WebProNews

Tag: The Cuckoo’s Calling

  • ‘Fifty Shades Of Grey’ Author Tops Top-Earner List

    Very few people become an author to make money, and those who do often rake in a modest sum that allows them to work on their next project. The Forbes list of top-earning authors of 2013 is not filled with those people.

    It is no shocker that the top earner for this year is “Fifty Shades of Grey” author E.L. James, who took home an estimated $95 million last year on the back of her highly controversial novel and its sequels. That’s not too shabby for a book that started out as “Twilight” fan-fiction and contains some of the most inadvertently hilarious sex scenes in the history of literature.

    In claiming the top spot James was able to dethrone James Patterson. Patterson, who is known for his thrillers, is known for his high output and equally high sales numbers. It is estimated that 1 in every 17 books sold in the United States was written by him.

    “Hunger Games” author Suzanne Collins rounds out the top three at $55 million, followed by a surprising appearance by political pundit Bill O’Reilly at $28 million.

    “Harry Potter” creator J.K. Rowling slid into the 15th spot with $13 million thanks to her forays into the adult lit world, “The Casual Vacancy” and “The Cuckoo’s Calling”. One spot behind her on the list is the brain behind “Game of Thrones,” George R.R. Martin at $12 million.

    While the authors on the list may not be producing works that will go down as great works of literature, at least people are still reading enough to help them sell books.

  • J.K. Rowling Revealed As Mystery Author

    J.K. Rowling Revealed As Mystery Author

    It seems that J.K. Rowling pulled a bit of literary… sleight of hand (you thought I was going to say “magic,” didn’t you?) and wrote a novel when nobody was looking. Rowling was revealed yesterday to be the author of a 450-page mystery novel, The Cuckoo’s Calling.

    The novel was released in April. It was highly regarded by critics, but also posed something of, well, a mystery. It seems that the novel struck critics as a little too polished for the debut novel of a military veteran. A little digging by The Sunday Times revealed that Galbraith had the same editor and publisher as Rowling. Rowling later confirmed her secret identity.

    After finishing her widely-beloved Harry Potter series, there were many questions about where Rowling’s literary career would go next. Last year’s The Casual Vacancy appeared to be the answer. The novel, which deals with politics in a small town, was widely hyped as Rowling’s first non-Harry Potter book. When it released last year it sold decently well, but got a decidedly lukewarm reception from critics.

    Given the hype surrounding The Casual Vacancy and the mixed reception from critics, it makes sense that Rowling would want to try publishing a novel anonymously. In fact, she told The Sunday Times that she regrets how quickly the real identity of Robert Galbraith was discovered: “I had hoped to keep this secret a little longer because being Robert Galbraith has been such a liberating experience. It has been wonderful to publish without hype or expectation and pure pleasure to get feedback under a different name.”

    Despite the critical acclaim it has received, The Cuckoo’s Calling has only seen modest sales. That, as you might expect, is changing rapidly. The book has rocketed to the top of several bestseller lists, including Amazon and the iBookstore.

    The Cuckoo’s Calling is currently available in hardcover, e-book, and audiobook form from all major book vendors.