NYT: Religious Broadcaster Gets Rich Contract for Next Book ($13M?)

[DeepModem Mom]

Religious Broadcaster Gets Rich Contract for Next Book
By EDWARD WYATT
Published: March 15, 2006


Multimillion-dollar book deals are usually the realm of presidents, popes and Federal Reserve chairmen, plus the occasional mega-best-selling novelist like James Patterson or Michael Crichton.

Add to that list Joel Osteen, the pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, one of the nation's largest congregations, and the author of "Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential."

Mr. Osteen, a television evangelist, has signed a book deal with Free Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, that publishing insiders say is potentially one of the richest for a nonfiction book and could bring the author more than $10 million....

***

The contract does not adhere to usual format, with the author receiving an advance on future royalties and the royalty rate set at 15 percent of the cover price of each book sold. Rather, the Osteen contract is known in the industry as a co-publishing agreement, with the author receiving a smaller advance — perhaps $1 million to $2 million — but then being entitled to receive 50 percent of the publisher's profit on sales.

Two people involved in negotiations over Mr. Osteen's book, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because their companies do not allow the disclosure of financial arrangements with authors or clients, said Mr. Osteen, 43, and his agent, Jan Miller of Dupree, Miller & Associates, were seeking a guarantee of close to $13 million for the right to publish his next book....Publishers Weekly, a trade journal, reported on its Web site yesterday that Mr. Osteen "got some $13 million" in the deal with Free Press....


http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/15/business/media/15book.html

[qanda]

1. That's just ridiculous

I love Joel and actually have his first book-- it was NOT that good as it was a regurgitation of his sermons. I don't understand why he sends me emails asking for money for his ministry when he's bringing in that kind of money.

[DeepModem Mom]

3. Does Osteen stay away from politics in his broadcasts?

I don't think I've seen comments reported from him on political issues.

[qanda]

4. He really does and that's what I like about him

My hope is that he doesn't get too caught up in becoming rich that he loses what his father's vision was for that church. That first book just wasn't very good and I think it sold because of the name recognition.

[DeepModem Mom]

5. Thanks, qanda!

[saigon68]

2. Just Fleecing the Rustic Repuke Sheep one more time

I have seen this Ass-Clown, he's good at what he does, which is a form of psychotherapy couched as religion.

He loosens lots of wallets from pants pockets and purses with his act.

[QuettaKid]

8. maybe with that kind of money

he will be able to buy a private jet so his high strung wife won't have any more liquid on the seat incidents.

[saigon68]

9. I remember that she was escorted off

[DavidDvorkin]

6. While excellent books go unpublished

And excellent authors languish in obscurity.

Not that this is something new, but it's still painful.

[tanyev]

7. How about a project co-written with his lovely wife?

Suggested title: It's All About Me!

(12/27/05--Last week, Victoria Osteen, wife of the televangelist Joel Osteen, pastor of the Houston-based Lakewood Church, was removed from Continental flight 1602 to Vail, Colo., after she "failed to comply" with a flight attendant's request, according to a report filed by the airline to the FBI.

The Osteens, like many of the passengers on the flight, were headed to Vail for a family ski vacation. Donald Iloff, spokesman for the couple, called the episode a "90-second misunderstanding."

The misunderstanding occurred when the Osteens boarded the first-class cabin and Victoria Osteen noticed a liquid spill on her seat. She asked one flight attendant to clean it, but the attendant was unable to do so at the time because passengers were boarding. Osteen then asked another flight attendant. That attendant was also busy and instead gave Osteen napkins to clean it herself.

What happened next differs depending on who's telling the tale. According to two written complaints filed by the attendants to union officials, Osteen became angry and barged toward the cockpit saying that she "wanted to speak to someone in charge." One attendant tried to stop her and she pushed the attendant aside, according to the reports. A second attendant stepped forward and Osteen grabbed that attendant by the wrist and engaged in an argument outside of the cockpit.)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/26/AR2005122600828_pf.html

[BR_Parkway]

10. He promised to donate the entire check to feed the poor - oh, wait

what alternative reality did I think I was in there?