Okay. That was weird.

This book selling/buying business just keeps getting weirder and weirder. ;o Last week I ordered ten copies of Forever Richard to restock my stash here at home as every now and then someone wants to purchase one from me. Well, I just received my discounted books from Bookmasters last night only to find . . . wait for it . . . three books with an "autographed by author" Barnes & Noble sticker on the front of two with signature inside of three and cover on one clearly bent in open position!!!

What? You're kidding right?

I pay for new books and I get books signed and dated that B&N has sent back as returns (because of course they can and do this every day along with every other larger bookstore in the world.)

Needless to say I was livid and couldn't wait to "give Bookmasters a piece of my mind!" Well, customer service took the wind out of my sails right away. They said I could a.) just get my money back on those four and keep the books or b.) they could send a slip so I could return said books with no cost to me and simply get four new books.

Do keep in mind that this hasn't played out yet but I don't feel it won't happen as I was told but here's the double-edge of this scenario. My publisher is charged for books returned from bookstores to Bookmasters. If I'm not mistaken they have to pay the shipping cost for these books to be returned and pay distributor/bookstore a full refund. They also have to pay Bookmasters fees for dealing with the administrative costs of handling returned books.

So while I'm happy to be offered new books, I'm sad to know that technically my publisher, which means me as well, just lost four books if I don't send them back. But then we'll also get burned if I do send them back by having to pay for returned books again (at least I think they will. Not really sure on that matter.)

More importantly, I paid for new books and Bookmasters blatantly put two in my box that came back as returns. The B&N sticker was still on the front.

Unbelievable.

What's even worse is that means they're sending books out to customers like this too. Customers aren't even getting new books and in some instances it's obvious.