What happens when an author has to choose between two equal offers and can’t decide?
Usually there is a call or Zoom between her and her two suitors, but one time something else happened.
One publisher offered to fly her to New York, put her up in a hotel, and fly her back the next day. While she was in town, we were invited to the publisher’s office for afternoon tea. The editor was there. So were the editorial director and someone from sales.
You can believe what a difference that made. She was charmed by the attention and ended up going with them.
But when the other publisher found out about it–I don’t know who told them, but it’s a very small business–they were livid. The editor called me and remarked in biting tones that I had been “busy”. Yes, that was true. I had indeed been busy. They thought that as long as the author was going to be in town, it was only fair that she see them as well.
I did not agree. They weren’t the ones who flew her in and they came up with no strategy–not even money–to change her mind.
I’m not sure what the moral is here, but it does conform to one of THE GODFATHER’s business rules: Always use a personal touch.
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