The book world scrambles to capitalize on Palin’s buzz
By Marjorie Kehe | 10.02.08
Sarah Palin has certainly managed to jazz the news cycle. So it’s not surprising that publishers are now hoping that she’ll do as much for book sales.
In addition to the bestselling biography already out there (”Sarah: How a Hockey Mom Turned Alaska’s Political Establishment Upside Down” by Kaylene Johnson) and the one scheduled for release in two weeks (“Sarah Palin: A New Kind of Leader” by Joe Hilley), booksellers are scrambling to get more books related to the Republican vice-presidential candidate out on store shelves.
The New York Post today reported that as a result of Palin’s buzz, anything by Palin’s “doppelganger,” Tina Fey, is red-hot right now.
So hot, in fact, that the Post says a bidding war has broken out. Agent Richard Abate is said to be talking to publishers about a book by Fey. (This is not Palin, now, mind you – this is simply her double, Tina Fey.)
Although there’s long been interest in a Tina Fey book project, the Post says, Fey’s recent appearances as the faux Palin on Saturday Night Live have turned Fey into such a star that anything connected to her is ultra-valuable property.
That’s why one publisher is said to have offered $5-million for a book by Fey while another is rumored to have responded with a $6-million bid.
It’s not clear whether such a book would be a memoir or a Nora Ephron-style piece of humorous writing. Perhaps it doesn’t matter.
Meanwhile, yesterday, Adams Media rushed out “101 Things You Didn’t Know About Sarah Palin” by comedian Greg Bergman, a book being pitched as “a hilarious and irreverent look at America’s favorite ‘Caribou Barbie,’ ” and “the only humor book on Palin currently available.”
They call it the silly season – now soon to hit a bookstore near you.
Comments
2. jane | 10.03.08
Sarah ‘Joe Six Pack’ Palin?
The Palins’ family total income last year included Sarah’s salary of $125,000; Todd Palin income of $46,790 income as a part-time oil production operator for BP Alaska in Prudhoe Bay plus $230,000 commercial fishing income and $10,500 in Iron Dog snow machine race winnings. These figures do not include nearly $17,000 in per diem payments that Palin received for 312 spending nights spent in her own home, the $43,490 she received to cover travel costs for her husband and children, the state oil royalties that each family member received, returns from several private investments and 401(k) retirement account. The Palins’ assets include a half-million-dollar home on a lake with a float-plane at the dock, two vacation retreats, and commercial-fishing rights worth an estimated $50,000 or more. With other friends, the Palins own a cabin on five acres southwest of Wasilla and the Iditarod National Historic Trail. The Palins own several snow machines and an airplane. She plans to pen a book after the elections, win or loose.
According to Palin, “it’s time that a normal Joe Six-pack American be finally represented in the position of vice presidency,” However, Census Bureau indicate that in 2007 the median income for a family in Alaska was $64,333 and $50,740 in nation. Either mentally or financially does Sarah fit the Joe six-pack characteristics? Fool me once shame on me, fool me twice shame on you!
3. beingajoe | 10.03.08
I am glad someone else is writing it because she does not seem to have the ability to put an articulate sentence together.
http://www.palinspin.com - the scandals, incompetence, lies and deceptions of Sarah Palin!
http://www.obamamate.com - social news for the Barack Obama nation
4. Rosie | 10.03.08
Oh my God, did Palin even answer a single question in that debate, geeze! She acted more like a manipulative brat than a president! It’s back to Alaska for you Sarah!!!
5. Linda | 10.03.08
The media is all abuzz today, claiming Sarah Palin did a wonderful job in the debate. I just don’t get it. She didn’t take one major issue, financial, environmental, military, etc., seriously. She could only point fingers, repeat the ‘Maverick’ mantra, repeat ’soccer mom’ and ‘disabled child’ rhetoric, bring up the past, and then chide Senator Biden when he mentioned the past brought us to the problems of today.
And what’s with the wink?
We don’t need a cheerleader as a leader for our country. We need substance.
7. mpb | 10.03.08
Alaska (outside of Wasilla and Anchorage) has been hurting especially badly since Palin’s election (Palin’s non-involvement). The issues resulting in massive displacement and cultural disruption for all Alaskans (Alaska state government might be oil and federal based but kitchen table economics are based on rural Alaska services) started earlier than Palin. She has done nothing to stem the previous Republican shortsightedness and personal selfishness. She is hardly a maverick in this continuity of Republican and oil-based administrations.
Palin made grand remarks about community involvement (rural sub-cabinet, for example, and the process of contracting with a foreign firm for Alaska’s natural gas) but her actions are very different (
8. Martha | 10.03.08
If Ms. Palin says “Eye-rak” one more time, I’m gonna puke. Yessir, doggone it (wink) I’m gonna.
9. Shane | 10.03.08
I am from Alaska and have seen first hand what kind of leader Palin is. She has done more to unite the legislature up here than any governor in the history of Alaska.
Sarah is not your typical Republican. She forced the hands of oil company leaders doing business in the state. She rolled back tax breaks given to the oil companies by former Alaska governor, Frank Murkowski. She also moved a natural gas pipeline forward. (A feat that has eluded Alaska leadership for more than three decades!) To find out more about how Palin has stood up to the oil industry in Alaska, go to: http://www.sarahtakesonbigoil.com
10. MAXIMUS THE GREAT | 10.04.08
I AM IN PORTLAND OREGON: WE ALL LOVE SARAH PALIN AND FAMILY ! WE WANT HER TO COME HERE TO CAMPAIGN ! SHE DEMONSTRATED HOW TO ‘HERD’ A WILD BUNCH OF CONGRESSMEN BACK TO D.C. WITHOUT GETTING THEM TOO MAD- SO THEY WOULD GET THEIR WORK OF LEGISLATION DONE ,AND SHE COULD LET LOOSE ONTO HER CAMPAIGN TRAIL TO THE SWING STATES !!!! SHE WAS MULTITASKING ALL THROUGH HER DEBATE ! YOU SEE , THE GOOD OLE BOYS ARE USED TO ‘ ARGUING INTELLECTUALLY ‘- LIES AND ALL, THEY DON’T CARE - B-U-T- SHE KNOWS AMERICA NEEDS A HEART TRANSPLANT AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT SHE IS DOING .AMERICA IS AFRAID - AND SHE KNOWS EXACTLY HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THAT. SHE IS LOVING AMERICA ! AND THAT IS WHAT AMERICA NEEDS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISLE NOW MORE THAN EVER.AND THE PEOPLE ‘FEEL’ THAT , AND THAT IS WHY SHE IS BETTER THAN THE REST.SHE IS NOT RUNNING FOR OFFICE BECAUSE SHE NEEDS ANOTHER JOB! SHE’S ALREADY SUCCESSFUL IN HER ENDEAVORS AT HOME- SHE IS RUNNING BECAUSE SHE TRULY LOVES AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL AND BELIEVES SHE IS DESIGNED TO DO THIS AT THIS TIME. I BELIEVE SHE IS RIGHT ON .
11. Carol | 10.06.08
What I think Sarah Palin brings to this contest is the role of citizen-politician, rather than career-politician. We have experienced decades of the latter to the detriment of our country and it’s refreshing to see the former. She reminds us of someone we know and that is why people relate to her.
The nasty personal attacks upon her don’t serve a constructive purpose. Such behavior only reinforces to the rest of us that we wouldn’t enter politics to have the same thing done to us. Thus, the good people that government needs seldom run for public office and we are stuck with unproductive career politicians and business as usual.
12. Candice Ngo | 10.07.08
To add to this debate I wanted to let you know that there is another book out there on Gov. Sarah Palin and the work that she has done in her capacity of Alaska’s Governor. It is a very neutral look at Palin and the oil industry. I am including our press release with this post. Please follow the link and you will be able to view an excerpt.
The Alaska-Centric Palin Book… Oct. 5, 2008
Sarah takes on Big Oil: The compelling story of Gov. Sarah Palin’s battle with Alaska’s ‘Big 3′ oil companies, as told by the state’s top oil and gas editors
“Sarah takes on Big Oil” is a book about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her battle with the state’s three largest oil producers—ExxonMobil, BP and ConocoPhillips.
A 216-page hardcover, “Sarah takes on Big Oil” is being released Oct. 12 by PNA Publishing, an affiliate of Petroleum News, an independent news-driven weekly newspaper based in Anchorage, Alaska.
The authors, Kay Cashman and Kristen Nelson, are uniquely qualified to tell the story of Palin’s dealings with the oil industry, and the unusual circumstances that bracketed her unprecedented rise to power.
Cashman, publisher and executive editor of Petroleum News, is a people person. She knows the people in Palin’s story, and they know her as someone who can be trusted with sensitive information.
Nelson, editor-in-chief of Petroleum News, has a long record of covering the State of Alaska’s interaction with the state’s most lucrative industry.
Cashman and Nelson bring a perspective to Palin’s story not available to general news reporters that makes for lively, but factual reading.
“Sarah takes on Big Oil” includes an 8-page color insert with photos of Alaska’s oil industry by noted Alaska photographer Judy Patrick, a personal friend of Sarah Palin and Kay Cashman.
PRESS AVAILABILITIES: Book cover and jacket images, and photos of Cashman and Nelson, and book collaborators Steve Sutherlin, Candice Ngo and Amy Spittler are available at http://www.sarahtakesonbigoil.com.
PNA Publishing is a division of Petroleum Newspapers of Alaska LLC.
Sarah takes on Big Oil: The compelling story of Gov. Sarah Palin’s battle with Alaska’s ‘Big 3′ oil companies, as told by the state’s top oil and gas editors
Kay Cashman and Kristen Nelson
ISBN 978-0-9821632-0-7 (hardcover)
Printed in the United States of America by RR Donnelly
First Edition Printing October 2008
13. Denis | 10.08.08
Just ask yourselves - “why is the country in trouble” - the answer is simple you want guy’s in suits, talking out of both sides of there you know what. you want to be lied too, you want desception you want machines…
It is not change that you are after, Obama speaks of change and being for the people, his actions clearly stated otherwise - he had a real chance to be an inspiration to all Americans - If he was for the people!!! - he would have taken Hilary after-all the people voted evenly for Hilary.
he said clearly he wanted to change the players in Washington, he brought in Joe Biden - he has only been in Washington what??? - fifteen years more than Hilary. On these 2 major points Obama is a phony….
along comes a war veteran, the only man that has sacrificed for American in the way he did. Oh sure he’s made some political mistakes and what humanbeing hasn’t at there respected jobs??? and yes he is aging etc…
But he picked a young women, who has not only said she would make change but actually did… under the experience of McCain she could only learn and Mcain under the influence of this womens desire to reform, make change in politics and her connection to the real world - CAN ONLY BE A PLUS and by the way these two combined have much more experience than Obama/Biden
The real problem is this along comes this women,full of energy, inspiration, looks, and yes she is very smart!!! “an all around American - and even with all of this she makes a few mistakes on a talk show - human mistakes and all **** breaks all of a sudden she is stupid. let me ask you what did you have for dinner Monday night. ??? how many of you knew that???
Oh you you ent blank?? - that’s right you’re human!!! - I am sure it has happened to you more than once in you’re life. how often were right there!!! it was on the tip of you’re tongue - couldn’t, wouldn,t come out you fumbled you stumbled.. let me ask you!!! - were you dumb or let’s chalk it up to human error.
Moral of the story - should we not want a human being in power, one with good intention, desire to solve our problems one whom will fight to end corruption in this country. “this current financial crisis” IS exclusively as a result corruption, greed and abuse of power.
The choices are simple another politician same promises but accomplishes NOTHING - or do we take a chance on a real human being… Ask yourself what has Obama accomplishe in his six years in the Senate. “Nothing” - what makes you believe he will in 4 years in washington.
You’re other choice is an older man with plenty of experience and accomplishment and one with the wisdom to pick a wonderful lady, with plenty of energy and an admirable track record and desire to affect change, that will correct our problems well into the future…
I for one have great admiration for Sarah Palin, all that she has done and love the fact that she is human and not at all full of herself like so many others…
Think Hard about you’re choices, the answers are never on the surface, Life would be too easy if they were.
Sarah Palin is a reminder that there are good humanbeings both men and women left in politics and on this earth. She is a breathe of fresh air too bad most of us can’t see that. or too bad the media has it’s own corrupt agenda.
hopeful of real people - hopeful of real leaders.
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1. Ted | 10.02.08
These Palin-negative books hint to the public how inexperienced she is to become Vice President, or even President. Palin helped Republican morale and her image during the Vice Presidential debate tonight, however her track record among Alaskans hasn’t helped anyone but herself. This convinced me of it: http://dailysource.org/palin