I have been looking but have been unable to find a list of the
top-selling authors (NOT books!) of 2003.  I would grudgingly settle
for the top 10, but I would love a list that goes to 25 or 30th.  Ok
all you search-engine sleuths git to it! :-)

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Request for Question Clarification by shananigans-ga on 27 Jan 2004 21:49 PST

Hi Pamelagh,

I've found information on the top three selling authors for 2003 in
the USA, but have been unable thus far to find a longer list. Just
FYI, the information is located at
<http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2003-12-17-three-authors_x.htm>,
and the authors are J.K. Rowling (#1 for the fifth year in a row),
Hillary Rodham Clinton and Dan Brown.

Are you after a country-specific list, or a worldwide one? Also, I
suspect religious texts might feature in the list, but they're
unlikely to be counted by publishers - how would you like this
accounted for?

Regards,

Shananigans-ga

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Clarification of Question by pamelagh-ga on 28 Jan 2004 00:01 PST

I have been getting some very nice emails and input.  Apparently I
have not provided enough information.  And by the nature of the
comments it may be easier to tell you WHY I want the information.  We
are book sellers and list on both half.com and abebooks.  I have found
that authors such as Daniell Steel do not have a market (too many, too
cheap) in our venues.  I do know that if I just put them away and
gather a nice looking collection of 10 or so I can easily sell them as
a grouping on eBay itself.  So rather than limiting the best selling
authors of 2003 (of which Rowlings was Harry Potter, I think - who put
out one book and what 3-4 before that) I guess what I want is a list
of authors that run in more like this:  Steel - Grisham - Clancy -
Patterson - King - LaMour - etc.  These names I know.  I was looking
for 10 or 20 authors that are popular to "collect" (I go though and
throw an amazing amount of books away).  Religious authors are fine. 
So, again please forgive my in ability to phrase the question right. 
And thanks to those who have taken their time in looking too!

The public library system of one mid-sized city has published a list
of the top 100 authors (NOT books) of 2003, based on that library's
circulation of their books in that year, if that would be of interest
to you.

markj-ga

To pamelagh-ga:

To ensure the accuracy of information obtained by researchers, you
should specify whether you want books sold in Canada or the United
States.

- supermacman-ga