Eric Wilson of Fireproof gives Never Ceese 4 Stars!

Say it ain't so? Yep. Some time back I earned a grand review from New York Times Best Selling author of the novelization of "Fireproof" Eric Wilson. He posted it on Amazon one day out of the blue. I didn't expect it and was quite surprised to even see it there. Why would a New York Times Best Selling Author of anything leave a review of one of my books.

Well as luck would have it, he posted it on Amazon who recently started removing reviews by authors on other authors books. Good thing I copied the review before they deleted it so here it is in all its glory!

Eric Wilson
September 6, 2007
4 Stars

Circling the Camp

Sue Dent has done the unthinkable. She's pushed the boundaries of Christian fiction, circling the camp with a small publisher, howling for someone to take notice. And it's working.

"Never Ceese" is a blend of traditional vampire themes and modern smart-mouthed characters. Ceese is a werewolf on her way to a British castle, where she will rendezvous with Richard the vampire. Ceese is in a constant struggle with "the wolf" inside, while Richard is trying to maintain a modicum of control over his fang-toothed desires. This unlikely pair, united by an old woman named Penny, discover they have mutual childhood links. As they travel to meet a young college-age researcher, their pasts come to light. Romance flits about in unexpected places. And a self-seeking professor angles to take their immortality for himself.

The standbys are in play--garlic, crucifixes, wolfsbane, etc--but Dent adds a few of her own elements to this classic battle between the old ways and new. There are few surprises, but the story moves at a quick pace, leavened with humorous dialogue and clever insights. Dent's characters struggle with their cursed sinful natures, seeking release--if such a thing is possible.

In the end, all is resolved--if not a bit suddenly on some levels--and possibilities are left open for the sequel, "Forever Richard." I guess I know what book to add to my Christmas list. With Dent circling the camp, someone's bound to wake up to this genre's possibilities.

 
Actually I've not done the unthinkable at all. In fact, as far as what he's talking about here, I've done nothing at all. I'm not circling any camp and no one in that camp cares at all that a puny little POD author even wrote a book. Ah but thanks for the kind words Mr. Wilson.

Third Installment in Sue Dent's Thirsting for Blood Series Coming Soon

Yes, the editing process has begun and I'm wrapping things up on my third installment and hopefully in time for Christmas. Do be advised though, I've asked my publisher to make this book short-run through Lightning Source. This means third-party sites like Amazon and GoodReads won't be able to post about the book or sell it. Others will be able to sell copies on Amazon or other third party sites but not the sites themselves meaning my publisher will have full control over the information concerning this title. 

The main reason I'm doing this is because sites like Amazon and GoodReads allow folks to leave reviews and what not on books they can legally list but they do not monitor or control the content in any shape, way form or fashion. I've therefore decided to take that power away from sites like Amazon and GoodReads. 

If you want to purchase the third installment of my book, you'll have to go straight to the publisher to pre-order or buy it. 

Because my publisher uses Lightning Source, the books will still be available for a reasonable rate wherever LSI is set up to print books. Therefore the decision to make my book short-run doesn't affect the limited distribution POD books have at all!!!! 

Just means I can sue the daylights out of Amazon or any other third party site if they attempt to sell the third installment themselves. Oh what fun!

Do keep in mind that I'm an independently published author who writes stories for folks to enjoy. The only distribution available to me is through POD printers. I've only had one publisher who came close to getting on with Ingram and they went under. The third installment in my Thirsting for Blood Series won't be any "less available" than it is now EXCEPT that you won't be able to go into a Barnes & Noble or other large bookstore to order it. But guess what, I don't make any sales that way anyhow. So there ya go! 

A blog post you WON'T find on GoodReads!

After learning that in spite of my efforts to have all of my books removed from GoodReads, where they were listed without my publishers consent or mine, I FINALLY have some closure--so to speak.

You see, sites like GoodReads and Amazon and Shelfari think they're doing authors a favor by listing their books once they're "published/printed" (btw anyone, qualified or not, can publish these days and yes, there should be qualifications for something that is considered a profession duh!) It gives them content. They encourage folks to leave their thoughts or reviews on the content but do so very little to monitor said reviews or comments nor do they do anything to protect publishers or authors from personal attacks or from folks who just think it's fun to post ludicrous reviews and hateful words just because they can.

I've met so many authors and publishers who were targeted and not protected that it isn't even funny or worth the time to use GoodReads, Amazon or any of these third-party sites as a source of publicity. I deleted my account on GoodReads only to find they were still posting my blog post from my personal blog as if I cared to show up at ALL on this site. Having a friend and fellow author remind me that this was a copyright issue, I set out to fix this problem by presenting GoodReads with this question:

question:
After participating on Goodreads and being subjected to an atrocious lack of monitoring, I opted out of participating. I attempted to pull my books but was told in a ninny-ninny-poo-poo sort of way that this couldn't happen because my books were available everywhere. I solved this problem by making all of my books short-run so sites like GoodReads can't post my books. ;)

However, it seems that as of late, GoodReads is posting feeds from my personal author blog as if I authorized this. I may have at one time but deleted my account. Please do whatever it takes to stop my blog feeds from showing up on GoodReads. I don't support this site or sites like it. Also syndicating a blog without permission is copyright infringement. If you had my permission once, you most certainly do not have it now. Thank you in advance for "unsyndicating" my blog from GoodReads.

Sue Dent

I will tell you that I expected another, "we don't have to do anything you say," response but was pleased to read this. This will be my first post since the email to follow so we'll see if they stuck to their word. ;)

GoodReads response:

Hi Sue,
Thanks for alerting us. We’re so sorry for that mistaken oversight! I just removed all the remaining personal information that was added to your author profile, including that blog feed and all the former posts: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/313656.Sue_Dent
Once again, we apologize for the inconvenience!
Cheers,

Those who run this site have been nothing but rude and arrogant to me when I approached them with obvious issues that were going on with other authors as well as myself. The fact that they continue to list my books even when I've asked them not to is absolutely insane. Same with Amazon. Same with all of these third party sites. I certainly appreciate being able to use sites like this for publicity but not when they do nothing to make sure things don't get out of hand and even move into the "slander" category. Of course they don't do anything because that takes money they don't want to part with. They'd have to hire others to keep track etc . . . At least with my books NOT being listed there, they can't make what little money they make at MY EXPENSE!!

It will be interesting to see if they've corrected THEIR admitted oversight.

Please Purchase My Books Via My Publisher

I'm not sure what drives authors whose books are for sale by their publisher, to push folks to Amazon to purchase their product. But I'm here to tell you that in the case with my books, if you purchase through anyone BUT my publisher, you won't get the best price. 

Everyone but the large publishers use the same method of distribution. POD distributors. Amazon and sites like Amazon can't offer anyone a better price than the publisher can if the publisher sells books through their site. Of course, the publisher can sale the book for more if they want to but rest assured they can match Amazon's price all day long and most publisher's who do sell their author's books through their site list them for less. 

Also, Amazon and sites like Amazon don't even go to the publisher or their distributor for book information. They usually pull this information out of their ahem "backsides" most of the time. Sorry but it's true and none of these sites will talk to the publisher when the publisher attempts to get a hold of them to change it. They'll simply respond with, "talk to your publisher." LOLROFL Amazon is notorious about responding in this manner even when they're communicating with the publisher. Amazon . . . you so make me laugh! 

Anyhoo, my publisher's site is http:/www.downwarden.com/blackbedsheetstore 

For Electric Angel the link is: Electric Angel
For Never Ceese the link is: Never Ceese
For Forever Richard the link is: Forever Richard

Also, if you list my book for sale please DON'T put Amazon down as the place to purchase it. Send them to my publisher's site. Thank-you. 

Having said that let me assure you none of the sites such as GOOD READS will change the link on where to purchase my books because A. Goodreads used to be connected with Amazon and so I guess they feel an alliance of sorts and B. Good Reads doesn't listen to the publisher of the book anymore than Amazon. 

Also Good Reads, even though I'm not a Good Reads author and never will be again, constantly post items from my blog here even though I've told them I've no interest in showing up on their site. They don't have my permission and yet it doesn't seem to matter. So if you're reading this blog post on Good Reads do know that you shouldn't be and I don't appreciate Good Reads lack of regard--for what it's worth.
 

Nothing to see here.

Just received this e-mail from Amazon:

Today we have added a new feature, AMAZON AUTHOR RANK, the definitive list of best-selling authors on Amazon.com.

This list makes it easy for readers to discover the best-selling authors on Amazon.com overall and within a selection of major genres. Amazon Author Rank is your rank based on the sales of all of your books on Amazon.com. Just like Amazon Best Sellers, it is updated hourly.

The top 100 authors overall and the top 100 in selected genres will be displayed on Amazon.com. You can see your Amazon Author Rank trended over time in Author Central.

You can find your Amazon Author Rank in Author Central under the Rank tab. Historical rank data is available from September 28, 2012. We’re always interested in feedback, so please let us know what you think.

THE AUTHOR CENTRAL TEAM

Just so y'all know, being a best-seller on Amazon isn't reflective of the quality of the book or what readers are purchasing. So far there's no way to determine what readers are buying. There never has been. Best-selling status by the New York Times is determined by how many books sell to bookstores. 

Of course, the only publishers large bookstores buy from in bulk are the larger established publishers who now only make up a small percentage of legitimate publishers. The title best-selling author has run its course. 

Give it a rest already. 

I don't aspire to be a best-selling author at Amazon or at any other  on-line reseller site. I do encourage folks to buy straight from the publisher. Since distribution for small publishers is vastly different than distribution for larger publishers, buying straight from the publisher is the ONLY way for readers to get the best deal and for authors and publishers to get the best deal as well. 

My publisher's site: http://www.downwarden.com/blackbedsheetstore Also I don't sell kindles on Amazon and never will. But you can get all e-book versions through my publisher . . . including kindle. 

Also, I in no way claim to accurately know anything about the "real" publishing industry just in case anyone wants to say that I don't know what I'm talking about. In regards to the "real" publishing industry, I'm sure I don't know what I'm talking about. So don't put any stock in my words. What I do know and what I do share are the facts from my own personal experiences.  

Distribution is key--if you can get it.

It's not a matter of proving this so much as it is educating those not involved in publishing (as in publishing novels.) Actually, those involved in publishing need educating too in many instances.

Here's an example. I pinged an international publisher recently (trust me, saying one is international isn't the same as saying "I run with the big boys" or even come close. Far from it. At any rate, they attempt to act like the "big boy" publishers.

They were open for submissions and I'm always open for anyone who has achieved some level of distribution through the corporate bookstores that doesn't come back to bite the publisher and author in the butt.

I explained that I technically have distribution through a "non-distributor" distributor, specifically Ingram's Lightning Source (it isn't distribution if you never see your returned-from-the-bookstore book again,) but I was always searching for that less-than-large publisher who has managed to work a viable contract or deal of distribution with the larger bookstores that hasn't been achieved yet.

Here was their response:

(name of company) print books are all fully returnable, because if we don't allow them to be so, booksellers generally won't stock them.

I'm not quite sure what you're looking for, but it might be that, because of this policy, (name of company) doesn't suit your needs at this time.

If you would like us to consider a manuscript, though, you're very welcome to submit one.

So sad. 

I explained in return what I was looking for and asked to know who they used for distribution so I could decide whether it was worth my time to send them an MS. But the the first line of their response pegs how they distribute. 

The large corporate bookstores made a deal with large publishers back in the day, when large publishers were the only publishers. It stated, in effect, that they did NOT have to pay to return the massive inventory of books they'd order from publishers to help quell some of the cost of on-hand inventory for publishers. That has morphed into large corporate bookstores sending books back hand over fist which is an okay policy if you can snap a "large" distributor which isn't easy to do because it all comes down to sales which a small publisher can't possibly generate given the current state of affairs. 

Ingram's Lightning Source and Amazon's Create Space, two of the larger distributors for "small press" (technically non-distributors) never get the returned-from-the-bookstore books back if you play along and make it returnable. LSI will "print you a new copy" for a sizable fee which they say is to cover shipping of a book that is never shipped. The publisher is then out the cost of the book, the cost to print the book and the money they made . . . before the bookstore decided to send it back because they can.

Such is the state of publishing. 

*le sigh*

Amazon Author Page

As many know, Amazon allows those who have books listed on Amazon (which is everybody and anybody without discretion) to have an Author Page. They also allow for blog posts from outside blogs to show up on that page. I often take advantage of this to let potential buyers know that they'll get the better price and correct information about any of my books via my publisher and not Amazon.

Amazon isn't a distributor, they don't get information from the publisher and they don't worry about whether the book they're listing is something they can legally list or not. But then, they don't have to because technically they're not a distributor.

What Amazon does (in relation to selling published books) is to merely list the data dump of books with official ISBN's that they receive on a regular basis. It's a quite an ineffective method to say the least. Currently Amazon has for sale by Amazon two of my books that they can't even legally list yet they won't remove them. Other sellers can of course sell them but not Amazon. They pretty much operate above the law most of the time. 

For every publisher who is forced to use "distributors" such as Ingram's Lightning Source or Amazon's Create Space, because they don't and never will qualify to use Ingram and Baker & Taylor or Heaven forbid Bookmasters, selling directly to the buying public is their best bet. The publisher can even offer deeper discounts than ALL the on-line retailers. And of course they can offer better prices than Brick & Mortar stores because . . . well . . . unless you're using the big distributors one doesn't get into Brick & Mortar stores, at least not if you choose not to use an "industry" standard return policy set up to only work for publishers who have distribution through the larger distributors. 

So yes, visit my publishers site and visit SueDent.net to learn more. Hopefully soon it will all come out in the wash!!! Won't that be grand!

Just like Video killed the Radio Star . . .

Just like "Video killed the Radio Star" and "Internet Killed the Video Star," or so the songs go, one could easily say that technology killed the publishing world. In the publishing world however, it would be more accurate to replace "killed" with "changed." And for writer's around the world, it's a very welcome change at that. 

For decades the publishing industry has struggled with the cost of printing books. It was so costly back in the day that the few publishers around would have to print thousands of each title at a time due to the expense of simply printing one. And then there was the dilemma of stocking the "all those books" until they sold or were returned to be trashed. 

The few publishers around back in that time, utilized bookstores to help with this inventory dilemma and this worked well until the depression hit. Bookstores could no longer "afford" to stock large volumes of a publisher's books and then "pay" to have what didn't sell returned. Simon & Schuster rose to the occasion by allowing bookstores no charge for returning just the book covers from books purchased and no deadline on when those covers had to be returned (for credit.) The other few publishers of the day were forced to comply or "sink."
   
So you can see it hasn't been an easy road. 

But publishers no longer have to worry about the cost of printing books, they can print-on-demand which means more economically priced books for readers. It's a wonderful day for publishers as far as the cost of operating goes. 

Do keep in mind that most physical bookstores both Independent and large chain bookstores, don't order in volume (or at all in most cases) any book from any author or publisher that doesn't agree to abide by what has become an "industry" standard return policy that has not changed with the times. Therefore while it is every authors dream to show up in mass in one of these stores, it isn't a reality. That's okay. The dream will change as the reality changes but presently it means the best fiction out there can only be found . . . elsewhere.


My books are available for purchase at all venues where books are sold with of course the exception being availability at physical or brick and mortar bookstores. I've opted to "save" my publisher by asking that my books be made non-returnable. My titles will remain non-returnable, a classification that means I won't participate in any "industry" standard return policy (that no longer works for the industry,) until an updated return policy is implemented.  

I would strongly recommend and ask that you purchase any of my titles through:

 Black Bed Sheet Books. 

 Since my books are POD through Ingram's Lightning Source, no other distributor such as Amazon or any other on-line retailer can get them for less. This goes for Kindle format and any other e-book format.


Here are the exact links for each of my titles, all formats, via my publisher. International shoppers should use Amazon and other on-line sites who can have the books printed in their respective countries thus saving on shipping. This is the ONLY time when buying from anyone but the publisher will actually save you money.:

Electric Angel

Forever Richard

Never Ceese

And to my current readers and fans, thank you for your support and love. I couldn't do it without you and I wouldn't even try.

Amazon Author Central: The continuing saga.

Short but sweet: An author can have an Author's Page on Amazon Author Central. They can post a bibliography, and list their books. On my author page I noticed that two of my published works weren't showing but rather two editions that were out of print. I pointed this out to Amazon. They told me I was correct and they fixed it.


I then noticed that when you sort on popularity, those same two books showed up and not the currently published titles. Granted the out of print titles may be the most popular because they're cheaper, the two published ones should at least show up!!!!!


I also noticed that when sorting on Highest to Lowest price and Lowest to Highest, the same thing was true. The published titles of my work on those two books NEVER displayed.


I asked Amazon and here is there response:

 The order of the titles that appear on your bibliography is determined automatically and based on many factors, such as past sales history, current availability, and length of time the items have been listed on our site. It is not something we are able to manually alter. Author Page bibliographies have also been designed to be convenient and easier for our customers and readers to view while they're browsing for books on our website. In order to provide the best browsing experience, we display only one edition of each work.


For example, the paperback edition may primarily be displayed on the Author Page, although the hardcover and Kindle editions of the same work also exist.

I sincerely regret that we haven't been able to address your concerns to your satisfaction regarding this issue.

My response was to point them to several Author Central pages where several editions of the same books were in fact showing up. Actually I told Amazon Author Central that if they wanted me to, I'd sit down for as long as it took to point them to all links where this happened. LOL Really. They made it that easy.


So just know that when you go to any Author Page on Author Central, other than that of a large published author like John Grisham or Anne Rice, when you sort on price, you won't be given all the actual pricing. In fact, in most cases, as is the case with my books, you'll only see pricing, low to high or high to low for out of print books that neither I nor my publisher make any money off of. Guess who does make money? If you guessed Amazon, you're right. ;D


And to make it even more deceitful--Amazon lists two of my out of print titles for sale as NEW through AMAZON even though I've asked them time and time again to stop selling my out of print books as NEW. I even sent the reversion of rights letter to prove I have the authority to tell them to stop. Gotta love Amazon. If you don't like how they play, you can't run away.

Barnes & Noble falling down, falling down, falling . . .

*Sue sings.* Barnes & Noble falling down, falling down, falling down. Barnes & Noble falling down . . . I sure hate it. NOT!

In light of the goings on this morning, the press release that B&N (Bullies & Narcissist)is going to "not" sell any more of Amazon's self published e-books I have only this to say - Bahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Oh and this, "What's the matter B&N? Nobody buying your "wittle" self-published e-books. You can't compete with the Narcissistic Amazon." Read the little snippet below for a real good laugh. It's from an article I found published in 2010:

Barnes & Noble unveiled its new self-publishing service PubIt on Wednesday, following in the footsteps of its competitors to take advantage of explosive growth in digital publishing.

"Barnes & Noble sees an opportunity to grow its traditional customer base with customers who think they have something worth publishing," says Kelly Gallagher, Bowker's vice president of publishing services. "It's one way to stay connected to their customer base."

Barnes & Noble, which expects to launch this summer, is the latest company to enter into the self-publishing market.

Really, I have more to write but I've seriously got to stop laughing. *Sue wipes tears from her eyes. Catches her breath.* Okay. So B&N can't sell their crappy (crappy meaning low quality, no quality) self published e-books so they're kicking Amazon and their "crappy" self-published e-books out. Since I really don't have a dog in the hunt--by choice--I really should just sit back and watch the fun. But I just can't seem to keep quiet about it. Perhaps B&N and Amazon should join forces. They could get Emeril to be their spokesman and they could call the joint venture
"BAM-AZON!"

Hey B&N. Why can't I set up an event at your stores? That's right! Because I make my books NON-RETURNABLE according to that outdated, only for the "big dog" publishers return policy. Us little guys don't get the books you return back, you jerks. Sorry, but I didn't sign on to publish books only to have them stolen and resold to "return from the bookstore retailers" such as Books-a-Million. Have fun "duking" it out with Amazon. Y'all deserve to be in the same fight. You're both losers.

A new kind of Amazon Advantage!

A new kind of Amazon Advantage only an author actually makes money off of this one and Amazon loses money, all the way around. I've already done it once and plan on doing it this time unless y'all beat me to it.

Here's how it works. Amazon shows TWO more copies of Never Ceese the BLACK BED SHEET VERSION in STOCK!!! I bought the last four they were brave enough to buy.

You know what that means don't you?

That means y'all BETTER NOT buy them. Wait until Amazon can't sell them, that's usually about a couple of weeks, and they'll start dropping the price because *drum roll please* my books are non-returnable according to the "industry standard" return policy, a definite plus.

Amazon cut the price on the last FOUR down to TWO DOLLARS AND SEVENTY ONE CENTS when the books didn't sell in the designated selling time and I bought them all because that's cheaper than even I can buy them from my publisher.

So here's how the game goes, we wait until Amazon starts dropping the price again and Y'ALL try to beat me to buying them. It's a win-win situation for you and I. A lose-lose for Amazon. But hey, I didn't tell Amazon to stock my non-returnable by "industry" standard POD books. ;)

Just know, when the price starts dropping, I'm on it!!!!! You won't get my books before I do, I promise you that. I'll even earn royalties off the sales and my publisher will make money as well. Amazon merely gets to write it off as a loss. YAYNESS! Their loss, my gain. ;)

I love "messing" with Amazon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stephanie Meyer speaks: Get ready for heartbreak [authors.]

It's so very nice to find little tidbits like this. And if you're wanting the link from which the quote was taken, well, here it is: Twilight Stephenie Meyer

Now here's the quote:

How did you get it published?

Stephenie Meyer: "Sheer luck or fate or what have you. I had the easiest publishing experience in the entire world. I sent out 15 courier letters to agents, got five no replies, nine rejections and one I want to see it. A month later I had an agent. Another month later I had a three book deal with Little Brown. And it does not happen that way. If you [an author] expect that going in, get ready for heartbreak."

. . . and the truth shall set you free. I have preached it until I can preach it no more. The odds of hooking up with an agent that can do ANYTHING but waste your time are 1 in a 1,000,000,000,000. You may like those odds. I don't. And I don't have time to waste pretending I'll win this lottery before I've passed on. Also, if I'm not mistaken and didn't hear wrong. Ms. Myers had a few connections with her husband working and/or published by either her first publisher or one of the big "six." Don't hold me to that. Whether it's true or not, the facts remain as they are. Agents are trash collectors for large publishers who got tired of looking at MS's a looooooooooong time ago and decided to turn the job over to "agents." A dirty little game I'll not be playing.

Y'all! This is heeeelarious. You have to read it.

Okay. So I decided to stop moaning about Amazon selling my Black Bed Sheet Edition of Never Ceese for $3.00, less than I can get it for, and instead went to purchase about $25 dollars worth of them so I could qualify for Super Saver free shipping like the ad reads. But now the books are selling for TWO DOLLARS AND FORTY ONE CENTS OMG!!! I've hit the jackpot. Hey, any way to make a buck, right? So I add 20 copies to my cart and all at once it says I can get $10.00 off my purchase if I sign up for an Amazon.com Credit Card. REALLY!!! Wow, I was about to REALLY CLEAN UP on this deal!!! So I sign up, I get my $10.00 off and hit purchase . . . . *wait for it* . . . What's this? There aren't twenty books available at that price???? My book is Print On Demand. What are they talking about? So I go back to the book page to see that there are *wait for it again* . . . . FOUR copies available for that price. Guess how many copies Amazon says are in stock . . . FOUR!!! Amazon actually ordered four of my Print on Demand non-returnable books and when no one bought them (because I ask everyone not to buy my books through Amazon) they had to eat them. Oh I'm laughing so hard tears are rolling down my face!!!! I didn't qualify of course, for the free shipping. And the shipping was more than the books costs all together BUT I got ten dollars off my purchase!!!!

I'm howling with laughter now!!!

I just purchased four copies of my book for $7.97 or $2.65 each! False advertising morons. They tell you it's available for Super Saving free shipping if you buy $25 dollars worth of a product and they don't even have $25 worth of what they're selling. So nevermind Amazon isn't giving any deals that you won't find at my publishers site. But every now and then it seems they'll be silly enough to order a few of my books and when they don't sell them, they'll let 'em go for next to nothing. I cleaned up on these four because I'll also get a royalty for the books sold. I know I can't wait until Amazon actually purchases more of my non-returnable books!!!! LOLROFL Gotcha AMAZON! Gotcha good!!! Go ahead. Buy some more. I dare you. ;)

For the record, shortly after I purchased the four books Amazon ordered, they show that Amazon doesn't even sell a new copy of the Black Bed Sheet Copy of Never Ceese. Well, imagine that.

Small Press Pubs CONTINUE to be abused on Amazon

**** I just learned that Amazon ISN'T setting prices on my books. They actually ordered four of my POD non-returnable copies of Never Ceese and couldn't sell them and were attempting to get rid of them. Read my newest blog to learn more. I'm sure the price will go straight back up to retail now as I bought the books myself. My work there is done. LOL However I stand by the Small Publisher Abuse claim. Amazon could care less about that.******

Looks like Small Press Publishers will continue to be abused at Amazon in 2012 as the only changes being made are for "big mouth" large publishers who are sinking fast under the weight of ignorance and Amazon's fine attitude that "we break the rules because we can unless you have more money than us."

Oh, you want an example? Sure.

My book Never Ceese, published by Black Bed Sheet Books, distributed by Lightning Source Inc, Ingram's POD publishing arm, retails for $16.95. LSI demands that you give folks like Amazon a 55% discount. And that's EVEN IF you make your books non-returnable so you at least don't have books floating around out there that LSI claims they destroy when they are returned-from-the-bookstore after one or two large bookstores decides to "take a chance" and ordered a few copies (why not. They don't have to pay for the books if they return them. That's what that crappy Industry Standard Return Policy states.) For the record, I don't believe LSI ever sees the "returned-from-the-bookstore books again to destroy then. When I asked to come visit the site where the destruction is done, they wouldn't tell me. Just said, "take our word for it, they're destroyed." Bogus!

Anyway, at a 55% discount Amazon gets the books for $3.00. I have three books on Amazon. All are listed for sale by Amazon at retail or a bit less. At this particular moment, Never Ceese is listed at *drum roll please* $3.00!!!! Hmmmm . . . I recall a similar incident where large publishers were peeved because Amazon was selling their e-books for waaaaaaay less than what they wanted to sell them for. And oh MY, the big publishers got their way, threw out their money and brought their lawyers in. Oh well good for them. Small Publishers barely have enough money to breath much less time to deal with Amazon's maze of operators put in place to baffle and confuse.

So you say, "But Sue, you'll sell more books." Since my books are non-returnable, I know each and every time a book sells and to whom. Would you like to know how many have sold through Amazon at $3.00. None. You can tell this because Black Bed Sheets version has no sells ranking on Amazon. Would you like to guess which book of mine on Amazon does have a sales ranking? The hardback of Never Ceese that Amazon won't take down even though it is no longer available through Baker & Taylor, my first publisher's distributor, and even though I, Sue Dent, the legal rights holder has asked them to remove it. I have the official documentation to prove the reversion of rights and have supplied it to Baker & Taylor at their request and yet Amazon still sells the hardback for retail and "AS NEW." The only place Amazon can get the book is through those liquidators my first publisher sold over 4000 copies to -- for like ONE DOLLAR or less!! Amazon is selling books that they are acquiring for probably less than a dollar for RETAIL and they won't pull the book at MY request. So don't any of you tell me that if you don't like Amazon, pull your book!!!!! You can't. And the reason, I suspect, is that without small publishers, Amazon would go down fast and hard. Yes, I could work and work to get my books off Amazon but unless it is a mass exodus, it won't matter one bit. Well, it will matter to me, one of the many starfish on the beach that perhaps saved myself. But what's the point in that?

Amazon hearlds their lending/stealing library.

This is a blurb from Amazon! You'll see it when you log in today. It reads:

"In November we introduced our newest Prime benefit, the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library, where Kindle owners can borrow and read thousands of books for free, with no due dates. The library has grown to over 50,000 titles and includes more than 100 current and former New York Times Bestsellers such as the Hunger Games trilogy, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and Moneyball. It also features Kindle Direct Publishing top-selling authors like J.A. Konrath, C.J. Lyons, and Julie Ortolon. We've also worked hard to make Kindle devices affordable, and they start at just $79 for Kindle and $199 for Kindle Fire.

Small publishers are dropping like flies due to this stealing library. Amazon uses the guise of a "lending" library to get around asking the "kindle" publisher whether they want this to happen or not. They claim they do ask but the bottom line is if you don't allow them to "steal" your e-book, you don't get to publish. The window of opportunity to opt out is short and most "kindle" authors don't even know about it until their fate is set.

Worse than that, why are e-books lent out in the first place? Most only cost NINETY-NINE CENTS!!! Oh yes, I suppose reading an e-book for free is WAAAAAYYY better. Most every publisher I know offers at least a free first, and sometimes even second chapter preview. Plenty of time for a reader to decide whether they want to "break the bank" and support an author's hard work. Amazon is trying to sell Kindles. They're doing it at the publishers expense in a desperate attempt to avoid the inevitable, the absolute and complete death of proprietary e-books and e-book readers. This is why I won't publish a kindle on Amazon EVER! You may find Kindle versions of my book at http://www.blackbedsheet.goshopper.net

Once again history repeats itself. IBM was the first out of the gate to attempt to keep the competition at bay with their propitiatory software and personal computers. Look where we are today. If you're a publisher or an author, you'd be wise to stay away from allowing Amazon to steal your work for their own benefit. Just saying! Barnes & Noble too but apparently their lending/stealing library is too complicated for customers to care about.

I dare you to read this review!

ELECTRIC ANGEL

“I got Whiplash and Paper cuts from reading ELECTRIC ANGEL...Could…Not put it down!

Char Hardin

Oh. You need the link don't you:

Mavens of Horror

You do have to be a big boy or girl to read it on the site though. Meaning that yes, you'll have to click that you understand you might see adult content. If you're under 18 and want to read this review just make sure your legal guardian checks it out first. Then make sure that legal guardian orders a few copies from Black Bed Sheet Books for you to read (because the content of Electric Angel is actually fine for any age reader.) Hey, I'm a mom too! You kiddies best follow the rules!!! Now go eat your veggies! ;D

Wowsers and thank-you!

Another review from the Black Bed Sheet edition of Never Ceese: ISBN-9780976994749 that I encourage you to ONLY purchase at:

Black Bed Sheet Books even though you can buy it anywhere fine books are sold. ;D

I'd like to preface this review, (as I call it,) by saying that you won't see such reviews on Amazon or any other review site as they pull their reviews from Amazon. Quite bogus but I could really care less. Now on with the review or rather one readers opinion of the words that I wrote.

From MikkeyVamp:

". . . I know it has been some time . . . but I promised myself that I would finish your book Never Ceese within two weeks, starting a couple of days before Halloween. I just closed the book and I have enjoyed this story fully. I now understand why you called this story your "baby." It truly was overwhelming, especially in the end when you feel so much emotion for both Cee Cee and Richard. I feel as though I can call her that after the emotional roller-coaster she put me on! lol. I am sorry it has taken so long for me [to finish reading] as we all let life "busy" us too much to take moments to enjoy a quiet read. I have been wanting to send you messages over these two weeks but I said that it would be better to finish and then tell you how wonderful this story truly is! The faith element is what brought me some added peace . . . Sometimes we truly are tested and we have to wrestle alone with God to find out what it is he wants us to do . . . I'm glad for this little divine intervention with your book. I may be singing that little prayer to myself every so often. I do wonder who Penelope's daughter is and is she alive or did she die and is that why Cassie is adopted? I do hope Richard is happy to see his father again and I look forward to reading the next book!!! Of course poor Josh,that Henderson is a real piece of work!! Perhaps also, Rodney and CeeCee will become closer? I wonder so many things now!!! Let me know when the new book is available!! It is a must have and I will be sure to this time to offer myself "time" to enjoy that quiet read...Much more success to you and have a great and Blessed Thanksgiving!!"

Yes, wowsers and thank-you indeed. And all your questions let me know that I in fact did the job I wanted to do with Never Ceese. Those are the EXACT questions you should have and are eager to want to find out the answer to.

Also let me interject that one can write a story that is in fact spiritually uplifting without writing what is called "Faith based" fiction which is in fact targeted fiction for a very "targeted" Christian audience and certainly not designed to appeal to anyone but that "targeted" market. My work is general market work. The only agenda I have is to write a story that LOTS of folks will enjoy. It's comments like the above that let me know I've done just that.

Thank you so much for enjoying Never Ceese Mikkey Vamp!!! Oh and Electric Angel! ;D

Whatever doesn't kill me . . .

Don't believe Amazon.

You'd think that a site set up to "help" publishers and authors sell their books would at least post information that wasn't misleading. For instance, here we are in November and they show my new release from Black Bed Sheet Books as taking 6 to 9 weeks to deliver. Here's where it says this on the book page:

More flighty information from Amazon.

This books availability is no different than any other book they list. There's nothing odd or peculiar that would make it any different than any other book where they "don't" post how long it will take to ship. If you want this book sooner go anywhere else to buy it. You may go to SueDent.net and purchase an autographed copy where shipping is waived if you're here in the US from the sidebar to the left or if you're viewing this article while on SueDent.net just look to your left. And of course you can go to:

Black Bed Sheet Books

You get the book for the best price, because no seller gets a better discount than any other seller, and you can purchase e-books here as well. Non-Amazon, non-smashwords Kindles, non-B&N Nooks and any other format.

I've no idea why Amazon continues to make it difficult for small publishers to make a sale. For real!!! Get a life Amazon!

Did you know . . . ?

DID YOU KNOW that no site that advertises they have my books, either Never Ceese or Electric Angel or the soon to be released Black Bed Sheet version of Forever Richard, can actually sell my books for less than what my publisher can sell them for? Nor can any site be competitive with the other. They all get the standard discount. If they list the book for less, you will pay the difference in shipping. If they offer free shipping, they will up the price of the book. There's absolutely no benefit to buying my books from anyone other than:

Black Bed Sheet Books

DID YOU KNOW that you will never find an e-book copy of the Black Bed Sheet version of Never Ceese or Electric Angel listed anywhere EXCEPT at Black Bed Sheet Books where you can get a non-Amazon, non-Smashwords KINDLE or a non-B&N Nook? That's right. Amazon, Smashwords and Barnes & Noble ALL allow for the e-books they list to be given away for free through their nifty lending library WITHOUT the publisher's permission. Smashwords does so by allowing B&N to list an e-book if it meets certain easily obtainable requirements. Black Bed Sheet e-books are instantly downloadable and oftentimes filled with nifty extras! ;) And you can also read a sample chapter to make sure it's of the quality you expect before you purchase. So there's no point in looking anywhere other than at:

Black Bed Sheet Books

DID YOU KNOW that no large-chain bookstore, and specifically Barnes & Noble, will order a copy of Never Ceese or Electric Angel for their store even though I've been short-listed for a Bram Stoker Award in one instance and long-listed for a British Fantasy Award in another instance, have had wonderful, resounding reviews from best-selling authors and from some of the best fans in the world? Nope. They won't order any book for their store if a publisher doesn't make their books returnable according to an "industry" standard return policy designed to save failing bookstores during the depression. A return policy that was never designed to work for small publishers and barely works for large publishers anymore. You can order my books through the large bookstores all day long though. However, they don't get any more of a discount than anyone else. So absolutely no reason to buy anywhere else than straight from my publisher at:

Black Bed Sheet Books

DID YOU KNOW that because I have so many readers from one particular targeted market of Christians that I had my books approved by Spring Arbor so those targeted "Christian" bookstores could carry my books as Spring Arbor suggested they would? Didn't work though. Large "Christian" bookstores only order books for their store that they feel doesn't offend their target market. Not only will they not order my books, even though they've been approved, but if someone orders it through them, the book is sent straight to the customers home and the customer has to pay shipping. So I had my books unapproved as I don't play that! Again, just another reason to purchase my books at:

Black Bed Sheet Books

DID YOU KNOW that even if I write something here today that inspires you to go straight to my publisher and order my books and you do so in mass and even in numbers greater than any best-selling author as sold books before, I'll not make the New York Times best-sellers list as that list is compiled only of books that sell to bookstores and not customers? And guess who won't buy my books for their store? That's right, large bookstores and most Independent stores only do so on consignment and in small numbers because they can't afford to do anything else. So PLEASE, for the love of GOD and all that is right and good, or all that is bad and evil whichever is your preference, DO NOT BUY MY BOOKS ANYWHERE OTHER THAN FROM:

Black Bed Sheet Books

DID YOU KNOW that so far I've lost more money than I could ever hope to make back because none of y'all believe the publishing industry is the way I say it is. Can't afford to lose much more. If you don't move fast and buy my damn books you're going to be stuck reading authors such as Meyer and Rowling for the rest of your days. If nothing else that nightmare scenario should spark you into action. At least 75% of the publishing world is made up of Small Published Authors. It stands to reason that this is where some of the best authors are as well. Wouldn't it be neat if you could actually get their books and Small Publishers and authors could actually make money selling them? Think about that when you go to bed at night and happy nightmares.