available (for special-order) in thousands of brick-and-mortar bookstores from sea to shining sea. In exactly the same way, and to the same extent, as a Certain Other Publisher's books.)

Mac H. · Dec 16, 2006

It doesn't seem that surprising. After all, 'Atlanta Nights' is probably selling only a few copies a week.

So if one person combines their order with another purchase, the computer will come to the conclusion that in the last week, " > 30% of buyers are buying this second book!"

It doesn't matter if it is fairly arbitrary - if the computer can't make a good suggestion, a random one is as good as any other.

There is another service I read of which linked you to books that people with your tastes are LEAST likely to have.

That sounds interesting ..

Mac

UrsusMinor · Dec 17, 2006

JennaGlatzer said:
But why this author would choose the Atlanta Nights audience as the perfect audience for his/her book is... intriguing.

Even...sinister.

UrsusMinor · Dec 17, 2006

JeanneTGC said:
Oh, really? Hmmm...then if that's the case, maybe I SHOULD ask for it, by name and all. I can buy it, where, on Amazon?

At least go scan the reader reviews on Amazon. That ought to be enough to convince you to buy at least one, and possibly more, copies.

"Atlanta Nights" and a prayer book?

UrsusMinor

stormie

storm central

victoriastrauss

Writer Beware Goddess

UrsusMinor

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

UrsusMinor

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

Willowmound

Lightly salted

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

JeanneTGC

I am Catwoman...and Gini Koch

Saanen

JeanneTGC

I am Catwoman...and Gini Koch

JennaGlatzer

wishes you happiness

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

Mac H.

Board Visitor

UrsusMinor

UrsusMinor

"Atlanta Nights" and a prayer book?

storm central

Writer Beware Goddess

Your Genial Uncle

Your Genial Uncle

Your Genial Uncle

Lightly salted

Where's my tea, please...?

I *am* Catwoman...and Gini Koch

I *am* Catwoman...and Gini Koch

wishes you happiness

Your Genial Uncle

Board Visitor

I am Catwoman...and Gini Koch

I am Catwoman...and Gini Koch