Former Mayor Nagin's KATRINA'S SECRETS

aadams73 · Jun 21, 2011

I think this fits better here because I'm more interested in the publishing side of this.

Anyway.

Former mayor of NOLA, Ray Nagin has a book out. Who knew, right? Not me, and I'm always interested in publishing news. The intriguing part--to me at least--is that his book is published through Amazon via Createspace.

So does anyone want to speculate why? Is there some juicy publishing gossip here that I've missed? Given that he's apparently written all kinds of not-so-flattering things about a bunch of people involved in the Hurricane Katrina aftermath, you'd think a good publisher would be all over this.

Last night on The Daily Show, Nagin mentioned he'd spoken to a couple of agents and he wasn't "comfortable that his voice would come through," so he chose to self-publish.

Does anyone else smell golden word syndrome? Or did he play fast and loose with the truth? Or is his writing just so bad that no one will touch it? (He wrote this himself--no ghost.)

Speculation is welcome here. As is any real or made-up gossip.

Phaeal · Jun 21, 2011

Sounds like terminal golden word syndrome to me. Also, given our short attention spans, Katrina's already far enough in the past for agents and publishers not to bother with a real prima donna author.

Plus, if he gets slanderous enough, publishers' legal departments might not want to deal with his book.

Libbie · Jun 21, 2011

Something smells suspiciously golden to me.

rugcat · Jun 21, 2011

It's also possible no publisher offered him the advance he was hoping for.

So maybe he figured he could sell a ton of ebooks based on name recognition alone, not to mention the boost from appearing on venues like the Daily Show.

And self pubbed ebooks give a much larger pie slice to the author, as we all know.

He may be right. People don't buy books like this for the quality of the writing -- they buy on the basis of who wrote them and what inside info might be revealed.

Wayne K · Jun 21, 2011

Maybe golden word syndrome. Or maybe the agents and publishers want him to take too much out. I called it, "Lies of omission' to my former agent

Deleted member 42 · Jun 21, 2011

Or maybe they didn't want to be sued.

quicklime · Jun 21, 2011

i'm leaning towards golden words or liability issues as the primary suspects.....

MJNL · Jun 21, 2011

Wait, is this the guy who didn't realize that he had to request aid from the national guard in order to legally receive it? I wonder if he includes any critisism of his own actions in the shocking tell all...hmm...

dpaterso · Jun 21, 2011

The book description on Amazon sounds like movie material!

-Derek

amrose · Jun 21, 2011

Nagin was also a pretty hard core businessman (if I'm remembering correctly). He might have felt he could scoop up more profit if he kept everything on his end. Plus, I doubt he'd like anyone suggesting changes to his work.

I used to work in a small political pr firm in the GNOA and most everything a politician hears from his/her people is nothing but positive or if something is legitimately negative, the creative team's job is to create the positive spin.

I didn't work on the spin end, but I was present for the process sometimes.

jeffo20 · Jun 21, 2011

dpaterso said:
The book description on Amazon sounds like movie material!

-Derek

Yowza!

I get a kick out of the 'customer discussion' post titled: 'Pop up or coloring?' Tough crowd!

IceCreamEmpress · Jun 21, 2011

A lot of people who come to writing from business or politics feel like they can make more money self-publishing than working with a publisher. A lot of people who come to writing from business or politics are resistant to being told to make changes by an editor.

They are almost always wrong, but there it is.

profen4 · Jun 21, 2011

On the Daily Show it seemed like he portrayed himself as having responded appropriately to Katrina - like he was passing the blame on others. I suspect publishers would have wanted a more accurate account.

The best was when he said he now works as a disaster consultant and Jon Stewart asked him if he also consults on hair care (he's bald).

ResearchGuy · Jun 21, 2011

rugcat said:
. . . So maybe he figured he could sell a ton of ebooks based on name recognition alone. . . .

Then he better get it into the Kindle store. Not there as of a minute ago, or I would have bought the ebook. (Not going to bother with printed edition.)

--Ken

mscelina · Jun 21, 2011

Because he figures Oprah will see through someone publishing fiction as a memoir by this point.

aadams73 · Jun 24, 2011

amrose said:
Nagin was also a pretty hard core businessman (if I'm remembering correctly). He might have felt he could scoop up more profit if he kept everything on his end.

IceCreamEmpress said:
A lot of people who come to writing from business or politics feel like they can make more money self-publishing than working with a publisher.

No doubt you're both right.

What also strikes me as odd is the timing. It seems like a Katrina anniversary would be a more fruitful time to release a book like this. Katrina would be on the news and on people's minds again. Someone truly business savvy would know that--you'd think.

swhibs123 said:
On the Daily Show it seemed like he portrayed himself as having responded appropriately to Katrina - like he was passing the blame on others. I suspect publishers would have wanted a more accurate account.

Yes, the whole Katrina thing was such a mess, but I definitely remember an event or two where Nagin did this or said that and I thought, "What planet is he ON?"

His memory is conveniently selective.

Although really, whose isn't at times?

mscelina said:
Because he figures Oprah will see through someone publishing fiction as a memoir by this point.

So true!

Overall, he reminds me of some* of the other people who self-pub because they want instant gratification without real and helpful criticism of their precious literary offspring.

Basically it fits with my previous opinion of the guy.

*Please note I said "some." I know not all people who choose to self-publish suffer from the same maladies.

Former Mayor Nagin's KATRINA'S SECRETS

aadams73

A Work in Progress

Phaeal

Whatever I did, I didn't do it.

Libbie

Worst song played on ugliest guitar

rugcat

Lost in the Fog

Wayne K

Deleted member 42

quicklime

all out of fucks to give

MJNL

A Little Lost

dpaterso

Also in our Discord and IRC chat channels

amrose

is Envy Augustine

jeffo20

Tyrant King

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago

profen4

ResearchGuy

Resident Curmudgeon

mscelina

Teh doommobile, drivin' rite by you

aadams73

A Work in Progress