Hi, I like Pat Conroy too. "Beach Music" was such a good story and so well written. Books make the best seller list because the sell a lot! Sigrid, if you sold millions of books using Authorhouse as a publisher, you would still not be on the best seller list because the best seller list counts sales from traditional publishing houses only. At least, that's what I think I learned. For example, the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series was originally self-published, with no sales in context to the best seller list. When Health Communications picked up the series, it became a best seller. Same with "A Child Called It." I think! I wish I had more time to read.