Friday, October 19, 2007

Cover Story



As you all know, I wrote a book called Life As We Knew It. Harcourt published in about a year ago.

Marion Lloyd Books, a subdivision of UK Scholastic, also published Life As We Knew It.

But a different cover design was originally considered by Marion Lloyd Books and ultimately rejected.

My good fortune with LAWKI continued, as US Scholastic also decided to purchase the rights for its bookfairs and bookclubs.

The other day I received an e-mail from a school librarian in Missouri, who had been kind enough to e-mail me previously to say how much she and her students had enjoyed Life As We Knew It. But this time she was very upset. She had just gotten books from Scholastic for a bookfair and this is what the newest version of LAWKI looked like.


No boy will ever read a book with that cover! she declared.

Of course she was right. Now I was very upset.

I forwarded her e-mail to my agent and my editor. They agreed she was right. Now they were very upset.

Harcourt e-mailed Scholastic. Why did you use this cover, they asked, and not one of the other two?



Oh dear, Scholastic e-mailed back. Just a misunderstanding. Next printing, we'll change the cover to this or this:



So I recommend you all run to your nearest Scholastic bookfair and buy multiple copies of Life As We Knew It with this cover. They're guaranteed to be collector's items, and the sooner that printing sells out, the sooner Scholastic will publish one with a cover boys won't reject!

8 comments:

Marci said...

Heads should roll on that one! Someone thought this was a book targeted to pre-teen girls. That is what that cover looks like. Hope the Librarian in Missouri realizes that she changed the course of the publishing history on that book.

Anonymous said...

I know that I picked up the book (actually the audio) because of the cover. I would never have even glanced twice at that other cover proving the old expression...


Glen

Anonymous said...

Same as Glen I picked up the book because of the cover & if it had been of that cover then I would have never given it a second glance which is sad since this is one of the most amazing books ever.

I'm glad that all will be sorted out. It's a shame I don't live in England or I would have bought that copy. Haha.

Anonymous said...

actually this book is really perfect, and the author is really briliant..!! and, by the way, this story isn't for girls..!! maybe the cover gonna trick you but it's really the most amazing story i have ever read 'cause even thought the story is imainary ,but the author use salot of real names of real stuff such as mcdonalds, KFC and stuff..!!and btw you can even imagine it and how the characters are dealing in the story.!!and it's also funny..!! and one word can describe it EXTRA-VAGANZA !! really it's sooo cool..!! and i advice you to read it and you'll like it for sure. my e-mail is hb_1_2@hotmail.com or roll_it_down@yahoo.com so you can add me..!!
P.S: make sure to buy the Scholastic version book..!!

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Thank you Anonymous for all your kind words.

I love tbe book too (but then again, I wrote it!)

Anonymous said...

I think its the best book in the world!!!:)

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Hi Anonymous-

Thank you for your praise.

I'm kind of fond the book myself!

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