Gillian Flynn, Diana Gabaldon's books dominate sales lists following screen adaptations
Sales bumps after books are adapted as movies or TV shows are nothing new, but 'Gone Girl' author Flynn and 'Outlander' writer Gabaldon are seeing their older books reappear and hold steady on bestseller lists as well.
'Outlander' stars Caitriona Balfe (l.); 'Gone Girl' stars Ben Affleck (l.), Lisa Barnes (center), and David Clennon (r.).
L: Ed Miller/Sony Pictures Television/AP R: Merrick Morton/20th Century Fox/AP
Many authors see a bump in sales after their work is adapted as a movie or TV series.
But authors Gillian Flynn and Diana Gabaldon are doing particularly well off their movie and TV adaptations, respectively.
Flynn’s 2012 book “Gone Girl” was adapted as a film starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike and directed by David Fincher which was released on Oct. 3. “Gone Girl” wasn’t the only work by Flynn to get a post-movie boost – Flynn’s books “Gone Girl,” “Dark Places,” and “Sharp Objects” are all currently occupying spots on The New York Times bestseller list for the week of Nov. 2. For that edition of the list, “Gone” comes in at number one on the combined print and e-book fiction NYT bestseller list, while “Dark Places” (first published in 2009) places at number seven and “Sharp Objects” (first released in 2006) comes in at number 13. In addition, “Gone Girl” is currently at number one on the IndieBound trade paperback fiction list for the week of Oct. 30.
Meanwhile, books by Gabaldon are also doing well in sales following the August debut of the Starz TV series starring Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan that’s based on her series of novels. The first book in her series, “Outlander,” is currently at number 11 on the NYT combined print and e-book fiction list for the week of Nov. 2 and the second novel in the series, “Dragonfly in Amber,” is at number 20. “Outlander” was first published in 1991, while “Dragonfly” was released in 1992. “Outlander” is currently at number six on the IndieBound mass market paperback bestseller list for the week of Oct. 30, which is its lowest position on that list since August.
A movie based on Flynn’s “Dark Places” is set to be released as a film and “Outlander” was renewed by Starz for a second season, so this chart domination by Flynn and Gabaldon is most likely not going to end anytime soon.