From the category archives:

GWAOTM

How not to publicize a book

by Viviane on 10/11/2007

in Abby Lee,GWAOTM

Email received from Erikk at Sky Horse Publishing:

To the authors at Viviane’s Sex Carnival,

Your blog is a fantastic read, and among the greatest sex blogs on the web. I think that you and your readers will undoubtedly be interested in the U.S. edition of Diary of a Sex Fiend by Abby Lee, based on her well-known “Girl with a One Track Mind” blog (http://girlwithaonetrackmind.blogspot.com/). This worldwide bestseller is the revealing, funny, erotic and incredibly honest journal of a young woman’s sexual thoughts and erotic experiences. Abby offers detailed descriptions of her sexual encounters, narrative on relationships, and even fun and useful “top 10″ lists. And at $16.95, this book is a sharply written treat for anyone who loves reading about sex.
(etc.)

I thought the timing odd, because the book came out in July when Abby Lee was here. Evidently, it was sent out without her permission:

So if you are a blog friend of mine, or just a reader of this blog, and have received an email asking you to write about my book, please ignore it, because it was not done with my authorisation, or my support, or with any of my wishes taken into account.

I’m Chinese and guanxi is a big thing with me. I’m happy to promote the books of my friends (look at the virtual book tours Rachel Kramer Bussel and Audacia Ray did), but ham-handed emails from publisher? Phooey.

And since I’m complaining…why’d they change the cover of the U.S. version? We’ve talked amongst ourselves how bad a move it was.

Listening to: Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright (Peter, Paul & Mary)

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The New Yorker’s ‘Talk of the Town’: British Import

by Viviane on 03/08/2007

in GWAOTM,nicholas hellen,Zoe Margolis

zoe The New Yorkers Talk of the Town: British ImportThe extremely smart (and hot) journalist and lawyer Jeffrey Toobin, better known as the legal correspondent for the New Yorker, interviewed Zoe Margolis (GWAOT) for the New Yorker:

The blog’s voice—cheerfully neurotic, unapologetically political—was distinctive from the start. Regarding one memorable romp, the Girl mused, “Here was I, a feminist, a believer of equality in every realm, and a man wanted me to take all the control? I wasn’t quite sure about that.” (She gets sure.)

Margolis was soon drawing ten thousand visitors a day. In the summer of 2005, an agent suggested that the Girl turn her stories into a book. Working through intermediaries and a trusted lawyer, Margolis signed a contract that would, she thought, allow for publication of the book while keeping her anonymity intact. As a nom de plume, she chose Abby Lee.

Last August, a few days after “Girl with a One-Track Mind: Confessions of the Seductress Next Door” was published, her doorbell in London rang. “There was a guy with a bunch of flowers for me,” she said. “To sign for them, he made me kneel out the front door in a very awkward way. It was just strange.” The next day, she learned that the flower delivery had been a ruse, concocted by the Sunday Times, to take her photograph for a story that would identify her as the author of the book and the blog. “They started e-mailing and calling me the next day, saying that I should give them an interview and pose for pictures, or they would identify me and run the pictures, which they said were ‘unflattering,’ ”

Holy cow. Sex blogging makes it into the New Yorker! Congratulations, Zoe!

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