Sylvia Brown has smash best-seller

[Piggy]

I've been really miffed that Brown's new book, Exploring the Levels of Creation, is tracked in the "nonfiction" category.

But its popularity is especially depressing.

On 18 September it ranked #13 on the Publishers Weekly (nonfiction) best seller list.

Here's their blurb, which may give some insight into how this kind of tripe is sold to a mass market:

Hay House used its tried-and-true formula to land Exploring the Levels of Creation on the charts. It did two e-mail campaigns -- 500,000 e-mails on September 5 and 500,000 e-mails on September 12. Within a week after the September 1 pub date, Hay House went back to press three times for a total of 200,000 copies. At one of her first tour stops (Philadelphia, September 12), 3,000 people showed up. For previous bestsellers, Browne's Montel appearances boosted sales, but this time her four pretaped shows on the new book haven't even aired yet.

[Upchurch]

I've been really miffed that Brown's new book, Exploring the Levels of Creation, is tracked in the "nonfiction" category.
Every time I see that in the book store, I'm tempted to move those kinds of books to their proper section.

[Mick Houlahan]

Every time I see that in the book store, I'm tempted to move those kinds of books to their proper section.


When I come across Sylvia's books at my local Costco, I generally grab a stack and move them to their proper place - underneath a seventy-five pound bag of kitty litter.:D

[HeyLeroy]

When I come across Sylvia's books at my local Costco, I generally grab a stack and move them to their proper place - underneath a seventy-five pound bag of kitty litter.:D

Why even bother with that first part?:D

I struggled through most of one of her books once, just so I could explain to my mother what a fraud she was. Her books are written for readers at a fourth-grade reading level. Short sentences, no big words.

[RSLancastr]

I struggled through most of one of her books once, just so I could explain to my mother what a fraud she was. Her books are written for readers at a fourth-grade reading level. Short sentences, no big words.I'm currently struggling through a stack of them. The first I read, Adventures of a Psychic, is her biography, and is written like a cheesy romance novel.

So how did it go with your mother?

And do you still have any of her books you'd care to part with?

[scotth]

I'm currently struggling through a stack of them.

You have my sympathy.

[Piggy]

On a sidenote, one good sign in the publishing world... Kevin Trudeau's sequel is not the juggernaut that his previous scam-of-a-book was. It did not appear on the PW bestseller list in the last issue I checked.

[RSLancastr]

Now if we could just get David Icke's books out of the History section... :rm:

[Alareth]

I'm currently struggling through a stack of them.

Sun Tzu said simething about that...

Know thy enemy and know thyself, find naught in fear for 100 battles. Know thyself but not thy enemy, find level of loss and victory. Know thy enemy but not thyself, wallow in defeat every time.

[RSLancastr]

Sun Tzu said simething about that...Now if only I could snatch the pebble out of Sun Tzu's hand...

[Outhere]

Do not try to snatch the pebble from Sylvia's hand; you will be impaled on those claws.

[RSLancastr]

Do not try to snatch the pebble from Sylvia's hand; you will be impaled on those claws.What about these? (http://articles.news.aol.com/news/_a/woman-has-longest-fingernails-in-world/20060928142809990002?ncid=NWS00010000000001)

[Mick Houlahan]

Why even bother with that first part?:D



Because when you're a Costco member they'll let you do anything you want.;)

[Piggy]

Because when you're a Costco member they'll let you do anything you want.;)
Funny you should mention Costco, b/c my company is trying to break into Costco as we type. Their buyer is highly idiosyncratic. Sussing her out is as much psychology as it is business.

And back to the OP, we should keep in mind that Sylvia is also psychology and business.

I'm at a loss to propose any viable counter-model to combat hers, I'm afraid.

So here's a legitimate question: What can be done, in the real world, to combat the opportunism of slime like Sylvia and Montel, people who don't care who they bilk as long as they can buy that next house with 10 acres and a view?

[The Atheist]

Her books are written for readers at a fourth-grade reading level.Surely that's about where their maturity and intellectual ability is as well?

[Piggy]

Surely that's about where their maturity and intellectual ability is as well?
Hate to say it, but if you want to sell books, it's standard advice to stick to an 8th grade reading level. And it's good advice. To be fair, there are plenty of intelligent people who don't read above that level.

[Big Les]

I always put another, less objectionable book in front of any of Gillian McTeeth's books in whichever bookshop/supermarket/faecaphiliac's anonymous meeting I may have stumbled into.

Petty, but slightly satisfying. I plan to expand my efforts in future.

[Piggy]

Another subtle but effective tactic.... If the book is face-out on the shelf, turn it so that it is spine-out.

[bjb]

Here's a video of Sylvia discussing her new book on the Montel Williams show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iF-M2M0e7-o

I promise I didn't edit this video in any way to make Sylvia look stupid.

[Piggy]

Here's a video of Sylvia discussing her new book on the Montel Williams show
I'll keep an eye on the charts. Also, Trudeau has his supporting infomercials out now. Will see if his new book goes back on the lists. I've been reading his first book, btw -- much more conspiracy theory than anything to do w/ health. But he recommends all kind of quack stuff, from colloidal silver to "Gentle Wind Project" thingmabobs (see Randi's commentaries) to stopping your Rx's and switching to a naturopath. My favorite so far is his advice on repairing your DNA with your mind and your words.

[RSLancastr]

I promise I didn't edit this video in any way to make Sylvia look stupid.You didn't have to.

Looked like Montel stepped in and quoted the book because she was making no sense whatsoever...

[bjb]

I loved look on Montel's face when she started talking about gnomes and faires. Even the audience didn't seem to believe what she was saying. Here's another video where Sylvia talks about trolls being real:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuJGHPpGKsk

The video is low quality and it takes a while to get to the troll part but be patient.

[c4ts]

Nonfiction? It belongs in the fantasy section with the rest of the fairy tales!

[bjb]

Here's a video of Sylvia discussing her new book on the Montel Williams show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iF-M2M0e7-o

I promise I didn't edit this video in any way to make Sylvia look stupid.

I'd thought I'd bump this thread. The video I posted has been up for over a week and out of a possible five stars, it has a perfect 1-star rating. I purposely set up the video and description to be neutral, so people seem to think the video is a genuine effort to promote Sylvia's book. It's interesting that YouTubers are giving it such terrible ratings. Even a Sylvia fan left a negative comment!

[Piggy]

Btw, looks like Trudeau's new book is climbing again. But it doesn't appear to be the killer that his last one was.

[c4ts]

That's it. I'm making up a bunch of stupid crap and calling it "Real Life Elves Cure Diabeetus!" It will be the next bestseller.

[Reno]

I'm sick of watching this witch on YouTube, Montel, etc. It seems to me that nothing any critic says or does is having any impact on her book sales, or any of the other methods she uses to rape people's bank accounts. I hate to be the cynical voice of doom, but I don't even have much hope that RL's valiant efforts with his StopSylvia website will create the slightest wrinkle in her fortunes.

I wonder, in the light of the recent re-thinking of the Challenge, if it should be an idea for JREF to go after one single individual relentlessly until they either retire, go bankrupt, go to jail, or die. Instead of dividing resourses and energy between the many slimeballs, all the firepower going in one direction will be more effective.

I am so sickened by this horrendous harpie that I'd do almost anything to see her finished.

[scotth]

I wonder, in the light of the recent re-thinking of the Challenge, if it should be an idea for JREF to go after one single individual relentlessly until they either retire, go bankrupt, go to jail, or die. Instead of dividing resourses and energy between the many slimeballs, all the firepower going in one direction will be more effective.


Stay tuned...... seriously.

[Luke T.]

When I come across Sylvia's books at my local Costco, I generally grab a stack and move them to their proper place - underneath a seventy-five pound bag of kitty litter.:D

Looks like she dug them out.

Sylvia signing her book at Costco: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FclAHRgOtMI&mode=related&search=

[Luke T.]

I loved look on Montel's face when she started talking about gnomes and faires. Even the audience didn't seem to believe what she was saying. Here's another video where Sylvia talks about trolls being real:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuJGHPpGKsk

The video is low quality and it takes a while to get to the troll part but be patient.

There seems to be no limit to another person's insanity that Sylvia won't stoop to validate.

[grayman]

I new there was something about the way she moved, how she walks onto the stage, the reptilian tongue thing she does, that looked oddly familiar to me. I finally figured out where I've seen that before...

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_924645356300bd986.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=2075)

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/92464535633508a37.bmp (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=2076)

[snooziums]

I new there was something about the way she moved, how she walks onto the stage, the reptilian tongue thing she does, that looked oddly familiar to me. I finally figured out where I've seen that before...

But, but, she is one of many that has claimed that there are reptilian people out there and some of them are living among us!

Maybe she... ... ... scary.

[Piggy]

grayman, that is the biggest belly-laugh I've had in weeks! Thank you! :D

[skeptic griggsy]

The woman is a side show .She's pathectic.She is rich . If he were alive now , Yeshua would likely follow her footsteps!

[firecoins]

On 18 September it ranked #13 on the Publishers Weekly (nonfiction) best seller list.
It just so happanes I predicted it. I had my prediction in an envelope, posted 2 weeks before it was released!

[LostAngeles]

On a sidenote, one good sign in the publishing world... Kevin Trudeau's sequel is not the juggernaut that his previous scam-of-a-book was. It did not appear on the PW bestseller list in the last issue I checked.

No, but his damn informercial was on the other weekend instead of ShopEroticTV.

I'm still miffed about not getting to see hot women talk about sex toys.

[Ginarley]

I just wish someone would say "NO!" everytime she says "You see what I mean" lol.

[ElWampa]

But its popularity is especially depressing.


That's because the people who love her aren't very smart in the first place.

http://www.healthdiaries.com/blogs/parentsfault/archives/2004/10/sylvia_brown.html

Read the blog and then read the comments. Hilarity ensues! :boggled:

[Almo]

Here's a video of Sylvia discussing her new book on the Montel Williams show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iF-M2M0e7-o

I promise I didn't edit this video in any way to make Sylvia look stupid.

Are you SURE you didn't edit this to make her look stupid? Really? Are you completely positive?

[Kelly]

I new there was something about the way she moved, how she walks onto the stage, the reptilian tongue thing she does, that looked oddly familiar to me. I finally figured out where I've seen that before...

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_924645356300bd986.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=2075)

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/92464535633508a37.bmp (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=2076)

In comparison, Jabba never looked better!

[bjb]

Are you SURE you didn't edit this to make her look stupid? Really? Are you completely positive?

I'm sure. I know how to edit and make people look more stupid than they really are. For example:

http://home.comcast.net/~bcbarrera/files/sybrowne.WMV

After I made that clip, I watched more episodes of Montel and realized I didn't need to spend my time editing. Sylvia and her believers say and do much stupider than anything I could create by editing.

[Piggy]

Actually, I found a clip that has been edited so as to remove those parts of the show where Sylvia makes herself look stupid. Here it is (http://youtube.com/watch?v=-rCiCYp0xHw).

[RSLancastr]

That's because the people who love her aren't very smart in the first place.

http://www.healthdiaries.com/blogs/parentsfault/archives/2004/10/sylvia_brown.html

Read the blog and then read the comments. Hilarity ensues! :boggled:I found it more tragic than comic... It is people like this, desperate for answers, who make psychics rich.