Aloha Eric — awesome details / info here. Your inclusion of fuel is more prevalent that many know (or care about).

Based on first-hand sleuthing combined with first-hand conversations with key staff members of (now) well know authors — fueling has skewed the meaning of best-seller.

I’ve personally sold over 300K in books. Never had an agent. Declined multiple six-figure deals and a couple seven-digit offers. Why? Simple. Ownership. I learned this important lesson from a deceased house-hold name author. This author’s story left me absolutely COLD when it comes to traditional publishing houses / contracts. Their story clearly detailed how once owned always owned. I learned from this story.

Like mortgages / loans — book advances = strings. Be willing to be a puppet when accepting six-figure strings.