Not to Get All Mushy...

by Marcus Sakey

I love this business.

I don't mean the act of writing--though I love that too--but rather the business itself. You hear a lot of bad things, and some of it is deserved. But you don't hear near enough about how amazing this biz can be.

Here's the thing: the publishing industry is comprised of a group of people willing to work their hearts out because they love words, they trust in stories, and they believe books can change the world.

That's amazing.

I spent ten years in advertising and marketing, and enjoyed it. The people are clever, passionate, and creative. The work is fun, and the money is good. But at the end of the day, what you're creating is disposable. You're convincing consumers to buy your jeans instead of your competitor's jeans. And while there's nothing wrong with that, it doesn't lead to the sort of community that writing does.

So this week, now that my book is on the shelves and my touring is underway, now that an abstraction has become a reality, I'd like to take a moment to thank a few of the people who made it happen. Call it a shout-out to the writing and publishing community at large, a big "Thank You" from me to them.

Thanks to all the folks at St. Martin's Minotaur. In particular, high-octane gratitude to three individuals that aren't thanked enough: Matt Baldacci, Rachel Ekstrom, and Christina Harcar.

Thanks to Scott, for having my back from day one.

Thank you to the people who make this a community, especially Karen Dionne, Jon & Ruth Jordan, Ali Karim, David Montgomery, Graham Powell, Sarah Weinman, and my good friend J.A. Konrath. You guys are the beating heart of the writing world. Also a thanks to my fellow Outfit members, as well as the members of Killer Year.

Thank you to the authors who took the time to blurb an unknown debut: Dr. Jeff Anderson, Ken Bruen, Lee Child, Victor Gischler, Harry Hunsicker, T. Jefferson Parker, and George Pelecanos. It's no small thing to ask someone to read your novel.

Love and gratitude to booksellers everywhere. You don't get near enough credit.

Finally, an eternal debt to all the writers who made me want to be one. If you're ever looking for me, odds are I'm curled up with one of their books.

What about you? Anybody you'd like to thank? An author that rocked your world, a bookseller who always has a perfect recommendation, a friend who bought drinks at Bouchercon? Shout it out, my brothers and sisters. Time to hear some good things about this biz.