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Book Nook provides readers with insights into the world of books. Vick Mickunas takes you into the center of the publishing world with the latest book buzz, book reviews, and exclusive chats with authors..Home > Blogs > Book Nook > Archives > 2009 > September > 18 > Entry
The new Oprah book…
This press release just came in:
” The Washington Post reports today that Uwem Akpan’s “Say You’re One of Them” is the next selection in Oprah’s Book Club. The title was unintentionally leaked Thursday from a book distribution company and is Winfrey’s first pick of short fiction. The Oprah Winfrey Show will not confirm the advance speculation until the official announcement on the show that airs today.”
This collection of short stories set in Africa is the author’s first book. He is a native of Nigeria. These stories are deeply painful tales about African children who are dealing with war and violence. Even so, they can be somewhat uplifting.
Akpan is a Jesuit priest. He graduated from the University of Michigan with an MFA in creative writing in 2006.
Currently at #619 on the Amazon sales chart. It should be top ten material within 24 hours…the magic of Oprah’s Book Club….
Vick Mickunas
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Comments
By vick
September 18, 2009 7:51 PM | Link to this
Here’s the power of Oprah to sell books. When I wrote this post the book was #619 in sales on Amazon. She made the announcement. Boom…it is already up to #6 and rising like a rocket. It probably won’t pass the #1 book by Dan Brown but it should easily pass the Ted Kennedy memoir and the new Glenn Beck. Oprah had not picked a book in quite a while…authors dream she will pick one of theirs. I have a friend who had an Oprah book. One time I was visiting and she pointed at her lovely home and said: “that’s the house that Oprah bought me.” She didn’t mean it literally. But her sales went through the roof after the Oprah selection. That put my friend on the map…her books still sell in large part because of the “Oprah effect.”