Here's a thought: Scrap the list.
The Mystery of the Book Sales SpikeHow Are Some Authors Landing On Best-Seller Lists? They're Buying Their Way Quote:
But the short moment of glory doesn't always occur by luck alone. In the cases mentioned above, the authors hired a marketing firm that purchased books ahead of publication date, creating a spike in sales that landed titles on the lists. The marketing firm, San Diego-based ResultSource, charges thousands of dollars for its services in addition to the cost of the books, according to authors interviewed.
As ResultSource's website points out, hitting best-seller lists can mean fame, and potentially lucrative consulting assignments.
[
WSJ]