Okay, so POD isn't<>Death for an author.

Okay, so POD doesn't automatically mean death for an author. It was just one of those days. LOL However, while going with a print-on-demand book publisher doesn't mean death for an author, neither does it mean they can get you into brick and mortar bookstores should that be what you're looking for. Most who deal with POD's understand this some don't.

Why?

Because bookstores enjoy a unique relationship with larger publishers that has served them well over the years. They purchase large quantities of books from large publishers to help large publishers with warehousing cost and in return large publishers offer a return policy that only makes sense if you're a large publisher with lots of books that you need help warehousing. Large publishers make their books returnable for a full refund no matter what the condition of the book (or origin?) and no matter when the bookstore chooses to return them. In most cases they even accept just the front cover of the book to help bookstores with return postage.

As a result, bookstores have no incentive to offer smaller publishers a different return policy. Some POD's, mine excluded, from what I'm hearing, are saying that their return policy is different and that the book they produce for their authors can only be returned if there is damage or a print problem in which case the POD will pay to fix the matter. This is the POD's return policy though not the bookstores. No bookstore will order books unless the return policy they share with larger publishers is honored.

I just talked with Atlas Books about perhaps getting distribution through them, a clean line of distribution through Ingram and Baker & Taylor but they confirmed that the return policy was just as twisted and convoluted as I explained above. I stand to lose way more money than I'd make just to be able to get bookstores to order my book when I do signings. For the record here is the return policy as stated:

D. Returns: Accepted from the Customer in any condition regardless of origin with full refund from the Publisher.

Regardless of origin? Wonder what that means. LOL

After seeing that, I'll definitely reconsider. Staying with print on demand but making my book non-returnable so I can survive . . . hopefully. ;)