This is probably the best form of pr-release publicity for a book. Even if it cost oe 1.3 million. Because the amount, which was paid to author Vikram Seth for his book Two, lives, has shot him and his yet unwritten book into the limelight. And that's probably where the idea came from. The question to ask is whether the gimmick will work for our more desi au¬thors (the ones who are of Indian origin and still live in India). Ask author Arindam Chaudhuh. Who is better known for the success of his first book Count Your Chick¬ens Before They Hatch. For his latest book. The Great In¬dian Dream. Chaudhuri says he has received an advance packet of Rs 25 lakh from publishers Macmillan India. But sadly for the authors— Arindam has co-authored it with his father Dr M.K. Chaudhuri—the publishers deny any such cash flow. Chaudhuri's claim was first made public in a press release which said the au¬thors have received a "record seven figure advance of Rs 25 lakh "The release was sent out by a public relations company which Chaudhuri owns. The publishers. : however, tell anothcr story. "We have not paid Chaudhuh any advance," said Rajeev Beri, managing director, Macmillan India. ! He added: "This amount : may be what Chaudhuri is projecting as his expected royalty in a short period of time. We have told the public relations company that they should not print such incorrect information.
"Quite obviously, our publishers don't see the merit ol projecting advance amounts for promotion purposes. Take for instance Chaudhuri's first publishers. Vikas Publishing House. They too did not use the fact that they paid Chaudhuri what they now tell us was a "handsome amount"—but they won't tell us exactly how much— for Count Your Chickens.... Unfortunately for them, Chaudhuri's press release has made the amount public it says:"With this (the advance for The Great In dian Dream) he betters the previous record of Rs 10 lakh that he had received for his earlier bestseller Count Your Chickens Before The Hatch."After all this, it looks like Arindam Chaudhuri may have learned a few lessons of his own in counting his publishing chickens before they hatch.
Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Surjit Singh
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