81.   Some publishers say privately that a failure is not worth the gamble.

82.   Some publishers say they hope that shoppers will play catch-up.

83.   Some publishers initially said that Clinton sought almost all of her advance upfront, pushing to sign a contract by the end of the year.

84.   Some publishers said their newsroom employees had been pressing them to move more quickly in electronic experiments.

85.   Some publishers say readers are seeking books with emotional content as much as historical or political analysis.

86.   Some publishers today say that encyclopedias and other reference books on CD-ROM are starting to spell doom for their printed predecessors.

87.   So far, at least, publishers say they are not worried.

88.   Some American publishers say they have never heard of Ms. Boyars.

89.   Still, several publishers said they had seen recent delays, and some are taking steps to remedy them.

90.   Such frustations are mild fare, publishers say.