b presentation Geneve, 8 novembro 2010 To: - PDF document

b presentation

� � ������������ � Geneve, 8 novembro 2010 To: Eduardo Spohr Dear Eduardo Congratulations for “A Batalha do Apocalipse”. For the first time in the Brazilian literature we see a book that uses such elements to tell a story. On a side note, I would like also to congratulate you for being in the Brazilian best seller lists for such a long period – knowing beforehand that you did not have any support from the press. It was basically word- of-mouth, which in my opinion is the best way to promote a book. Wishing you luck in finding a publisher for this wonderful novel, Forte abraço � �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� !"����#���$�%#��� � �

1 - introDUCtion b Brazilian pUBlishing sUCCess The Battle of the Apocalypse is the first book from Eduardo Spohr, who became a publishing success after reaching the Brazilian best-seller lists and making the top ten. When the novel was published independently in 2007, it sold nearly 5,000 copies solely through a single online store. Its repercussion attracted the attention of Verus publishing house and Record Group who decided to invest in the project with targeted exposure and a media plan. The results were impressive. The Battle of the Apocalypse reached the best-selling lists during its second week of sales. In the first two months, around 45,000 copies vanished from bookstores. The success of the book attracted over 1,000 people keen on getting an autograph from the author at an event during São Paulo Book Fair. With 586 pages, the book is a more mature alternative for readers compared to vampire novels (Stephenie Meyer) and fantasy works (Rick Riordan). It captivates not only younger readers but those from all age groups. The Battle of the Apocalypse tells the story of the earth’s last days. The heavens are ruled by tyrannical archangels who usurped God’s power. Throughout the 586 pages, we follow the path of Ablon, a celestial general expelled from heaven after organizing a rebellion against its oppressive leaders. Condemned to roam the world of men, the hero becomes a fugitive and hides in cities where he follows closely the evolution of human civilization from ancient times until today. During this journey Ablon meets the sorceress Shamira and falls in love with her. Together they face numerous enemies, including magicians, gods and angels. When the moment of Apocalypse approaches, Ablon is invited to join the legions of the demon Lucifer, heaven’s biggest enemy, to defeat with him the archangels in the great battle of Armageddon—a battle that will not only decide the fate of the world, but that of the universe.

2 - Case stUDy b from self-pUBlishing to Best-seller The Battle of the Apocalypse represents a success story in self-publishing, a method adopted more and more by first-time authors who want to promote and sell their works. The novel’s first draft was ready in 2005. To test and improve the text, Spohr decided to distribute the manuscript to friends and received excellent feedback. Among those friends were Alexandre Ottoni and Deive Pazos, the forces behind Jovem Nerd (Young Nerd) website, the biggest geek culture blog in Brazil. With the text finished, it was time to send the manuscript to publishers. To impress them, Spohr had the idea of printing some copies in book format with cover and spine. For this he used the only printing company in Rio de Janeiro that offered small-run print services. Although the unit price was high, the author believed in his work and had 30 copies printed. Moments before leaving the printer, Eduardo Spohr noticed a poster about a writing contest where the winner would get 100 printed copies of their book. He took a chance and entered the competition. Meanwhile, Ottoni and Pazos from the Jovem Nerd website opened a virtual store and proposed to Spohr that he used that channel to promote his work. However, Eduardo only had 20 copies left, not enough for selling online. As luck would have it, on that same day he opened his email inbox to find he had won the competition and now had 100 more copies of the book to sell at no cost. In the first week of September 2007, Spohr, Ottoni and Pazos announced the sale of the book in the website’s weekly podcast, NerdCast, which has an estimated audience of 120,000. The 100 copies available sold out in five hours, which led the three to invest in 500 more books. But Spohr still dreamt of winning a contract and seeing his work in bookstores. He waited a further two years for a reply from publishers. With no responses and an increasing online demand for a new edition of the book, in 2009 the author and his friends from Jovem Nerd made a major decision: to invest in a self-published printing of 4,000 copies. A total of 4,600 copies of the book were sold independently, an eye-opener for publishers from Record Group. The contract was signed in May 2010, and by the end of July the book was on the shelves of all bookstores in the country.

3 - aBoUt the Book b 3.1 – synopsis A long, long time ago, heaven was the setting of a terrible battle. A group of warrior angels, defenders of justice and freedom, challenged the tyranny of the powerful archangels and fought against their oppressors. Banished from heaven, the renegades were forced into exile and condemned to wander the world of men until Judgment Day. But then the moment of Apocalypse arrived, the time of reckoning. Only one survivor of the persecution, Ablon, the leader of the renegades, is invited by the demon Lucifer to join his legions in the battle of Armageddon, the final war between heaven and hell—a battle that would not only decide the fate of the world, but that of the universe. From the ruins of Babylon to the splendor of the Roman Empire, from the vast plains of China to the cold castles of medieval England, The Battle of the Apocalypse is not only a journey through human history, it is also a journey of knowledge, an exciting epic full of heroic battles, magic, romance and thrills. b 3.2 – angels, Demons anD the enD of the worlD Celestial beings are in fashion. According to author Anne Rice in an article published by British newspaper The Guardian (at the end), they are the “new vampires” in literature. Blessed with extraordinary abilities, angels are the bridge between the divine and the human, and that is what makes them interesting. “Being on the side of the angels, it feels much better than being on the side of the vampires. Vampires were tortured, tragic figures”, Rice told The Wall Street Journal . Like vampires, angels are beings that exist in the folklore of almost every culture, exerting great fascination over us. Apocalyptic literature is another genre that has always been in vogue, and it is even more evident with the supposed prophecies involving the approaching year of 2012, that excites the imagination of the more curious among us and appears in many mainstream works.

b 3.3 – mythology anD pop CUltUre In The Battle of the Apocalypse , mythology meets pop culture. References range from the Bible to Japanese animation, from the Upanishads to the Star Wars saga, from the works of Joseph Campbell to superhero comics. The book retells elements presented in the myths and texts of many cultures: Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and primitive religions from Western Europe. In addition to angels, pagan gods also take part in this cosmic plot, weaving a coherent web never seen before in literature. b 3.4 – aCtion anD romanCe According to the award-winning science-fiction author Larry Niven, action and adventure are essential themes for captivating the male audience. Women, however, are attracted by romance and emotional ties between characters. The Battle of the Apocalypse explores the perfect balance between these two types. Ablon (the lead character) is a renegade general, and during his travels he is chased by agents that want to destroy him, a situation that gives birth to an epic sequence of combat scenes. Love between Ablon and Shamira, on the other hand, is the center of the story. For over 5,000 years, the angel and the sorceress try to stay together, but this desire is repressed by the impossibility of the renegade staying in one place—he needs to be constantly on the move to escape those who hunt him. b 3.5 – religion for yoUng reaDers Drawing inspiration from several religions, The Battle of the Apocalypse can help young people know about the creeds of the world and study them in general instead of specific doctrines. Entirely written in contemporary language, the work presents itself as a starting point for the study of spirituality and mythology by people who have never had any contact with this kind of knowledge.