About Marie Lamba’s first book, What I Meant, Publishers Weekly says, “Lamba makes an impressive debut with this contemporary novel introducing Sangeet, a 15-year-old Indian American girl who at times feels like the whole world is against her. … Ultimately, readers will find much to like in Lamba's heroine, who ultimately survives a set of trials worthy of Job with grace and humor.” (Full disclosure: yes, PW does ultimately seem to love the word ultimately.)
Despite good reviews, the book is having some difficulty -- since pre-orders from chain stores have been low, her publishers are killing the paperback, as well as the already-written and accepted sequel (which was just going into copyediting) and slashing the printing of the hard bound.
She’s a featured author on a forum over at KL Going’s Web site, where KL shares her own experience: “I recently had my own surprise from a chain store when the Borders national buyer refused to stock Saint Iggy...The bottom line is that when power is consolidated, our choices dwindle.”
Read more on this depressing and scary topic here.
Subscribe with
JacketFlap's
Children's
Publishing
Blog Reader