What's all the brouhaha going on about The Shack? William P. Young's bestselling novel is the story of a father who is struggling to recover his faith after a horrible tragedy. But now the book is spinning off its own--not tragedy, let's call it soap opera--in the publishing world. Sarah Weinman of the LA Times recently weighed in on the publishing imbroglio.A bit of background: Reportedly, The Shack was a manuscript that made the rounds without being picked up; eventually, it was discovered by a couple of pastors who formed a start-up called Windblown Media, which then published the book. The Shack became wildly successful, rising to the top of a NYT bestseller's list. Then a traditional publisher stepped in, and the book's success continued. But now the original players are feuding over royalties, including, reportedly, even the book's authorship.
Where this will all end up, God only knows. But one thing is clear: When big-time royalties are at stake, a book--even one about faith--may occasionally stub its toe on the bottom line.
