On-line Christian Stores - Clueless!

It would seem to me that if you're in business then you should know a little bit about the business you're in. I realize that in a perfect world . . .

So I'll lay the scenario out. Initially I wrote a book. Based on grand reviews and a few higher-than-low placements on particular lists that tout the best in horror and fantasy fiction, it has done fairly well and is still doing well. As a surprise to me, I garnished readers from a very unique group of Christian readers. As a result I sought to market to these readers as well once I learned they had their own bookstores it seemed, on-line and otherwise. The best way to do this, according to things I READ, was to have your book approved by Ingram's Spring Arbor. I actually talked to my publisher, Ingram's Lightning Source, to verify that what I learned was correct, that my books, if approved, would be available to the Christian market. "Oh yes," was their reply, though I'm certain now their fingers were crossed when they said this. They may have even smirked but it's hard to tell when on the phone.

You see, Ingram has one definition for Christian market and the Christian Booksellers Association who sold Spring Arbor to Ingram (see other post concerning dates) has a completely "nuther" definition. CBA defines the Christian market as those books that target their core market readers. Ingram's Spring Arbor defines Christian market as, well, any book that is about, has to deal with or otherwise sort of points to a religious theme for ANY faith that operates under the broader label Christian. Ironically however, Spring Arbor is a CBA member, a privately owned company is a fee-paying member. Okay. Whatever.

In spite of this, Brick & Mortar Christian bookstores or rather once-upon-a-time Baptist bookstores, still only place books in their store that are either from CBA affiliated publishers or publishers who proclaim they write for the same very targeted audience CBA pegs.

On-line Christian Bookstores are a leeeetle more forgiving and a leeeeetle more concerned with doing things right only they seem not to know what that is. To that I say, get a clue or drown in your ignorance.

When I found that my Spring Arbor approved book was showing up in on-line bookstores that clearly only pulled from Spring Arbor and not Ingram themselves, I rushed like crazy to have it unapproved. I was losing general market readers who thought I wrote targeted Christian fiction!!! YIKES!

Just yesterday I saw the once Spring Arbor approved edition of Never Ceese on an on-line Christian website. I called them to ask them what was up. Mock conversation follows:

Sue: Can you tell me how my book is showing up on your site please? In other words, are you showing it as available through Spring Arbor.

Guy: Yes. It's available through Ingram.

Sue: Yes, I realize that. But do you show it showing up in Spring Arbor.

Guy: Spring Arbor is Ingram.

Sue: Yes, Spring Arbor is Ingram's Christian arm but do you show my book as available through Spring Arbor as I had it unapproved so this wouldn't happen.

Guy: Well we pull books from many distributors.

Sue: None of whom should distribute my book as my distributor is Ingram. But just to clarify could you share who some of those other distributors are?

Guy: (rattles off a wide variety of distributors who only distribute targeted Christian fiction for that CBA market all of whom I know because I know all these distributors.) . . . and Ingram.

Sue: You said Ingram. Did you mean Spring Arbor?

Guy: (that classy line again) Ingram is Spring Arbor.

Sue: What I wanted to say--ARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!! What I said instead - "You're telling me you list books that are in Ingram's system that haven't been approved by Spring Arbor.

Guy: Yes. We automatically pull from Ingram.

Sue: Ah, but if that were true then you'd be showing the newer edition of Never Ceese as it too is with Ingram. So basically you only "automatically" list books from Spring Arbor which is fine but you should at least have a working knowledge of who Spring Arbor is. And by the way, my book is no longer approved by Spring Arbor and if someone called to order this book through you, you won't be able to get it for them EVEN though it is still in Ingram's system.

Guy: Well we could ban your book if you don't want it showing up on our book site.

*I'm not lying. This is what this guy said. LOLROFL*

Sue: I just don't want my book showing up on sites where ONLY targeted fiction is listed if not primarily and I've gone through the process of fixing this. It's clear the process isn't complete yet so I'll now call Lighting Source.

Conclusion: LSI did unapprove my book as asked and verified that I was correct in my thinking about Spring Arbor and Ingram, that they were separate. So if you don't want your work associated with that targeted market of Christendom who uses the broader label of "Christian" to define everything they put out then you best stay away from Spring Arbor. Otherwise your general market readers will avoid you like the plague. Fortunately I had my general market following first. *Sue wipes forehead with hand.* Whew!