Saturday, February 09, 2008

Tragic Life Stories

The trend that began in the 1990s of publishers signing up any writers who could tell write memoirs documenting their childhood abuse or other suffering has become ridiculous. I was in WH Smiths today and discovered that their book department has a whole bookcase devoted to the category of "Tragic Life Stories". Actually googling the phrase reveals that others have noticed this development too. You've got to feel sorry for all the budding authors whose parents neglected to molest them thus depriving them of a future career.

.My computer problems are still ongoing so blogging will continue to be sporadic until next week. Sorry to both my readers for that. This story of ongoing computer faults isn't tragic enough to land me a book deal though.

4 comments:

Blognor Regis said...

You've got to feel sorry for all the budding authors whose parents neglected to molest them thus depriving them of a future career.

Hence:

http://www.wherediditallgoright.com/WDIAGR.html

James Higham said...

I swas abused by a five year old girl when I was five so I hit her. Last time I abused a girl and they've been making up for it ever since.

AdamB said...

I used to work in a book shop and there was a certain type of customer who would come in week after week for their latest fix of this stuff. Back then the king of the genre was Dave Pelzer but many more have joined the ranks now. Each new book ups the ante. I would think that your story would have to be supernaturally tragic to get published these days.

Ross said...

Andrew Collins, the author of the 'Where Did It All Go Right' obviously was traumatised in childhood though, judging by his recent remarks about the Prime Minister's wife:

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/Sarah-Brown-is-39most-attractive.3785844.jp

"broadcaster and writer Andrew Collins has described Sarah Brown as the most attractive Prime Minister's wife in history."

As for Dave Pelzer, hasn't he managed to wring about 5000 books out of his childhood suffering?