The best way to market a new book is to say that it will be the next \”Oprah\” book. Just make sure that the Oprah people know about it first.
\”On Wednesday, WMA agent Mel Berger submitted Sandbox Wisdom: Revolutionize Your Brand with the Genius of Childhood, by Tom Asacker, to Warner. Accompanying the hardcover, which was originally published last March by Eastside Publishing, was a letter on Harpo letterhead, indicating that it was to be the next Oprah book club pick. There was just one problem: Harpo, the company that produces The Oprah Winfrey Show, says it has nothing to do with him. \’\’Tom Asacker has no affiliation with Oprah Winfrey, the Oprah Winfrey show or Harpo Productions, and we are looking into this matter further,\’\’ a Harpo spokesman told Inside.\”
The best way to market a new book is to say that it will be the next \”Oprah\” book. Just make sure that the Oprah people know about it first.
\”On Wednesday, WMA agent Mel Berger submitted Sandbox Wisdom: Revolutionize Your Brand with the Genius of Childhood, by Tom Asacker, to Warner. Accompanying the hardcover, which was originally published last March by Eastside Publishing, was a letter on Harpo letterhead, indicating that it was to be the next Oprah book club pick. There was just one problem: Harpo, the company that produces The Oprah Winfrey Show, says it has nothing to do with him. \’\’Tom Asacker has no affiliation with Oprah Winfrey, the Oprah Winfrey show or Harpo Productions, and we are looking into this matter further,\’\’ a Harpo spokesman told Inside.\”
\”Asacker, a New Hampshire-based writer, is described in the author notes on Amazon.com as a speaker, a columnist, provocateur, and a former corporate executive and innovator. His Sandboxwisdom.com home page displays a picture of Winfrey with the caption, \’\’My new friend and one of the world\’s greatest brands.\’\’ His site also announces that an upcoming show will be dedicated to \’\’the book, the philosophy and the author (me).\’\’ A search of Oprah.com turned up no references to Asacker.\”
\”Asacker\’s site also includes praise for Sandbox Wisdom from the New York Times — \’\’A smart, warm-hearted and winning book. A must read!\’\’ But a Nexis search, using the terms \’\’Sandbox Wisdom\’\’ and \’\’New York Times,\’\’ turns up no documents.\”
\”According to sources with knowledge of the submission, Berger and William Morris were enthusiastic about the project even before they saw the letter, which Asacker apparently forwarded to the agent. Jamie Raab, publisher of Warner Books, was also enthusiastic at first, sources say. (Raab was traveling and unavailable for comment.)\”
\”But within an hour of submission, William Morris called Raab and withdrew the book. In the vetting process, which had not been completed at the time of the submission, executives came to question the Oprah connection. The agency then contacted Harpo productions, and the issue of the letter\’s authorship is being investigated.\”
\”Asacker said he had no knowledge of the letter, but when apprised of the Harpo denial, stood by his Web site\’s claims. \’\’That\’s their truth,\’\’ he said. Still, he said, \’\’I consider her my friend. But I can\’t predict the future.\’\’
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