In the course of daily life, not in some special seminar or publishing setting, I have run into many would-be novelists who are working on or have finished a book. If I had to name one common trait among them it is that they are never fiction readers themselves.I currently work with a fellow who has published a series of international bestselling novels through a major trade house and who does not himsef read much, least of all novels.
All of this came to mind in connection with Newt Gingrich and William Forstchen who achieved stunning sales success with their Civil War fiction trilogy.
Newt Gingrich is an avid reader and reviews for Amazon. He has 145 reviews up at present. Only one review addresses a Civil War title - Winik's 1865.
Only one. Gingrich writes Civil War fiction but does not read Civil War fiction or nonfiction.
Phenomenon noted ... but still not understood.
