Pamela Anderson

[maestrowork]

Now this is depressing. Even she got her novel published, and another one is on the way. Agh! The funny thing is she said (paraphrase), "I wanted to write an autobiography but I've always loved writing creatively." Then the next thing you know, she used a ghost writer. Agh!

Is it a good book? Who knows? But at least she admitted she didn't write it.

Am I jealous? Well.... but of course, I was not a playmate/TV/tabloid celebrity.

[HollyB]

Here's an excerpt so you can judge for yourself:

msnbc.msn.com/id/5550254/ (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5550254/)

Uncle Jim says a publisher's job is to be the reader's advocate... so what happened??

[Jamesaritchie]

A publisher's job is to publish books many people will want to buy, period. This brings money to the publisher that can be used to hand out advances to other writers.

And ghostwriters need work, too.

[James D Macdonald]

Celebrity books are a whole 'nother ball game from the one we're playing.

You want to stop publishers from printing 'em? Readers have to stop buying 'em.

Celebrity books are only a tiny fraction of the books you'll find on the shelves, but they pay the bills and get folks into the bookstores.

[cluelessspicycinnamon]

Yeah, I read that in Parade or USA Weekend yesterday. I was like, hmmmm, that's cool that she likes to write....and then I read down and was like, hmmmm. well, at least she admits that she obviously can't.

But I still have to respect her for sponsoring Mohini Bardwadj, or however you spell her last name, that gymnast in the Olympics. That was pretty nice of her. And she goes to every single event of hers.

[macalicious731]

From what I know about Pamela's process, she wrote the novel but then the ghostwriter came in to "tone it down."

Now, we can all tack different definitions onto what exactly that means, but I think it implies she had at the very least a little influence on the actual writing.

[Nameless65]

I heard part of an interview with her on the Stern show. Stern remarked on some of the similarities between her book and what he knew of her. One example: Anderson dated a popular star when she first came to Hollywood (IRC Scott Baio). The book’s main character, Star, dates a popular star when she first comes to HW. Anderson had a rich HW-type shower her with gifts. Star has a rich HW-type shower her with gifts. And so on. He suggested that her book was basically her life story with different names.

[pepperlandgirl]

Not all celebrities get their book deals based on their celebrity-status alone. For example, I have it on good authority that Meg Tilly is a very, very good writer.

[Jamesaritchie]

Some clebrities are very good writers, indeed. People don't often think of writing and acting in the same breath, but they should. A great many who act spend a lot of time writing.

This may or may not hold true with Pamela Anderson, but for all I know, it might.

One of the highest paid script doctors in Hollywood is Carrie Fisher of Star Wars fame. She also wrote some very good novels.

But as James said, celebrity novels are an extremely tiny part of publishing, and I think most such books do more good than harm.

And when it comes down to it, if you owned a publishing comapny, wouldn't you publish these books?

[maestrowork]

Depends on the books. Anderson's book might sell because it contains salacious Hollywood stuff.

Ethan Hawk's first book was a relative success, but his second one flops. People don't necessarily buy a novel (non-fiction is a different thing) because it's written (or ghost-written) by a celebrity. People are still looking for a story.

[MrAngelwithnowings]

i try not to judge others and their writing.

I bought the book only for the cover

:rofl

[AprilBoo]

Yeah, if only I had spent that college tuition on implants and highlights instead...

[Jamesaritchie]

People are still looking for a story, but for a first novel from a celebrity, they take the chance a story will be there. After the first book, story may matter, but with the first one the name will almost always sell a lot of copies and generate a big profit.

After this the new wears off and books generally have to stand on their own merit, no matter who writes them.

[James D Macdonald]

After this the new wears off and books generally have to stand on their own merit, no matter who writes them.

Which is why you didn't see a second novel from Newt Gingrich....

[Jamesaritchie]

James, that one had me laughing enough to make my wife give me some funny looks.

[pina la nina]

Isn't there a huge "I gotta see this" factor in buying a celeb book like that? I'd imagine a fair amount of people aren't buying it for the story itself or even because they are fans, but because they're curious to see if she can put two words together. Especially because the image she projects is that her substance is in her shirt and not in her head.

[SRHowen]

General Tommy Franks--at our Hastings (they supply many of the Wal-marts in this area of the country as well) store, he has an entire aisle to himself--on entire side of the sitting area where they do signings is a wall of his book. He'll be there to do a book signing on the 24th of this month and he has a 5 ft high by at least 30 foot long section of his books.

WOW, imagine that kind of coverage and support from the bookstore and your publisher. I wonder if he is getting this all over the country or just because Killeen is right next to Ft. Hood?

I may go to the signing just to see what sort of response there is to him.

Shawn

[Jamesaritchie]

General Franks is getting coverage nationally, and a lot of it. He's even coming to my little neck of the woods. I do intend on going.

[rtilryarms]

[i deleted. funny but nasty]