An On-Sail Blast

By Daisy Maryles -- Publishers Weekly, 2/21/2005

Yup, you read that right. According to publisher Hay House, veteran bestselling author and psychic Sylvia Browne's latest book, Secrets and Mysteries of the World, had "the mother of all launch parties"—a seven-day Mexican cruise that kicked off a truly unusual 25-city tour. Unusual because Browne is eschewing the bookstore route in favor of appearances at 25 convention centers (each holding approximately 2,000 people), where fans will purchase tickets to hear her lecture (and read a bit from the book, natch), do a bit of signing and pose for photo ops. The publisher is setting up mini-bookstores at each venue to sell not only Browne's many titles but other Hay House books as well. Wait, there's more. Browne's setting sail again in November (water of choice: the Caribbean), and will make two appearances—Las Vegas in April; Orlando, Fla., in October—at the publisher's I Can Do It conferences, along with some 20 authors over a three-day weekend. It's just this sort of energy that's propelled Browne's last eight books onto our bestseller lists, including two weeks at #1 for 1999's The Other Side and Back. Copies in print: 125,000. —with reporting by Dick Donahue